ArcaMax

Sometimes attacking then retreating works! From Blake-Hooke,London, 1891.} 1.e4 e5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bc4 f5 4. d4 Nf6 5. Nc3 exd4 6. Qxd4 Bd7 7. Ng5 Nc6 {See Diagram}

We're going to spend a good deal of time in the coming weeks on miniatures. You'll get the whole game score with the key position. Looking through an old favorite by Chernev, 1000 Best Short Games of Chess, inspired me to share these. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3 [The dangerous Boden-Kieseritsky Gambit.] 4...Nc5 [Normal is 4....

It always happens. I find one “uncluttered” puzzle from the 19th century and another one pops up. This one, composed by D’Orville in 1842, has a wonderful geometry about it. I rarely put a mate in two into a Friday puzzle, but since White has 36 moves to choose from, that’s sufficient challenge.

A very instructive endgame composition by Fletcher in 1943.

This mate in three captured my attention because it’s remarkably “uncluttered” for a problem composed in 1860.

When you were attacked by Koltanowski, it was hard to find the best defense as everything seemed to be coming at you at once. From Havana, 1946.

A fine finish from a correspondence game, Mariott-Arnold, 1945.

It’s always good to review the basics. This study by Gregoriev teaches a lesson or two.

A composition by Tolosa and Carrera. A first-class A-1 chess problem to end the week. Mate in 3.

This is an instructive composition by Van Vliet that shows the queen’s “geometric possibilities.”

Let’s start of the week with a simple two-mover that allows several tries, but only one move works.

The is one of those grand mating attacks you love to see. The great Yugoslav grandmaster, Svetozar Gligoric, pulled this off back in 1946 against Bidev in Belgrade in 1946.

A classic chess training position for students, from Adeler-Choinatzky, Berlin, 1936.

White’s a rook down, so he had better do something quickly!

. Smejkal forced an early end against Adorjan by noticing an overworked pieces.

Won by Moritz in 1922, this becomes a real knight-mare for White.

A wild game from the 19th century+: Vaccaroni-Mazzoni, Rome, 1891. Black is threatening mate and trying to defend his king all at the same time. White has an answer: a mating attack!

. I’m guessing, but this mating attack must have come as quite a shock to White.

An unusual problem in that White conspires with Black to mate himself in three moves. And if you’ve been paying attention to earlier this week, that’s a hint!

Another classic finish, this time in over the board play by GM Miguel Najdorf, from a Stonewall Dutch.