Chess Board Geometry - One

Hi, how are you doing today? Hope you are keeping well! I would
like to take two minutes of your time to discuss something
interesting to you and me. I am talking about Chess.
When I teach Chess to beginners, I always start with the Chess
Board and its peculiarities. A chess Board consists of a regular
geometrical shape - a square divided into 64 identical smaller
squares.
Beginners are very keen to play simple tactics and I start with
tactics with geometrical motifs as this enables the beginners to
understand the Chess Board and its intricacies.
Tactical combinations based on the geometrical motifs create a
strong impression in the beginners and these combinations are also
aesthetically pleasing.
For example, let's see a problem position here. This position shows
that the material on both sides are balanced. But safety of both
Kings are not taken care of well. It's visible from the Board that
Black can give check to White's King on h2 using his Queen and
later can give checkmate on h1.
But the first move belongs to White. How White can protect his
King from Black's threat of checkmate? White's pieces are away
attacking the Black King and giving protection to White's King is
not going to happen.
Whenever you feel that an attack is overwhelming on you, always
look for counter offensive moves. Therefore, look for moves for
White how to attack the Black King. I also advise my students that
whenever you see a tactical problem to solve, always look for a
surprise factor or a sacrifice in the position.
Just see, when you look for an attack on the Black King, a
geometrical pattern is coming in front of your eyes. The vertical a-
file leads the White Queen to a8 square. At the same time, the
diagonal of White Bishop h1 to a8 also joins the vertical a-file at
square a8. In between the Rook at d5 is a hinderance of diagonal
joining factor. And the Rook can also join the attack on the Black
King through the vertical a-file to reach to a8 square.
Now you must have got the answer to the tactical problem. Yes, it
is Queen to a8 and check. Furthermore, it's the Queen sacrifice, the
surprise factor in the puzzle. Queen is the most powerful piece in
chess and it is being sacrificed for a higher goal.
The Black is forced to accept the sacrifice as there is no other
square for the King to go. Now it's the turn of the White Rook and
Bishop for a combined attack on the Black King. Rook comes to
a5 and it's a double check.
As it's a discovery check, the Pawn at b6 cannot take the Rook as
the Bishop at f3 is checking the King. And the Bishop at c8 cannot
come to b7 and block the check as the Rook is checking from the
open vertical a-file. The only way to avoid check is to move the
King and the King goes to b8, the only square available for him.
Now you see how geometry gives us the correct solution to the
problem. The diagonal h1 to a8 and the vertical a1 to a8, both joins
at a8. Rook gives the final check at a8 with the support of f3
Bishop and it's the checkmate as there is no square for the King to
escape.
This is a simple tactical problem, but enough to please our eyes
because of the geometrical patterns of the Chess Board.
Thanks for watching this short video. Hope you have learned
something today. Keep visiting here and keep updating your chess
wisdom. My name is Varghese, I am a FIDE approved Trainer and
an Arbiter. Please feel free to ask any questions relevant to chess
and I will be happy to respond. See you soon. Take care. Bye for
now.