How does the extra tempo materialize?

 In an equal game. the tempi are in balance. The first step to a win is to get the initiative. You do something, and your opponent must react. This already points in the direction that there must be some targets in the position. No targets, no initiative. The creation of targets is another chapter where we need to talk about. But for now I want to focus on the mysterious tempi. Having the initiative alone is not enough. You need an extra tempo.

If you look at tactical puzzles, then you notice that you can only convert a combination into a win, when you are able to gain an extra tempo along the way. That looks logical, because only when you get an extra tempo while your opponent does not, you can expect to execute the extra tempo and convert it to a gain of some sort. Whether that gain is enough to win the game is a totally different matter.

Little is known about the materialization of this extra tempo out of the blue. Logically it can't come out of the blue. How does this mechanism work?

Example 1

Diagram 1. White to move

8/2p2kp1/6n1/5p2/1p2pP2/4P3/r2PB2P/6RK w - - 0 1

1.Bc4+ is a double attack. It exercises two threads at the main time.

Example 2

Diagram 2. Black to move

8/5ppk/5Q2/3b4/8/P1r5/1P1n3P/K5R1 b - - 0 42

#112. Nikolova, A. vs. Theissl Pokorna R., Germany Frauen Bundesliga 2015/16 from 1001 from 1001 Chess Exercises for Advanced Club Players

If black continues the game in the most straightforward way, he plays

• 42. ... gxf6 (variation 1)
• 43. bxc3

And the positional is materially equal. Black is probably better, but a tough endgame lies ahead. The tempi are in balance.

But black can ask himself, I have the initiative. If I can get an extra tempo I can win material.

The task at hand is to get rid of the problem piece Rc3 while maintaining the initiative AND gain an extra tempo. In the variation given above, black just maintains the initiative until it peters out by a lack of targets.

Black is about to lose his rook anyhow. Can he make some sort of desperado of it?

• 42. ... Rc1+ (variation 2) a double attack
• 43. Rxc1 but now can white defend against it by taking the two tempi out of the game by 1 move.

What does black have now?

Diagram 3. Black to move

His rook has already disappeared. That is not different from the first variation. The only thing black has is a few tempi and a white king who has little wriggle room. If black can get the white rook with tempo, he wins the exchange.

• 43. ... Nb3+ double attack
• 44 Ka2 Nxc1+ with tempo
• 45. Kb1 gxf6
• 46. Kxc1

Or

• 43. ... Nb3+
• 44. Kb1 Be4+
• 45. Rc2 putting the rook in a pin, so he can be picked up later
• 46. ... gxf6

So, where does the extra tempi come from? The little wriggle room of the white king provides the checks for black. The desperado move Rc1+ lures the white rook within the reach of the black knight and bishop. Due to the checks, the white queen can only sit and wait to be captured.

Notice how many there is to discover in the micro-tricks from just 2 ply deep (question and answer.).

Hence my advice to you, incorporate the tempi in your logical narrative!