How is exactly our tactical training/learning procedure takes place since our very first chess years? Usually the coach supports trainees with some photocopies filled-up with diagrams and sub-titles like ‘White/Black to play wins/draws’. The trainees work on these exercises, and assess their tactical abilities.

Well, this is a very well-known method, but I was always wondering how correct it is. You see, the coach provides already huge information to the trainees, informing them that there is a combination to be found and that this is a winning or a drawing one! Nothing like game conditions, where nobody will give you any help or tips of this kind. In a chess game the player is alone in the desert, based on his own capabilities, seeking his oasis… I consider the info contained in the above case, at least the 50% of the solution.

So, as I believe that the training should be a simulator of the battle to come (game), the conditions should be similar. I try to provide my trainees positions, just with the simple info on who’s on the move – sometimes not even that!

What is for certain is that tactical motifs are continuously repeated and can be learned exactly as we learn opening theory. But somebody is obliged to teach them and somebody is obliged to learn them – you need two to dance here, and you must learn the dance in-depth in order to perform it!

There are doubtless many ways to teach tactical motifs, but at the end of the day the most important one is for the coach to have created a teaching program. There are a lot of books on tactics, but their main drawback is that the presentation is usually poor, without concrete thematic outlook. I feel that the correct approach is to collect some thematic, nearly identical positions which are involved on similar motifs.

In this survey I will present an often met tactical motif, which I call the "Shirov Killer". Well, there is no problem on what you call it, just that you have to learn it and stored it on your mental, your sub-conscious hard drive!

This is the famous game played by the legendary GM Alexei Shirov, after whom this tactical combination was named. 28.Bf6! A killer, and Black resigned, due to 28...Rxf7 (28...Bxf6 29.Qxf8 #) 29.Re8+ Rf8 30.Rxf8 mate. Note that the move was kind of ‘forced’, as 28.Qe6? Qxf2+ 29.Kh2 Qb2 would be just equal.

43.Bf6! and Black resigned, due to 43...Rxf7 (43...Bxf6 44.Qxf8# ; 43...Rg8 44.Qxg7+ Rxg7 45.Rc8+ Qe8 46.Rxe8#) 44.Rc8+ Qe8 45.Rxe8+ Rf8 46.Rxf8#.

30...Rf8? This move loses on the spot! Black had to opt for 30...Qb3! 31.Qxb3 axb3 32.Rb1 Rf8 33.g3 Re8 34.Rxb3 h6 35.g4 g5 36.fxg5 hxg5 37.Bxg5 Rxe5 38.h4 +/-.

31.Bf6! and after the 'usual' move, Black resigned, due to 31...Rxf7 (31...Bxf6 32.Qxf8 #) 32.Rd8+ Rf8 33.Rxf8 mate.

It looks like White is in trouble, but there is a brutal solution to his problems: 33.Bf6! Ref8.
No real solution is the alternative 33...Rxe6 34.Rc8+ Re8 35.Rcxe8+ Rf8 36.Rxf8 mate.

34.Qxf7! The killer, which forced Black to resign, due to 34...Qxf6 (34...Rxf7 35.Re8+ Rf8 36.Rxf8 # ; 34...Bxf6 35.Qxf8 #) 35.Qxf6 Bxf6 36.b7 Kg7 37.Rc8 +- 1-0.

Tactics are forever! – A useful tip

When I am presenting this kind of motifs, I like to quote a famous sportsmen’s sayings: "Whoever said ‘It’s not whether you win or lose’ probably lost." (Martina Navratilova). And "You have to be able to center yourself, to let all of your emotions go... Don't ever forget that you play with your soul as well as your body." (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar).

White is winning in any case, but he found the most brutal way! 40.Bf6! 40.Be7! Rxf7 41.gxf7 Kh7 42.Rg3 Bh6 43.Rh3 +-, was probably easier...
40...Rxf7 41.gxf7 Kh7 42.Rg3! Bf8 43.Rg8 b3 44.h4! Black resigned, due to 44...bxa2 45.h5! a1Q+ 46.Kh2, when mate follows on h8!

Conclusion

It is obvious that this combination is based on two main factors:

1. The opponent’s weak back-rank.
2. The absence of defensive pieces around the enemy king.

Easy to learn and to remember!

GMs Alexei Shirov and Efstratios Grivas in front of the ‘Sharjah International Chess Academy’ (SICA - Sharjah, UAE), on 19.03.2022. SICA was my second home from 2019 to 2024

You can contact E.Grivas for lessons, events, etc, here on Facebook