We've had quite a run of 2 and 3 move composed problems. We hope it introduced you to the wacky world of problem composition. It's now time to head back to the rough and tumble of tournament play and actual real grandmaster positions.

This week you'll see some positions taken from Bruce Pandolfini's Treasure Chess, an especially entertaining book for the chess fan that wants to read about interesting positions, people in and out of chess that play it, and kind of catch up on lots of the shenanigans that have gone on in the chess world in recent years. Throw in some very practical tips on improving your play and some chess history and you've got a nice gift book for a chess fan friend or a hint to leave around the house to get it from someone who loves you. It came out this year in hardcover from Random House. Well worth getting.

This first position is well-known to chess aficionados, and is taken from Bernstein-Capablanca, 1914. Capa is Black and on the move. Can you find the move he made that caused White to resign?

Solution:

1...Qb2 2.White Resigns. And quite rightly! The queen can’t be taken because of the back rank mate on d1. Here are the main choices: 1...Qb2 2.Qe1 [2.Qf1 Qxc3; 2.Rc8 Qb1+ 3.Qf1 Qxf1+ 4.Kxf1 Rxc8; 2.Rd3 Qc1+ 3.Qf1 Qxf1+ 4.Kxf1 Rxd3] 2...Qxc3 3.Qxc3 Rd1+ 4.Qe1 Rxe1# Being a rook down is simply unpalatable for masters.

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.