ArcaMax

I guess this is Rinck week. I love this position because it can be so instructional to beginners. They learn to race their pawns to queen first, but sometimes the race isn’t always to the swiftest. Some students might even conclude it’s a draw because the two kings will just shuttle back in forth on the same two squares and it will be a draw...

It initially looks like Black can prevent both pawns from queening, but there is great mischief afoot by White.

Mate in Four! Have fun!

Mate in Four! Have fun!

This position demonstrates an ideal attacking position out of the Dutch Defense. White is ready to defend with Bf3, so Black must anticipate that.

One of the nice things about king and pawn puzzles is that you can count them out. What does a straight pawn race starting out with 1.f5 tell you?

This one looks easy, but be careful!

How do you beat a world champion? Former champ Kramnik ran afoul of Saleh at the Airthings Masters in 2023. How was he finished off?

I ran across this puzzle this morning and realized that I don’t think I’ve ever used this old classic. Black is threatening to queen a pawn and you, as White, want to checkmate Black. It’s a very logical solution and yet quite creative.

White has to deal with an obvious threat: Black queening the c-pawn, so what do you do?

Another opening trap you should know. This is from Inglis-Hickmott, UK, 2001.The game began with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 d6 4.d4 Bg4 5.dxe5 Nxe5 See Diagram

Here’s a game in the really sharp Schliemann Defense to the Ruy Lopez. Now you may see the first move, but be very careful on your follow ups. It started this way--1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 f5 4.Bxc6 dxc6 5.0–0 fxe4 6.Nxe5 Nf6 7.d3 Bd6 8.Nc4 See Diagram.

Black can opt to lose material and then take a longer time to avoid mate, but what’s the straight-out mating line here?

Here is a rough and tumble game from the 19th century. White played the Boden-Kieseritsky Gambit. Black did not defend well and then White overplayed his hand with his 7th move, but came back with a great 8th move. Your challenge is to find that 8th move and the continutation. The game started out with: 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Nf6 3.Nf3 Nxe4 4.Nc3 Nxc3 5....

Based on a brilliant win by Dr. Hartlaub in 1906.

Care to guess which White soldier will deliver the mate?

Here’s an attacking position coming out of the Vienna Game. How would you proceed?