tag: Tactics - Page 13

Like the old masters

4/3/2020 – In the diagram position it's Black to play and win - but before you start thinking, please don't forget to take your watch off...

The pinning bishop e4

3/27/2020 – In the diagram position Black faces the question of how to exploit the immobilized rook d3. In the game he made the wrong choice. Can you do better?

Bernstein's brilliancy

3/20/2020 – White's 48.Rcc8! in the diagram position starts the mate finale even if 48...Qe4 gives the black king an escape square on g6. Enjoy!

Candidates classic revisited

3/13/2020 – In the diagram position, White threatens 16.Qh7++. The game continuation 15...Ng6 was brilliantly refuted. Can you see why — and also suggest an improvement for Black?

The adventurous central king

3/6/2020 – This non-everyday opening position saw 12...Nc6 13.Nxc8+ Ke6. Now White has only one continuation to give him an advantage. Can you follow in Shirov's footsteps!?

The best rook move

2/28/2020 – In the diagram position, 26...Red8! is the correct way for Black to attack the white queen, with the knock-down argument showing after 27.Qc3. Which is?

Lagarde à la Lasker

2/21/2020 – 27...Kc7!! in the diagram is very cool, especially since the attempt to pin down the black knight on d7 with 28.Qh7 runs into an elegant refutation. Do you see it?

Pirc perpetual

2/14/2020 – In the diagram White played 8.e6 fxe6 9.Ng5 threatening both 10.Nxe6 and 10.Qxg4. So, fire on the board — can you extinguish it as Black?

Dream square

2/7/2020 – The knight sortie 16.Nf5! in the diagram position is both obvious and strong. After 16...Qd7, you are invited to get down to work as White. Have fun!

The last hurdle

1/31/2020 – Following 29.Qe5 in the diagram position, Black's way to deal with the mate threat is obvious, but still it will leave one last defensive problem to solve. Can you lead the game to victory for him?

Ganguly's powerplay

1/24/2020 – In the diagram Black is threatening ...e5 and ...Nd4, so White must not hesitate. Four power moves in a row, and he will have a won position. That's your call!

Epaulette Mate

1/17/2020 – In the diagram, after 21.Qh3! Rh8 there are still some power moves to find before the headline becomes a reality, but perhaps you can already outline the first contours. Enjoy!

Finesse

1/10/2020 – Following 19.Bg5!? Be7 in the diagram position White has a clever way to maintain the initiative, based on his mighty queen f3. Can you find four stringent moves in a row?

Dubov's king chase

1/3/2020 – In the diagram position, Black must give his queen on e6 to stay in the game - instead, 29...Kc6? 30.Qf3+ Kb5 sends his king on a journey of no return. Happy hunting!

Nice!

12/27/2019 – In the diagram position, White's retreat 30.Bf2! set the stage for the finale — and after 30...Qe7 you are invited to crown the game like the new U18 Girls World Champion Polina Shuvalova. Enjoy!

Nimzovich was right

12/20/2019 – White was well in control until of the game in the diagram position he decided to attack the rook c8 with 22.Bh3? Why did this backfire?

Duel of queens

12/13/2019 – In the diagram position, White's 25.Rxe8+ Qxe8 26.Bxf6 gets a most menacing attacker in front of the completely exposed enemy king. But Black has a way to secure half a point — can you see it?

The mysterious rook

12/6/2019 – From the diagram position, White has a remarkable way to bring to bear his g1-rook without even moving it! Can you think of what followed?

The missing h-pawn

11/29/2019 – The missing h-pawn in the diagram position spells trouble for the black king, but in order to access it White needs to display some creativity. Be my guest!

Petrov queen sac

11/22/2019 – Following 27.Rg5+! in the diagram position, the weakness of the dark squares will soon prove fatal for Black's king. A queenless mate attack - enjoy!

A knight for a knight

11/15/2019 – In the diagram position White, being a pawn down, delivered a surprising strike: 18.Nxh7. Can you see how after 18...Kxh7 he intends to regain the Nb8 by force - or even better, how Black refutes the idea in the end?

Asking for it

11/8/2019 – In the diagram position White had just played 12.Rac1 which didn't really threaten anything ... until Black replied 12...f6?? How would you take advantage of the new situation?

A Maroczy unbound

11/1/2019 – In the diagram position the central pawns c4 and e4 guarantee White a typical space plus. But if he wants to play for an advantage, 12.b3 is not the way to go. Why?

Dark squares, dark intentions!?

10/25/2019 – After 32.hxg6! fxg6 in the diagram, White must prevent Black from using his d6-knight for defensive purposes on f5 or f7. Ideas?
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