ArcaMax

Number 17 in our series of instructional games. Steiinitz - Rock Remove White's R on a1 London, 1863 In our last instructional game, number 16 (see archive below), we saw how necessary getting d5 in was. Today, we see how important it was to NOT play d5. It's part of what makes chess interesting. The other lesson today is how the world champion ...

Number 16 in our series of instructional games. Janowsky, Soldatenkopf - Lasker, Taubenhaus C21 Consulatation Game Paris, 1909

1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.c3 (Ah, the Danish Gambit. This is an informal game, so I guess they thought it would be fun.)3...dxc3 4.Bc4 cxb2 5.Bxb2 (Black has taken every offering, but look at those white bishops! Black needs ...

Number 15 in our series of instructional games. Molinari,B. - Cabral,L. (D48) Uruguay, 1943

This is one of the most amazing games you'll ever play over. Reinfeld called it "destined for immortality." Pull out your chess board to see more than just the diagram. The diagrammed position is very challenging, but the idea behind the move is logical ...

Number 14 in our series of instructional games. Saemisch,F. - Engel,J. (E24) Brunn, 1928

The first three moves by Black is known as the Nimzo-Indian Defense, one of the most solid defenses to 1.d4; however, if you play without a prompt counterattacking plan, you can get crushed as we see here. A very instructive game. Please take out a set and ...

Number 13 in our instructional games series. This is one of the most drastic examples of what happens to the king who doesn’t castle and has to move about. The question for you is whether you will see the correct continuation in the critical position in the diagram. (13) Pleci,I. - Endzelius,L. (C10)Buenos Aires, 1939

1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 c5...

This is our 12th instructional game in our series. Feel free to check the archives for our earlier ones. This one is Nicifor - Kraemer (C48)Yugoslavia Decin, 1922

We normally look at the end of games, but with these instructional games we've been exploring some where the critical point in the game occurs in the middle game and even in the ...

This tenth instructional game is special for me since I knew the winner. Herman was a magnificent storyteller at dinner and very jovial. I met him in the 1970s, almost 30 years after this game was played. Miguel Najdorf was one of the greatest players in chess history, so Pilnik beating him was no small accomplishment. Pilnik,H. - Najdorf,M. (...