Double Delusion

Can both players make the same mistake at the same time? Yes they can. It happens to grandmasters, and it will happen to you too.

This example is from a classic game, first published in Think Like a Grandmaster by Alexander Kotov, and later in How to Reassess Your Chess by Jeremy Silman (both books are excellent study material for the aspiring club player). Black to move.

 Ebralidze - Ragozin (Tbilisi 1937)

 In this age, Stockfish tells us that this is a draw. Ragozin, however, was clearly troubled by the fact that his Rook and his pawn on a7 are under attack, and his Bishop is pinned. He came up with 1...Rc7, thinking that Rook cannot be captured as 2.Rxc7 Bd6+ wins back the Rook with a winning endgame. The problem is, however, that the Bishop is still pinned, and cannot move. So, White can just take the Rook and win the game.

Alas, Ebralidze had fallen victim to the same delusion, thinking that his Rook, now under threat, must move. 2.Rd5 Bf6 and Black soon won the game.

Takeaway

Lasker said "when you see a good move, look for a better one". That's a good advice, but there's more to it than that. Before looking for a better move, make sure that the good move you've seen really is good. Does it allow a quick mate? Does it hang something? That second look might clear your head of delusions.