Insufficient Firepower

One of the worst things to possibly happen in an aerial fighter dogfight (see inset diagram of a F22's HUD) is when your enemy is in range of your guns on your super duper F22 Strike Fighter. You've done everything right so far, you've skilfully manoeuvred your state-of-the-art fighter to the desired position, and your finger is poised on the trigger, waiting to lay waste to your enemy with your 1 gazillion rounds/min minigun and you found out that you're out of ammunition.

OOOPS!!

Have you ever had that happen to you before in chess? You're in good company.

Many a time, I got caught launching an attack but not having the required firepower to back it up.

The worst possible thing is that you've committed so much forces towards the attack, your opponent's king is out in the open, surely there must be a way to finish him?

Take a look at this blitz game I just played tonight.

I was White and was hanging by a thread.... this opening arrived out of a King's Indian via a different move order.

Black had sacrificed a piece and my king is catching pneumonia if I don't do something soon. My Rook on e3 is pinned and Black just played Bg4. The Bishop on g4 is of course taboo (unless I wanted to be mated really really fast) and cannot be captured.

What now? What should I do as White?

Practical defense is at much a valuable skill as an offensive attack. I find the best advice one can give is: do not panic!

First I need to bring my last inactive piece to the kingside. But where do I place it?

My plan was to do Rb1->Rf1->Rf2 and the White King can now slip out via the f1 square.

24. .... Bg4
25. Rf1 e5
26. Ne2 (Planning to get rid of the bishop on d4) Rh3?? (Woohoo! Now I can alleviate my position see 2nd diagram)
27. Nxd4 Rxe3
28. Qxe3 cxd4
29. Qg3 Be2
30. Rc1 d3 (see 3rd diagram - from here on, Black is lost)
31. Qe3 (protecting d2 and guarding the c1-h6 diagonal) Qd8
32. Re1 d2
33. Qxd2 Qb6+
34. Kg2 Bxc4
Black resigns 1-0

I still can't believe I survived that!