An important part of any strategy is the counter-attack. It's an excellent defense, overwhelming and, when used correctly, far better than a retreat. But it's not always the best option. Sometimes other defenses are necessary. In a recent game, as I arranged my attack, an annoying bishop and persistant queen attacked my king. Instead of trying to exchange queens or capturing his bishop, I used gambits and sacrifices to try to buy time to finish organizing my attack. I was two moves away. I thought I had everything undercontrol, but instead I received the mate. That game thaught me an important lesson: counter-attacks are not always best!