ArcaMax

Last time out, you were required to conspire with Black to create a checkmate on the 5th move with the mating move being with the R on h1. Today, you get to try the same thing with the rook on a1.

As we are beginning the merry month of May, some fun is in order. This past week, on facebook, IM Jovan Petronic offered an unusual puzzle task and GM Alex Fishbein chipped in to provide a good bit of amusement for their friends. Today’s position is a “task problem.” Your task, from the starting position, is to have White and Black ...

Our last classic, which now should be second nature to you to see it to the end.

Here’s another classic game involving two players of opposing views on chess theory: Tarrasch and Nimzovich. This time, Tarrasch got the win.

We had mentioned the attacking position that we felt was “well-known,” but apparently wasn’t, so we’ll devote this week to classic games with the two bishop sacrifice theme. Now, with any sacrifice, you have to work it out until you are clear the position is won, so do that there.

This is an exceptionally instructive study I found in GM Paul Motwani’s book, C.O.O.L. Chess

The material is even, but White’s pieces are far better placed than Black’s. Time to have a break-through plan.

Sometimes simple wins. Black played one move here and White resigned.

This was a correspondence game, so White had some time to figure it all out.

A wild game from 1926.

Here’s a dandy position as both sides are attacking the other person’s king. For White, it’s great as he has the move.

This is one of the most well-known attacking formations in chess. If you don’t know it, you should. It’s been around since the 1880s when Lasker defeated Bauer. Tarrasch later defeated Nimzovitch with this same set up. Of course, you have to see all the alternative moves Black would play and how you would meet them.

Here’s a nice attack from 1900, won by Ward over Downey in a South vs. North match in the UK. You might guess at the first move, but can you see it all the way through as White did?

Seeing that it is a day after a holiday for many, here are two hints: The placement of the white king should tell you what all of white's moves have to be. The black king eventually gets mated on the other side of the board!

Nona Gaprindashvilli beat the U.S.’s own Max Dlugy in 1987 by a decisive move here. What was it?

I felt like this should be a David Bronstein day. It’s a typical position in many of his brilliancies. He’s a piece down, and his queen and two rooks are all under attack. Naturally, he blows the guy off the board. Be Bronstein!!

This is another attack that requires some thought.

We have a bit of a chess lesson today and a whole game. What Shirov does against his opponent is very instructive. First, we see the way Black is now sneaking into the Philidor--through the Pirc Defense. Secondly, we see Shirov initiate an attack by gambiting a pawn. Then we reach the diagram for the final lesson. [Shirov-Klinova, Gibralter, ...

This is a composed study by K.A.L. Kubbel in 1936. White to Play and Win. White has black’s king on the rim and takes advantage of it.

C.J.S. Purdy, in Chess World magazine years ago, gave this diagram from an actual game. White went on to grab the pawn and mate with bishop and knight and king vs. king; however, for those of you a little rusty in that skill, you’ll be happy to know there’s a mate here!