The Winning Academy 38: Queens just wanna have fun

by Jan Markos
10/22/2024 – Queens are very peculiar pieces. They love to attack and hate to defend. The difference in the value of this piece when attacking and defending is striking. An attacking queen is perhaps twice as valuable than a defending one. In a way, it makes a lot of sense. A queen is a very mobile and precious piece. Being mobile, it can attack very well, creating double attacks, forks, moving from one side to the other with ease. Being precious, it is barely able to cover anything. (For the same reason we don’t use golden locks to protect our bicycles. Thieves would gladly steal both the bike and the lock.) The qualities of a queen are very visible in situations when it must fight less valuable pieces. Let's have a look at some examples! | Photo: Ecolinho (Pixabay)
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The first example is relatively simple:

Vachier Lagrave-Nakamura, Paris Rapid, 2017, White to move:

Is White better, equal or worse? Materially, Black is not doing badly. After all, two rooks should fully compensate a queen and a pawn. However, Vachier Lagrave has all the chances to use his queen in an attack. Black's king is weak. Also, Black's forces are disorganised, and his uncovered pieces are potential targets. In addition, Q+N are well-known soulmates, a very efficient assassination squad.

In fact, White is clearly winning. My engine screams +4! Vachier Lagrave played 32.Nd4! and went on to win a nice game. (The knight is taboo because of Qf7+).

Here's the complete game:

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d3 d6 6.0-0 a6 7.a4 0-0 8.Re1 Ba7 9.h3 Ne7 10.d4 Ng6 11.Nbd2 Re8 12.Bb3 Be6 A slightly unusual twist. 12...h6 13.Bc2 c6 14.Nf1 d5 and Black equalized in Anand-Aronian, Sinquefield Cup 2016. 13.Bc2 h6 14.Nf1 exd4 Hikaru goes for one of the known ways of resolving the tension in the center. It's no longer possible to play 14...d5 right away, because 15.exd5 hits the bishop and Black loses e5. 15.cxd4 d5 No one feels up to 15...c5 16.d5 not after the Kramnik-Carlsen game, Norway Chess 2017. 16.e5 Ne4 17.N1d2 Bf5!? The idea of sacrificing a pawn this way is nothing new, but it has to be carefully considered in every possible situation. Also possible was 17...Nxd2 18.Bxd2 c5 19.dxc5 The idea to sac on h6, 19.Qc1 can always be dealt with: Nh4! 19...Bxc5 20.Bxg6 fxg6 as 21.Qc2 wins nothing on account of Qb6 18.Nxe4 dxe4 19.Bxe4 Bxe4 20.Rxe4 Qd5 21.Re1 Rad8 22.Be3 Maxime has a very healthy approach to opening problems - he takes what is given to him and tries to work with it. Thus, his qualified success against the Berlin. Here he realizes his minor pieces are passive, but a pawn is a pawn. c5!? Hikaru doesn't believe in blockade. His plan is to trade some pieces and keep on hitting the e5-pawn. 22...Ne7 23.b4 Nc6 24.Qc2 and the weakness on c7 doesn't help Black to restore material balance. 23.dxc5 Bxc5 24.Bxc5 Qxc5 25.Qb3 Qd5 26.Qe3 f6? 26...Nxe5 27.Nxe5 f6 28.f4 fxe5 29.fxe5 Much better interpretation of the same idea was Re6 and now, with the knights gone from the board Black welcomes 30.Rad1 Qxd1 31.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 32.Kh2 Rd5 with open arms. 27.Rad1! Impeccable timing. Qxd1 One of the most difficult thing to do in chess is to evaluate positions with unbalanced material. Most of the time a pair of rooks will be a match for a queen, but not here. Possibly better was 27...Qe6 28.Rxd8 Rxd8 29.exf6 Qxe3 30.Rxe3 gxf6 31.g3 but this pawn down ending is a hard sell. 28.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 29.Kh2 Rd7 30.Qb3+ Kh7 31.exf6 gxf6
TUTO 32.Nd4! Simple, yet brilliant. Re5 32...Rxd4 33.Qf7+ 33.Ne6 b5 34.axb5 Rxb5 34...axb5 35.f4 Red5 36.f5! Once 6 is supported Black won't have a chance, but Rxf5 meets with 37.Qc2 Rfd5 38.Nf4! and wins by force after than 38.Nf8+ Kg7 38...Rg5 39.h4 35.Qc2 f5 36.Qc6 36.g4 Rf7 37.Nd4 Rd5 38.Nxf5 would have been enough. 36...Rf7 37.Nd8! As a true Frenchman, Maxime has a flair for the dramatics. Re7 38.Qf6 a5 Hikaru is powereless to regain coordination of his pieces. 39.h4 f4 40.Ne6 Reb7 Black's best bet was 40...Re5 to beg White to take the f4-pawn and trade knights. 41.Nxf4 Nxf4 42.Qxf4 White should prevail, as in Rb5 43.g4 Reb7 44.h5 Rxb2 45.Qe4+ Kg8 46.Qe8+ Kg7 47.Qg6+ taking h6 with check. 41.Nd4! Incredibly enough, the knight returns to the center, this time to the decisive effect. R5b6 42.Qf5 Kg8 43.Ne6 Nxh4 44.Qg4+ Kh7 45.Nf8+ Kh8 46.Qxh4 Kg7 47.Nd7 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Vachier Lagrave,M2796Nakamura,H27851–02017C54Paris GCT Rapid7

***

The second example is much more complex, but the main idea remains the same. The queen needs to be active!

Aronian-Van Wely, Tata Steel 2017, White to move:

What are we looking at right now? The board is full of chaos. Let us check the material first. White has got a queen for two minor pieces and a pawn. However, several pieces are hanging. The d2-rook, potentially the e1-rook, the black c4-bishop.

In such a tense situation, many players would instinctively look for a “safe” decision, preferring defensive and stabilizing moves. However, Aronian is better than that. He understands that his queen would be useless in defence, and therefore he actively looks for attacking possibilities for his strongest piece.

30.f5!

Covering the d2-rook, opening the scope for his queen and getting his forces closer to the black monarch. In fact, this is the only winning move.

30…Bxd2 31.Bxd2 Bxd5 32.Rxe4!

A great sacrifice! Now the white queen gets to the dark squares around the enemy king.

32…Bxe4 33.Qf6 Bxg2!+

Black's last trick. The bishop is taboo because of …Re2+ and …Rxd2.

34.Kg1

Van Wely resigned.

The final position is beautiful. White has returned some material but activated his queen in a decisive manner. The mating threat Bh6+Qg7 is deadly.

Please note that not only Q+N, but also Q+B might be a very effective attacking duo, provided that opposite-coloured bishops are present on the board.

Here's the complete game:

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1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.f3 Bg7 4.e4 0-0 5.Nc3 d6 6.Nge2 a6 6...c5 is the most popular line. 7.Ng3 Nbd7 8.Be2 c6 9.0-0 b5 10.Be3 Rb8N A novelty by Van Wely. 10...bxc4?! looks dubious, as 11.Bxc4 Rb8 12.Qe2 Qa5 13.a3 c5 14.dxc5 dxc5 15.Bf4 e5 16.Be3 Nb6 17.Ba2 Sakaev-Sepp, Tallinn 2001, and White looks nicely placed. 10...e5 11.d5 11.Qd2 (Zhukova-Golubev, Odessa 2006) exd4 12.Bxd4 Nb6 with a double-edged fight. 11...cxd5 12.cxd5 12.Nxd5!? 12...h5 13.Nh1 h4 14.Nf2 Nh5 15.Nd3 Ng3!? 16.Re1 16.hxg3 is too dangerous, hxg3 followed by ...4. 16...f5 17.a4 fxe4 18.Nxe4 Nxe4 19.fxe4 Ibragimov-Kachiani Gersinska, Fuerth 2001, and White is slightly better. 11.Rf2!? A smart solution to protect the b2- Qc7 11...bxc4 12.Bxc4 and White is comfortable. 12.Rc1 b4 13.Na4 c5 14.d5 e6 15.b3 Re8 16.Qd2 exd5 17.cxd5 This is a Benoni structure, White has a space advantage and Black's structure is not flexible on the queenside. White's position is more tempting. Nb6 17...h5!? is also a typical move. 18.Nxb6 Qxb6 19.Bh6 Bh8 Usually Black wants to hold on to the dark-squared . In the event of 19...Bxh6 20.Qxh6 Bd7 21.Bc4 and White is more comfortable. 20.h3 Bd7 21.Bc4 Bb5 22.Kh1 Qd8 22...Nd7!? was the other option. 23.Bg5 Rb7?! An inaccuracy, which allows White's subsequent plan. 23...Qb6 was better to avoid the pin, 24.Qf4 Nd7∞ with a complicated position. 24.Qf4! Qe7 25.Qh4 White redeploys his queen on the kingside, so he takes more pressure there. Qe5 26.Rd2 Bxc4 27.f4! A very strong intermediate move; the black queen is in trouble. Qxe4?! The engine suggests 27...Qc3!? 28.Rxc3 bxc3 29.Rc2 Bd3 30.Rxc3 Nxe4 31.Nxe4 Bxe4 32.Bf6 and White is also better, but still this was the best practical chance. 28.Nxe4 Probably 28.bxc4! was stronger, but in a practical game it is difficult to take the bishop instead of the queen. Qe7 29.Re2 Qd7 30.Bxf6+- and White is a piece up. 28...Nxe4 29.Re1 Bc3? The losing move! TUTO 29...Bb5 was the only chance, however 30.f5! gxf5 31.g4± is also unpleasant for Black. 30.f5! The strongest reply! Bxd2 31.Bxd2 Bxd5 32.Rxe4! This is the point! After this sacrifice, White has a mating attack on the dark squares. Bxe4 33.Qf6 Bxg2+ 34.Kg1! A very nice victory by Aronian! 1–0
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Aronian,L2780Van Wely,L26951–02017E81Tata Steel-A 79th12

***

Let us now have a look at two games in which the queen was driven into a passive defence. Again, let us start with a simpler example.

Adams-Rodhstein, Fide World Cup Tbilisi 2017, Black to move:

White seems to hold somehow. Black's passed pawn is blocked on a light square, and White's monarch does not seem to be in an imminent danger. However, Black can sacrifice his queen and abruptly change the situation!

49…Bxg5! 50.Rxf2

After 50.hxg5?? Black mates in three: 50…Rf3+ 51.Kg4 Rf4+ 52.Kh3 Rh4 and mate.

50…exf2 51.Qf1 Be3 - +

Now the white queen is passive and immobile. The worst dreams of this piece have become true. All Black needs to do is to get his rook to g1 while avoiding the threat of a perpetual check.

Rodhstein won slowly but easily.

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.d3 Bc5 5.Bxc6 This move ensures a strategic battle with many possibilities for both sides. dxc6 6.0-0 Bg4!? A nice practical choice by Rodshtein, looking for a simple position to handle, Black is giving up the bishop pair, but gets a solid position with easy play. 6...Nd7 is the most played. 7.h3 Bxf3 8.Qxf3 0-0 9.Nd2 Re8 Actually, Rodshtein has played this position in the past as the White side 9...Nd7 10.Nc4 a5 11.a4 Re8 12.Qg3 Qe7 13.Kh1 Bd6 14.Bh6 Qf6 15.Bd2! Bb4 0-1 Rodshtein,M (2691)-Bok,B (2575) EU-ch 15th Yerevan 2014 (9) 16.Bxb4 axb4 17.f4 10.Nc4 Nd7 In general, Black should leave the f8-square free for manoeuvres like 8-e6 or 8-5-e6. 11.Bd2 Re6?! The beginning of a dubious idea. 11...b5?! directly was not good 12.Na5! Re6 13.Nb7 Qe7 14.Nxc5 Qxc5 15.Qd1 But there was nothing wrong with 11...Nf8 12.b4 Bd6 13.a4 Ne6 14.Rfb1 a6= 12.g3 12.b4 deserved attention Bf8 13.a4 a6 14.Rfb1 White keeps more space and is constantly threatening to open the queenside. 12...b5!? Black's plan is to gain some extra space on the queenside; this is why the rook was needed on e6 - protecting the c6-pawn. 13.Ne3 13.Na5 Bb6 14.Nb3 Nc5= 13...Bf8 14.a4 a6 15.Ra2?! Maybe from here Adams directs his play in the wrong direction. As we will see, the rook is not so active as it looks and is even a bit out of play on the a-file. 15.h4 keeping an eye on kinsgide was perhaps more principled b4!? to close the queenside looks safer for Black 15...g6 16.h5 Nf6 17.hxg6 hxg6 18.Kg2 15...Nc5 16.axb5 axb5 17.h5 Re8 18.Ng4± h6? 19.Rxa8 Qxa8 20.Qf5! 16.b3 c5 17.Rae1 Nb8 18.Nc4 Nc6 19.Be3 Nd4 20.Bxd4 cxd4 21.Qg2 White keeps the better chances. 15...Nc5 16.axb5 axb5 17.Rfa1 White still could had kept the rook on the kingside. 17.Rxa8 Qxa8 18.b3! 18.h4 Qa2 18...Re8 18...Qa2 19.Bc3 19.Bc3 Ne6! 20.Qg4 20.Bxe5? Ng5 20...f6 21.h4 maintains the advantage. 17...Rxa2 18.Rxa2 Re8 After executing the plan of advancing the queenside pawns, Black returns to the standard idea 6-d4. 19.Kg2 Ne6 20.Nf5 20.h4! c5 21.b3 Nd4 22.Qd1 g6 23.h5 20...c5 Black is able to consolidate his position after this. 21.Ra5 Qd7 22.Bc3 f6 23.b3 c6 24.h4 g6 25.Ne3 Bg7 26.Qg4?! Rodshtein is able now to play for an advantage. White could have tried 26.h5 Rf8 26...Ng5? 27.Qg4 Qxg4 28.Nxg4 gxh5 29.Ne3± 27.Ra1 Now the rook has more options, for example f5 27...Nd4 28.Bxd4 cxd4 29.Ng4 f5 30.Nh2 fxe4 31.Qxe4 gxh5 32.Ra6! Rc8 32...Qf7 33.Nf3± 33.Nf3 Qd5 34.Qf5 Rf8 35.Qxh5 28.hxg6 hxg6 29.exf5 Nd4 30.Qg4 gxf5 31.Qg6 Black remains with problems to solve Qf7 31...f4 32.Bxd4! exd4 33.Ng4 fxg3 34.f4‼ Qe7 35.f5 Qe2+ 36.Kxg3+- 32.Qxf7+ Rxf7 33.Ra8+ Kh7 34.g4! fxg4 35.Bxd4 exd4 35...cxd4 36.Nxg4 Re7 37.Rc8 Re6 38.Kf3± 36.Nxg4 26...Rf8 Black managed to equalise and starts to prepare f5, which gives him good chances to play for an advantage. 27.Kg1 Qf7 28.Ra6 f5! 29.exf5 gxf5 30.Qe2 Qb7 31.Ra2 31.Ra1? looks better, but actually puts White in trouble b4! 32.Bb2 e4! 33.d4 33.Bxg7 Qxg7-+ 33...cxd4 34.Qc4 Qf7 31...Nd4 Rodshtein takes the initiative at the first chance. 32.Bxd4 32.Qh5!? Qd7 33.Bxd4 cxd4 34.Ng2 Kh8 35.Qf3= 32...cxd4 33.Nf1 c5 34.Nd2 just in time to stop e4. Bh6 35.Ra1 Finally, Adams transfers the rook back to the kingside. Qg7 36.Kh2? Stepping out of the g-file looks natural, but it allows Black to launch a strong attack. White's position was still under control with 36.Ra5! Black has some options, which makes the calculations difficult, but in all of them White has enough resources Qb7 36...e4?! 37.dxe4 f4 37...Bxd2 38.Qxd2 fxe4 39.Rxb5 e3 40.fxe3 Re8 40...Qf6 41.Qe1! dxe3 42.Rxc5 h6 43.Rc4 41.e4‼ Qxg3+ 41...Rxe4? 42.Rb8+ Kf7 43.Qf2++- 42.Qg2 Qxg2+ 43.Kxg2 Rxe4 44.Rxc5 Rxh4 45.Kg3= 38.Kg2 fxg3 39.fxg3 Be3 40.Rxb5! h6 41.Rxc5! Rf2+ 42.Qxf2 Bxf2 43.Kxf2 White has in the worse of cases sufficient material for the queen 36...f4? 37.Ne4± 36...Bxd2? 37.Qxd2 f4 38.Rxb5 fxg3 39.fxg3 Qxg3+ 40.Qg2 Qxg2+ 41.Kxg2 37.Ra1! Qg7 37...Bxd2 38.Qxd2 f4 39.Re1 Qg7 40.Kh2 38.Ra5 Qb7 39.Ra1= 36...e4! 37.Rf1 37.dxe4? d3!-+ 37...e3! 38.Nf3 Kh8 Black's position becomes more threatening with each move. 39.fxe3 White had a last chance with the difficult 39.Ng1 f4 40.Kh3! but after Qd7+ 40...Qb7 41.Qf3 41.Kg2 41.g4 Bg7 42.h5 Re8 41...Qe8 he is still struggling 39...dxe3 40.Ng1 Rg8 41.Qf3 Qc3 42.Qe2 f4! Well timed, forcing the opening of new lines. 43.g4 43.gxf4 Qg7 44.Qf3 Bxf4+! 45.Kh1 Qg3! 46.Qxg3 Bxg3 47.h5 Bf2 48.Ne2 Rg5 White is pratically tied, without good moves, besides the unavoidable material losses in a close future. 43...f3! 44.Nxf3 44.Rxf3 Qd4! 44.Qxf3 Qxc2+ 45.Ne2 Qxd3 44...Rxg4 45.Kh3 Rg8 46.Rg1 Rf8!? Avoiding trading pieces, Rodshtein makes his opponent's task harder. 47.Rg4? The losing move. 47.Ng5! was the last chance to keep fighting Qe5 48.Qg4 48.Rf1 Rxf1 49.Qxf1 e2!-+ 48...Qe7 49.Rg2 47...Qf6 48.Ng5 Qf2!? 48...Bxg5 was a much easier win 49.hxg5 49.Rxg5 Qf2 50.Rg2 Rf3+ 51.Kh2 Qxh4+ 52.Kg1 Rh3-+ 49...Qf2 50.Rg2 Rf3+ 51.Kh2 Qh4+ 52.Kg1 Rh3-+ 49.Rg2 TUTO Bxg5! A winning queen sacrifice. 50.Rxf2 exf2 51.Qf1 Be3+- 52.b4!? Adams puts all his efforts into building a sort of fortress, giving distant checks and then coming back with the queen. cxb4 53.Qa1+ Kg8 54.Qf1 54.Qa2+ b3! 55.Qxb3+ Rf7 54...h5! Rodshtein finds a safe place to put his king away from the queen's scope, and it is a matter ot time until he invades with the rook. 55.Kh2 Kh7 56.Kh3 Rf4 57.d4 Bxd4 58.Kg2 58.Qd3+ Kh8 59.Qf1 Rf7 60.Kh2 Rg7 61.Qxb5 Be5+! 62.Qxe5 f1Q 63.Qxh5+ Kg8 64.Qe8+ Qf8 65.Qe6+ Qf7-+ 58...Kh8 58...Rg4+ was already forcing the end 59.Kf3 Rg1 60.Qd3+ Kg8 61.Qb3+ Kh8 59.Kh3 Rf6 60.Kh2 Rf8 61.Kh3 Rf4 62.Kg2 Rg4+ 63.Kh2 Be5+ 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Adams,M2738Rodshtein,M26950–12017C65FIDE World Cup2.2

***

In the following example, Anand is going to be a full queen down!

Skvortsov-Anand, Zurich Chess Challenge 2017, Black to move:

Black only has a pawn for a piece. However, his pawn centre is very strong and restricts White's forces. The position is roughly balanced. But how to continue?

Anand got a brilliant idea. Perhaps he should open the White's king and try to mate it while the white queen rests idle on the other flank?

He played 16…Qxg3+!? 17.hxg3 Rxg3+ 18.Kh2 Rxf3

At this moment Black only has three pawns for a queen. And no direct mating sequence is in sight. And yet, with his passive queen and bare king White is in a big trouble and needs to find the very best moves to maintain equality.

Skovron was unable to do so. (Please, check the full game below.) After Black's 25th move, the following beautiful position arose on the board.

White gave up. And we shall congratulate Anand to his brilliant fireworks of creativity.

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1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.c3 Nf6 5.d4 exd4 6.b4 A very interesting idea, in accordance with Oleg's style. Suddenly the b-pawn must be reckoned with. Bb6 7.e5 d5 8.exf6 dxc4 9.Qe2+ Be6 10.b5 The extra option, now I have to figure out the differences in every line. Nb4 Sometimes, it is better to be aggressive than accurate. Now the connected passed pawns and the two bishops are quite dangerous in practical play. 10...Na5 is playable, the 5 is unlikely to play an important role... 11.fxg7 Rg8 12.cxb4 Qf6 13.0-0 Qxg7 14.g3 0-0-0 15.a4 15.Qe5 Qxe5 16.Nxe5 f6 17.Nf3 a5 Black can't avoid this move forever 18.bxa6 bxa6 enough compensation for the piece. 15...d3 Once I steeled myself to play ...g3, it was hard to resist the thought of executing the move. 15...Qf6! was probably objectively better. 16.Qb2 HERE Qxg3+ 17.hxg3 Rxg3+ 18.Kh2 Rxf3 19.Bg5? Based on an oversight. 19.Kg2 Bd5 19...Rf5 I would probably have gone for this 20.Rg1 c3 21.Nxc3 d2 22.Qxd2 Rxd2 23.Bxd2 Rxf2+ 24.Kg3 Rxd2 25.Rgd1 is about equal 20.Kh2 Be6! I am not sure I would have appreciated this simple move, but it is equal. 19.Qg7 what I was expecting Rh3+ 20.Kg2 Bd4 21.Qg5 h6! The queen runs out of squares on the g-file. 22.Qxd8+ Kxd8 23.Ra3 I was sure that Black has enough here. 19...Bd4! 20.Qd2 Rg8! And surprisingly, White is lost. 21.Ra3 21.Rg1 Rh3+ 22.Kg2 h6 23.Kf1 Rxg5! wins. 21...h6 22.Rg1 Rh3+ 23.Kg2 Rxg5+ 24.Kf1 Rxg1+ 25.Kxg1 Bd5 A very enjoyable game, and I have to thank Oleg Skvortsov for being a chess romantic! 0–1
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Skvortsov,O-Anand,V27860–12017C54Zuerich Chess Challenge m 6th1

***

Queens hate dirty work. They down want to defend, to serve other pieces. They are superstars of the chessboard, they want to shine, attack, they want to be in the spotlight.

Therefore, always look for a way to activate your queen!

Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!

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Jan Markos is a Slovakian chess author, trainer, and grandmaster. His book Under the Surface was the English Chess Federation´s 2018 Book of the Year. His last book, The Secret Ingredient, co-authored with David Navara, focuses on the practical aspects of play, e.g. time-management over the board, how to prepare against a specific opponent, or how to use chess engines during the training process. Markos was the U16 European Champion twenty years ago. At present he helps his pupils from several countries to achieve similar successes. Apart from focusing on the royal game, he is also the author of several non-chess books, focused on critical thinking, moral dilemmas, and phenomenology.
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