tag: tactics - Page 15

Disaster

5/21/2020 – In the diagram position White's bishop a2 fires against the knight e6. The intermediate exchange 31...Rxd1 32.Rxd1 is still okay for Black, however, offering a second rook trade with 32...Rd8?? leads to disaster. Can you see why?

Final result: 2-2!

5/15/2020 – This is a pleasantly tricky position! After 19...Bxe4 20.fxe5 Black needs to calculate precisely: two key lines win for Black, two key lines win for White. Can you find these lines and do you see how Black can win?

Best of Bundesliga

5/8/2020 – In the diagram position White played 15.d6!, a powerful move that opens the diagonal for the light-squared bishop and allowed White to score a brilliant victory after 15...Bxd6 16.Bc4+ Kg7. How did White win? Join and enjoy!

A graceful coup de grâce

4/30/2020 – The white king in the diagram position is weak and vulnerable, particularly on the dark squares. Black only needs to activate his queen to get a decisive attack. But how about scoring a point with an elegant flourish?

Cunning ladies

4/24/2020 – In the diagram position White played 25.f6 (opening the diagonal g4-d7) and after 25...Rxf6 26.Nxe5 an interesting position appeared on the board. But who do you favour here (White or Black) and why?

Light squared invasion

4/17/2020 – In the diagram position, White's knight jump 13.Nc6! was answered by 13....Qc5 and now the trade of queens was inevitable. But how would you trade the queens?

Turning point

4/11/2020 – In the diagram, White has just played 31.Qc2, threatening both Qc8+ and Qxh7. Your choice for Black: resign ... or get the advantage!

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?
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