ArcaMax

I’m taking a game from my latest Openings for Amateurs book—the last in a trilogy. Openings for Amateurs: Theory vs. Practice won Book of the Year (instructional category) from the Chess Journalists of America for 2025. The explanatory notes took almost five pages, so I’m just giving one of the key positions; however, here is the whole ...

This is from a very famous game at New York, 1924, where US Champ Frank Marshall comes up with an attack for the ages. We are giving the whole game because it’s worth playing over. The brilliant moves start earlier than the diagram, so you should look at the previous moves for a real learning experience. Here’s how it started. 1.d4 Nf6 2....

It’s Friday. Are you ready for a long think about an extended attack on your opponent leading to mate?

A bit of a change of pace. We haven’t done a composed mate in three in a while. There are very few pieces on the board, so you have a fighting chance.

When your opponent makes an error in the opening, you have to be alert to punishing that mistake right away. After 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 (A popular choice in recent years, usually combined with follow up moves like Nbd7, Nf6, Be7 and a well-timed c5. Black now shows what not to do.) 4.Nxe4 Bd6 5.Bd3 Ne7 6.Bg5 0–0?? SEE DIAGRAM Normally, ...

Today is a different type of puzzle. The diagram is an actual position between grandmasters after White’s 6th move. Can you figure out what moves were played to get to this position?

Alertness in the middle game is our theme today. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 exd4 7.Qxd4 f6 8.c4 g6 9.Nc3 Nh6 10.0–0 Nf7 11.b3 Bg7 12.Bb2 0–0 13.Rad1 Qe7 14.h3 f5 SEE DIAGRAM and now what should White’s plan be?