Extreme Chess Tactics

Extreme Chess Tactics
Yochanan Afek
Develop your ability to find stunning chessboard tactics

Contents Symbols
Symbols
Introduction + check
++ double check
1: Fork
x captures
2: Battery Play
# checkmate
3: Pinning and Unpinning !! brilliant move
4: The Skewer ! good move
5: Deflection and Decoy !? interesting move
6: Trapping a Piece ?! dubious move
? bad move
7: Removing a Guard
?? blunder
8: Line-Opening and Line-Closing +– White is winning
9: Back-Rank Weakness = equal (or drawn)
10: Pawn Promotion –+ Black is winning
11: Zwischenzug 0-0 castles kingside
0-0-0 castles queenside
12: Devious Draws: Perpetual Check
1-0 The game ends in a win for White
13: Devious Draws: Stalemate
½-½ The game ends in a draw
14: The Ultimate Goal: Mate! 0-1 The game ends in a win for Black
15: Combined Motifs simul simultaneous display
16: It’s Your Move! Ch Championship
Index of Names (n) nth match game
(D) see next diagram
Composers
Comm. Commendation
Players
HM Honourable Mention
Copyright Information Pr. Prize
About the Author Sp. Special
About Gambit Publications Ty Tourney
About Gambit Chess Studio JT Jubilee Tourney
MT Memorial Tourney
Other Gambit Titles on Chess Studio and Kindle
In each section, real-game positions appear first,

followed by composed endgame studies. In the real-
game positions, you are told who is to move. In the
studies, it is always White to play, and you are told
whether the aim is to win or to draw.
White continued 27 Nxf4!, allowing Black to win
Introduction material by removing the guard of both the c4- and
e4-squares: 27...Rxd2+ (or else he is just two pawns
The final move of the 2016 world championship behind) 28 Qxd2 Qxe4+ 29 Kh2 Qxc4 30 Ng6+!
match was also its main tactical highlight. The last hxg6 31 Rxf8+ Kh7 (D) and by now the pattern is
rapid tiebreak game was decided in grand style by a recognizable:
stunning blow:
White to play
White to play
32 Qh6+!! after which both 32...Kxh6 33 Rh8# and
Carlsen – Kariakin 32...gxh6 33 Rxb7+ are mating. I remember being
4th rapid tiebreak, World Ch, New York 2016 deeply impressed by this marvellous combination at
the time – not just the final blow that was later also
Carlsen retained his title with the memorable double
employed by the current world champion, but also
deflection 50 Qh6+!! and Kariakin threw in the
by Popov recognizing it in advance and going for it
towel in view of 50...Kxh6 51 Rh8# and 50...gxh6
five moves earlier.
51 Rxf7#.
I am not sure if Carlsen had ever seen this earlier
Here I should humbly admit that once this position
example but I have no doubt whatsoever that gifted
(or even a move earlier) appeared on the
players of his calibre are capable of spotting the
demonstration board it instantly rang a bell,
winning move in a split second. For me, that special
reminding me in a flash of another episode, a more
moment in chess history emphasized once again the
sophisticated one which I came across in an old
important role that pattern-recognition plays in the
chess magazine a quarter of a century earlier:
process of training chess capabilities in general and
in improving our tactical skills in particular.
Although the old saying of the German master
Richard Teichmann that “chess is 99% tactics”
might sound rather an exaggeration, it has a serious
point. During the entire game our mind should stay
non-stop alert to all kinds of tactical possibilities that
might pop up at any moment on any of the 64
chessboard squares by any of its 32 pieces. It also
suggests that the lion’s share of decisive results are
affected directly or indirectly by tactics. If this is
true, how come players of all levels tend to give
such an overwhelming priority to the study of chess
openings and much less attention to polishing their
tactical sense?
White to play
Well, the good news is that almost anyone can still
N. Popov – Novopashin improve his chess abilities by regularly solving
Beltsy 1979 tactical problems. Even the most brilliant of
combinations by the chess greats are based on a
limited number of relatively simple tactical
components that may be studied and practised by us Amsterdam, June 2017
all. Furthermore, unlike memorizing piles of
opening variations, tactical exercises might prove
very enjoyable and inspiring.
In his book Learn Chess Tactics (Gambit, 2004),
John Nunn teaches the basics of chess tactics to the
novice. The present book is aimed at the advanced
and experienced club player who wishes to improve
his tactical vision as well as his combinative and
calculation skills based more or less on the same
range of elements. For that purpose I have carefully
selected examples for each of the book’s chapters
that belong to the following two categories:
1) Sacrificial combinations by world champions,
both men and women;
2) Endgame studies (all White to play!), which
introduce the tactical ideas in their purest form
demonstrated by only the relevant pieces.
This way the reader is not only able to polish his
tactical understanding and out-of-the-box thinking
but is also equipped with a whole arsenal of creative
weapons for a lifetime of fighting chess.
I should acknowledge three important sources:
Encyclopedia of Chess Problems, Milan Velimirović
and Kari Valtonen (Šahovski Informator, 2012)
Encyclopedia of Chess Combinations (Šahovski
Informator, various editions)
Endgame study database HHdbV, Harold van der
Heijden (hhdbv.nl)
Finally, in case you were wondering about the study
featured on the front cover, here it is:
White to play and win

E. Pogosiants
Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1976
1 Qc8+! Kxc8 2 a8Q+ Kd7 3 Qe8+ Kd6 4 Qe6#
Yochanan Afek
Carlsen – Kamsky
1: Fork Khanty-Mansiisk 2005
The fork is the most basic form of double attack and How can White shake the opponent’s fairly solid
probably the most common tactical device in chess set-up?
practice: a simultaneous attack by a single piece on
two or more enemy pieces, which might result in the Exploiting the pin on the sixth rank might help.
fall of one of them. Deflecting the black king allows a decisive fork:
The most effective type of fork is usually one 37 c5+!
accompanied by a check: threatening the enemy king The alternative fork 37 Rg6?! allows all the black
and an enemy piece at the very same time leaves pieces to gain great activity; e.g., 37...Bd4 38 Rxg5
little choice, as the king must be saved, leaving the Rf8 39 Re2 Kc5.
other piece to its fate.
37...Kxc5
37...Ka7 38 c6 +– makes it even worse.
38 Re7
A fork against the bishop-pair decides the game.
38...Bd4
38...Bc3 39 Rc7+ Kb6 40 Rxc3.
39 Rxb7 +–
The piece most identified with the fork is the knight,
owing to its distinctive way of moving. Because it is
so different from the way other pieces move, it is
easy for the knight to attack a number of enemy
units without coming under fire itself.
White to play
Tal – Tringov
Munich Olympiad 1958
How should White act before Black completes his
development?
White can win immediately by:
17 Qxd7+!
A sacrificial decoy to allow a knight fork that leaves
White a piece ahead.
17...Kxd7 18 Nc5+ Ke7 19 Nxe4 +–

A. Troitsky
Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1911
Which is stronger here: the bishop or the knight?
The answer in this instance is the knight, but only
for tactical reasons.
1 e6! Kxf6 2 Ne3 +–
Quite surprisingly the bishop, despite its five flight-
squares, is lost:
a) 2...Be2 3 Nd5+ Kxe6 4 Nf4+.
White to play
b) 2...Bd3 3 Nd5+ Kxe6 4 Nf4+.
c) 2...Bh3 3 Nd5+ Kxe6 4 Nf4+.
d) 2...Ba6 3 Nd5+ Kxe6 4 Nc7+.
e) 2...Bb5 3 Nd5+ Kxe6 4 Nc7+.
In each of these five variations, the knight inflicted a
decisive fork on a seemingly free bishop!
Black could win a pair of white pawns. Can he do
Fork Exercises even better than that?
4: White to play
1: White to play
The black pieces seem securely protected by each
Can White force the win of the enemy queen?
other. Is that so?
2: White to play
5: Black to play
How can White punish Black’s neglect of the
Can Black hinder White from castling?
kingside?
6: White to play
3: Black to play
Should White retreat his attacked knight?
7: White to play 10: Black to play
Which king is safer? How can Black obtain a decisive material
advantage?
8: White to play
11: White to play and win
Is winning the rook the best White can do?
Do you see a way to bring harmony to the white
camp?
9: White to play
White has won a pawn. What is his most
straightforward route to victory?
Can the white queen take advantage of the rooks’
momentary vulnerability?
13: White to play and draw 16: White to play and draw
How can White regroup his pieces in this awkward Can the promotion of Black’s pawn be hindered?
position?
17: White to play and draw

14: White to play and draw How can White deal with Black’s evident
Is there a way to stop the black pawn? superiority?
White is about to lose a piece. Is it game over? Can White force a draw in this difficult position?
Fork Solutions
3: Black to play
3) Pavlov Pianov – Alekhine
1: White to play Moscow 1919
1) Stefanova – Dembo He can win those pawns, but also with a decent
bonus:
European Women’s Ch, Kusadasi 2006
27...Qxh2+!
White can do so by employing a fork, but must first
decoy the king to a square that allows this: Decoying the white king to the forking range of the
black knight.
51 Rg7+! Kxg7 52 Nf5+
28 Kxh2 Nxg4+ 29 Kg3 Nxe3 30 Rxe3 Rxf5
leaving White a piece ahead.
Black has won the exchange...
31 Bf4 Re6
...and his rooks are even spinning a mating-net
around the white king.
2: White to play
2) Kasparov – Bareev
Cannes rapid 2001
By a swift mating attack:
4: White to play
40 Nd7+!
4) Hou Yifan – Skripchenko
To vacate a square for an even stronger check.
Women’s Olympiad, Istanbul 2012
40...Bxd7 41 Qf6+ 1-0
White can show it to be illusory with...
This looks like another fork but in fact it’s mate next
move either by the queen or by the knight – and 42 Rxc7!
curiously on the very same square. Deflecting the queen so that the rook is left
unprotected.
42...Qxc7 43 Qd1+ 1-0 The fork leads to another pair of forks: 36...Bxf6 37
Rxh5+ or 36...Qxf6 37 Qxh5+ +–.
It’s a fork next: 43...Kh6 44 Qc1+.
7: White to play
5: Black to play
7) Lasker – NN
5) Barcza – Tal
Casual game 1920
Tallinn 1971
White wins brilliantly with a double decoy:
Ready to bring his king to safety, White is surprised
by an unexpected intruder: 1 Rc8+! Rxc8 2 Qa7+!! Kxa7 3 bxc8N+! +–
9...Bh3! 10 Nfxd4 The new-born knight forks the royal couple and
White comfortably wins the resulting ending.
10 0-0 loses the exchange following 10...Nxf3+ 11
Bxf3 Bxf1 –+.
10...Bxg2 –+
After 11 Rg1 exd4 Black won a piece and the game.
8: White to play
8) Petrosian – Simagin
Moscow Ch (5) 1956
6: White to play He can cut the struggle much shorter by:
6) Anand – Lobron 44 Qa8+! Kg7 45 Bxe5+!
Dortmund 1996 A fork.
36 Nf6! 45...Qxe5 46 Qh8+!!
A knight retreat allows counterplay: 36 Ne3?! Be5 A skewer.
37 Qg1 Rg8.
46...Kxh8 47 Nxf7+ 1-0
1-0 And a fork to conclude.
9: White to play 11: White to play and win
9) Capablanca – Fonaroff 11) A. Åkerblom
New York 1918 Mora Tidning, 1925
A fine blend of motifs is the most straightforward For experienced solvers, the fact that all the thematic
way to reach the goal: pieces are on light squares should be a good hint.
20 Nh6+ 1 c4+!
Profiting from the pin along the g-file. The first fork with two echoing lines:
20...Kh8 21 Qxe5! Qxe5 22 Nxf7+! 1-0 a) 1...Kxc4 2 Bf7! Qxf7 3 Nd6+ +–.
The winning fork is made possible by the back b) 1...Qxc4 2 Be2! Qxe2 3 Nd4+ +–.
rank’s weakness. Two sacrificial skewers, each followed by a fork.
10: Black to play 12: White to play and win

10) Stefansson – Carlsen 12) E. Pogosiants
European Team Ch, Khersonissos 2007 6th Sp. Comm., Sportivnaya Gazeta, 1976
A surprising fork ambush was sprung: Yes it can, but the utmost precision is required.
22...Qxf3!! 23 gxf3 Bxc3 24 Rxd8 Rxd8 25 f4 1 Qb8+!
Since 25 Qxc3 is met by 25...Rd1+ 26 Kg2 Nf4+ 27 Both 1 Qd2+? Ke5 and 1 Qh2+? Kf5 are refuted by
Kg3 Ne2+ –+. ‘only’ moves yet sufficient ones.
25...Rd4! 0-1 1...Ke4 2 Qb1+!
After 26 Qb3 Bxb4 the win is just a matter of A second long and aesthetic check.
technique.
2...Kf4 3 Qf1+ Ke5 4 Qb5+ +–
Both rooks are simultaneously forked.

13: White to play and draw 15) G. Zakhodiakin
13) A. Troitsky Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1932
Source unknown In fact, White can still regain a piece thanks to a pair
of knight forks:
Yes, with the help of two consecutive forks, one per
piece: 1 Bc8!
1 Bb6+! Not 1 Ba6? Rxd5+ 2 Kh4 Rd6, when Black wins.
Decoying the queen so that it will be won with a 1...Rxd5+ 2 Kg4! Rc5! 3 Nd8!!
second fork. Both 3 Ne7? Rc7 and 3 Na7? Rc7 fail due to forks
1...Qxb6 2 e7+ Ke8 3 Nf6+! Kxe7 4 Nd5+ = by the black rook.
Winning the queen. 3...Rxc8 4 Nf7+ Kg7
The other forking idea is 4...Kh7 5 Ng5+.
5 Nd6 =

14) L. Prokeš
Ztec, 1943 16: White to play and draw
Yes, a clever forking manoeuvre does the trick: 16) A. Troitsky
1 Nh4+ Ke5 2 Be4! Novoye Vremia, 1895
The bishop vacates a key square for the knight. A fork and two stalemates save the day.
2...Kxe4 3 Nf3 b1Q 4 Nd2+ = 1 Rf5+
Now the black king has two options:
1...Ke7
Or 1...Kg7 2 Kh3 g1Q 3 Rg5+ Bxg5 stalemate.
2 Re5+ Kf6 3 Re1! Bxe1+ 4 Kh3! g1N+
Promotion to queen or rook is stalemate, while a
bishop promotion leads nowhere.
5 Kg2 Ne2 6 Kf1 =
The king forks two minor pieces.

18) L. Prokeš
Tijdschrift v.d. KNSB, 1939
The rook and knight combine to create wonders:
1 Rb7+! Ka8
1...Kxb7 2 Nxc5+ Kc6 3 Nxb3 Kb5 4 Kf5 Kb4 5
17: White to play and draw Na1 Kc3 6 Ke4 Kb2 7 Kd3 Kxa1 8 Kc2 =.
17) E. Pogosiants 2 Rxb3 a1Q 3 Nc7+ Ka7 4 Ra3+! Qxa3 5 Nb5+ =
Shakhmatnaya Moskva, 1959
He can, with some imaginative though forced
sacrificial play and a handful of forks.
1 Re4+ Kg5 2 Re5+! Kh6
The alternatives are 2...Nxe5 3 Ne4+ and 2...Qxe5 3
Nf7+.
3 Rh5+! Kxh5
3...Kg7 is met by 4 Ne8+.
4 g4+ Kh6
4...Kg5 5 Ne4+.
5 g5+! Kxg5
Or 5...Qxg5 6 Nf7+.
6 Ne4+ =
getting out of check takes priority, the other target is
2: Battery Play often lost.
A battery is a setting of two pieces of the same
colour targeting an enemy piece or a certain square.
Moving the front piece exposes the target to the
threat of the rear piece. The rear piece may be any
line-mover (queen, rook or bishop) while the front
piece may be any piece but the queen. Operating the
battery generates a discovered attack by the rear
piece of the battery while the front (‘firing’) piece
may create a second threat simultaneously.
Just as with the fork, if the discovered attack is made
against the enemy king, the defending options are
limited, and the firing piece has carte blanche to
wreak havoc. If both rear and firing pieces attack the
enemy king simultaneously it’s a double check,
which forces a king move – provided that there is Black to play
still one available. Petrosian – Korchnoi
USSR Spartakiad, Moscow 1963
Is Black doing as badly as it appears?
Not at all! Quite the contrary. A tactical blow turns
the tables in just a single move:
35...f3! 36 Kg5
36 Kxf3 Kg7+ is a discovered check, winning the
white rook.
36...Ke8!
Not 36...f2? 37 Rf6+ Kg8 (37...Ke8?? 38 d7+! +–)
38 Rg6+ Kh7 39 Rh6+ Kg7 40 Rg6+ Kf7 41 Rf6+
with perpetual check.
White to play 0-1
Euwe – Denker The black pawn is no longer stoppable.
Groningen 1946 The main types of battery are:
This highly charged position calls for urgent 1) In a direct battery the rear piece is unleashed
measures. Can you suggest one for White? directly against the enemy king or another target.
There is just one way out: 2) An indirect battery is aimed at a square around
the king or another piece to hinder that piece from
49 Qxf6+!
moving to this square.
After 49 e8Q+? Nxe8 50 Qg8+ Ng7 –+ White runs
3) In a masked battery, a piece of either colour is
out of checks.
standing between the front piece and the target and
49...Kxf6 moving it sets the battery ready to fire.
Black’s king has entered into the white bishop-and-
pawn battery and now comes under a discovered
check that leaves him a piece behind with a lost
ending.
50 e8Q+ Kg7 51 Qxe4 c1Q+ 52 Kf2 +–
A battery may be unleashed so that either the front
piece or the rear one checks – a discovered attack or
a discovered check, respectively. In either case, as
White to play and win White to play and win
R. Bianchetti C. Bent
L’Italia Scacchistica, 1924 EG, 1968
The ending of R+B vs R is usually drawn, though far 1 Bg4+ Kd8 2 Ne6+ Kd7
from easy to defend in practice owing to a number Now the temptation to win the bishop right away by
of winning positions with this material. In this using the battery immediately would prove
classical study, White wins thanks to the powerful premature: 3 Ng7+? Kd8! 4 Nxe8 stalemate.
masked battery:
3 Bh3!
1 Bb2! Rh6
Patience pays off! Black is in zugzwang. Any of his
A symmetrical echo variation is 1...Rf8 2 Rc7+ Kg8 bishop moves is met by a discovered check.
3 Rg7+ Kh8 4 Ka2! with zugzwang followed by a
discovered attack depending on the move of the Not 3 Bf5?, which allows Black to slip away by
black rook: 4...Ra8+ 5 Ra7+. 3...Bg6!.
There is another pair of symmetrical echo variations 3...Bg6
with a double check followed by mate: 1...Rf7 2 Or 3...Bh5 – the bishop is lost in either case.
Rh3++ Kg8 3 Rh8# and 1...Rg6 2 Rc8++ Kh7 3
Rh8#. 4 Nf4+ +–
2 Rg3+ Kh7 3 Rg7+ Kh8 4 Kb1!
Zugzwang! Not 4 Ka2? Ra6+ 5 Kb1 Ra1+ 6 Kc2
Rc1+ 7 Kb3 Rc3+ 8 Bxc3.
4...Rh1+ 5 Rg1+ +–
Operating a battery may be even more effective if
combined with another tactical or positional
element. Zugzwang, for example, as in the next
example:

E. Pogosiants
Problemista, 1964
The pawn is beyond reach. What is to be done?
The cornered king should lead you to the right idea.
1 Nd3! b1N!
The best try. After 1...b1Q 2 Nf2+ Kg1 3 Ne4+ Kf1
(3...Kh1 4 Ng3#) 4 Nd2+ the queen is lost.
2 Bc5!!
This is the only effective waiting move, preventing
the enemy knight from fleeing to freedom via a3.
For example, after 2 Bb6? Na3 3 Nf4 Nc4 4 Bd4
Nd2 5 Nh5 Ne4! White has reached a dead end.
2...Nc3 3 Nf2+ Kg1 4 Ne4+ Kh1
Hoping for stalemate; however...
5 Ng3#
What is the fastest way for Black to finish White off
Battery Play Exercises in this winning ending?
4: Black to play
1: White to play
Is there any hope for Black in this difficult ending?
Is the mutual dependence of the white pieces so
uncomfortable for him?
5: White to play
2: Black to play Whose back rank is more vulnerable?
How did Black turn a beautiful diagonal into a
deadly battery?
6: White to play
A piece behind, should White go for a perpetual
3: Black to play check?
Is there a way for Black to save both his attacked How could the queen be trapped on a relatively open
rooks? board?
8: White to play and win 11: White to play and win

Can White stop Black promoting? Can a single extra pawn make a difference?

With White’s last pawn about to be traded, what else Can you wisely recruit White’s regiment to face the
can he still hope for? inevitable promotion?
Show how White activates his far-advanced passed How can White even dream of winning when he is
pawn. three pawns behind?

How can White challenge Black’s dominance of the
long diagonal?

Can White cope with Black’s obvious threats?
29 gxh3
Battery Play Solutions
A battery has been created with its front piece ready
to strike.
29...Nf2++
It’s a double check!
30 Kg1 Nxh3# (0-1)
1: White to play
1) Anand – Kasimdzhanov
Wijk aan Zee 1999
White is challenged not just by his precarious-
looking pieces, but by Black’s far-advanced pawn. 3: Black to play
However, he has a devastating blow: 3) Litinskaya – Gaprindashvili
39 Rg7+! 1-0 USSR Women’s Ch, Tbilisi 1974
39...Kh5 is met, for example, by 40 Nxf5 Rxe6 41 By using the battery against the white queen:
g4+ Nxg4+ 42 hxg4#, while after 39...Kxg7 40
Nxf5+ +– the battery on the sixth rank is unleashed 48...Rxg3! 0-1
by a discovered attack and White wins two rooks for Either way the rook is captured, a discovered attack
the price of one. wins the queen.
2: Black to play 4: Black to play

2) Torres Caravaca – Alekhine 4) Wang Lei – Stefanova
Spain simul 1922 Women’s Interzonal, Kishinev 1995
By opening that mighty diagonal up! The battery targeted at the white rook suggests a
28...Qxh3!! tactical solution:
The toothless 28...Ng3+? merely regains a pawn: 29 34...Be3+! 35 Kxe3
hxg3 Qxh3+ 30 Kg1 Qxg3 31 Qf2 =.
Otherwise after 35...Bxf4 White won’t be able to 6: White to play
make any progress.
6) Tal – Letelier
35...d4+ Capablanca Memorial, Havana 1963
A discovered attack! Many a player would probably settle for a draw by
36 Kxd4 Bxg8 37 Kc5 Bf7 38 Be4 h5 39 g5 fxg5 40 27 Qh4+, but a powerful rook-lift should be
fxg5 h4 41 g6 Bxg6 ½-½ preferred:
27 Re4!!
Threatening 28 Rg4!.
27...Bd4+
After 27...Rd4 28 Qh4+ White wins the rook.
28 Kh1!! Qxe4 29 Qg6+ Ke7
29...Ke5 30 Qe6#.
30 f6+ 1-0
White wins the black queen by a discovered attack.
5: White to play
5) Fischer – Sherwin
USA Ch, New York 1957/8
It turns out to be Black’s:
31 Qf1!!
The paradoxical option is the correct one! After 31
Rf1+? Kh8 32 Bf7 Qf4 White is totally lost.
31...h5
Black is helpless against the deadly battery: 7: Black to play
31...Rxf1+ 32 Rxf1+ Qxd5 33 Rxf8+ Kxf8 34 exd5
and White wins. 7) Anand – Kasparov
32 Qxc1! Qh4 PCA World Ch (11), New York 1995
This would have been a good moment to throw in Astonishingly, by keeping them both en prise!
the towel. 31...Rxc2!! 0-1
33 Rxf8++ Kh7 34 h3 Qg3 35 hxg4 h4 36 Be6 1-0 The idea is to create an almighty battery by 32 Rxc2
Rb3+ 33 Ka2 Re3+, winning back the rook with a
won ending.
3 Nd2+ Kg5 4 Ne4+ Kf5 5 Bc2! +–
Any bishop move to parry the threat leads to its
immediate loss.

8) L. Prokeš
České Slovo, 1937
He could, but at the cost of reaching a drawn ending
with queen vs c2-pawn. White has a better idea: 10) L. Kubbel
1 Qh4+ Kd3! 2 Qxf2 c1Q 3 Qe3+ Kc4 Comm., “64”, 1927
3...Kc2 allows a queen exchange following 4 Qc3+. The well-coordinated white pieces can achieve this
improbable goal:
4 d3+! +–
A hidden battery is unleashed out of nowhere, 1 Bf3+ d5!
winning the new-born queen! Vacating a flight-square for the black king. After
1...Kc8 2 Bc6 Kd8 3 Re2 the king is trapped in a
mating-net, while 1...Kb6 is met by 2 Rb2+.
2 Bxd5+ Kb6
Can White exploit in some way his new B+P
battery?
3 Ra2!! Qxa2 4 c5+ +–
Indeed he can! The decisive discovered attack wins
the queen.

9) E. Pogosiants
HM, Shakhmatnaya Moskva, 1967
The cramped position of the enemy king might
provide the hint.
1 g6! fxg6 2 Bd1!
The first battery is created; the aim is to win the
black bishop by a discovered check.
2...Ba6!
11) J. Fritz
2...Be8 is met by a fork after 3 Nd2+ Kg5 4 Ne4+
Šachové Studie, 1954
Kf5 5 Nd6+.
This modest pawn has a great future! 1 Kb8? leads to a dead end after 1...Kb4 2 Kc7 Kc5
3 Kd7 Kd5 4 Ke7 Ke5 5 Kf7 Kf5 6 Kg7 Rg1+ 7 Kf7
1 Bf2 Rd4 2 Bxe3! Rd3+ 3 Kc2 Rxe3 4 Kd2!
Rh1 8 Rf8 Rxh7+ 9 Kg8+ Kg6, etc.
The black rook is dominated.
1...Kb4
4...Rb3 5 f4+ +–
White was threatening a deadly rook check, and the
idea now repeats.
2 Kc6 Kc4 3 Kd6 Kd4 4 Ke6 Ke4 5 Kf6 Kf4 6
Rf8!
Creating a surprising battery.
6...Rxh7 7 Kg6+! +–
White wins the rook and the game.

12) A. Sochniev
Thèmes-64, 1980
All four minor pieces should join efforts against the
new queen:
1 Bf5+ Kc7 2 Nd5+ Kc6
The king has been lured to the long diagonal. 14: White to play and win
3 Nf3! h1Q 4 Be4! +– 14) S. Kozlowski
Creating a pair of powerful batteries at the very Ksiega JT, 1938
same time! The royal couple has no escape.
The long and powerful diagonal should be attacked
at its base and with no delay!
1 Rd7
With the lethal threat of 2 Bc3. 1 Rd2? is met by
1...Bb2!.
1...Kh6!
Not 1...Kh8 2 Rd8+ Kh7 3 Ra8 followed by 4 Bb4.
2 Kf3!
Naturally not 2 Ra7? Bd4+.
2...a2 3 Rd2!
With a double threat on both edges of the board.
3...Bb2!
The other threat is demonstrated by the line 3...a1Q
13) J. Fritz 4 Rh2+ Kg5 5 Bh4+ Kh5 6 Bd8#.
Svobodne Slovo, 1966 4 Rh2+ Kg7 5 Rxb2 a1Q 6 Bc3+ +–
The white king should carefully rush to the other The battery is now directed at the queen, with the
side of the board. roles of the front and rear pieces exchanged.
1 Kb7
2...Kd5 3 Qxe6+ is a skewer.
3 Qf2+! Ke5! 4 Qh2+!
The pawn will now be the front piece of a powerful
battery.
4...Kd5
Other moves allow the pawn to demonstrate its
versatility: 4...Kf5 5 e4+, 4...Kd4 5 e3+ or 4...Ke4 5
exd3+.
5 e4+ +–

15) E. Pogosiants
3rd Comm., Rumanian Liberation-30 JT, 1974
Flexible battery play is the remedy:
1 Rf4! Rh1+! 2 Kxh1!
Caution! After 2 Kg2? Rg1+! White loses on the
spot.
2...b1Q+ 3 Bd1+ Kg3 4 Rf3+! Kh4
4...Nxf3 is a beautiful pin stalemate.
5 Rf4+ Kg3 6 Rf3+ Kg4! 7 Rf1+ =
The white pieces exchange roles. It will be a draw
by perpetual check or stalemate.

16) L. Kubbel
Shakhmatny Listok, 1927
White’s last pawn still awaits its moment of glory:
1 Qf3+ Ke5!
1...Kg5 2 Qg2+! creates a battery to win the queen
next move by a discovered check.
2 Qe3+ Kf5!
3: Pinning and
Unpinning
A pin is a basic tactical motif in which three pieces
are involved, all of them standing on one and the
same line. A line-mover, the pinning piece, is
attacking an enemy piece (any of them but the king).
Moving the attacked unit, the pinned piece, would
expose the unit behind, the rear piece, to the threat
of the pinning piece. If the rear piece is the king,
then a move by the pinned piece is illegal.
The pin is a common device mainly for winning
material, deflecting an enemy piece, or immobilizing White to play
an important defensive unit.
Botvinnik – Keres
World Ch, The Hague/Moscow 1948
What is the main weakness White should attack, and
how should he do so?
In the absence of Black’s dark-squared bishop,
White can launch a massive attack on the kingside
dark squares:
21 Rxg7+! Kxg7
The knight is now pinned.
22 Nh5+ Kg6
After 22...Kh8 23 Bb2 +– or 22...Kg8 23 Nxf6+
Nxf6 24 Qxf6 followed by 25 Bb2, White wins the
Black to play battle on the long dark-square diagonal.
Bannik – Tal 23 Qe3 1-0
USSR Ch, Moscow 1957 Black will be mated. The battle over the dark
White threatens two enemy pieces. How should squares ends up in White’s favour again, on a
Black respond? different diagonal. 23 Qd2 is equally good.
Initially Black even seems in serious trouble, but he

has a surprising defence:
29...Bxc3!
Any attempt to rescue the queen favours White; e.g.,
29...Rd1? 30 Qxf6 Rxe1+ 31 Kh2 Qh6 32 Bxe1.
30 Rxc1 Bd4 –+
Pinning the queen and consequently trading both of
White’s most dangerous pieces. Black will be the
exchange and a pawn ahead.

L. Prokeš
Šachové Studie, 1941
Can White secure the promotion of his only pawn? The pinned black rook has no other choice.
The key is in restricting the freedom of the black 5 h8Q +–
rook to force it to move to the same line as his king.
White wins as the mating square is now once again
1 d7 Rd5 2 Rh7 Kb6 under control.
2...Kb8 3 Ke4 Rd6 4 Ke5 Kc7 5 d8Q++ Kxd8 6
Kxd6 is winning for White.
3 Ke4 Rd6
Or 3...Kc6 4 Rh6+ Kc5 5 Rh5! (pinning!) 5...Rxh5 6
d8Q, winning.
4 Rh6!
Pinning!
4...Rxh6 5 d8Q+ +–
Here we saw two echo lines, pinning the black rook
on different ranks.

T. Gorgiev
4th HM, Shakhmaty, 1929
How can White secure promotion despite the
hardships of his cornered king?
1 h7
Greed doesn’t pay here: 1 Rxg4? Ra6 2 Kh2 Kf3 3
Kh3 Rxh6 4 Rg8 Kf4 draws.
1...Ra3
A counter mate threat. 1...Ra8 is naturally met by 2
Rg8.
2 Rf6+ Kg3! 3 Ra6! Rd3
After 3...Rxa6 4 h8Q the new-born queen covers the
mating square.
4 Ra3!
Hindering the mate while decoying the rook back to
the desired file.
4...Rxa3
Can Black profit from White’s somewhat cramped
Pinning and Unpinning Exercises position?
4: Black to play
1: White to play
How can Black win material in this position of
What is White’s most convincing way to exploit the
material equality?
open files on the kingside?
5: White to play
2: White to play
How can White increase his advantage?
Black has plenty of material for the queen, yet
White’s piece activity proves decisive. How?
6: White to play
3: Black to play Can White escape the annoying pin without
damaging his pawn-structure?
7: White to play 10: White to play and draw
How should White best exploit his total control of Can White stop the black pawn and still deal with
the a2-g8 diagonal? the material consequences?
8: White to play and draw 11: White to play and win

The black pawn is unstoppable. True or false? Can White win one of the black pieces without
losing his only pawn?

How can White secure the promotion of his last
pawn? White’s passed e-pawn plays a decisive role. How
can he pave its way forward?
How can White make something of his fleeting edge How should White handle the pair of menacing
in this near-drawn position? black pawns?
Is White’s position as desperate as it looks? Is there any hope for White to survive the terrible
pin on his rook?

How can White trap one of the black pieces?
White seems in serious trouble. Any advice?
Can White prevent the h-pawn from promoting? Can White deal with the promotion threat and the
queen checks, and still win?

Any idea how White can counter the unstoppable
pawn-pair?

How can White tame the pawn-pair and their
supporting bishop?
Pinning and Unpinning Solutions
3: Black to play
3) Blümich – Alekhine
1: White to play Krakow/Warsaw 1941
1) Kosteniuk – Efroimski White can take advantage of his better piece
coordination:
European Clubs Cup (women), Eilat 2012
31...Qb5! 32 c4
Deflecting the overloaded queen by pinning it:
The point of the pin is that 32 Ke2 is met by
31 Rg3! 1-0
32...Ne1! –+ (better than 32...Qxd3+ 33 Kxd3 Ne1+
31...Qxg3 32 Qxh7#. 34 Kd2 Nxg2 35 Nxg2 Kf8, when good endgame
technique will still be required to convert the
advantage) 33 Kxe1 Qxd3 followed by further
unavoidable damage on the queenside.
32...Qxc4! 33 Qxf3
33 Nxc4? allows 33...Re1#.
33...Qxd3+ –+
2: White to play
2) Kasparov – Najdorf
Bugojno 1982
It’s mostly about the weakness of the dark squares:
24 Nxg7! Bxg7
24...f5 is more stubborn, but after 25 Nxf5+ Kh8 26 4: Black to play
Qh5 the king is exposed and thus White’s attack is
irresistible. 4) Pilnik – Fischer
25 Bh6 1-0 Mar del Plata 1959
Mate is unavoidable. With a simple pinning trick:

37...Rxf3! 38 Rxf3 Be4 39 Rxf7 Rf2!
39...Rb3? 40 Kg2 Rxa3 is just equal.
40 Rf8+ Kg7 0-1 12...Kf8 13 Bxc5+ Qd6 14 d4 leaves White a piece
up.
The king finds refuge on h6, after which White will
lose the pinned rook. Had his g-pawn stood on g5, 13 Bxc5+ Kf6 14 0-0+!
he could have escaped with a draw by perpetual The black king is in a mating-net.
check.
14...Kxe5
Or 14...Kg5 15 Be3+ Kh4 16 Rf5, mating.
15 Rf5#
5: White to play
5) Petrosian – Taimanov
USSR Ch, Leningrad 1960
7: White to play
With a pin-based combination:
7) Karpov – Ki. Georgiev
34 Nxe6! +–
Tilburg 1994
The point of the sacrifice is 34...Bxe6 35 Rxe6!
Qxe6 36 Bc4 +–, pinning and winning. In the game, A double sacrifice followed by a double pin does the
the counter-pin 34...Re8 was met by 35 Nxg7! Rxe3 trick:
36 Nf5+ Kf8 37 Nxe3 Qd4 38 Qf2, leaving White 29 Bxf7+!! +–
three pawns ahead.
Way stronger than 29 Neg5!? hxg5 30 Nxg5 Ne5 (or
30...Nf6 31 Nxf7 Kh7), when Black can at least fight
on.
29...Rxf7
29...Kh8 costs more than just a pawn after 30 Qe6!
g5 31 Nexg5 hxg5 32 Qh3+, mating.
30 Neg5! hxg5 31 Nxg5 Rf8 32 Re8!
An attractive picture with both rooks pinned.
Black’s collapse is inevitable.
32...Qxd6
There is no defence any more: 32...Rxe8 33 Qxf7+
Kh8 34 Rxe8+ +– or 32...c4 33 Qxc4 Ne5 34 R1xe5
Qb7 35 Qxf7+ Qxf7 36 Nxf7 Bxe5 37 Rxf8+ Kxf8
6: White to play 38 Nxe5 +–.
6) Alekhine – Tenner (variation) 33 Qxf7+ Kh8 34 Ne6 1-0
Cologne 1911
White can unpin his knight in a most unexpected
manner:
11 Nxe5!! Bxd1 12 Bxf7+ Ke7
Pinning is the only defence.
2 Re1+ Kd8 3 Re7!
And unpinning secures the promotion after all!
3...Kxe7 4 b8Q +–

8) L. Prokeš
Nova Svoboda, 1946
1 f3!
This pawn sacrifice aims to lure the black bishop to 10: White to play and draw
the pinning line and at the same time vacates a key
10) L. Prokeš
square for the white king.
1...Bxf3
The mother of all pins is the special remedy:
The alternative is 1...h2 2 Kf2 Kh4 3 Bd5, after
which Black can make no further progress. 1 Rdg7!
2 Kf2 h2 3 Bd1! Bxd1 1 Rh3? Rxh3 2 Rg7 is the slightly more obvious
attempt, but alas it fails after 2...Rh8+ 3 Kb7 to the
Or 3...h1Q 4 Bxf3+. counter-pinning 3...Rh7! 4 Rxh7 g1Q 5 d5 Qc5, etc.
4 Kg2 = 1...g1Q 2 Rh3!
The black bishop was deflected twice to allow the The rather rare double pin in action!
white king to stop the pawn at the very last moment.
2...Qb1+ 3 Rb7! Qxb7+
As 3...Qe1 is met by 4 Rb3+.
4 Kxb7 Rxh3
Black has won both white rooks in return for his
queen, but Black will still have to return the favour
for the speedy white pawn.
5 d5 Rh6 6 Kc7 =
And the pawn will sooner or later have to be stopped
at the cost of the remaining rook.

9) J. Fritz
Prace, 1953
Pinning and unpinning play a pivotal role.
1 b7 Ra7
11) E. Pogosiants 12) V. and M. Platov
Shakhmaty (Riga), 1967 La Stratégie, 1910
He can do so by cleverly employing the potential To start with, it’s essential to avoid being carelessly
pinning options: mated...
1 Ra7! 1 Ra5+
The knight is taboo because Black is threatening a Not 1 e7?? Rh2#.
pin of his own: 1 exf6? Bc8.
1...Kg6 2 e7 Re2 3 Be6!
1...Nd7! 2 Rxd7! White lures the rook to the sixth rank, along which it
Surprise! Not 2 Rxa6+? Kb4, when White cannot will then be pinned. Not 3 Rxa6+?? Kg5! 4 Ra5+
keep his pawn on the board any longer. Be5!, when Black even wins.
2...Bc8 3...Rxe6 4 Rxa6! Rxa6
Pinning and winning? Not quite! 4...Bd6 5 Rxd6 doesn’t change much.
3 e6! 5 e8Q+ +–
Self-unpinning and winning! with an easy win.
3...fxe6 4 Rc7
The hunter is now the hunted: the bishop is
dominated.
4...Ba6 5 Ra7 +–
The pieces have exchanged their earlier roles and the
pinned bishop is lost.
>

13) H. Rinck
The Chess Amateur, 1909
Look for a potential pin!
1 c7 Rc3+ 2 Kb1!
The more ‘centralizing’ 2 Kd2? Rxc4 3 Rh3+ allows 15: White to play and win
3...Kb2! 4 Rh7 Kb3 5 Kd3 Rc6 6 Kd4 Kb4 7 Kd5
15) L. Kaev
Kb5 8 Rd7 Rc1 9 Kd6 Kb6 with a dead end.
Neue Leipziger Zeitung, 1932
2...Rxc4 3 Rh3+ Ka4
By forcing the far-away knight to a pinning line –
3...Kb4 is answered the same way. and doing so more than once if necessary!
4 Rh4! 1 Rh7 Kf8
Pinning in order to queen. Or 1...Kf6 2 Nh5+ (starting with a fork) 2...Kg6 3
4...Rxh4 5 c8Q +– Rxg7+ Kxh5 4 Rb7! Nc6 (4...Na6 5 Rb5+ Kg6 6
Rb6+ is a fork again) 5 Rb5+ Kg6 6 Rb6, ending up
with a winning pin just a rank lower.
2 Ne6+ Kf7! 3 Nxg7 Kg8 4 Rh6! Kxg7 5 Rb6 Nd7
6 Rb7 +–
A decisive pin from the other side of the rank.

14) A. Grin
“64”, 1989
Even when an endgame looks lost beyond all hope, a
miraculous stalemate might pop up out of the blue:
1 Nb5! a2 2 c6!
16) E. Pogosiants (correction)
2 Na7+? is premature owing to 2...Kc7 3 Nb5+ Kd8
Chervony Girnik, 1967
– game over.
If you can’t fight them, join them!
2...a1Q+ 3 Na7+
This cross-check self-pins the knight. 1 Ne3+ Kh1 2 Rf1+ Ng1
Black is now threatening 3...g2 and stalemate.
3...Kd8 4 c7+! Kxc7 =
It’s a cute pin stalemate, isn’t it? 3 Rc1!
The only square available beyond the critical landing
square of the white knight.
3...g2 4 Nd1!
Unpinning to avoid stalemate...
4...Nf3 5 Nf2#
...and then using the battery to give mate.
This is an example of what is known in chess
composition as the Indian theme: a piece crosses a
critical square (3 Rc1!) on which another piece
temporarily interferes (4 Nd1!), and this battery is
then unleashed.
Most moves by the attacked knight (e.g., 1 Nd1) are
met by the deadly pin 1...Bf6, which leaves White
with...
1 Ne4! Rd4
However, now the knight is pinned. Note that after
1...d2 2 Nxd2 Bf6 3 Ne4 Rd4 White unpins both his
pieces simultaneously by 4 Kg3.
2 Rg4 Rxe4! 3 Rxe4 Bf6+
A zwischenzug to avoid 3...d2 4 Re7+.
4 Kh5! d2
The pawn is unstoppable but...
5 Rg4! d1Q =
Self-pinning and... stalemate!
17) H. Mattison
5...d1R would be a better practical try in an over-
Wiener Neueste Nachrichten, 1931 the-board game, though of course R+B vs R is
Yes, but he must be willing to unpin the rook drawn with correct play.
whatever the cost.
1 Qb5+ Bd5 2 Qxd5+!!
White gives up his queen to free the rook.
2...exd5 3 Rg3!
The unpinned piece is now the pinning one!
3...d4!
3...Qxg3 is naturally stalemate, while after 3...Kf4 4
Rxg4+ Kxg4 5 Kg2 White seizes the opposition.
4 Kg2!
Care is needed. After 4 Rxg4+? Kxg4 5 Kg2 d3 6
Kf2 Kf4 White is forced to abandon the opposition.
4...d3 5 Kf1! Qxg3 = 19: White to play and win
Stalemate. 19) L. Mitrofanov
Comm., Leninske Plemia, 1989
He can, but a crucial piece of foresight is required.
1 Ra8!
The immediate 1 Bf3? is wrong since 1...Bh5! 2 Kf2
(or 2 Rh8 h1Q 3 Rxh5 Qd1+ =) 2...Bxf3 3 Rh8 h1Q
is just a draw.
1...Kb2 2 Rb8+!
It’s important to get the black king back to the first
rank.
2...Ka1
Only now is it time for the bishop move:
18: White to play and draw 3 Bf3 Bh5!
18) M. Matouš Pinning the bishop is the only counterplay. But now,
what is left for White to do?
Comm., Scacco, 1979
4 Rh8!
Pinning the pinning piece!
4...h1Q 5 Rxh5 Qc1 6 Rh1 +–
The final pin explains White’s earlier efforts and
concludes the battle in White’s favour.

21) L. Silaev
The last hope for the desperate is stalemate. Why not
give it a try?
20: White to play and draw 1 Nd3 b3
20) V. Pachman Black would need one extra tempo for 1...Bd2 to
work: 2 Kf1 b3 3 Na1 b2 4 Nxb2 Bc3 5 Nd3 Bxa1 6
2nd Comm., Československy Šach, 1938
Nb4 is a draw.
The key to salvation is the white king’s position at
the very edge of the back rank. 2 Na1 b2!
Black counters with an active plan of his own.
1 Ng2+ Kg3
1...Kh3 is answered the same way, but obviously not 3 Nxb2 Bg7 4 Nd3!
1...Kg4?? due to the fork 2 Ne3+. It’s interesting how White runs out of moves after 4
Nc2? Bxb2 5 Kf1 Kf3 6 Ke1 Bc3+! 7 Kd1 Kf2 8
2 Ra1! b2 3 Ne1!
Kc1 Ke2! – White is in zugzwang.
Self-pinning!
4...Bxa1 5 Nc1!
3...b1Q
An anticipatory self-pin.
3...c1Q 4 Rxc1 bxc1Q doesn’t change much.
5...Bd4+ 6 Kh1! a1Q =
4 Rxb1 cxb1B!
Ending up in a self-pin stalemate. The strength of
Avoiding he pin stalemate following 4...cxb1Q and the back rank!
threatening mate on the diagonal.
5 Nf3! Be4 =
And it’s a pin stalemate again!

22) G. Amirian
2nd HM, Shakhmaty (Riga), 1984
He manages to do so with the help of battery play
and pins.
1 Rh5
The mate threat persuades Black to look for
perpetual check.
1...Qa7+ 2 Re7 Qa2+ 3 Re6 Qa7+ 4 Kg6! Qh7+
Obviously not 4...g1Q+ 5 Bg5+ Qh7+ 6 Rxh7+ Kg8
7 Re8#.
5 Kf6 g1Q 6 Re8+ Qgg8 7 Bg7#
A lovely symmetrical picture of a double pin mate!
4: The Skewer
A skewer occurs when a line-moving piece attacks
an enemy unit, and moving the attacked piece would
expose a second enemy piece standing behind it on
the same line.
The most common and dangerous type of skewer is
when the king is the front enemy piece. If the
attacking piece cannot be captured and nothing can
interpose, then the checked king must move and thus
expose his fellow piece to capture.
The skewer resembles the pin as in both cases a
piece takes advantage of two enemy pieces standing
on the same line. However, the difference is the Black to play
order of the pieces on the line. In the pin the rear Honfi – Tal
piece is the more valuable one, while in the skewer it
is the front one (or they have the same value; e.g., a Sukhumi 1972
bishop might skewer two rooks on a diagonal). Black has invested some material to expose the
white king. How can he now cash in?
While in the previous example we saw a white
horizontal skewer, here we witness a black diagonal
one in action. It is prepared by a bishop sacrifice:
31...Bb4+!! 32 Kxb4 Qa5+ 33 Kc4 Qa6+ 0-1
Following this decisive skewer, White’s entire camp
falls apart in no time.
White to play
Tal – Benko
Amsterdam Interzonal 1964
It is the last call before Black castles. Can White
hinder this plan?
The reader won’t find it too hard to spot the skewer:
19 Rd8+! Ke7
The alternative is being forked: 19...Kxd8 20 Nxf7+
+–. W. Proskurowski
20 Rxh8 Qxg5 21 Qd2 1-0 Szachy, 1959

Can White achieve more than the likely-looking
draw?
He can, by employing the most common skewer
combination in chess practice.
1 a6
The ‘logical’ option leads to a dead end following 1
Rh7+? Kd8 2 a6 Ra4 3 a7 Kc8 4 Kd6 Ra6+ 5 Kc5
Ra1 6 Kb6 Rb1+, drawing.
1...Ra4 2 a7! Kd7
Black avoids one skewer: 2...Rxa7 3 Rh7+.
3 Rh8! Rxa7 4 Rh7+ +–
...but falls into another one.

L. Prokeš
Jak Řešit Šachove Ulohy a Studie, 1946
A skewer by promoting – or right after – is fairly
common in the endgame. Can White stop Black’s
promotion while securing his own?
That is unlikely but there is a surprising alternative:
1 Bd5 Ke2
1...h2 allows White time to regroup by 2 Bh1! (care
is needed: not 2 Bg2? Ke1 3 e4 Kf2) 2...Ke2 3 e4
Kf2 4 e5 Kg1 5 Ba8.
2 e4 Ke3 3 e5 Kd4 4 e6! Kxd5
The king has been lured to the critical diagonal...
5 e7 h2 6 e8Q h1Q 7 Qa8+ +–
...to be hit by a lethal skewer.
How can White make progress and achieve victory?
Skewer Exercises
4: Black to play
1: White to play Show how Black can most wisely use his initiative.
Black seems to have created a kind of stonewall.
Can White break it?
5: White to play
How does White act forcefully against the exposed
2: Black to play black king?
The black pieces are menacingly placed. What is the
most effective way to make use of this?
6: Black to play
Find a way for Black to exploit the overloaded white
3: White to play queen.
Black now smoked out the white king. How? Can the white trio dominate the enemy queen?

How can White create winning chances even though Is there a way for the two rooks to defeat the royal
his pawns are barely defensible? couple?

Facing a double threat, can White maintain a Can White win this odd-looking position?
decisive material superiority?
How should White put his extra bishop to use? To convert his advantage, White must win any of the
black pieces. But which one?

Can White make use of his queenside superiority? Is
the black king in trouble? Both rooks are attacked and the h-pawn is about to
promote. How does White cope?

Whose skewer will come first?
Both sides are about to promote; can the white
knight make any real difference?
Does White’s extra bishop promise victory? Show how White can give life to his pinned pawn.
Can White take advantage of the enemy king’s How should White handle the king-hunt?
vulnerability?

How can the white pieces bring down the queen?
Skewer Solutions
3: White to play
3) Alekhine – Spielmann
1: White to play New York 1927
1) Fischer – Gligorić A breakthrough is the only way in:
Rovinj/Zagreb 1970 68 b5! cxb5 69 Kb4 1-0
Not just is it possible, but he can he do so Black resigned in view of the most thematic skewer
immediately: in rook endings: 69...c6 70 Rh8! Rxa7 71 Rh7+ +–.
35 Rxf6!! 1-0
There are two variations: a skewer following
35...Kxf6 36 Bxg5+ and a fork after 35...Qxf6 36
Nh5+.
4: Black to play
4) Larsen – Spassky
Linares 1981
By employing two sacrificial decoys. First he uses
2: Black to play the pin on the third rank for a fork:
2) Guimard – Euwe 43...g4+! 0-1
Groningen 1946 After 44 Kxg4 comes a skewer: 44...Bh5+! 45 Kxh5
From the various reasonable candidate moves, the to deliver mate by 45...Qg5#.
strongest is no doubt...
34...Nd2!!
Black wins instantly due to the skewer 35 Qxd2
Qh2+.
28 Qb1 Bxd1 29 Qxd1 Qxe4 30 Qd2 Nxg2 leaves
White three pawns behind.
5: White to play
5) Karpov – Sax
7: Black to play
Linares 1983
The white pieces are ideally coordinated for... 7) Tartakower – Euwe
Venice 1948
35 Re7!!
Two well-calculated sacrifices expose the king to
Neat and elegant!
two effective skewers:
35...Rd1+
39...Nc4+! 40 bxc4 Rxa4+! 41 Kxa4 Qa2+ 42 Kb4
Or 35...Qxe7 36 Qa8+ Kc7 37 Qa7+ Kd8 (37...Kc8 Qb2+ 0-1
38 Qxe7) 38 Qb8#.
White resigned in view of 43 Ka5 Qa3# and 43 Kc5
36 Kxd1 Qxe7 37 Qa8+ Kc7 38 Qa7+ Kd6 39 Qxf2+, with the second, and fatal, skewer.
Qb6+ 1-0
39...Kd5 (39...Ke5 makes no difference) 40 Qd4+
Ke6 41 Bb3#.

8) L. Prokeš
Lidove Listy, 1934
6: Black to play
White wins by giving away both his pawns.
6) Spassky – Fischer
World Ch (5), Reykjavik 1972 1 Rc7+ Kxb3
After 1...Kb4 2 Rc4+ Ka3 (2...Ka5 3 Ra4+) 3 Kc2
This was a key moment in arguably the most
Rxb3 the pinning 4 Rc3 is decisive.
dramatic world championship match of all:
2 Rc2!
27...Bxa4! 0-1
Attacking from behind is the essence of the skewer!
Deflection by a skewer. 28 Qxa4 Qxe4 –+ is a
double mate threat that White cannot handle, while 2...Ka3+ 3 Ka1! Rxb7 4 Ra2+ Kb3 5 Rb2+ +–
2 Ra8! Qh7
All other queen moves are met by either a skewer or
a fork: 2...Qxa8 3 Bf3+; 2...Qb3 3 Nd4+; 2...Qc4 3
Rc8+; 2...Qd5 3 Nb4+; 2...Qe6 3 Nd4+.
3 Bg6!
No rest here either!
3...Qxg6 4 Ra6+ +–
The final deadly skewer.

9) L. Kubbel
Krasnaya Gazeta, 1935
Yes he can, by counter-attacking a black piece to
start with:
1 Nc7! g5+ 2 Kh3! Bf1+ 3 Kg3!
Allowing the capture with check...
3...gxf4+ 4 Kf2
...but now the bishop is dominated!
11) H. Lommer
4...Bd3
The Field, 1948
4...Bh3 5 Be6+ is analogous.
There is, but only with the utmost coordination and
5 Bh7+ +–
precision. First the king should be pushed to the
lower edge of the board:
1 Ra3+ Ke2 2 Rc2+ Kd1 3 Rh2!
Now Black has two options, both defeated by a
skewer along a rank that wins the black queen:
a) On the second rank: 3...Qxh2 4 Ra1+ Kc2 5 Ra2+
Kb3 6 Rxh2 +–.
b) On White’s back rank: 3...Qd4 4 Ra1+! Qxa1 5
Rh1+ Kc2 6 Rxa1 +–.

10) H. Rinck
L’Échiquier, 1929
They can indeed, provided they handle the queen-
hunt harmoniously on the almost open board:
1 Ra4! Qg8
Capturing the rook is met by the first skewer:
1...Qxa4 2 Be8+.
12) S. Kozlowski
Swiat Szachowy, 1931
Paradoxically, giving away the bishop is the only
option:
1 Rg7+!
1 g7? Ra8 is a positional draw since there is no way
for White’s rook to reach the eighth rank.
1...Kxh8 2 Rh7+ Kg8 3 g7! Ra8 4 Rh8+ +–
The upper corner has been vacated for the decisive
skewer.
14) L. Kubbel
L’Eco degli Scacchi, 1917
Yes, and it can be forced into an even more
unfavourable location:
1 Be7+ Kc4
Not 1...Ka4 2 Ra3#. But what now?
2 Rc3+!!
A stunning sacrifice to block the c3-square.
2...dxc3 3 d3+ Kd4 4 Bc5+ Ke5 5 Bd6+ +–
White finally unearths the treasure on the kingside.
13) G. Zakhodiakin
By sacrificing it – and more than once!
1 Kc7+! Kc4!
1...Ka5 is met by 2 f8Q b1Q 3 Qa3#.
2 Bb5+! Kc3
Black declines the first gift due to a vertical skewer:
2...Kxb5 3 f8Q b1Q 4 Qb8+ Kc4 5 Qxb1.
But he now falls into a diagonal one:
3 Bd3! Kxd3 4 f8Q b1Q 5 Qf5+ +–
White finally wins the black queen. 15: White to play and win
15) A. Grin
White inflicts the victorious skewer:
1 Qa5+!!
Not 1 a8Q?, when Black strikes first by 1...Qc1+.
1...Kxa5 2 a8R+!
The triumphant skewer! Not 2 a8Q+? Kb4 3 Qb8+
Kc3 4 Qxb1 with stalemate.
2...Kb4 3 Rb8+ Kc3 4 Rxb1 +– Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1985
He takes one step at a time and first gets rid of the
forking knight:
1 Rb6+ Kc5
To keep both rooks threatened. Now 2 Rh8? is no
good due to 2...Nc4+.
2 Rxd6! h1Q
What are White’s winning aspirations based on?
3 Rd1!!
By threatening the queen and mate simultaneously,
White decoys the queen into surprising rook
skewers.
3...Qb7
3...Qxd1 falls into a direct skewer: 4 Rc8+ Kd4 5
16) J. Fritz Rd8+ Ke3 6 Rxd1.
L’Italia Scacchistica, 1952
4 Rc8+! Qxc8 5 Rc1+ +–
In fact, all the black pieces are targeted during the The queen is finally won.
ultra-sharp solution:
1 Bd5! Bxd5!
1...Bg7 fails due to the zwischenzug 2 R8h5+.
2 Rxf8+ Kg4!
Two other king moves are met by zwischenzugs:
2...Ke6 3 Rh6+ and 2...Ke5 3 Rh5+. Meanwhile,
2...Ke4 interferes with his own bishop, and so allows
3 Rxf2, while 2...Kg6 3 Rg1+ Rg2 4 Rxg2+ Bxg2 is
decisively met by the skewer 5 Rg8+.
3 Rg1+ Rg2!
The battle is decided by two successive skewers:
4 Rg8+! Bxg8
4...Kh3 5 Rh1+ Rh2 6 Rh8+. 18: White to play and win
5 Rxg2+ +– 18) G. Zakhodiakin
An impressive knight manoeuvre engineers a skewer
once the new queens are born:
1 h7 b2 2 Nh3+! Kg4!
Surprisingly, this is the only move that allows
neither promotion with check nor a skewer on the
b1-h7 diagonal.
3 Nf2+ Kf3!
Again the only move, this time to avoid also a
further knight check to stop the pawn; e.g., 3...Kg3 4
Ne4+ Kf4 5 Nd2, etc.
4 Ne4!
17: White to play and win Decoying the king to the desired diagonal.
17) A. Maksimovskikh and V. Shupletsov
4...Kxe4 20) A. Troitsky
Since 4...b1Q is met by the fork 5 Nd2+. Shakhmaty Ziurnal, 1898
5 h8Q b1Q 6 Qh7+ +– A brilliant sacrifice leads to a pair of quick skewers:
The decisive skewer explains all the earlier efforts. 1 Re6+!! Rxe6 2 Qa6+ Kd5 3 Qc4+ Kd6
3...Ke5 4 Qc3+ is a diagonal skewer.
4 Qc5+ Kd7 5 Qa7+ +–
And this is a horizontal one.

19) M. Perelman
Sovetskaya Belorussia, 1929
Sometimes it would, but here White is better off 21: White to play and win
without the bishop!
21) A. Herbstman
1 Be3!! Magyar Sakkvilag, 1936
After 1 c7? d2 2 c8Q d1Q 3 Qc6+ Ke5 4 Bh2+ Kf5 A well-coordinated attack generates three different
White’s attack comes to a dead end. skewers, totally dominating the queen:
1...dxe3 2 c7 e2 1 Rh7+ Ke6!
The other important line is 2...d2 3 c8Q d1Q 4 For 1...Kf6 see next move.
Qd7+, with a skewer.
2 Bh3+ Kf6 3 Rh8! Qa7!
3 c8Q e1Q 4 Qc6+
3...Qxh8 allows the first skewer: 4 Be5+.
4 Qd7+ Kc4 5 Qb5+ Kc3 6 Qa5+ is equally strong.
4 Bb6! Qa6!
4...Kd4 5 Qc5+ Ke4 6 Qe7+ +–
4...Qxb6 is met by the second skewer, 5 Rh6+.
Another skewer decides the game.
5 Bf1!
Black is now forced to take, allowing the third and
final skewer:
5...Qxf1 6 Rf8+ +–

23) H. Rinck
Chasing the black king might not end in mate and
yet might help to weaken the mutual protection
between the other pieces.
1 Qf4+ Kc3 2 Rxc5+!!
The king seems to evade all direct mating attempts
such as 2 Qd2+? Kc4! 3 Qd3+ (3 Qa2+ Kb5)
3...Kb4 4 Qb1+ (4 Re4+ Ka5) 4...Ka4! 5 Re4+ Ka5
6 Qa2+ Kb6, but falls to this stunning sacrificial
deflection which leaves his queen unguarded.
2...Rxc5 3 Qc1+ Kd4! 4 Qe3+ +–
22: White to play and win The unguarded black queen is helpless against
skewers following either 4...Kd5 5 Qf3+ or 4...Kc4 5
22) L. van Vliet
Qd3+ Kb4 6 Qb1+.
Decoying, unpinning and promoting create a deadly
skewer – in several forms!
1 Qb4!
Zugzwang!
1...Qh1!
The other thematic lines are 1...Qd5 2 Qa4+ Kb6 3
Qb3+! Qxb3 4 b8Q+, 1...Qf3 2 Qa4+ Kb6 3 Qb3+!
Qxb3 4 b8Q+ and 1...Qg2 2 Qa3+ Kb5 3 Qb2+!
Qxb2 4 b8Q+.
2 Qa3+ Kb6
2...Kb5 allows a ‘banal’ technical win; e.g., 3 Qb2+
Kc4 (3...Ka4 4 Qa2+ Kb4 5 Qb1+ Qxb1 6 b8Q+) 4
Ka7 Qg1+ 5 Ka6 Qg6+ 6 Qb6.
3 Qb2+ Ka6
After 3...Kc7 there is a further skewer: 4 Qh2+!
Qxh2 5 b8Q+.
4 Qa2+ Kb5 5 Qb1+! Qxb1 6 b8Q+ +–

5: Deflection and Decoy
Deflection is the act of driving an enemy piece away
from a line or a square, while a decoy means driving
it to a line or onto a square. Either way, the aim is to
damage the opponent’s defensive efforts and the
functions of his pieces either by removing a guard,
interfering or shutting off a line, obstructing or self-
blocking a square, etc. The purpose might also be to
keep the opponent busy to allow the execution of a
certain plan, or luring a piece to a square on which a
second tactical motif is employed against it. Since
they may appear in so many forms, deflection and
decoy are among the most common weapons in
one’s tactical arsenal and may appear in both the White to play
simplest and the most complex combinations. Spassky – Korchnoi
In our selection, all deflections/decoys are Candidates (7), Kiev 1968
sacrificial. While deflection and decoy are slightly
different, they are also closely linked – often a The ending following the queen exchange seems
sacrifice is both a deflection and a decoy – so we very attractive for White. Can he do even better than
shall discuss them together. Here are two simple that?
examples: Decoying the enemy king to the neighbouring square
on the open file decides the issue much faster:
35 Qh6+!!
After 35 Rh1+? Kg8 36 Qh6??, mate looks
unavoidable. However, it is Black who mates:
36...Qd3+ 37 Ka1 Nc2+ 38 Kb1 Na3++ (nicer than
38...Ne1+ 39 Ka1 Qd1+ 40 Qc1 Qxc1#) 39 Ka1
Qb1+! 40 Rxb1 Nc2#, with a smothered mate.
After the move played, White makes much better
use of his rook on both sides of the board.
1-0
The black king has the choice only between being
mated in one move or in two moves.
White to play Owing to their vast variety and multiple facets,
deflection and decoy are popular in the art of chess
Lasker – NN
composition.
Netherlands simul 1908
Can you spot a quick win?
Deflecting the overloaded black queen generates a
quick mate:
1 Rf8+!
Caution! Taking first on h7 with 1 Bxh7+?? fails as
there is a black bishop lurking on c5!
1...Qxf8 2 Qxh7# (1-0)
The black queen has been deflected and thus does
not control the mating square any more.

A. Troitsky
Novoye Vremia, 1903
How can White make sure that his pawn promotes?
By decoying the black king to an unfavourable
square. 1 g7? is simply refuted by 1...Kf7 while 1
Rg5? allows 1...Ra5! 2 Kg4 Kf6!. The only effective
way is to cut off the king by...
1 Rf5!! Rc2
1...Kxf5 is simply met by 2 g7.
2 g7 Rc8 3 Rf8 +–
White to play and draw

M. Henneberger
National Zeitung, 1924
Both white knights are stranded on opposite sides of
the board and about to be trapped. Is there any
possible ray of hope?
A double deflection/decoy saves White’s skin
against all odds:
1 Ne3!
After 1 Ne7? Rd3! 2 Ng6+ Ke4! the f1-knight has
no future.
1...Kxe3 2 Ne7! =
The miracle does happen, and in just three moves,
thanks to the fork after 2...Rf6 3 Nd5+.
Black has not yet castled, and this will cost him
Deflection and Decoy Exercises dear. Why?
4: Black to play
1: White to play
How should Black convert his kingside superiority
How can White exploit Black’s vulnerable back
into victory?
rank?
5: White to play
2: White to play
What’s the simplest way for White to win material?
Can you turn Black’s solid-looking position to ruins
in just a single move?
6: Black to play
3: White to play What is White’s most significant weakness, and how
does Black benefit from it?
White is about to consolidate by 25 Nd4. Can Black Is there a way for White to save his last pawn?
strike first?

8: White to play Can you see Black’s counterplay and work out how
Black’s pieces look active and secure. Can the white White should handle it?
queen dispute that view of matters?

9: White to play It seems that the white pawn will be lost. But what is
What would be White’s dream here and how can he really going on?
realize it?
13: White to play and win 16: White to play and draw
Show how White disrupts the rook’s efforts to The pair of far-advanced black pawns pose a deadly
prevent promotion. mating threat. Can White stop it?
Can White avoid being mated? It seems that Black can comfortably tame both
pawns. Can White prove this view wrong?

How should White handle the dangerous black
pawn? How does the white king halt the unstoppable black
pawn?
Can White make his pawn as strong as its black What does it take to secure the promotion of White’s
counterpart? pawn?
Show how White makes good use of his pair of How does White convert his kingside superiority
connected passed pawns. into something more tangible?

What can White do to prepare for Black’s
unavoidable promotion?
Deflection and Decoy Solutions
3: White to play
3) Alekhine – Kussman
1: White to play New York simul 1924
1) Capablanca – Spielmann The ‘centralized’ black king is exposed to various
threats and thus is caught by surprise:
San Sebastian 1911
16 Qb5+! Nd7
White wins a piece by deflecting the only defender
of the eighth rank: The black queen is overloaded, busy in this case
guarding both file and rank and its deflection is
29 Rxe7! +–
aimed at mating her king: 16...Qxb5 17 Nf6#.
After 29...Qxe7 30 Qc8+ White mates.
17 Rfe1 Bb4
Missing the best moment to resign.
18 Nf6++ Kf8 19 Nxd7+ Rxd7 20 Qe5 1-0
With a deadly triple mate threat. Therefore: ‘first
castle and then philosophize!’ Is that clear?
2: White to play
2) Fischer – J. Bennett
USA Junior Ch, San Francisco 1957
By deflecting the black queen, White takes over the
long diagonal at once:
4: Black to play
38 Rd8+! Qxd8 39 Qxc3+ Qf6 40 Qxf6# (1-0)
4) Paoli – Smyslov
The dark squares have changed hands.
Venice 1950
Decoying and deflecting the white queen leads to
her downfall:
32...Rxc2!
Forcing the white queen to abandon control of f3.
33 Qxc2 USSR Ch, Moscow 1944
33 Rxe5 is no better in view of 33...Qxe5 34 Qxc2 The weakness of the long light-squared diagonal
Qxa1, winning the exchange. allows a double sacrificial deflection:
33...Nf3+ 34 Kf2 23...Rxc4!
Or 34 Kh1 Qg3, mating. Removing the white queen from its third rank, while
also bringing it to a square where the knight can
34...Qg3+ 0-1
attack it.
After 35 Ke2 (35 Ke3 Nfd4+ is equally bad)
35...Nfd4+ the consecutive forks prove decisive. 24 Qxc4 Ne3! –+
25 fxe3 (everything else is hopeless) allows
25...Bxe3+ 26 Kf1 Qf3+ 27 Ke1 Qf2#.
5: White to play
5) Fischer – Goldsmith
7: Black to play
West Orange 1957
7) Timman – Karpov
A simple sacrifice deflects either the black queen or
London 1984
the black knight:
He can indeed:
12 Rxd7! Qxd7
Or 12...Nxd7 13 Qxe7, with a similar outcome. 24...Rxe5!
Deflecting the overloaded white queen away from
13 Bxf6 Bxf6 14 Qxf6 +–
guarding f3.
White wins two pieces for the rook in addition to the
extra pawn he already possessed. 25 Qxe5 Qf3+ 26 Kh2 Qf2+ 0-1
Black mates after 27 Kh3 Bc8+ 28 g4 Rf3+.
6: Black to play
8: White to play
6) Lisitsyn – Smyslov
8) Tal – Keller
Zurich 1959 Deflecting the black king away from the pawn gives
its white counterpart a vital tempo to move in closer:
A daring sacrificial deflection is all it takes for
Black’s position to collapse completely: 1 Nc6! Kxc6 2 Nb6!
29 Rb7+!! Kxb7 And another knight for another square! Not 2 Nc7?
Kxc7 3 Kf7 Kd6, when White is a tempo too short.
Now the queen can invade.
2...Kxb6 3 Kf7 Kc6 4 Ke6 Kc7 5 d5 Kd8 6 Kd6!
30 Qd7+ Kb8 31 e8Q+ Rxe8 32 Qxe8+ Kb7 33
+–
Qd7+ Kb8 34 Qxc6 1-0
In this basic K+P vs K position, White wins no
This sequence of forced moves leaves Black lost on
matter who is to move.
material.

9: White to play
11) F. Lazard
9) Botvinnik – Keres
Le Soleil de Marseille, 1925
USSR Team Ch, Moscow 1966
White must tiptoe around a pair of stalemate mines:
The obvious answer is to mate on h7, and there is a
way to make this come true: 1 h6 Ba2
27 Rb8! 1-0 After 1...Bc2!? 2 Bxc2+ Kxh6 White wins by 3
g8N+! (but not 3 g8R? stalemate).
The queen is deflected and there is no way to keep
guarding h4. After 27...Qxb8 28 Qxh4, mate is 2 Kg5 Bb3! 3 Bd7!
unavoidable. The only square; e.g., 3 Bc6?! Bd5 4 Kf6? (White
can still win by finding 4 Bd7!) 4...Bxc6 5 Kf7
Bd5+! is a draw.
3...Be6!
A valiant try, but the black bishop has in truth been
decoyed to a critical square, as will become
apparent.
4 Kf6! Bxd7 5 Kf7 +–
The black bishop can deliver no more checks
without being captured.

10) W. Mees
De Schaakwereld, 1939
1...Rg8 allows White to block the rook’s access to
a8 immediately by 2 Bg3+ Kd5 3 Bb8 +–.
2 Kb1
2 Ka1 is just as effective.
2...Rg1+ 3 Be1! Rxe1+
Again 3...Rg8 allows 4 Bg3+ Kd5 5 Bb8 +–.
4 Kb2
The rook cannot rush to its back rank any more.
4...Re2+ 5 Kb3 Re3+ 6 Kb4 Re4+ 7 Kb5 +–
There are no more checks, so the pawn promotes.

12) A. Maksimovskikh and V. Shupletsov
Not as yet!
1 Bxd3+!
Care is needed: not 1 Rxd3? Rxa7! 2 Ra3+ Kh6 3
Rxa7 with stalemate.
1...Kg7 2 Ba6!
Interference to decoy the rook to the sixth rank.
2...Rxa6 3 Rd7+ Kf6
Or 3...Kg8 4 Rd8+. 14: White to play and draw
4 Rd6+! 14) L. Kaev
The rook is now deflected away from the a-file. “64”, 1932
4...Rxd6 5 a8Q +– He can do so by actively getting rid of all his pieces
one by one!
1 Bh4+!
The right check. Following 1 Bf4+? Kh3 2 g8Q
Qa1+ 3 Bc1 Qxc1+ 4 Nd1 Qxd1+ 5 Qg1 Qd5+ 6 e4
Qxe4+, Black mates.
1...Kh3! 2 g8Q Qa1+!
The critical moment: since 3 Qg1? now fails to
3...Qa8+, White comes up with two consecutive
sacrificial zwischenzugs to decoy the queen along
the first rank:
3 Nd1! Qxd1+ 4 Be1! Qxe1+ 5 Qg1
Now there is no check on the long light-squared
diagonal.
5...Qxe2
13) H. Weenink
And even here there is only one way to evade the
several mating threats.
He can do so with the help of a well-timed sacrificial
6 Qe3+! Qxe3 =
decoy:
Stalemate.
1 a7 Rg2+
1 Rh7+!
The natural try 1 Ra6+? leads to a dead end after
1...Kg7! 2 Ra7+ Kg8!.
1...Kxh7
Forced or else the rook continues to its back rank.
2 Bg6+! Kxg6
Forced again!
3 Nf4+ Kf5 4 Ne2!
Not 4 Nd3? Ke4 5 Nc1 Ke3.
4...Ke4 5 Nxc3+ =
Just in time!
Note that care was still needed: the careless 5 Nc1??
15) V. Kovalenko loses to 5...Ke3 6 Ka2 Kd2 7 Nb3+ Kd1.
Harassing the enemy king is the only option:
1 Nec2+ Kb2!
After 1...Ka2 2 Nc4! f1Q 3 Nb4+ Ka1 4 Nc2+ Black
must either acquiesce to perpetual check or allow a
knight fork.
2 Ne3 Nf5+!
Deflection by Black!
3 Kd3 Nxe3 4 Nc4+!
And now White uses deflection.
4...Nxc4 5 Ke2 =
Following the mutual deflections, the pawn is finally 17: White to play and win
neutralized.
17) L. Prokeš
Severočesky Šach, 1946
Yes he can, but the move-order must be precise:
1 d7
This pawn must advance first. After 1 a7? Kb7 2 d7
Rf8 3 Ke7 Rh8 4 Bg6 Kxa7 5 Be8 Rh7+ 6 Bf7 Rh8,
Black draws.
1...Rd4
Not 1...Rf8 2 Ke7 Rh8 3 d8Q Rxd8 4 Kxd8 Kb6 5
Bd3 +–, since White has the right bishop to go with
the a-pawn.
2 a7 Kb7
16: White to play and draw How can White be winning this?
16) V. Kichigin 3 Be4+!
Buletin Problemistic, 1978 Deflecting the rook off the promotion file.
Yes, but he must decoy the black king into the range 3...Rxe4+
of the remote knight whatever the material cost. After 3...Kxa7 the interference 4 Bd5 wins.
4 Kd5 Re1
Preparing a skewer.
5 a8Q+!
Decoying the king to its back rank so the promotion
comes with check, and the potential skewer can
never take place.
5...Kxa8 6 d8Q+ +–

19) L. Mitrofanov
Leningradskaya Pravda, 1988
Similarly to the previous position, here too White
must place his trust in his own pawn to
counterbalance the soon-to-be-born black queen. But
first he should shut off a couple of potential lines for
the queen in advance:
1 Be1+! Kb5 2 Nc4!
18) T. Gorgiev
The first decoy is to shut off the c-file.
Izvestia, 1928
2...Kxc4
By elbowing his way to the queenside:
2...Bxg5 is obviously met by the fork 3 Na3+.
1 g4+! Kg5!
3 g6 Bh6 4 Bd2!
After 1...Kxg4 2 Kg6 c5 3 h4! (deflecting the black
The second sacrifice has a double purpose:
king) 3...Kxh4 (otherwise both sides promote) 4 Kf5
deflecting the bishop to allow the white pawn to
White is just in time to stop the pawn.
march, while also shutting off the diagonal to keep
2 Kg7! the queen away from White’s pawn.
Not 2 h4+? Kxh4! 3 Kg6 Kxg4 4 Kf6 Kf4. The bishop ending following 4 g7?? Bxg7 5 Bd2
2...c5 3 h4+! Kd3 6 Bc1 Bd4 7 Kg2 Be3 8 Bb2 Kc4 9 Kf3 Kb3 is
evidently hopeless.
This second deflection also brings in ideas of White
promoting one of his own pawns. 4...Bxd2 5 g7 c1Q+ 6 Kg2 =
3...Kxh4 All of a sudden Black, despite his tremendous

material advantage, is helpless against the white
3...Kxg4 4 Kg6! Kxh4 5 Kf5 is as above. promotion.
4 Kf6
Finally gaining the critical tempo owing to the threat
of advancing White’s own pawn. This motif is
named after Richard Réti, who was the first one to
demonstrate it in a study.
4...c4 5 g5 =
Both sides promote together and draw.
20) N. Kralin 21) L. Mitrofanov and V. Razumenko
1st-2nd Pr., Vserossiski Ty, 1962 Kirovsky Rabochi, 1976
A pair of deflections assures that: Any attempt to hold the position with two minor
pieces and a strong pawn against the queen would
1 Bb5+!
prove futile since then the dormant black knight in
Since the direct 1 f6? fails to 1...Rxe4 2 f7 Rf4, the corner will decide the battle in no time. The
when the pawn is under control, White first inserts solution to this seemingly hopeless situation is quite
this check. stunning:
1...Kxe4 2 f6 1 Ne4!
The pawn seems unstoppable. Decoying the king into the line of fire of a battery.
2...Ra2+! 1...Kxe4
But it’s not so simple! Black also cunningly inserts a 1...d1Q is naturally met by the fork 2 Nf2+ Kd4 3
check to decoy the white king to the a2-g8 diagonal. Nxd1 Ke5 =.
3 Kxa2 Ke5 2 Kc7+!
Is Black’s mission accomplished and the white pawn The discovered check by the king should be
doomed? The drama is still on with a pair of carefully chosen to avoid being checked by the new-
powerful moves by White: born queen, yet to be as close as possible to his own
4 Bd4+! pawn.
A deflection to keep the king away. 2...Ke3! 3 Bf3!
4...Kxd4 5 Bc4! A second decoy to shut off the f-file.
And now the diagonal is shut off by a decoy. 3...Kxf3 4 f6 d1Q 5 f7 =
5...Kxc4 6 f7 +– It is important that the white pawn cannot be

controlled from behind now and that the white king
Promotion is finally secured. is just in time to create a well-known positional
draw; e.g., 5...Qc2+ 6 Kd7 Qf5+ 7 Ke7 Qe5+ 8 Kf8
Ke4 9 Kg8 Qg5+ 10 Kh7 Qf6 11 Kg8 Qg6+ 12
Kh8! – the extra knight is too far away to make any
difference.
23) A. Hildebrand
3rd Pr., Springaren, 1984
By recruiting all his forces for a mating attack:
1 Rfg1+! Bg2!
Black must insert this move to avoid a banal defeat
after 1...Kf3 2 Rh3+ Kf4 3 Rh4+ Kf3 4 Bxe4+,
winning the queen.
2 Rxg2+ Kf3
2...Kf4 3 Rh4+.
3 Be4+!!
A stunning deflection!
22: White to play and win 3...Qxe4
22) A. Gillberg Since 3...Kxe4 allows a skewer by 4 Rh4+, and
Tidskrift för Schack, 1986 3...Kf4 is met by 4 Rh4#.
The solution features no fewer than four consecutive But what now?
sacrificial deflections: 4 0-0#
1 e7 Bh4 Castling can look pretty aggressive sometimes!
Both 1...Rc7 and 1...Rc8 lose to 2 Bd7.
2 Re1+! Kf2
2...Bxe1 is met by 3 Bc6! – the only move to avoid a
check by the rook on c7.
3 Rf1+! Ke3
3...Kxf1 is met by 4 Bb5+, while after 3...Kg3 4
Rf3+ Kg2, 5 Bc6! creates a battery to win the black
rook following 5...Bxe7 6 Rc3+.
4 Rf3+! Kd2
4...Kxf3 fails to 5 Bh5+.
5 Rf2+!
The last deflection cannot be declined.
5...Bxf2 6 Bd7! +–

6: Trapping a Piece
While the final goal in chess is to mate the enemy
king, a standard way to work towards that aim is to
hunt down the opponent’s pieces and capture them.
Material gains can be achieved by positional
pressure or by employing a variety of tactical
weapons. Standard methods to win a piece include a
fork, a pin or a skewer.
Trapping a piece by limiting its mobility is far less
common in practice and usually catches the
opponent by surprise. Maybe an unexpected
zwischenzug pops up out of the blue and denies the
attacked piece any safe refuge. It is especially White to play
painful when the victim is the queen, as
demonstrated in the following two examples: Botvinnik – Schneiderman Stepanov
Leningrad Ch 1930
How can White benefit from the ‘offside’ position of
the black queen?
He can actually trap the enemy queen as follows:
19 Bxf7+!
Vacating a key square...
19...Rxf7 20 Nc4 +–
...for the vicious hunter. The black queen is helpless.
White to play
Steinitz – Bird
London (9) 1866
How should White punish a queen that tries to win
the game all by itself?
A single lady out there in a futile solo sortie often
becomes an easy prey:
9 h3! Qxg2
Or 9...Qh5 10 g4 and the queen has no refuge. The
move chosen fails to offer much more.
E. Pogosiants
10 Rh2! +–
Her majesty is trapped as early as move ten.
How can White dream of winning when he is a piece
behind?
By hunting this extra piece, taking advantage of its
rather limited space:
1 d6!
Locking up in advance the bishop’s cage. The
obvious 1 Ke8? Bc7 2 Kxe7 Ke5 is only a draw.
1...exd6 2 Ke8 Bc7 3 Kd7 Bb8 4 Kc8 +– repeating moves, the game may result in a positional
draw.
The bishop is doomed thanks to the anticipatory
line-closing on the first move.
A piece may also be trapped by means of
domination – that is, one side obtains control over a
significant part of the board so that certain squares
are not accessible to an enemy piece (or more).
When a valuable piece lacks a safe haven, it may be
won either by being threatened or due to zugzwang.
Have a look at the following relatively simple
example.

E. Richter
Československa Republika, 1928
How can White convert his rather minimal
advantage?
In fact, faster than expected:
1 d6!
To block the file first.
1...exd6 2 Bc2!
The rank is no safer either and the rook is actually
dominated.
2...Rh1
Or 2...Rd5 3 Be4, pinning the rook.
3 Be4+ +–
The fork attacks both black pieces at opposite ends
of the long diagonal. It only remains to mate with
bishop and knight.
Nevertheless, trapping a piece does not always mean
physically capturing it. The weaker side might
obtain domination over a superior enemy piece (or
pieces) just by limiting its mobility in a certain part
of the board. If the stronger side is unable to make
progress and left with nothing better than just
Trapping a Piece Exercises
4: Black to play
White has two mobile connected passed pawns.
Where is Black’s counterplay?
1: White to play
Black seems in no hurry to castle. Can this be
recommended here?
5: White to play
How can White confuse the crowd on Black’s back
rank?
2: White to play
How can White take the enemy king by surprise?

Is the black bishop really safe?
3: White to play
Which is Black’s most vulnerable piece?
A rook behind, is there still hope for White? White’s sole remaining pawn looks vulnerable. Can
it be maintained?

Can White keep all his pieces intact to secure the
win? Is there a way to exploit the temporarily cramped
position of the black queen?

Material is equal and there are no pawns. So how
can White secure victory? How can White prove the knight’s superiority in this
open position?
It looks like an impossible mission, doesn’t it? Can White prevent Black from promoting?
Will White lose his winning hopes with the Can White save all three of his pieces to secure a
impending fall of his last pawn? win?
White is two pieces down. Is there any hope? What will be the shortest way to win the new-born
black queen?
How can White trap the seemingly unimpeded rook? Any idea how White can foil the promotion of the h-
pawn?

Can you dominate the black bishop?
Can the white infantry take down the queen?

Which of his threatened pieces should White
abandon? How can White win one of Black’s pieces?
Does trapping a piece always mean winning it? Can White avoid the loss of his a7-pawn?

Can you help White out of his gloomy position?

A whole rook behind, what is left for White to fight
for?
Threatening not just a fork but rather a mate!
Trapping a Piece Solutions
26...Rxg2+ 27 Kf1
Black’s pieces are trapped owing to the knight’s
mate threat.
27...b6 28 Ne7+
28 Rc1 is equally effective.
28...Kb7 29 Nxc6 +–
Grabbing a piece and winning the game.
1: White to play
1) Tal – Streicher
Riga 1950
Generally speaking, one should obey the great
Tartakower, who used to say “First castle and then
philosophize!” (in French it even rhymes). It
certainly applies in this position, and White
vigorously shows why: 3: White to play
5 Bxf7+! Kxf7 6 Ng5+ +– 3) Anand – Nikolić
The black queen can either be trapped following FIDE Knockout, Groningen 1997
6...Ke8 7 Ne6 or become a widow after 6...Kf6 7 The uncastled king is quite well protected, so White
Qf3#. should focus primarily on the more exposed black
queen:
27 Rxd7!
This preliminary move drags the black king to the
pinning file. The immediate 27 Rb4?! Qxb4! 28
Bxb4 Nxc7 allows Black to put up more resistance.
27...Kxd7 28 Rb4! +–
28...Qf5 29 g4 leaves the queen trapped in the
middle of the board.
2: White to play
2) Fischer – Sherwin
White decides the battle in his favour by turning a
defender into an aggressor, even at the cost of
weakening his own king:
26 Nf5!!
4: Black to play
4) Kramnik – Anand
World Ch (5), Bonn 2008
The back-rank pin might offer a hint, but how to
exploit it?
34...Ne3!! 35 fxe3
Turning down the gift by 35 h3 Rxf1+ 36 Kh2 Rxf2
–+ traps the white king in a mating-net.
35...fxe3 0-1
The threat of 36...e2 is hard to meet, and the pinned
bishop is trapped. The game might end 36 Rc7 Rxc7
37 g3 Rc1 38 Kg2 Rc2+ 39 Kf3 Rf2+, etc.
6) J. Gunst
Tidskrift för Schack, 1949
The black bishop certainly seems to have plenty of
room. It’s the black king that might experience
hardships:
1 Bc6+
Taking over the critical diagonal.
1...Kb8 2 Ne5! a5
Parrying the direct mate threat. 2...Be6 is met by 3
Bg2!, preventing the black bishop from finding a
safe haven on h3.
5: White to play 3 Be4!
5) Fischer – Reshevsky All of a sudden there is no defence against 4 Nc6+
followed by a discovered check to pick up the black
bishop.
By spotting a surprisingly long pinning line:
3...Ba2
10 Bxf7+!! Kxf7 11 Ne6!
There is no safe spot for the bishop. Moving the king
The queen has no escape! is no better: 3...Ka7 4 Kc7! Ka6 (4...a4 5 Nc6+ Ka6
11...dxe6 6 Bd3+, mating) 5 Bd3+ Ka7 6 Nc6+ Ka8 7 Ba6,
mating again.
Once again, either the queen is trapped or her king is
marched to the scaffold: 11...Kxe6 12 Qd5+ Kf5 13 4 Nc6+ Kb7 5 Nb4+ +–
g4+ Kxg4 14 Rg1+ Kh4 15 Qe4+ Kh3 16 Qg4+ and The bishop is lost.
mate next move.
12 Qxd8 +–
4...Re4
All dark flight-squares are indirectly covered by
immediate knight forks: 4...Rh4 5 Ng6+, 4...Rd8 5
Nf7+, 4...Rd6 5 Nf7+ or 4...Rf4 5 Ng6+.
The only light flight-square is covered by a delayed
fork:
5 Nf7+ Kh7 6 Ng5+ +–

7) A. Wotawa
Schach Magazin, 1950
White is even ready to give away his best pawn in
order to save the game.
1 b7!! Rb1+ 2 Kc3 Rxb7 3 Rh5+ Kc6 4 Kc4! =
Surprisingly, Black cannot prevent 5 Rh6+ followed
by the fork 6 c6+. Both rooks obstruct the king’s
escape. The loss of a rook is thus unavoidable! 9) T. Gorgiev
4th HM, “64”, 1930
By seeking to dominate the black bishop:
1 Rb3+ Rb6! 2 Rxb6+ Kc7
Obviously not 2...Ka7 3 Re6.
3 Bd8+!
As by now 3 Re6? fails to 3...Kd7.
3...Kxd8 4 Rb8+ Ke7 5 Kg6! +–
The bishop is lost due to zugzwang.

8) A. Kakovin
2nd HM, Suomen Shakki, 1961
In fact he can’t in view of the double threat (the
direct one on his bishop and the slower one to fork
the other white pieces), yet a devious trap makes up
for it:
1 Ba4! Re4 2 Bb3+ Kh8
Otherwise Black loses even faster: 2...Kh7 3 Bc2 or
2...Kf8 3 Bc5+. 10: White to play and win
3 Ne5!! Rxd4+ 4 Kc3! 10) Z. Birnov
All of a sudden, the rook can find no proper shelter. Shakhmaty, 1929
Yes, thanks to the vulnerability of the black bishop: Hastings and St Leonards Post, 1922
1 Kd2! Kb4 2 Kc1 Ba2 3 Kb2 Bxb3 4 Bd6+ Kc4 Unexpectedly, it takes just two moves to do so:
Alternatively, 4...Ka4 is met by 5 Nc3+. 1 Nd4+ Kc5
5 Nc3! +– 1...Kb7 2 Kxh2 Ka6 3 Nb3 Kb5 4 Kg3 is a technical
win and even not such a complicated one.
Black is totally dominated and loses his bishop.
2 Kh1!! +–
Extraordinary vision! Each of the bishop moves (as
well as 2...Kd6) is met by a knight fork.
The natural alternative 2 Nb3+? Kb5 3 Kxh2 Bf4+ 4
Kh3 Bb8 5 Kg4 Ka4 is only good enough for a
draw.

11) A. Gurvich and E. Pogosiants
3rd Pr., Molodoi Gvardia, 1963
Trapping the queen is made possible by unavoidable
knight forks. The first move vacates the key square.
1 Kb2! Kc4 13: White to play and win
The only way to avoid the immediate loss of the 13) A. Guliaev
queen. Both knights are taboo in view of the
Sp. Pr., Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1940
identical double threat: 1...Qxb5 2 Nc3+ or 1...Qxd1
2 Nc3+. A great deal of creative imagination is called for:
2 Ne3+! Kxb5 3 Nd5! 1 g7!
The queen is dominated. 1 Bc5? hxg6 2 e6 Kh7+ 3 Kf7 Kxh6 4 e7 Kg5 gets
White nowhere.
3...Kc6 4 Nc3 +–
1...f2 2 Be7! f1Q 3 Bf6! Qxf6! 4 gxh8Q+!!
4 exf6? is just a stalemate.
4...Qxh8
4...Kxh8 5 exf6.
5 d4! +–
The black queen has run out of safe squares up there
in the corner.

12) R. Réti (version)
Not 1 Be6? Kh2 2 Kf2 Ng6, when Black wins in the
long run by checking on h3, for example.
After the text-move, White now threatens the black
knight.
1...Nf4+!
The only sensible response is to put the other knight
en prise too!
2 Ke3 Nhg2+ 3 Bxg2! Nxg2+ 4 Ke2
From now on, a sole king dominates the battle.
4...Kh2 5 Kf2 Kh3
What else?
14: White to play and win 6 Kg1! =
14) L. Kubbel The bishop is trapped and splitting the point is
unavoidable.
Rigaer Tageblatt, 1914
Not quite! The oddly-placed black bishop is the
basis for White’s ambitions:
1 Be4! Kxa7 2 Nd5 Bg8 3 Ne7! +–
Although the bishop seems to have plenty of room,
it in fact has no refuge along the entire diagonal. See
for yourself:
a) 3...Bh7 4 Kb5 Kb8 5 Kb6.
b) 3...Be6 4 Nc6+ Ka6 5 Bd3+ Kb7 6 Nd8+.
c) 3...Bb3 4 Nc6+ Ka6 5 Bd3+ Kb7 6 Na5+.
d) 3...Ba2 4 Nc6+ Ka6 5 Nb4+.
e) 3...Bf7 4 Nc6+ Ka6 5 Bd3+ Kb7 6 Nd8+.
16) S. Kozlowski
Ksiega JT, 1938
No he can’t, but he must seek to win the new-born
queen afterwards:
1 Ra1 Kg2 2 Kh8!!
There is no time for a waiting move since then Black
gains a vital check: 2 Rc1? Bf1 3 Rc7 h1Q 4 Rh7
Bc4+!.
2...Bf1 3 Ra7! h1Q+ 4 Rh7!
The queen is trapped and will be lost to a skewer:
4...Qg1 5 Rg7+ =
15) Y. Yakimchik
Owing to the cramped position of Black’s pieces in
the corner, White is even dominant:
1 Be4!
1 Nh5!
Curiously, the straightforward knight journey fails: 1
Nf5? Kb2 2 Qb7+ Ka2! 3 Nd4 c1Q 4 Qb3+ Ka1 5
Nc2+ Qxc2 6 Qxc2 with stalemate again.
1...Kb1 2 Qb7+ Ka2 3 Qh1 Kb2 4 Nf4
This was the idea behind 1 Nh5!.
4...c1Q 5 Nd3+ +–

17) D. Petrov
Eventually he will lose one, but obtains domination
with the remaining two:
1 Bc1! Rf2+!
Worse is 1...Rd4+ 2 Be4.
2 Kg3! Rf1!
Two pieces are still hanging. 19) A. Hildebrand
Eskilstuna Kuriren, 1946
3 Bf4+! Rxf4 4 Bd3!
The position of the black king might provide a broad
All of a sudden the rook is dominated! Any move is
hint:
met by a knight fork.
1 Bg4!
4...Rb4
With a double threat against both the king and the
The alternatives are 4...Rf6 5 Nd5+ and 4...Rd4 5
rook.
Nb5+.
1...Rc7 2 Bb6!
5 Nd5+ +–
Resuming the double threat.
2...Rc2
An echo variation to the main one is 2...Rc3 3 Bxa5
Kd2 4 Bf5, when the rook is lost by zugzwang.
3 Bxa5+ Rd2 4 Kh1! +–
Avoiding stalemate with a move like 4 Bf3?.
But now it’s zugzwang, and the pinned rook is
doomed.

18) P. Heuäcker
Wiener Neueste Nachrichten, 1933
Certainly not by 1 Qxc2? stalemate.
1...Rxg1+ 2 Kf2 Rg4
Black is forced to leave the first rank: after 2...Rc1 3
Re1 White will win the pawn ending following the
exchange of rooks.
3 Rb3+ Ka2 4 Rb4! +–
Finally explaining White’s choice on move 1: the
black rook is trapped! White forces an exchange of
rooks, after which his modest pawn is unstoppable.

20) V. Bron
4th Comm., Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1948
The kings and pawns play a key role in this short but
tense battle:
1 Nc5+ Kc8 2 Ne4! Bb4!
This is only square where the bishop won’t fall
victim to a discovered check; for example, 2...Be3 3
Nd6+ Kxc7 4 Nc4+ +–.
22) J. Fritz
3 Kb3 f2! 4 Bxf2
Zemedelske Noviny, 1962
4 Nxf2? loses the pawn after 4...Ba5.
Not really, but White can prepare a hostile welcome
4...Ba5 5 Nd6+ Kxc7 6 Nc4! +–
for the new queen:
The black bishop has no refuge.
1 Bc5+ Kd8! 2 e7+! Bxe7 3 Kb7! h1Q+ 4 Bc6
By threatening the royal couple simultaneously,
White wins the queen.
4...Qb1+ 5 Bb6+ =

21) J. Fritz
Prace, 1953
The bishop is chosen to be given away – and by a 23: White to play and win
modest key move!
23) Y. Hoch
1 a3!!
4th Comm., Israel Ring Ty, 1981
The intention of this funny-looking move will soon
become apparent.
They can if each pawn sticks to his duty whenever
the queen threatens to escape its cage.
1 b6 Qa8 2 c6!
2 b7? is premature in view of 2...Qa7 3 d6 Qb6+!,
forcing stalemate.
2...dxc6 3 d6 c5 4 b7!
Now is the time! Leaving a mobile black pawn
avoids any stalemate pitfall.
4...Qa7 5 b5 c4 6 b6 +–
The queen is finally trapped, after which White
comes first in the race to promote.

25) E. Pogosiants
2nd HM, Kiev Chess Club Ty, 1961
Not necessarily. Here the rook is sentenced to life
imprisonment:
1 Nf8!
Deflecting the king! The knight must be captured to
avoid its fork.
1...Kxf8
1...Rh8 2 Ng6+.
2 g6 Rh8 3 Kd7! Rg8
Or 3...Kg8 4 Ke8.
24) J. Fritz
4 Kd8 =
Svobodne Slovo, 1950
It’s a positional draw: Black is a rook up but can’t
Actually he can’t do so directly, but he comes up do better than repeat moves.
with a nastier idea.
1 Ra1!
Threatening both mate and 2 Rc1.
This is the only sound way. Here are a few failing
attempts: 1 Ra7? Nb5 2 Ra5 Bd7 =; 1 Ra3? Nb5 =; 1
Ra5? Bg4 2 Rg5 Bd1 3 Rg1 Bb3+ =; 1 Ra4? Kh6 =
2 Rc4?? Be6+ –+.
1...Bb7
1...Kh6 2 Rh1+ Kg5 3 Rc1 Nb5 (3...Be6+ 4 Ke7) 4
Rc5+ and 1...Be6+ 2 Kf6 Kg8 (2...Bd7 3 Ra7 Nd5+
4 Ke5 Nb6 5 b3) 3 Rc1 are both winning for White.
2 Ra7 Nb5
Has White been tricked?
3 Rxb7!
26) A. Gurvich
Not at all! White is the farsighted one here.
Etiudy, 1961
3...Nd6+ 4 Ke7 Nxb7 5 b4! +– The problem is actually even bigger than it looks
Even without the rook on the board, the knight is since the pawn ending following a bishop exchange
still trapped. is hopelessly lost. It might be hard to believe but the
only chance of survival lies in giving away the With his rook trapped in the cage, there is no way
bishop! for Black to close in on the white king.
1 Bh2!!
Let us examine the alternatives: after 1 Be1? Kg1
the e2-pawn will fall; 1 Bxf4? gxf4 2 Kg4 (2 g4 f3!)
2...Kxg2 3 Kxf4 Kf2 and Black wins.
1...Bxh2
Following 1...g4+ 2 Kxg4 Bxh2 3 Kf3 Bc7 4 g4
Bxa5 5 g5 Kh2 6 g6 Bc3 7 Kxe3 the white king will
neutralize Black’s only remaining pawn.
2 g4! Bg1
Any other move stalemates on the spot.
3 Kg3 Bf2+ 4 Kh3! Bg1
Otherwise it is stalemate again.
5 Kg3 Bh2+ 6 Kh3 =
28) Y. Hoch
And so on. Even returning the favour by 6...Bg3 is
only good enough for a draw. The bishop is trapped Jerusalem Post, 1978
in a vicious circle of stalemates and hence it’s a In fact he can’t, yet sacrificing it still saves the
positional draw. game:
1 a8Q! Qh8+
A skewer by Black.
2 Kf7 Qxa8 3 Re8! Qa7+ 4 Re7 Qa8
4...Qxa6 is met with a skewer by White: 5 Re6+.
5 Re8 =
The queen is trapped and dominated by the white
rook. It’s a positional draw!

27) G. Zakhodiakin
The only remaining chance is to trap the black rook:
1 c7! Be5+ 2 Kh1!
Sidestepping a devious idea: 2 Kh3? Bxc7 3 Bd5
Re8!! 4 g7 Re3+ 5 Kg2 Rg3+, winning the pawn
and the game.
2...Bxc7 3 Bd5! Rg7
This is the only way to stop the pawn, but it allows
White to put the rook under siege.
Naturally 3...Rxg6 allows the pin 4 Bf7.
4 Bf7! =
7: Removing a Guard
A guard is a piece that is defending another piece or
a key square. Its removal therefore leaves that piece
or square unprotected. Removing a guard may be
done in various ways: closing its line, deflection,
pin, and also by simply capturing it.
The practical examples and exercises here
demonstrate the removal of a guard (or guards) by
sacrificing material.
White to play
Petrosian – Ivkov
Yugoslavia – USSR, Teslić 1979
The black king seems perfectly safe. Is that so?
Not quite!
35 Rxd4! 1-0
Removing a guard exposes him to a mate in two!
35...exd4 36 Re5+! Kxg4 and now 37 f3# or 37 h3#.
In endgame studies, removing a guard by capturing
White to play
it is much less common than in practice. The reason
Tal – Suetin is that in this art, ‘brutal’ captures – even by
Goglidze Memorial, Tbilisi 1969 sacrifices – are not as appreciated.
How should White exploit the enemy king’s position
in the centre?
Removing the main guard leaves the king totally
helpless:
20 Qxe5!
20 Bxb5+ axb5 21 Qxe5 +– is another version of the
same idea.
20...dxe5 21 exf7+ 1-0
Black’s material losses are unbearable: 21...Kf8 22
Bh6# or 21...Kd7 22 Bf5++ Kc6 23 Be4+ +–.

A. Selezniev
Shakhmaty, 1925
All the black pieces are on the same coloured
squares. What can you make out of it?
Collect them all like in checkers:
1 Rxd4! cxd4
1...Re6+ 2 Kxc5.
2 a7+! Kxa7 3 Bxd4+ Kb8 4 Bxe5+ Ka7 5 Bd4+
Kb8 6 Bxf2 +–
Removing a Guard Exercises
4: White to play
Black is a piece up but his disorganized camp invites
a tactical blow. Can you see one?
1: White to play
What is Black’s main kingside weakness?
5: White to play
How can White bring down the royal castle?
2: White to play
A good bishop vs a miserable knight. Is it so?
6: White to play
Does White still need to bring up reinforcements?
3: White to play
Black’s back rank seems well protected. Can White
prove that view wrong?
How can White profit from Black’s somewhat How can the knight successfully fight against a
cramped position? mighty pair of bishops?

How on earth can White hope to win here? In this position of material equality, what might tip
the balance?

Can White cope with Black’s considerable material
advantage? Can White secure the promotion of his only pawn?
Is White’s modest extra pawn a sufficient advantage Can the far-advanced white pawns neutralize
to win? Black’s huge material advantage?
How should White nullify Black’s material How can White secure the future of his e-pawn?
advantage?

How can White save this seemingly hopeless
ending?
Removing a Guard Solutions
3: White to play
3) Steinitz – Sich
1: White to play London 1871
1) Kosteniuk – Ushenina White should attack on file, diagonal and rank. For
that purpose, he removes two defenders of the
European Women’s Rapid Ch, Minsk 2001
eventual mating square first:
The light squares have been considerably weakened,
22 Rxe5! dxe5 23 Qxh5! +–
but White strikes on the dark ones:
23...Qxh5 24 Rf8+ Rg8 25 Bf6#.
35 Rxh6+! gxh6 36 Bxf6+ Kh7 37 Qf7# (1-0)
4: White to play
2: White to play
4) Tal – Petrosian
2) Lasker – Von Scheve
USSR Team Cup, Moscow 1974
Berlin 1890
Removing a guard leads to mate:
A poor knight alive is better than a dead model
bishop: 22 Rxd7! Bxd7
25 Rxd3! Qxd3 Since 22...Qxd7 is met by 23 Qh4 +–.
25...Rxd3 leaves the other rook unguarded: 26 23 Bxf7+
Qxa8+. 23 Qh4 Re8 24 Bxf7+ is good too.
26 Re8+! 1-0 1-0
A second guard-removal by deflection: 26...Rxe8 27 23...Rxf7 24 Qxf7+ Kh8 25 Re4 Bg4 26 Qxg6 Qf5
Qxd3. 27 Nf7+ Kg8 28 Nh6+, winning.
5: White to play 7: White to play
5) Tal – Hartston 7) Alekhine – Sämisch
Hastings 1973/4 Berlin 1923
A daring sacrifice is the only way to break in: A daring queen sacrifice to remove the guards from
the key outposts enables the white knights to storm
24 Rxf7!!
the barricades:
This is both a guard-removal and a deflection,
leaving the g6-pawn and the black queen 18 fxe6!! Bxg3 19 exf7+ Kh8
unprotected. 19...Kf8 20 Ne6+ forks king and queen.
24...Rxf7 20 Nd5! 1-0
24...Kxf7 25 Bxg6+ Kg8 26 Qh7#. 20...Qb7 21 Ne6 Rg8 (or 21...Be5 22 Nxd8) 22
fxg8Q+ Kxg8 23 Ne7+ Kh8 24 Bxg7#. What an
25 Bxg6 Nf5 26 Bxf7+ Kxf7 27 Qh7+ 1-0
invasion!
27...Ke8 28 Qxh5+ Kf8 29 Qh8+ is a decisive
skewer.
6: White to play 8) M. Kliatskin

HM, Shakhmaty, 1924
6) Carlsen – Ibraev
The last pawn standing performs some magic:
Calvia Olympiad 2004
No; the position is already ripe for action: 1 c7!
Luring the king into a check.
17 Rxf6!! 1-0
17...Qxf6 18 Qh7+ Kf8 19 Ne4! Qe6 20 Ba3+ +–. 1...Kxc7 2 axb6+!
Removing the knight that is guarding the a8-rook.
2...Kxb8 3 b7! +– The knight perhaps not, but a single pawn might!
Black is in zugzwang. 1 g5 Ke6
1...Bb5 2 g4 Ke6 3 Nxf7.
2 Nxf7!
Removing the guard.
2...Kxf7 3 g4!
The road to stalemate is paved.
3...Bg7 4 g6+ Kf8 5 g5 Bd4 6 g7+ Bxg7 7 g6 Bd4 8
g7+ Bxg7 =
Stalemate.

9) A. Selezniev
35 Endspielstudien, 1919
The solution is instructive as well as entertaining:
1 d7! Kxd7
1...Bh4 2 d8N+! = leaves White a piece up, while
after 1...Ke7 2 Kd5 Kxd7 3 Bxf6 = Black cannot
play 3...gxf6?? 4 h6, when the pawn is unstoppable.
2 Bxf6! 11: White to play and win
Removing a guard by deflecting the black pawn to
11) A. Selezniev
allow the final pawn-march.
35 Endspielstudien, 1919
2...gxf6 3 h6 f5+! 4 Kd5! Be1 5 h7 Bc3 6 h8Q!
Bxh8 = The difference is in the kings’ positions:
A ‘mirror’ mid-board ideal stalemate – meaning all 1 Kh6! Bf7 2 Bd3 Be6
squares around the white king are empty and 2...Bg8 3 g5 Bf7 4 Bxh7 Bxc4 5 g6.
attacked just once, thus creating an aesthetic picture.
3 g5 Bg8 4 Bxh7!!
Removing the guard.
4...Bxh7
4...Bxc4 allows 5 g6 Bd3 6 g7#.
5 g6 Bxg6 6 Kxg6 +–
White wins the resulting pawn ending.

10) A. Avni
3rd HM, Thèmes-64, 1981
The only defence. 1...Rh3 fails to 2 Be1, while
1...Kb5 loses to 2 Rxb4+ Kxb4 3 Be1, pinning and
winning.
2 Rxb4+!
Removing the guard of the black rook. Not 2 Rxa3?
Bxa3+ 3 Kxa3 Kc3, when the last pawn falls.
2...Kxb4 3 Be1+!
3 Bc5+? drops half a point owing to 3...Kxc5 4 Kxa3
Kc4 5 Kb2 Kb4, when Black maintains the
opposition.
3...Ka4 4 Bc3!
It’s reciprocal zugzwang.
12: White to play and win 4...Rxc3 5 Kxc3 +–
12) Y. Afek and H. van der Heijden The modest pawn prevails after all!
1st HM, Tidskrift för Schack, 2005
Tactics help to keep away the defenders:
1 Rh8+ Kd7 2 a7 Nc7 3 Rh7+ Kd6 4 Rxc7
Removing the guard.
4...Ra5 5 Be5+! Kxe5 6 Rc5+!
Removing another guard by deflection.
6...Rxc5 7 a8Q +–

14) A. Hildebrand
Tidskrift för Schack, 1954
The mass of pieces obstructing each other might
give you the right idea.
1 Rg6+ Kh7 2 Rxg7+!
Removing a guard to allow the white knight to give
a series of checks.
2...Nxg7 3 Nf8+ Kh6 4 Ng6 Rh7
13) L. Kubbel
Black must preserve his rook, since a pair of knights
Krasnaya Gazeta, 1934
is unable to force mate.
It might be with the help of a couple of anticipatory
5 Nf8 =
tactics.
With a positional draw despite Black’s huge material
1 Ra4!
advantage.
Pinning the bishop with a double threat. 1 Be1? is
premature in view of 1...Re3!, since there is no time
for 2 Ra4.
1...Ra3!
1 g7! Nxh6+ 2 Rxh6+!
Removing the guard to allow promotion.
2...Rxh6 3 g8N+!
As 3 g8Q? fails to 3...Rg6+!.
3...Kg6
3...Kg7 allows 4 Nxh6.
4 Ne7+!
After 4 Nxh6? Rf8! the knight is trapped.
4...Kf6 5 Ng8+!
5 Nxf5? loses to 5...Rg6+.
15: White to play and draw 5...Kg6 6 Ne7+! =
15) E. Pogosiants White gives perpetual check without capturing either
of the rooks.
3rd HM, Chervony Girnik, 1965
Never lose hope! The game is full of surprising
resources.
1 Rb5+! Kxa4
After 1...Ka6?? 2 cxb3 cxd3 3 Rxd5 +– it is Black
who is seeking (in vain!) a peaceful conclusion.
2 Rxb4+!
Removing the guard of the c3-square at the cost of a
whole rook! Instead 2 cxb3+? Kxb5 3 dxc4+ dxc4
offers White no hope.
2...Kxb4 3 c3+ Kc5 4 d4+ Kd6 5 Kh6! Ke6 6 Kg5!
=
It’s a fortress even though the bishop is as free as a 17: White to play and win
bird. The white king heads to the safe haven on c1.
The most Black can then achieve is stalemate. 17) L. Prokeš
Lidove Listy, 1934
Eliminating the strongest guard is the key.
1 Rf7!
Threatening mate in one cannot do any harm.
1...Rxg6
Black obviously doesn’t fall for 1...Bxf7 2 gxf7,
with an unstoppable pair of connected passed pawns.
2 Rf8+ Rg8 3 Rxe8!
Here it is! White sacrifices the exchange to remove
an important defender.
3...Rxe8 4 Kd7 Ra8 5 e7 +–
16: White to play and draw The king will deal with the remaining one: 5...Ra7+
16) H. Lommer 6 Ke6 Ra8 7 Kf7 Ra7 8 Kf8 Ra8+ 9 e8Q Rxe8+ 10
Kxe8 with an easy win.
British Chess Magazine, 1946
They miraculously can, provided they pick the right
promotion:
8: Line-Opening and
Line-Closing
Line-opening and line-closing are probably the most
common tactical motifs appearing in combinations
and studies. Sometimes they are the main theme, but
more often an accompanying one. A friendly or
enemy piece enters or leaves a line of play of either
your line-mover (queen, rook, bishop) or an enemy
one.
The purpose of opening a line is simply to enable
another piece to move freely along this line. When
the blockage of a line denies the opponent a key Black to play
defensive possibility, we call this interference.
J. Polgar – Gaprindashvili
Opening or closing a line is usually combined with
other tactical elements, each and any of them. Women’s Olympiad, Novi Sad 1990
The siege of the white king just requires the
finishing touch. Can you provide it?
A deadly check on the long diagonal is a good
guess:
31...Rc3! 0-1
Closing the c-file is the fastest way to mate: 32 bxc3
Bxc6+ 33 Kg1 Rg8+.
Even a simple position may provide opportunities
for more than one interference. Take a look at the
following case:
White to play
Alekhine – Vasić
Banja Luka simul 1931
White’s mighty dark-squared bishop and Black’s
uncastled king suggest there might be a quick
decision. How?
By opening another diagonal for his other bishop:
10 Qxe6+! fxe6 11 Bg6# (1-0)

J. Fritz
British Chess Federation Ty, 1931
1 Nf5+
To prevent the rook from standing behind the pawn.
1...Kg6
Or: 1...Kh7 2 d7 Rg4 3 Nd6 Rg8+ 4 Ne8; 1...Kg5 2
d7 Ra4+ 3 Kb7 Rb4+ 4 Kc6! (4 Kc7 Rc4+ 5 Kb6
Rb4+ 6 Kc6 is just a loss of time) 4...Rb8 5 Nd6
(threatening 6 Nc8) 5...Rf8 (5...Rd8 6 Nf7+) 6 Ne8.
2 d7 Ra4+ 3 Kb7 Rb4+ 4 Kc6 Rb8 5 Ne7+ Kf7 6
Nc8 +–
A heroic performance by the knight, employing
various interferences along the promotion rank.
Interference may occur on more than one line
simultaneously. This is rare (but not unknown) in
practice, but a popular theme in studies.

E. Pogosiants
Revista Romana de Sah, 1965
What is White’s winning plan with such minimal
material on the board?
A tactical device comes to help:
1 f7+ Kf8 2 Kf6
With the immediate threat of 3 Ng6#, while
introducing the potential idea of Ne6#, even though
it is initially prevented by the rook.
2...Bc2 3 Be4!!
The bishop lands at the intersection of the guarding
lines, thus threatening two mates at the same time.
Whichever way Black captures, he can only prevent
one of the mates, but not both.
3...Rxe4
Or 3...Bxe4 4 Ne6#.
4 Ng6#
In chess composition, a sacrifice like this on the
critical square (that is, the one where two vital lines
intersect) is called the ‘Novotny theme’ after the
Czech composer Antonin Novotny, who first
demonstrated this idea as early as 1854.
White’s far-advanced a-pawn is about to fall. Can it
Line-Opening and Line-Closing still be of any use?
Exercises
4: White to play
1: White to play How should White advance his kingside attack?
How can White restrain Black’s mighty pawn?
5: White to play
2: White to play The black king seems well protected by his own
troops. Do you agree?
What is White’s most effective way to put his
kingside pressure to use?
6: White to play
3: White to play How can White seize his chance in this seemingly
equal rook ending?
Kingside attacks were the speciality of the Wizard This game between Norway’s best juniors was
from Riga. Can you follow his magic? decided by a devastating strike. How?

Black’s heavy guns are a long way from his king. Show how White invades the exposed black
How should White take advantage? kingside.

Can you spot a vulnerable point in White’s camp How should the white pawn be steered to its
and launch an attack against it? destination?
Is there a way for White to secure the promotion of How should White meet Black’s double threat?
his last pawn?

14: White to play and win What is the knight’s role in White’s attack?
What is White’s best response to Black’s
unavoidable promotion?

Can White take over the long dark diagonal?
Can you create a ‘future’ for White’s ambitious
pawn?
It seems White will lose his queen as soon as it Can White trust his pawn to save the day?
appears. But can he save the game anyway?

20: White to play and win How can White maintain his shaky advanced pawn?
In view of Black’s sharp threats, what are White
aspirations based on?

How can White disrupt the bishop’s efforts to
prevent a promotion on c8?
Line-Opening and Line-Closing
Solutions
3: White to play
3) Euwe – Alekhine
World Ch (8), Amsterdam 1935
1: White to play White can win an enemy piece for it by shutting off
1) Tal – Zilber the file and opening up a rank at the very same time:
Latvian Ch, Riga 1954 69 Ba6! 1-0

He doesn’t. He gives mate instead: Black resigned in view of 69...Bxa7 70 Rxa7 and
69...Rxa6 70 Rd8+ Ke7 71 a8Q Rxa8 72 Rxa8 +–.
32 Qxh7+! 1-0
Opening the h-file for a thematic mate: 32...Kxh7 33
Rh3#.
4: White to play
4) Capablanca – Vassaux
2: White to play Buenos Aires Olympiad 1939
2) Alekhine – Lasker He can mate the black king by opening the h-file
before the black queen retreats to cover the
Zurich 1934 vulnerable h7-square:
Here too a queen sacrifice opens up the winning 28 Rxh7+! Kxh7 29 Qh3+ Kg7 30 Qh6# (1-0)
route:
26 Qxg6!!
Stronger than 26 Qh4? g5 27 Qh5 Ne5 28 Rh3 Qc7,
when White is merely better.
1-0
26...hxg6 27 Rh3+ Nh6 28 Rxh6#.
33 Rdd7 1-0
White threatens mate in three, and Black will
therefore lose his kingside pawns without
diminishing White’s initiative.
5: White to play
5) Tal – Malich
Varna (team event) 1958
He might have been if not for...
7: White to play
24 Rxe5+! fxe5
7) Tal – Ulski
24...dxe5 is not much better in view of 25 d6+ Kd8
USSR 1968
26 Qh6, winning.
Tal cracked open a hard nut by a series of brilliant
25 Qg5+ Kf8
sacrifices to open all routes to the royal palace:
25...f6 26 Qg7+ +–.
1 Ng6+!! fxg6
26 Qf6 Rg8 27 Be6 1-0
1...hxg6 2 hxg6+ Kg8 3 Bxf6 was much less of a
Black laid down his arms as 27...Rc7 is met by 28 challenge for White.
Qd8+. Black’s heavy guns were mere onlookers.
2 hxg6 h6 3 Rxh6+! gxh6 4 g7+! Kxg7 5 Bxh6++!
Kxh6 6 Qd2+ +–
It will be mate next move.
6: White to play
6) Karpov – Khalifman
World Cup, Reykjavik 1991 8: White to play
Even an innocent-looking rook ending might have 8) Kasparov – Smirin
its venom. Opening the seventh rank has a
USSR Ch, Moscow 1988
devastating effect:
Surprisingly, there is just one way:
32 e6! fxe6
The alternative is trouble on the back rank: 39 Rxh6! Bxh6 40 Be6+ Kh8 41 Qf6+ 1-0
32...Rxb3 33 e7 Re8 34 Rc8 +–.
Black called it a day in view of 41...Kh7 42 Qf7+ 17...Qh5+! 0-1
Bg7 43 Bf5+ Kh8 44 Qh5+ Kg8 45 Be6+ Kf8 46 Opening up the fourth rank for 18 gxh5 Rh4#.
Qf7#.
11: White to play

9: Black to play
11) Fischer – Sofrevski
9) Ivanchuk – Anand
Skopje 1967
Linares (1) 1992
By adding a fresh attacking piece while shutting off
The weakened dark squares around the white king the fifth rank:
are challenged by:
15 Nd5!! Rfe8
42...e4! 43 Rxe4+
15...exd5 16 Rxd5 b5 17 Rh5 Bg4 18 Qg3 +–.
After 43 Rg1 Rxg1 44 Bxg1 f5 –+ the pair of passed
pawns are unstoppable. 16 Nxe7+ Rxe7 17 Rxd6 Rc8 18 Qd4 Be8 19 Qxf6
1-0
43...Be5!
Black’s position is falling apart.
The mate threat costs White the exchange and the
game.
44 Rxe5+
Or 44 c3 Rd2+, forking.
44...fxe5 45 Kb2 Rd2 0-1

12) L. Prokeš
Nedelni Listy, 1941
A couple of appropriate deflections and
interferences should do the job.
10: Black to play
1 Bc3!
10) Hammer – Carlsen
Deflecting by pinning.
World Under-14 Ch, Kallithea 2003
1...Bxc3 2 c7
It’s mate in two starting with a queen sacrifice:
And now a pair of echoing interferences: The black king on the edge of the board seems like a
convenient target.
2...Be5
The echo is 2...Ba5 3 Nb6! Bxb6 4 c8Q, while 1 Bf3! a1Q 2 Rg7!!
2...Ne4 3 Ne7 Nd6 4 Nf5+ Nxf5 5 c8Q features a Closing in advance the long dark diagonal before
knight deflection for dessert! opening it up.
3 Nd6! Bxd6 4 c8Q +– 2...Nxg7
White wins comfortably. 2...Ka5 is met by the skewer 3 Ra7+.
3 b4!
Thanks to the preparatory diagonal shut-off, both the
g7- and h7-squares are out of the queen’s reach.
3...b5 4 c5
Mate is unavoidable.
4...Qe5 5 Bb7#

13) W. Proskurowski
Comm., Magyar Sakkelet, 1961
Yes: by shutting off the line of the guarding rook:
1 f7! Rd8+ 2 Kh7! fxe4
The other main variation is 2...fxg4 3 Nd6+ Kc6 4
Ne8 +–, while 2...Rf8 fails due to 3 Bxf5 Rxf7 4 15: White to play and win
Nd6+.
15) H. Rinck
3 Bd7+! Kc5 4 Be8 +– Deutsche Schachzeitung, 1906
The line is shut off once again. Two basic combinations and the pawn is there:
1 Nb3+!
To deflect the black knight.
1...Nxb3 2 Bd2+!
A fork to close the just-opened d-file.
2...Nxd2 3 d7 +–
And the pawn finally makes it to a safe promotion.

14) J. Fritz
Kniha Šachovych Studii, 1951
Comm., Shakhmatny Listok, 1930
To provide a pair of surprising unprotected
interferences:
1 Qe7 Qd2+ 2 Nf4!!
After any king move, Black could comfortably
capture the knight.
2...Qh2+!
After 2...Qxf4+ 3 Kg6 there are no more checks.
3 Nh3!! +–
Black lacks any useful checks after both 3...Qxh3+ 4
Kg6 and 3...Qd2+ 4 Ng5.
16) T. Gorgiev
Shakhmaty, 1927
With a double surprise of his own!
1 Bg7+ e5!
1...Ka2 2 Bd5+! (an interference to lure the black
rook) 2...Rxd5 3 Kd1.
2 Bxe5+ Ka2 3 Bd6!
The first deflection closes the file and protects the
white pawn.
3...d1Q+!
A clever zwischenzug as 3...Rxd6 loses to 4 Kd1
Re6 5 Bd5+, etc. 18) P. Heuäcker
4 Kxd1 Rxd6+ 5 Bd3!! Neue Freie Presse, 1930
This decisive interference sidesteps a nasty mine: 5 The combined action of both his king and bishop
Kc2? (or 5 Kc1?) 5...Re6 6 Bd5+ Ka1! 7 Bxe6 secures victory:
stalemate.
1 Ba7!
5...Rxd3+ 6 Ke2 +– Trying to lure the black bishop away from the long
The promotion is finally secured. diagonal.
1...Ba1
Declining the deflection attempt. 1...Bc3 is met by 2
Kc2.
2 Kb1! Bc3 3 Kc2
Gaining an important tempo to approach the centre.
3...Ba1 4 Bd4!!
A stunning interference!
4...Bxd4
Or 4...exd4 5 Kd3!.
5 Kd3 Ba1 6 Ke4! +–
The long diagonal is successfully shut off!
17) G. Zakhodiakin
3...Nb3 4 Kb6! +–
With a new mate threat on the eighth rank. This one
is irresistible owing to the a2-g8 diagonal having
being closed by Black’s previous move.

19) M. Liburkin
“64”, 1935
A pair of Novotny interferences do wonders:
1 h8Q Bb2+ 2 Kc5 Rg5+
21) V. Halberstadt and J. Lerman
Clearing the diagonal.
Bulletin de la Fédération Française des Échecs,
3 Be5! 1926
The first interference: a Novotny sacrifice on the He can do so either by forcing the bishop to the
intersection of two line-movers to disrupt their shorter diagonal or cutting the longer diagonal
control of vital squares. shorter:
3...Rxe5+ 4 Kb4! Re4+ 5 d4! 1 f4! Kg4
And a second one! 1...gxf4 2 Nxf4+ Kg4 3 c7 sends the bishop to the
5...Rxd4+ 6 Qxd4 Bxd4 = shorter diagonal, allowing an easy win after 3...Ba6
4 Nd5 Kf5 5 Nb4.
Stalemate! Sheer magic, isn’t it?
2 f5! Kxf5
Now it’s the king that cuts the longer diagonal
shorter.
3 c7 Be6
Or, as earlier, 3...Ba6 4 Ka7 Bc8 5 Ne7+.
4 Nf8! +–
The diagonal is shut off, so the bishop has no retreat.

20) L. Mitrofanov
Magnitogorski Rabochi, 1983
On even sharper threats against the black king!
1 Rg5! a1Q 2 Nc7+! Bxc7 3 Kxc7
Threatening 4 Ra5#.
22: White to play and draw 3...Kd6 4 c7! Kxc7 5 Bxa8 +–
22) G. Zakhodiakin
Comm., Szachy, 1980
The pawn is the only survivor of this short and
bloody battle:
1 Bb2!
The bishop is sacrificed to shut off the long dark
diagonal.
1...Kxb2 2 Ra4!
The rook is given away to shut off the a-file.
2...Nxa4 3 e7 a1Q+ 4 Kf2 =
The white king guards the gate to the e-file, and the
pawn safely promotes.

23) V. and M. Platov
Sbornik Shakhmatnykh Etiudov, 1914
The pawn should first be protected by the bishop to
keep the black bishop paralysed in the corner.
1 Bb1+
After 1 c7? Bb7 the white pawn remains
defenceless.
1...Kf6 2 Be4! Ke5!
We have reached the crossroad. Where should the
white bishop move?
3 Bh1!!
White needs to move his bishop to prepare a
decisive opening of the diagonal next move. But he
must also do so without allowing a fork on the move
after that. This is the only winning square, as we can
see from examining the alternatives: 3 Bd5? Kd6 4
c7 Bxd5 5 c8Q Be6+; 3 Bf3? Kd6 4 c7 Bxf3 5 c8Q
Bg4+; 3 Bg2? Kd6 4 c7 Bxg2+ 5 Kxg2 Kxc7; 3 c7?
Bxe4 4 c8Q Bf5+ 5 Qxf5+ Kxf5.
9: Back-Rank Weakness
The back-rank mate, experienced by practically
every novice, is inflicted by a rook or a queen
against a king stranded on its own back rank. That
usually occurs when all three pawns in front of the
castled king (generally on the kingside) haven’t yet
moved and so the king has no ‘air’ and any check
along the back rank could be mate. There are also
variations on this theme, where the potential flight-
square(s) can be covered or blocked in some way.
This type of sudden mate is our primary focus in the
practical examples in this chapter, but the exercises
are not limited to the thematic mate, and display the Black to play
weakness of the back rank in various settings. The
endgame studies illustrate the distress of the king at Ivkov – Xie Jun
the edge of the board in general. Women – Veterans, Vienna 1993
How should Black handle White’s strong passed
pawn?
Just ignore it and target the back rank:
36...Qe2! 0-1
37 Qa5 loses to 37...Rd1 –+ (likewise 37 Rf1 Rd1).
Unlike the previous example, here the black king is
totally safe and thus the rook may leave its back
rank without problems.
In endgame studies, it is rarer to see a king mated
behind a simple wall of its own pawns, but mates on
the edge of the board are still a common theme. The
attacker’s king is often instrumental in covering the
rank or file next to the edge on which the enemy
Black to play
king stands.
O. Bernstein – Capablanca
Moscow 1914
How should Black profit from his opponent’s back-
rank vulnerability?
Note that great care should be exercised when both
players have a weak back rank. The direct attempt
29...Qb1+? 30 Qf1 Rd1? backfires due to 31 Rc8+,
which takes advantage of Black’s own back-rank
weakness.
However, the moment was ripe for:
29...Qb2!! 0-1
This threatens both white pieces simultaneously,
forcing an immediate resignation in view of 30 Qe1
Qxc3!, when the white queen proves overloaded. White to play and win
E. Pogosiants
Is there a way for White to defeat the cornered black
king?
A surprising sacrifice helps to obtain the same finish
as in the famous Saavedra position.
1 Bd4+! Rxd4+ 2 Kc2 Ra4
It’s rook vs rook with no pawns...
3 Kb3! +–
...but it’s a double threat and the black rook is lost.
In case you don’t know, the Saavedra position is as
follows:

F. Saavedra and G. Barbier
Weekly Citizen (Glasgow), 1895
1 c7 Rd6+ 2 Kb5 Rd5+ 3 Kb4 Rd4+ 4 Kb3 Rd3+
5 Kc2 Rd4! 6 c8R!
6 c8Q? Rc4+! 7 Qxc4 stalemate.
6...Ra4 7 Kb3 +–
It is one of the best-known endgame studies and has
inspired numerous followers. The study was initially
based on a real game that had been played at a
London chess club 20 years earlier. Barbier
published it as a draw, based on the stalemate idea.
Saavedra’s sole contribution was the
underpromotion to a rook, but this was enough to
ensure his immortality in chess circles!
Back-Rank Weakness Exercises
4: White to play
White has more than one winning plan. What is the
most straightforward one?
1: White to play
Who is winning here?
5: White to play
Should White accept the offer to exchange queens?
2: White to play
What is the best way to defend the attacked queen?
6: White to play
White has lost the strategic battle. Can he still win
3: Black to play
the tactical one?
The open files invite the black rooks in. Any idea
how?
White is about to lose his passed pawn. What can he The black king seems pretty safe; well... almost.
still count on? Why is that?

How can White justify the earlier bishop sacrifice? White has lost the queenside battle. Would a
kingside assault make up for it?
9: Black to play
12: Black to play
How should Black benefit from White’s evident
hardships? While White is still seeking a target, Black is set for
action. How?
White’s big d-pawn is about to fall while the black The black rook is well placed to give long-range
king has ‘air’ on h7. So is Black better? checks. What then is the win based on?

Show how White turns his apparently minimal edge How might White win this pawnless four-rook
into a decisive advantage. ending?
How can White avoid a technical draw in this R+P White has no pawns left and is just a minor piece
vs R ending? ahead. So how might he win?
It’s White’s turn to worry about his back rank. Any How can White win this ending of material equality?
good advice for him?

20: White to play and win Can White take advantage of the cramped position
Time for mutual back-rank play. Do you take a side? of the black king in the corner?
Is the knight advantage sufficient to win here? With his pawn about to fall, where do White’s
winning chances lie?
Can White take advantage of the black rook’s
cornered position?
Back-Rank Weakness Solutions
3: Black to play
3) Fontein – Euwe
1: White to play Amsterdam 1939
1) Smyslov – Lilienthal With the white army ‘in exile’ on the queenside, the
white king is exposed to a merciless assault by the
USSR ‘Absolute’ Ch, Leningrad/Moscow 1941
black artillery:
The best defence is attack:
24...Rc1! 0-1
37 Qxd6! 1-0
25 Rxc1 Qd1+ 26 Rxd1 Rxd1#.
Any capture is met by a back-rank mate: 37...Rxe1
38 Qf8# or 37...Qxd6 38 Rxe8+ Qf8 39 Rxf8#.
4: White to play
4) Capablanca – Grommer
2: White to play
New York 1913
2) Zsu. Polgar – Yudasin
Going for the back rank is the most vigorous way:
Munich 1991
43 Qf7!
Just ignore it and open a new attacking file aimed at
the eighth rank: 43 Qd1 Qd7 44 Re7 is another promising option,
although the move played is more forceful.
25 exf6! +–
White has won a piece in view of 25...Rxd4 26 43...Qc8
Re8#. Or 43...Rg8 44 Qe8 h6 45 d7 Qg5 46 Qxg8+ Kxg8
47 Re8+ Kh7 48 d8Q and White wins.
44 Qxf8+! 1-0
44...Qxf8 45 d7 Kg8 46 Re8 +–.
Accepting the offer is met by a thematic mate in
three: 1...Rxd5 2 Rxg7+ Kh8 3 Rxh7+ Kg8 4
Rdg7#.
However, declining it leads to a mate in five:
2 Rd8+! Rxd8 3 Qxd8+ Bxd8 4 Re8+ Qf8 5 Rxf8#
5: White to play
5) Gaprindashvili – Umudova
Sheki (women) 2005
White should instead grab a piece:
24 Rexd3!
7: White to play
24 Rbxd3? allows a successful defence following
24...Qxc2 25 Rxd8+ Bf8 26 Rc3 Qb1+ 27 Rc1 Qb6. 7) Alekhine – Colle
Paris 1925
24...Qxc2 25 Rxd8+ 1-0
White goes for a devastating strike behind the
After 25...Bf8 26 Bh6, avoiding mate is too costly.
enemy lines:
30 Qxd7!! Rxd7 31 Re8+ Kh7 32 Rcc8
Ironically, Black’s pieces obstruct their own king
and mate is avoidable only at the high price of losing
his queen.
32...Rd8 33 Rexd8
Avoiding the last mine: 33 Rcxd8? Qc1+ 34 Kg2 g5,
after which Black can still fight on.
1-0
6: White to play
6) Steinitz – NN
London 1864
A combined assault on both seventh and eighth
ranks turn the tables:
1 Qd5+!
An important anticipatory check! The premature 1
Rd8+? Rxd8 2 Qxd8+ Bxd8 3 Re8+ Kf7 4 Rf8+
Kg6 5 Rxf2 leaves White still two pawns behind
8: White to play
with a hopeless ending.
8) Zsu. Polgar – Todorčević
1...Kh8
Pamplona 1990/1
By storming the eighth rank:
48 Qxf5!!
48 Re8? Rf1 49 Rxf8+ (49 Bxf8 Qg1+ 50 Kg3 Qf2+
is a perpetual check) 49...Rxf8 50 Bxf8 Bxg4 51
Bxg7+ Qxg7 52 Qe8+ Qg8 53 Qe5+ is just a draw.
48...Rxf5 49 Re8+ Rf8
49...Bf8 50 Be5+ +– is no better.
50 Bxf8 Be5+
50...Bxg4 is met by the discovered check 51 Bc5+
+–, winning the queen.
51 Kh1 1-0
Black has no proper defence against 52 Bg7#; e.g., 10: White to play
51...h5 52 Bg7++ Kh7 53 Rh8#.
10) Alekhine – Reshevsky
Kemeri 1937
The back rank has been left unprotected, allowing:
35 Rxb8+!
This drags the king into the mating position.
35...Kxb8 36 Qxe5+! 1-0
White now opens up the file to allow the rook
invasion to the vulnerable back rank. It’s mate after
36...fxe5 37 Rf8+ Qe8 38 Rxe8+ Rd8 39 Rxd8#.
9: Black to play
9) Barcza – Tal
Tallinn 1971
Black should act with no further delay before White
regroups his disoriented forces:
21...Rd8! 22 Qe3 Qxc2!
Threatening mate in two on d1.
23 Kf1
23 Qxf3 fails to 23...Qxc1+. 11: White to play
23...Rd1+ 0-1 11) Alekhine – Frieman (variation)
24 Rxd1 Qxd1+ 25 Qe1 Qd3+ –+ and mate next New York blindfold simul 1924
move.
A double sacrifice opens up the thematic lines for a
brilliant mating attack:
23 Re8+ Nf8 24 Nh6+!
To get the black queen out of the way.
24...Qxh6
Now the white queen’s diagonal access to the back
rank is open.
25 Rxf8+! Kxf8 26 Qd8# Or any other king move.
1-0
41...Qxc7 42 d8Q+ or 41...Rxc7 42 Re8+ +–.
12: Black to play

12) Goglidze – Botvinnik
Moscow 1935 14: White to play
Everything is ready for the invasion: 14) Capablanca – Rossolimo
27...Qxf1+! Paris 1938
Removing a guard. He launches an assault on the eighth rank while
attacking the black knight:
28 Kxf1 Rb1+
28...Rc1+ is equally good. 29 Bd3! 1-0
A multi-purpose move! The attacked bishop finds
0-1
the perfect retreat, covering the only flight-square of
29 Ke2 Rc2# exploits the weakness of both first and the enemy king. After 29...Re8 (29...Rxa1 30 Rc8#)
second ranks. 30 Rxe5! White grabs a piece.

13) Fischer – Di Camillo 15) J. Ulrichsen
Washington DC 1956 EBUR, 2001
Not after: By giving away his extra pawn for a crucial tempo:
40 Bc7! Nf4+ 1 Kg5!
40...Rxc7 is obviously met by 41 Re8+. 1 e6? Re7 2 Kg5 Kg7 3 Rd6 Kf8 4 Kf6 allows the
41 Kf1 surprising defensive resource 4...Rf7+! 5 Ke5 Rb7,
when there’s no more than a draw.
1...Rxe5+
Declining the gift is no better: 1...Kg7 2 Ra7+ Kf8 3
Kf6 Rc8 4 e6 Re8 5 Rf7+ Kg8 6 Rg7+ Kh8 (after
6...Kf8 7 e7+ Black loses his rook) 7 e7 and White
wins easily.
2 Kg6 Re8 3 Kf7! +–
With a familiar position in which the double threat
costs Black his rook.

17) P. Benko
Magyar Sakkvilag, 2003
Black’s unfortunate predicament on his back rank is
the key:
1 0-0-0!
After this surprising move, all the black pieces are
tied up on their back rank.
1...Rf8 2 Kb1! Rhg8 3 Ka1!
16) A. Selezniev
That’s amazing! The white king makes three
Tidskrift för Schack, 1922 consecutive quiet moves while Black is unable to
Black’s problem is that his king runs out of space at improve his position due to the incurable weakness
the edge of the board. of his back rank. For example:
1 Rg1+! 3...Rf6
Both 1 exf5? Ra7+ and 1 Rxf5? Ra7+ lead to a dead Or 3...Rg6 4 Re1+ Kd8 5 Ra8+.
end and an evident draw.
4 Rb1! +–
1...Kh7 2 e5!! Black loses a rook; e.g., 4...Rd6 5 Rb8+ Rd8 6
White gives away his pride and joy for a crucial Rxd8+ Kxd8 7 Ra8+, etc.
deflection. Obviously not 2 Kf7? Ra7+. Another remarkable discovery of the Hungarian-
2...Rxe5+ 3 Kf7 American composer who was a world-class player in
the 1960s and 1970s.
Threatening mate.
3...Kh6 4 Kf6 +–
The double threat is decisive. The ‘back rank’ here
was in fact the h-file.

18) J. Hašek
Československy Šach, 1929
By abandoning that piece to exploit Black’s back-
rank misery:
1 Bf5!!
The premature 1 Kc5? f5 2 Kd6 Rf6+ gets White
nowhere as the back-rank weakness is hardly a
factor any longer.
The text-move gives away a whole bishop for a
single tempo! The point is to block the f-pawn, as
demonstrated by the following lines:
1...gxf5
1...f6 2 Bxg6+ Kd8 3 Kc5 f5 4 Bf7 is a killer. 20: White to play and win
2 Kc5! f6 3 Kd6 Rg8 20) Y. Hoch
Or 3...Rf7 4 Ra8#. 1st Comm., Schakend Nederland, 1973

Mutual blows in a short yet ultra-sharp encounter.
4 Ke6 Kf8 5 Kxf6 +–
Hold your breath!
Game over.
1 Qxc2! Re8
1...Rxc2 2 Rxa4 leaves White a piece ahead.
2 Qc8!!
Pinning the black rook. Is the black queen already
trapped?
2...Qd7!!
Not quite! This counter-sacrifice aims to unpin the
rook.
3 Qc1!
Not: 3 Qxd7? Rxe1#; 3 Qa8? h6 4 Ra7 Qb5 5 Rb7
Qe2.
3...Qc7!!
19: White to play and draw The unprotected queen strikes again, attacking both
19) V. Kovalenko White’s heavy guns. However...
Shakhmaty (Riga), 1971 4 Ra8!! +–
There certainly is: abandon your rook and trust your Pinning the black rook and thus threatening its
pawn! queen. The piece advantage has been finally secured
and the rest of the battle is just a matter of good
1 g5!
technique.
Following 1 Kf1? Kh3! 2 Rg1 Kxh2! the white rook
is trapped and consequently lost, while 1 h3? Kg3 is
even worse.
1...Kh3 2 g6! Ra1+ 3 Kf2 Rxh1 4 g7! Rxh2+ 5
Kg1! Rg2+ 6 Kh1 =
It’s a positional draw: either perpetual check
(6...Rh2+ 7 Kg1 Rg2+, etc.) or stalemate after
6...Rxg7.
Comm., Magyar Sakkelet, 1976
Forcing the right bishop exchange would result in a
won pawn ending for White.
1 Bd4!
Not 1 Bd8? Bc7 2 Bxc7 stalemate.
1...Ba7!
1...Bc7 makes no difference.
2 Bb6! Bb8! 3 Ka5!
But not 3 Kb5? Kb7 4 Ka5 Ba7 and here the bishop
exchange allows Black to maintain the opposition
and thus a draw.
21: White to play and win 3...Kb7 4 Kb5 Kc8
21) H. Blandford 4...Ka8 loses to 5 Kc6.
British Chess Magazine, 1964 5 Ka6! +–
Even less than that is needed, as the first thing White The last trap was 5 Kc6? Bc7! 6 Bxc7 stalemate.
does is get rid of his own knight! Following 5 Ka6! Bc7 6 Bxc7 Kxc7 7 Ka7 Kc8 8
1 Nh5! Rb5+ Kb6 Kd7 9 Kb7 Kd8 10 Kc6 Ke7 11 Kc7 White
wins the pawn and the battle over the opposition.
To avoid the threat of Nf6. 1...Kg8 is met by the fork
2 Nf6+ Kf8 3 Nd7+, while after 1...Rd8+ 2 Ke6
Re8+ (2...Kg8 3 Nf6+ Kf8 4 Rf7#) 3 Kf5 the initial
threat cannot be prevented any longer.
2 Ke6 Rxh5
Or 2...Rb6+ 3 Kf7 Rb8 4 Nf6 g3 5 Ke6 and White
wins.
3 Kf6 h6
After 3...Rh6+ 4 Kf7 the black rook obstructs its
own pawn.
4 Kg6 Rg5+ 5 Kxh6
Now the pawn obstructs the rook!
5...Rg8 6 Rh7# 23: White to play and win
23) Y. Afek (version)
1st HM, Probleemblad, 2007
Sacrificial battery play carries out the mission:
1 Rf8!!
The front piece of the first battery is sent to create
another battery, in which it will act as the rear piece.
1...Qxd4+
1...Qg3 2 Kd7+ Qb8 3 Rxb8+ Kxb8 4 a7+ Ka8 and
now any waiting move forces Black to move his
pawn, which would naturally be captured by its
white counterpart.
22: White to play and win 2 Kc7+ Ka7 3 Ra8+!!
22) V. Kovalenko
White again sacrifices the rear piece of a battery in
order to secure promotion.
3...Kxa8 4 axb7+ Ka7 5 b8Q+ Ka6 6 Qb6+
Forcing a queen exchange to reach an easily won
pawn ending.
6...Qxb6+ 7 axb6 +–

25) A. Guliaev
Surprisingly, that can be achieved only by giving
away White’s material advantage right away!
1 Nf8+!!
24: White to play and win To stop the black king from heading for the middle
24) P. Farago of the board. The much more natural attempt 1 Kf5?
actually leads nowhere after 1...Re8 2 Ne5++ Kg8! 3
Kxf6 Rf8+.
Believe it or not, in giving away not just the pawn,
but the bishop too! 1...Kxf8
1...Ke8 is aggressively met by 2 Ng6 Rg8 3 Kf5,
1 d8Q+!
when the black rook is lost.
It’s a double deflection (of king and rook).
2 Kf5 h5 3 Kg6!
1...Kxd8
3 Kxf6? is premature greed in view of 3...Rh6+.
1...Rxd8 2 Bxf6+ is a skewer.
3...Rg8+ 4 Kxf6
2 Ra8+ Ke7 3 Bd6+!
The black rook is trapped.
Another double deflection (this time of king and
pawn). 4...Ke8 5 Ra8+ +–
3...cxd6
Or 3...Kxd6 4 Rxf8.
4 Ra7+ Kd8 5 Ke6 Re8+ 6 Kxd6 +–
In order to avoid mate, Black must abandon his rook
owing to the weakness of the back rank.
Lautier – Karpov
10: Pawn Promotion Linares 1995
A pawn that manages to cross unhurt the entire How can Black clear the path for his pawn-pair?
board and reaches the back rank of the opponent is
rewarded for its efforts by being promoted to any of 40...Rxb1! 0-1
the other pieces (other than the king). In practice, the This straightforward move will leave the white rook
pawn is usually promoted to the strongest piece – the helpless against two united passed pawns on their
queen – an act that may dramatically change the sixth rank.
balance of power and often decides the battle. It is
no wonder that players will use all available
resources, including considerable material sacrifices,
to achieve a pawn promotion or to hinder the
opponent’s pawn-march to promotion. Let’s have a
look at a relatively simple example:

J. Gunst
Suomen Sosialidemokraatti, 1947
How can White secure the promotion of his pawn?
Black to play 1 Ra7+ Kb5 2 Ra1!
Medina Garcia – Tal That’s the key idea! White lures the enemy rook to
Palma de Mallorca 1966 the a-file to enable his pawn to promote unhindered.
The simple answer for Black would be to keep his
Which passed pawn is more dangerous? rook on the b-file, but there is a lack of good squares
Despite the kings’ positions, it is the black one, but due to the kings. The problem with b4 is as follows:
only if you found Tal’s next move: 2...Rb4 3 b7 Kc5 4 Ra5+ +–
38...Ne3! 0-1 White forces an exchange of rooks and consequently
Whether White takes the knight or not, Black will promotes his pawn.
play ...h2-h1Q. Pawn promotion is often connected with the motif of
breakthrough. In general a breakthrough involves
breaching the enemy defence, often at some cost in
material, to open an invasion route. In pawn endings
they are employed to create passed pawns. Look at
the next example.
Black to play
L. Mitrofanov
Comm., Vecherni Leningrad, 1971
How should White cope with the passed black pawn
and even win?
White needs to spot the vulnerability of Black’s
pawn-structure to create a passed pawn himself –
and the sooner the better!
1 Kf8!
1 Kf7? allows 1...f3 2 f6 exf6 3 g6 f2 4 h5 f1Q 5 h6
Qc4+!.
1...f3 2 f6!
Breaking through for the first time.
2...exf6 3 g6! f2 4 h5 f1Q 5 h6! +–
The final breakthrough. 5...gxh6 is met by a mate in
two that the reader should not find too hard to spot.
Can you help White to create a passed pawn?
Pawn Promotion Exercises
4: Black to play
1: White to play Black must evade a last trap: which pawn move is
the right one?
White’s pair of passed pawns is blocked by the black
king. Can you mobilize them?
5: White to play
2: White to play Can White count on his shaky passed d-pawn to
emerge victorious?
Black’s last move was 65...h4. What had he
overlooked?
6: Black to play
3: White to play The c2-pawn is under fire, but can it still have its
moment of glory?
How can White secure a quick promotion of his Black is about to lose both his kingside pawns. Is a
passed a-pawn? draw inevitable?

Do you see a way for Black to make a Both sides have a dangerous passed pawn. Who will
breakthrough? win the race?

Is the fall of White’s extra pawn unavoidable? What has White planned against the unpleasant pin
on his second rank?
Can you imagine the f5-pawn promoting? A real It seems Black can maintain the distant opposition.
challenge for the ambitious reader! Is there a way for White to trick him?
White’s pieces are trapped. What should he do? Who wins the race for promotion?
How can White promote when the black bishop has White’s d-pawn is lost. What is its last wish?
access to both key diagonals?
Which of the white pawns will eventually promote? Black is about to blockade the white pawns. Why is
White playing on?

Can the white pawns triumph over the enemy
bishop? How bright is the future for the white pawn?
Can White stop the exchange of the black rook for How can White ensure promotion while his king is
the last pawn? in danger?
Whose pawns are stronger? How should this unequal battle unfold?

Is this another colourless and drawish rook ending?

How should White exploit the distress of the enemy
king?
Pawn Promotion Solutions
3: White to play
3) Anand – Lautier
1: White to play London rapid 1995
1) Anand – Adams A thematic sacrifice does the trick:
Wijk aan Zee 2005 34 Bxb7!
Giving away the light-squared bishop paves the way Removing a guard!
to promotion: 34...Kd7
42 Bb5+! +– Recapturing the bishop would make the pawn
Before Black rushes his rook to the b-file. 42...Kxb5 unstoppable: 34...Nxb7 35 a6 +–.
43 b7 Rxd4 44 b8Q+ Kxc5 45 Qc7+ +–. 35 Bb4! Kc7 36 Bd5 Na6 37 c3 Nxb4 38 cxb4 c3
39 Ke3 Kd6 40 Bf3 h5 41 a6 1-0
2: White to play
2) Spassky – Larsen 4: Black to play
Palma de Mallorca 1969 4) Smyslov – Botvinnik
Black had missed White’s threat to promote his USSR ‘Absolute’ Ch, Leningrad/Moscow 1941
blocked pawn: Black has no time for the natural 60...c2?, since 61
66 Qc8+ Kh7 67 Qxe6! 1-0 R6g5! Kh6 62 Rg6+ Kh7 63 R6g5 is a draw by
repetition.
67...fxe6 68 f7 Qb1+ 69 Kh2 +–.
60...d1Q!
Both this and 60...b1Q! are correct.
61 Rxd1 c2 62 Rgg1 cxd1Q 63 Rxd1 Rc1 0-1
Or 35 Rc1 Bc5 36 bxc4 b3 37 Kf1 Bxf2 38 Kxf2 b2
–+.
35...Bc5!
Following the exchange on f2, the pawn-pair will be
unstoppable.
36 Kg2 Bxf2 37 Kxf2 b3 0-1
5: White to play
5) Alekhine – A. Nestor
Port of Spain simul 1939
He definitely can, thanks to an attractive
combination:
1 Rc8! Rxc8
7: White to play
1...Qxd7 2 Qf8+! uses an X-ray theme to mate on
Black’s back rank. 7) Anand – Spassky
2 Qe7!! 1-0 Cannes 1989
Deflection to secure promotion! One of the white knights deflects the guarding black
knight:
49 Nd3+! Nxd3 50 a6 Be8
Then the other one restricts the bishop’s access:
51 Nd5+ 1-0
After 51...Ke5 52 Ne7 the way is paved for the pawn
to march in.
6: Black to play
6) Yurgis – Botvinnik
Leningrad 1931
Combined control of file and diagonal makes the
dream come true:
34...Rc4!!
8: Black to play
Much better than 34...Bc5? 35 Rxc2 Rc4+ 36 Rcf2
Rc3 37 Kg2 Bxf2, which leaves Black just slightly 8) Bisguier – Fischer
better. USA Ch, New York 1966
35 bxc4 Since the white king is tied to the protected passed
pawn, Black can afford:
69...Bxe4!! 70 Bxe4 Ka4 71 Bf5 Kb3 72 Bxg4 e4 It indeed is if the pawns fall, but there is a better
73 Bxh3 Kxc3 74 g4 Kd2 0-1 option: keep the pawns and give away the rook.
Black will be the first to promote – and with check! 54...gxh4! 55 Bxh5 hxg3 56 Bf3 h5! 57 Kg6 h4 58
Bg2 Kd2 0-1
After 59 Kg5 Kxe2 60 Kxh4 Kf2 Black will soon
promote one of her pawns.
9: White to play
9) Smyslov – Guimard
Mar del Plata 1962
11: Black to play
Some out-of-the-box thinking suggests differently:
11) Lombardy – Fischer
28 cxb6!! Re1+
The rook ending following 28...Qxb5 29 Rxb5 axb6
Black exploits the white king to gain superiority:
30 c4 Re1+ 31 Kg2 Ra1 32 Rxb6 is fairly easily won
for White. 47...Rb2+!! 48 Kxa4 c2 49 Re1 Rb4+!
29 Rxe1 Qxb5 A crucial zwischenzug to secure the final check by
the new-born queen.
Had White missed this possibility?
50 Ka3 Rb1 51 Be4
30 bxa7 Qc6
51 d7 Rxe1 52 d8Q c1Q+ 53 Kb3 Re3+.
Or 30...Qxa6 31 Re8+ Kh7 32 a8Q, etc.
51...Rxe1 52 Bxc2 Re6 53 d7 Rd6 0-1
31 Rb1! Kh7 32 Rb8 1-0
White promotes next move.
12: White to play
10: Black to play 12) Tal – Koblencs

Jurmala 1976
10) M. Gomes – Stefanova
White had actually prepared a breakthrough on the
Gibraltar 2006
kingside:
1 f6!! Rxe2 14) L. Prokeš
Following 1...gxf6 2 g7 Rg2 3 Rg1 +– the pawn České Slovo, 1938
costs Black his rook.
White should give away both his pieces to secure the
2 fxg7! Rxd2 3 Bxd2 Qe2 4 Kc1 1-0 promotion of one of his pawns:
The promotion will give White a massive material 1 g6!
advantage. After 1 h6? Re1+ 2 Kd6 gxh6 Black draws easily.
1...Rxf8 2 h6! gxh6 3 Rh8+! Kxh8 4 Kxf8 +–
13: White to play

13) Alekhine – Bogoljubow 15: White to play and win
World Ch (4), Villingen 1934
15) J. Moravec
An outstanding piece of tactics carries out this Source unknown, 1959
seemingly impossible mission:
The knight needs to make it happen:
52 Rxe7+!!
1 e7+ Ke8 2 Na6! Kd7
Not 52 Bxd4+? Rxd4 53 Rxe7+ Kf8 54 Rxb7 Rxd3
55 Rcc7 Re3! =. The other thematic variation is 2...Bh5 3 Ke6! Bg4+
4 Kd6 Kf7 5 Nc7.
52...Rxe7 53 Bh4! Kf7
3 Nc5+ Ke8 4 Ne6! Kd7
Or 53...Red7 54 Bxd8 Rxd8 55 Rc7+ +–, forking.
Or 4...Bh5 5 Ng7+.
54 Bxe7 Kxe7 55 Rc7+ Rd7 56 f6+! Ke8 57 Bg6+
Kd8 58 f7 Kxc7 59 f8Q 5 Ng7! +–
Mission accomplished!
59...f3 60 Qxb4 Rd6 61 Bd3 1-0

16) A. Herberg
14: White to play and win Wiener Schachzeitung, 1935
Yes, there is. White should first lure the black king
to its back rank.
1 Ka7!
All other attempts to win the opposition fail: 1 Kb7?
Kf7 2 Ka8 Ke8 3 e5 Ke7; 1 Kb5? Kf7 2 Ka5 Ke7 3
Ka6 Ke6 4 Kb6 Kf6 5 Kc7 Ke7, etc. If White hastily
tries 1 e5? then after 1...dxe5 2 c5 e4 both sides
promote.
1...Kg7
Black must keep an odd number of squares between
the kings (i.e. the distant opposition), or else he loses
as follows: 1...Kf7? 2 Kb7! Kf6 3 Kc8 Ke7 4 Kc7
Ke6 5 Kd8, etc.
2 Ka8! Kg8 3 e5! +–
18) L. Prokeš
It is now time for the decisive breakthrough. Black
loses since White promotes with check. České Slovo, 1941
To pave the way for its fellow pawn:
1 d6! exd6
On 1...Rh2 an easy win is, for instance, 2 Rg8 and
one of the pawns promotes.
2 Re3!
The anticipatory sacrifice of the rook shuts off the
file and the pawn finally breaks through.
2...Kxe3 3 e7 +–

17) V. Dolgov and A. Maksimovskikh
Comm., Buletin Problemistic, 1980
Black wins the race but loses the game:
1 Bf6+! Bg7
1...Kg8 2 Bf7+ Kf8 3 Ke6! c1Q 4 g7+! Bxg7 5
Be7#.
2 Bg5 Bb2
Black seems about to force an obvious draw.
19) A. Beliavsky and L. Mitrofanov
3 Bf6+! Bxf6 4 Kxf6 c1Q
Comm., Chernovi Girnik, 1978
Black is first to promote, but...
The e-pawn is sacrificed to shut off the eighth rank:
5 g7+ Kh7!
1 e7 Kf7 2 e8Q+! Kxe8 3 a7 Nb6 4 Kxb6 Rb3+
Or 5...Kg8 6 Bf7+ Kh7 7 g8Q+ Kh6 8 Qh8#.
Or 4...Ra3 5 Nc7+ Kf7 6 Na6 and White wins.
6 Bg6+ Kh6 7 g8N#
5 Nb4!
The knight is given away to decoy the rook.
5...Rxb4+ 6 Ka5 +–
Promotion (with check!) is unavoidable. 1 e7 Rc8 2 Nc4+!
The knight is to be taken with check!
2...Rxc4+
Declining the offer is of no help: 2...Ka6 3 Nb4+
Ka7 4 Nc6+ Ka6 and now 5 Nd8 interferes on the
eighth rank to secure promotion.
3 Nd4!
A second knight is given away with check.
3...Rc8
Since 3...Rxd4+ 4 Kf3 Rd3+ 5 Ke2 is game over.
4 Nc6+ Kb6 5 Nd8 +–
And the pawn finally queens.
20) J. Moravec
Casopis Československy Šach, 1913
They can – with the help of their king to deny the
bishop access to the long diagonal:
1 f5!
Clearing an important square for the king.
1...exf5
1...Bxf5 2 a6 bxa6 3 b6 makes the desired
breakthrough even easier.
2 Kf4 Bh3 3 Kg3!
All gates back to the queenside are now locked. 22: White to play and win
3...Bf1 4 a6 bxa6 5 b6 +– 22) L. Prokeš
The pawn promotes in comfort. Rude Pravo, 1948
My infantry for a tempo! White gives away three of
his pawns, allowing the remaining one a narrow win:
1 d6! Bxd6 2 e7! Bxe7 3 Ke6 Kxc7
Any bishop move (e.g., 3...Bg5) is met by 4 Kd7,
forcing promotion.
4 Kxe7 Kc6 5 Ke6 Kc5 6 Ke5 Kc6 7 d4 Kd7 8
Kd5! +–
White obtains the opposition and wins.

21) G. Zakhodiakin
“64”, 1931
Amazingly, sacrificing both knights with check is
the only way to deflect the rook:
The other lines are no better: 1...Rxg4 2 e7! +– (but
not 2 Nxg4? Kc6!) or 1...Kc7 2 e7 Rg5 3 Ne8+! Kb6
4 Ng7! Rxg4 5 e8Q.
2 e7 Kc7
Threatening mate.
3 e8N+! +–
Not 3 Ka7? Rf1.
The winning fork displays the Phoenix theme: a
captured piece is reborn.

23) Y. Bazlov and V. Kovalenko
1st HM, Krasnaya Gazeta, 1971
Very bright thanks to the brilliant...
1 Qf1+!!
The natural try 1 Qf5+? fails to 1...Bf7 2 Bf6 Qd4+!
3 Bxd4 stalemate.
1...Qxf1 2 Bd4! +–
Black has no escape; e.g., 2...Kf7 3 h8Q Kg6 4
Qg7+ Kf5 5 Qf6+.
25) P. Farago
The connected black pair looks healthier, but the
white ones are further advanced and supported by
their rook. No less important: it’s White to play.
1 Re3 Ke7
1...Rg8 is refuted by a typical deflection: 2 e7 Re8 3
h5! Kf7 (3...a4 4 Kd2 Kf7 5 Rf3+ Kg8 6 Rf8+) 4
Rf3+ Kg8 5 Rf8+! Rxf8 6 h7+! with the deflection
allowing the eventual promotion.
2 h7 Rh6 3 Rc3! Rxe6+
Or else a thematic skewer is unavoidable; e.g., 3...b4
4 Rc8! Rxh7 5 Rc7+.
4 Re3!!
24) H. Rinck
An astounding pinning switchback of the white rook
Comm., L’Italia Scacchistica, 1920
to deflect its counterpart.
Putting both white pieces en prise surprisingly does
4...Rxe3+ 5 Kd2 +–
the trick:
5 Kf2 +– is equally good.
1 Nf6!
Deflection! The natural attempt fails: 1 e7? Rg8 2
Bd7 Kc5 3 Kb7 Rxe8! 4 Bxe8 Kd6, winning the
pawn.
1...Rxf6
By spinning a mating-net and removing the
obstacles from the pawns’ way, even at the cost of a
queen!
1 Qf7+ Kh8 2 f6! Qa5+!
The other thematic line is 2...Rg8 3 Kh6 Qf8+ 4
Qxf8 Rxf8 5 fxe7 +–.
3 Kg6! Rg8+ 4 Qxg8+! Kxg8 5 dxe7! +–
Even the queen is helpless against the pawn-pair!

26) F. Prokop
28 Rijen, 1924
In fact, White’s doomed-looking b-pawn has a
bright future:
1 Rc1+ Kd4
1...Kb4 loses due to a skewer: 2 b7 Rb6 3 Rc2 Ka3+
4 Ka1 Rxb7 5 Ra2+ Kb4 6 Rb2+.
2 Rc6 Kd5
2...Ra5 3 Rxe6 leaves White two pawns up with just 28) A. Guliaev
technical matters to handle. L’Échiquier, 1929
3 b7!! 1 g7 Bh4+!
Decoying the black king into a fork. To open the g-file. 1...Bf4+ 2 Kf3 Rd3+ 3 Kxf4 is a
draw.
3...Kxc6 4 b8N+! Kb7 5 Nxa6 Kxa6 6 g4 +–
The king has been lured so far away that it can no 2 Kh3! Rd3+ 3 Kxh4 Rd1! 4 Kg5!
longer catch White’s innocent-looking g-pawn. 4 g8Q? fails due to a skewer: 4...Rh1+ 5 Kg5 Rg1+.
4...Ke7
Both 4...Ke5 5 Kg6! and 4...Rg1+ 5 Kf6! lead to a
‘normal’ draw with no tactical touches for a change.
5 g8N+! =
Promoting with check avoids the skewer.

27) L. Mitrofanov
Problem, 1970
Both knights are under attack. How should White
11: Zwischenzug act?
A zwischenzug (also known as an ‘in-between Black expects a drawish ending following an
move’ or an intermezzo) is an unexpected exchange of knights. However, what looks like a
interruption of what seems like a natural sequence of colourless equality changes dramatically after a
moves. The zwischenzug is necessary to profit from zwischenzug:
a fleeting aspect of the given situation. Although it 24 b4! Bxb4 25 Nc2
can appear during any series of moves, it is most
common during routine sequences such as piece Both black pieces are all of a sudden en prise.
exchanges or a pawn-march. 25...Bd2 26 Bxd2 +–
White to play
Petrosian – Balashov L. Prokeš
USSR Ch, Leningrad 1977 Schackvärlden, 1939
Black has just played 50...Rc7? to simplify into a What can White do to stop this advanced pair of
single-rook ending. Hasn’t he gone too far? connected passed pawns?
He has indeed in view of the vigorous... The situation looks desperate, especially since the
51 Rxg6! 1-0 pawns are supported by their king. Yet there is a
way!
Two pawns down, the resulting rook ending is now
hopeless for Black. 1 Kg4 e2!
More challenging than 1...d2 2 Kf3 Kd3 3 Ra1! e2 4
Ra3+ Kc2 5 Ra2+ Kc1 6 Ra1+ Kb2 7 Kxe2.
2 Rc1+ Kd4
The other options are similar to the main line:
2...Kb3 3 Kf3 d2 4 Rb1+! (zwischenzug!) 4...Kc2 5
Kxe2 or 2...Kd5 3 Kf3! d2 4 Rc5+! (zwischenzug!)
4...Kxc5 5 Kxe2.
3 Kf3! d2
It looks like White is helpless against this pawn
invasion. However...
4 Rc4+!
This zwischenzug gains a single tempo to halt both
White to play intruders.
Lasker – Euwe 4...Kd3!
Nottingham 1936 4...Kxc4 5 Kxe2 Kc3 6 Kd1 Kd3.
5 Rd4+!
And again!
5...Kxd4 6 Kxe2 Kc3 7 Kd1 Kd3 =
Stalemate.

J. Fritz
Black has a considerable material advantage. What
can White do?
He can start by playing the only moves that don’t
lose immediately:
1 Ka6 Re7
1...Re1 2 Kxa7 Rb1 3 Kxb6 Rxb4+ 4 Kc5 is
obviously drawish.
2 Bb7! Rxb7!
Oops! It looks like White has just blundered.
3 b5!!
This zwischenzug out of the blue keeps the position
intact. Naturally not 3 Kxb7? a5.
3...Rb8
Since 3...Rh7 is stalemate.
4 Kxa7 Rh8 5 Kxb6 =
Black is just one tempo short of his goal.
Zwischenzug Exercises
4: White to play
Is there a way for White to profit from his bishop-
pair?
1: Black to play
White has offered a rook exchange. Is Black forced
to trade?
5: White to play
All is set for the final blow on the kingside. Or is it?
2: White to play
Where should White move his attacked knight?
6: Black to play
White is seeking to distract Black from his kingside
attack. What happened instead?
3: White to play
Has White’s attack come to a dead end?
Black has just taken a rook on h1. Is the obvious The black pieces are ready for action. Is the time
recapture the best option? ripe for the final blow?

White could increase his positional superiority by 29 Two pieces down, you would expect White to try to
Qc1. But can he do even better? get his material back. Should he?

White seems in trouble, with his queen and bishop Can White hinder Black’s dangerous pawn-march?
attacked. Can he solve this problem?
How can White avoid a lost rook ending? Can White’s one-pawn advantage prove decisive
here?

Any idea how to stop the black pawn?
How can White stop the black pawns without losing
his material advantage?

Taming the pawns seems like an easy task, doesn’t
it?
Zwischenzug Solutions
3: White to play
3) Tal – Platonov
1: Black to play Dubna 1973
1) Santo-Roman – Spassky White should pin his hopes on his kingside attack:
French Cup, Paris 2002 23 Qh6! 1-0
Black has a different idea: Let’s see why Black resigned:
35...Nd5!! 0-1 23...Rxg3
This totally unexpected move wins a piece in view Now 24 hxg3? allows 24...Bg7!. What else, then?
of 36 Rxa2 Nxc3, with a fork that wins a whole 24 Bg6!!
rook.
This great blow shuts off the g-file.
24...Rxg6 25 fxg6
Black is helpless against the double mate threat.
2: White to play
2) Stefanova – Zhukova
European Women’s Ch, Rijeka 2010
4: White to play
In fact, there is a much stronger option:
4) Fischer – Shocron
21 Nd5+! exd5
Mar del Plata 1959
21...Nxd5 is no better: 22 exd5 Bxb2 23 d6+ +–.
Only by opening the position:
22 exd5+ +–
39 Rxe6!
Too many black pieces are hanging.
Now 39...fxe6 40 Qxe6+ Kf8 41 Qxe5 +– would
leave Black helpless against the threats of the white
queen and bishop-pair. But Black had a trick of his White was perhaps ready for perpetual check
own: following 42...Rh1+? 43 Bxh1 Qh2+ 44 Kf1 Qxh1+
45 Ke2 Qe4+ 46 Kd2 Qd4+. However, he actually
39...Qc8!
got mated after a stunning queen sacrifice:
Had White overlooked this move?
42...Qf3!! 43 cxb7+ Kf5!
40 Bd7!! 1-0
Not 43...Kg5? 44 Bxf3 gxf3 45 Qd8+!! Rxd8 46 Rc3
This powerful unpinning zwischenzug decides the Kf4 47 Rxf3+ Kxf3 48 Rc3+ Ke4 49 c6 =.
battle in White’s favour after all: 40...Qxd7 41
Rxg6+. 0-1
Mate, starting with 44...Rh1+, is unavoidable.
5: White to play
7: White to play
5) Menchik – S. Graf
Women’s World Ch (14), Semmering 1937 7) Tal – NN
Stuttgart simul 1958
Not yet! There is one detail still missing since the
brilliant move you might have had in mind, 21 It’s the automatic response, but the Wizard from
Qxh5?!, is met by 21...Qxh2+! 22 Qxh2 Nxh2 23 Riga had prepared a way stronger move:
Kxh2 Bxg5, when Black can fight on. Therefore a
16 gxf6!! Rxd1+ 17 Nxd1!
stunning zwischenzug is called for:
A stunning point! The black queen is now en prise.
21 Rd7!! 1-0
17...Qxd2 18 fxg7! 1-0
Only after 21...Qxd7 does White play 22 Qxh5!!
gxh5 23 Bh7#. A second zwischenzug threatens a mating
promotion. After, for instance, 18...Be6 19 g8Q+
Kd7 20 Qxc8+ Kxc8 21 Bxd2 Black has nothing to
play for any more. A classic combination in a simul!
6: Black to play
6) Kramnik – Anand
Nice rapid 2008 8: White to play
8) Alekhine – Flohr 10: Black to play
Bled 1931 10) Nikitin/Sakharov – Kasparov
The game may be decided at once: Moscow 1981
29 Rc8! 1-0 A magnificent double deflection, ignoring the
hanging white bishop, leads to a rare mating picture:
29...Qxe3 is met by the zwischenzug 30 Rxd8+.
39...Re2!! –+
40 Qxe2 Qxh2+! 41 Nxh2 Ng3#.
9: White to play
9) Anand – Kasimdzhanov
11: White to play
Hyderabad 2002
Anand noticed a fascinating draw following 27 Qa5? 11) Anand – Gelfand
Bxe4! 28 d8Q Rg6? (in fact, 28...f3! is good for Wijk aan Zee 1996
Black) 29 Qxh4 Rxg2+ 30 Kh1 Rxf2+ 31 Kg1 Rg2+ Not as yet! An immediate attempt to regain material
with perpetual check. Then he also saw that he could would get White nowhere, whereas a stunning
seek more than that with a zwischenzug: preliminary move turns the tables on Black:
27 d8Q! Rxd8 28 Qa5! 22 Rxe6!!
The result is that now two black pieces are Wholly bad is 22 Bxe6+?? Bxe6 23 Rxe6 Qg7! –+,
threatened.
while 22 Qxg6+? Qg7 (22...Bg7? 23 Rxe6! leads to
28...Bxe4 mate) 23 Qh5 (23 Rxe6? Qxg6 24 Rexf6+ Kh7! –+)
is only enough to draw.
After 28...Rd7 29 Bxb7 Rxb7 30 Qd8+ Bf8 31 Rfe1
White is winning. 22...Kg7
29 Qxd8+ Bf8 30 f3 +– On 22...Bxe6, White now wins by 23 Qxg6+ Qg7
(23...Bg7 24 Bxe6+) 24 Bxe6+ Kh8 25 Rh5+.
White’s superiority is evident.
23 Rxe7+ Bxe7 24 Rxf8 Bxf8 25 h4 1-0
2...Kxh4
2...Kg3 3 Rg4+! Kf3 4 Rf4+ Ke3 5 Re4+.
3 Kxf2 Kh3 4 Kg1 Kg3 =
Stalemate.

12) L. Prokeš
České Slovo, 1941
The pawns may be tamed by a clever zwischenzug:
1 e7! Kxe7 14: White to play and draw
1...e2 2 e8Q exf1Q 3 Qd8+ Ke6 4 Qe8+ is a draw by 14) J. Sehwers
perpetual check. A king move further is met by a Sehwers’ Endspielstudien, 1922
skewer.
By gaining time and praying? Well, that’s just half
2 Kc3 e2 3 Rf7+! true:
That’s it!
1 Re6+! Kxf5
3...Kxf7 4 Kxd2 = Capturing the rook allows the knight to get back
home just in time after 1...Kxe6 2 Nd4+ Kd5 3 Nf3
Ke4 4 Ke2 Kf4 5 Ng1 =, while declining the offer
would even leave Black having to defend a difficult
ending following 1...Kf7?! 2 Rg6! Kxg6 3 Nxh4+.
2 Re5+! Kf6!?
Just postponing the inevitable since 2...Kxe5 is met
by the zwischenzug 3 f4+! to vacate the saving
square for the white king: 3...Kxf4 4 Kf2.
3 Rg5!
Now the king is forced to capture.
3...Kxg5 4 f4+!
The zwischenzug again!
4...Kxf4 5 Kf2 =
13) E. Pogosiants After the fall of the g2-pawn, the resulting position
Zabaikalsky Rabochi, 1964 is a well-known fortress where any attempt to drive
the white king out of the corner will end in
A powerful zwischenzug makes the difference:
stalemate.
1 Nf2+
Not 1 Rh2? Kg3! 2 Rxg2+ Kxg2 3 Ng5 Rf5 –+.
1...Rxf2 2 Rh4+!
The saving zwischenzug! After 2 Rg1? Kg3 Black
wins easily.
1 e5+ Kf5 2 Bc8!
Deflecting the bishop to activate a dormant battery.
2...Bxc8 3 e6+ Kg6! 4 Rg5+! Kf6 5 Rf5+!
A decisive deflection!
5...Kxf5 6 exf7 +–
The pawn queens.

15) E. Pogosiants
It certainly does: just give away a piece for each
enemy pawn and the remaining white pawn will do
the rest. But is it really that simple?
1 Ng5+! Kg4! 2 Bxg3! f2!
Aha! Black avoids the obvious 2...Kxg3 3 Ne4+ and
seeks a surprising stalemate. 17) A. Maksimovskikh
3 Nf3!! Shakhmaty v SSSR, 1970
Before White captures the pawn, he sneaks in a With a systematic attempt to create a skewer:
lovely zwischenzug. Not 3 Bxf2? stalemate. 1 Rh6 Be6!
3...f1Q A cunning defence, trying to lure the rook to a more
Or 3...Kxf3 4 Bxf2. vulnerable square.
4 Nh2+ Kxg3 5 Nxf1+ +– 2 Bb8!
Declining the gift in favour of a potential skewer
since 2 Rxe6? g1Q 3 Bb6+ Kd5 4 Bxg1 Kxe6 is just
a draw.
2...Kb6! 3 Rh7! Bd7!
Inviting White again to capture the bishop.
4 Ba7+!
A strong zwischenzug before accepting the offer! 4
Rxd7? g1Q 5 Ba7+ Kc6 6 Bxg1 Kxd7 =.
4...Kxa7 5 Rxd7+ Kb6 6 Rd1 +–
White easily collects all the black pawns.

16) F. Aitov
3rd Pr., “64”, 1974
This innocent-looking pawn is the hero of this study,
with both of White’s pieces sacrificed to secure its
future:
12: Devious Draws:
Perpetual Check
The draw is integral to the essence of chess. Such a
conclusion of the battle may be the result of a lack of
mating material, or it may be agreed by the players
or be declared after 50 moves with no captures or
pawn moves. These are the normal and ‘quiet’
draws.
A threefold repetition of position may also belong to
the ‘normal’ category of draws but might also prove
highly tactical. A particular case of repetition occurs
when a player, mostly the one with the inferior White to play
position, manages to chase the enemy king with
endless checks that he is unable to hide from. That Fischer – Spassky
often involves sharp or subtle tactics and even Sveti Stefan/Belgrade (15) 1992
sacrificial play. The outcome is that at some point a
threefold repetition is unavoidable. Despite being a piece up, White is about to be mated
on his first or second rank. Can he somehow
survive?
As a matter of fact, White’s pieces are already set to
trap the enemy king in a perpetual check net:
33 Nf5+! ½-½
A draw was agreed in view of 33...gxf5 34 Qg5+
Kf8 35 Qd8+ Kg7 36 Qg5+, etc.
White to play
Smyslov – Vasiukov
Moscow Central Chess Club 1961
White seems in trouble. Is there a way out?
White had actually anticipated this position, and had
prepared a rescue:
44 Rh5+! White to play and draw
Naturally not 44 fxe3? since after 44...gxf5 45 Qd6+ L. Topko
Qg6! (not 45...Kh5? 46 Qd1+) 46 Qf8+ Kh5 it’s all
Source unknown, 1976
over.
Can White meet Black’s threat to promote?
44...gxh5 45 Qd6+ ½-½
White creates a net of repeated checks by the strong
With perpetual check, as the king has no flight-
bishop-pair:
square on h5: 45...Qg6 46 Qf8+ Qg7 47 Qd6+ =.
1 Bb6!
1 Bc5? leaves White a square short after 1...e1Q 2
Bh3+ Ke2 3 Bg4+ Kd3 4 Bf5+ Kc3, etc. (Note that
in studies, the 50-move rule doesn’t apply.)
1...e1Q 2 Bh3+ Ke2 3 Bg4+ Kd3 4 Bf5+ Ke2 5
Bg4+ =
The black king has no refuge against the repeated
checks as moving to a dark square is met by a
skewer along the diagonal.

S. Kozlowski
Glos Poranny, 1932
Can the white pawn-pair make up for the missing
rook?
Yes, but paradoxically only by both being given
away!
1 g7+ Kg8
After 1...Kf7 2 h7 it is Black who must seek a draw
by perpetual check, but he naturally hopes for more
than that. With his pawns restrained, is there
anything left for White but to play on a rook behind?
2 h7+!
A surprising sacrifice!
2...Kxh7 3 g8Q+!
And another one! What can the point be?
3...Rxg8
By now the board has been cleared for a surprising
perpetual check:
4 Rh2+ Kg6 5 Rg2+ Kf7
The king must protect its rook.
6 Rf2+ =
The well-placed white king plays a vital role by
enforcing a border on the e-file. There is no way out!
It seems that White’s sacrificial attack has reached a
Perpetual Check Exercises dead end. Can he still save his skin?
4: Black to play
1: White to play
Does the mate threat force an exchange of queens, or
Black is an exchange up and seems safe enough. Is
is there a better option for Black?
he?
5: Black to play
2: Black to play
White’s far-advanced d-pawn is unstoppable. Is it
Black appears to stand slightly worse. Can she force
time to call it a day?
a draw?
6: White to play
3: White to play
White, a piece down, is threatened with mate next More unstoppable pawns. Can you think of any
move. Can she still change her fate? creative resources for White?
7: Black to play 10: White to play and draw

White seems better due to Black’s weakened The black pawn is about to queen. Is there no hope
kingside. How should Black continue? for White?

Black’s promotion is unavoidable. How should Can the knight stop the black e-pawn?
White welcome the new-born queen?

9: White to play and draw How should White respond to Black’s upcoming
pawn promotion?
Can White restrain both black passed pawns?

Two knights vs three far-advanced passed pawns.
Can they cope?
33...Rb5! 34 Qxb5 Qxf2+ 35 Kh1 Qxh4+ 36 Kg1
Perpetual Check Solutions Qf2+ =
With a draw by perpetual check.
1: White to play
3: White to play
1) Lasker – Steinitz
3) Lasker – Hanham
World Ch (8), Moscow 1896
New York 1892
Black is an exchange ahead but is not winning
because of the following deflection: The ultimate sacrifice can still save White:
56 Rb7! ½-½ 1 Qg7+!! Nxg7 2 Nh6+ Kh8 3 Nxf7+
A draw was agreed in view of: It is also a fork, but White is not so interested in
taking the black queen as that would leave him a
56...Qxb7 57 Qxf6+ Qg7
piece down.
57...Kg8? 58 Qxd8+ Kg7 59 Bh5! Qc7 even loses
3...Kg8 4 Nh6+ =
after 60 Qe8 Ra3 61 Kh4! with the deadly threat of
62 f6+!, mating. The black king cannot escape the checks.
58 Qxd8+ Qg8 59 Qf6+
It’s perpetual check.
4: Black to play
4) Smyslov – Tal
2: Black to play Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade Candidates 1959
2) Cramling – Chiburdanidze The queen exchange would be hopeless, but
fortunately Black can still save his skin:
Women’s Candidates, Tilburg 1994
She can do so by deflecting the white queen: 38...Rg1+!
The white king may only choose to be repeatedly
checked by either the rook or the queen.
39 Kh2 In fact she can by exposing the enemy king to a
check bombardment:
39 Kxg1 Qd1+ 40 Kh2 Qh5+ 41 Kg2 Qf3+ 42 Kg1
Qd1+ is another way for the battle to conclude in 45 Rxf7+! Kxf7 46 Qf6+ Kg8 47 Qd8+!
perpetual check. Tisdall admitted afterwards that this check had
39...Rh1+! 40 Kg2 Rg1+ ½-½ escaped his attention.
47...Kg7 48 Qf6+ Kh6 49 Qf4+!
The other checks on dark squares are equally
effective.
49...Kg7 ½-½
5: Black to play
5) Portisch – Kasparov
Moscow 1981
Not at all. An astounding double sacrifice exposes
the white king: 7: Black to play
42...Rxd2! 7) Kasparov – Kramnik
Removing a defender. Frankfurt rapid 1999
43 Qxd2 Qf3+ 44 Qg2 Ng3+!! He should secure a draw using a thematic double
bishop sacrifice:
Opening the h-file.
18...Bxa2+! 19 Kxa2 Qa5+ 20 Kb1 Bxb2! 21 Kxb2
45 hxg3 Qh5+ 46 Qh2 Qf3+ 47 Rg2 Qd1+ 48 Qg1
Qc3+ 22 Ka2 Qxc2+ 23 Ka1 Qc3+ 24 Ka2 Qc2+
Qh5+ 49 Rh2 Qf3+ ½-½
½-½
An eye-catching perpetual of a cornered king!
Paradoxically, it was White’s castled position that
was shattered first.
6: White to play
6) Xie Jun – Tisdall 8: White to play and draw
San Francisco 1995 8) G. Zakhodiakin
Building a perpetual check fortress is the only
chance:
1 Rb4
It looks like White is merely seeking the childish
trap 1...a1Q? 2 Ra4+, but the plan is deeper than
that: the rook is heading to the centre.
1...b5 2 Rd4! a1Q 3 b4!
The threat of perpetual check cannot be foiled.
3...Qc3 4 Rd6+ Kb7 5 Rd7+ Kc6 6 Rd6+ =

10) F. Lazard
Le Monde des Échecs, 1946
In view of the cramped position of the black king, it
is more than just a hope:
1 Kg4 f2 2 Bf4+ Kg2 3 Bg3! f1Q 4 Nf4+ Kg1 5
Nh3+ Kg2 6 Nf4+ =
The black king is trapped in a perpetual check net.

9) S. Kozlowski
Swiat Szachowy, 1932
White has two moves before Black queens, and he
can use these tempi to build a battery against the
black king:
1 Nd6! d2 2 Ne4! d1Q 3 Nf6+ Kh4 4 Ne4+! Kh5
Any other king move is met by an immediate fork.
5 Nf6+ Kg5 6 Nd5+!
Preparing a new pair of knight forks, so the king has 11: White to play and draw
to go back.
11) A. Selezniev
6...Kh5 7 Nf6+ =
It’s perpetual check by a battery that covers an
impressively large part of the chessboard. No, but it can successfully pursue the black king
instead:
1 Kf7! e3
1...Kh8 2 Nf6 e3 is just a change of move-order.
2 Nf6+! Kh8 3 Nd5! e2 4 Nf4 e1Q 5 Nxg6+ Kh7 6
Nf8+ Kh8 7 Ng6+ =
With a perpetual check.
1...a4!
1...Kb2 is premature in view of 2 Rb7+ Kc3 3 Rc7+
Kd3 4 Rd7+ Ke4 5 Rc7, when the black king can
find no shelter.
2 Rxa7 a3! 3 Rxa3 Kb2 4 Ra7!
Thanks to the sterile space created by White’s first
king move, perpetual check is now possible.
4...c1Q 5 Rb7+ Ka3 6 Ra7+ =
The king has nowhere to hide.

12) G. Zakhodiakin
Chervony Girnik, 1979
By repeatedly harassing the black king before and
following the promotion:
1 Rc4+ Kd2 2 Rd4+ Ke2 3 Re4+ Kf2 4 Rf4+ Kg2
5 Rb4!
Not 5 Rg4+? Kf3!.
5...h1Q 6 Rb1! Qxh3 7 Rb2+ =
The black king is restricted to the first two ranks, so
it’s either perpetual check or else the queen is lost to 14) G. Afanasiev and E. Dvizov
a skewer. Problem, 1967
They can here, as the pawns also take flight-squares
from the black king.
1 Ng3+! Kg1 2 Ng5! f2+
Caution! 2...h1Q?? 3 Nxf3#.
3 Kd2! f1N+!
Care is needed again: 3...f1Q?? 4 Nh3#.
4 Ke1! Nxg3
And despite being two pawns behind – and both
those pawns being about to queen – White saves his
skin with a lovely perpetual.
5 Nh3+ Kh1 6 Nf2+ Kg1 7 Nh3+ =
13) L. Prokeš
La Stratégie, 1939
He can, but only with the help of a somewhat
unusual king move:
1 Kb8!
Not 1 Ka8? a4 2 Rxa7 a3 3 Rxa3 Kb2 4 Ra7 c1Q 5
Rb7+ Ka3 6 Ra7+ Kb4 7 Rb7+ Ka5 8 Ra7+ Kb6 9
Rb7+ Kc6 and White has run out of checks.
13: Devious Draws:
Stalemate
It is a quirk of the laws of chess: the game is drawn
if the side to play is unable to make a legal move
and his king is not in check.
Stalemate is a frequent guest in endgame theory and
also in the art of endgame studies. Nevertheless it is
rather rare in chess practice and is considered as a
last and desperate defensive resource. Probably that
is why even strong grandmasters, world champions
included, sometimes overlook stalemate traps. It
seems so unusual and irrelevant!
A famous episode is demonstrated in our initial
example, which is from the first big international H. Rinck
tournament organized after the Second World War. 1st HM, Budapest Tourney, 1911
Does White still have any chance in this inferior
ending?
The last desperate resource works here too:
1 Kg3! h5 2 e4!
Black is in zugzwang.
2...Kg1 3 e5! dxe5 =
Stalemate.
White to play
O. Bernstein – Smyslov
Groningen 1946
Black’s last move was the natural 59...b2. Was
natural also right?
Apparently not in view of:
60 Rxb2! ½-½
Black was counting on the skewer 60...Rh2+, but White to play and draw
after 61 Kf3 Rxb2 it is stalemate! 60...f3+ 61 Ke3!
f2+ 62 Ke2 Rh1 63 Rb5+ is also a draw. E. Pogosiants
Stalemates have always attracted the imagination of Uzni Ural, 1975
study composers. They have come up with many Can White save this seemingly hopeless ending?
remarkably beautiful ways for the game to end in a
surprising stalemate. Often those discoveries have White forces a draw as follows:
also enriched endgame theory. Here are two simple 1 Bb1+ Ke2! 2 Bxf5 Rxh2! 3 Be4! Rh4! 4 Bf3+!
examples with evident practical value:
Care is needed: 4 Bxg2? loses to 4...Rg4 5 Kh2 Kf2
6 Bh3 Rh4.
4...Kxf3 =
Stalemate.
Stalemate Exercises

Two rooks usually have no difficulty when facing an
1: White to play enemy queen. Is this the case here?
How can White force a draw?

2: Black to play Can the white pawn counterbalance Black’s extra
What is the simplest conclusion to this game? rook?
Two pawns down, is it time for White to surrender? How should White prepare for the birth of the new
black queen?
White’s position seems to be falling apart. Does any Is there any salvation for White in this difficult pawn
hope remain? ending?

Can White restore the material balance? How can White fight against the mighty queen?

What is left for White to do but resign? White’s pawns look vulnerable. What chance do
they have versus Black’s extra bishop?
Can the white rook generate serious counterchances How can White avoid losing one of his pieces?
in this desperate position?

14: White to play and draw White’s pieces look loose. Can he secure them?
What can a single bishop do against four pawns?

15: White to play and draw How should White meet Black’s threat to promote?
Can the restrained white pawns still affect the
outcome of the battle?
Can White save his besieged knight?

White is well behind on material. Do you have any
good advice for him?

Black’s powerful passed f-pawn is well supported.
So what hope does White have?
Stalemate Solutions
3: White to play
3) Stefanova – Ramon Perez
1: White to play Zaragoza 1999
1) Matulović – Botvinnik Not yet! With an immobile king, all White need do
is sacrifice the rook repeatedly:
USSR – World, Belgrade 1970
57 Ra5+ Ke4 58 Re5+ Kd3 59 Re3+ Kd2 60 Re2+
Though queen endings may last a long time, the
Kd3 61 Re3+
draw was achieved here by a single move:
61 Rxb2 was good enough too.
93 Qd3+! ½-½
61...Kd4 62 Rd3+ Ke4 63 Re3+ ½-½
93...Qxd3 stalemate.
The rampant rook in action: it’s either stalemate or
perpetual check!
2: Black to play
2) Ribli – Spassky
Montpellier Candidates 1985
4) L. Prokeš
It’s stalemate in one!
Severočesky Šach, 1946
85...Qxh6+! 86 Kxh6 (stalemate) ½-½
The white king is under mate threats. The rooks are
required to employ extreme measures:
1 Re6+ Kc7 2 Ra7+ Kc8 3 Rb6!
The only remedy against the mate threat.
3...Qd5+ 4 Rab7 Qa5+ 5 Ra7 Qxb6 6 Rc7+!
Any capture of the rook results in an immediate
stalemate.
6...Kd8 7 Rd7+ = He should profit from the kings’ positions:
The familiar rampant rook gives Black a choice 1 Nf2! Bxf2 2 Rh1+
between only perpetual check and stalemate.
2 Rd6? loses due to the fork 2...Bc5+.
2...Be1
2...Kc2 fails to 3 Ka2 Be1 (3...Kd3 4 Rd1) 4 Rh2 =.
3 Rh2! d1Q
3...d1R is the technically drawn ending R+B vs R.
4 Rb2+ Kc1
Or 4...Ka1 5 Ra2+ Kb1 6 Ra1+ Kxa1 stalemate.
5 Rb1+! Kxb1 =
Again we have stalemate.

5) A. Maksimovskikh and V. Dolgov
Problem, 1977
Black can prevent promotion but at the price of a
surprising finale:
1 c7 Bh5
To win the new queen with a skewer. 1...Rb6+ is
answered with 2 Ke7 Rc6 3 Kd8 =.
2 Kf5 Rb4
Restoring the skewer idea. 7: White to play and draw
3 Bd4+! 7) E. Pogosiants and V. Yakimchik
This interference gives Black no choice. Comm., Shakhmaty (Riga), 1968
3...Rxd4 4 c8Q! Bg4+ 5 Ke5 Bxc8 = An amazing sacrifice turns the position into a
continuous stalemate maze:
Stalemate.
1 Bg5!!
Not 1 g5? h5.
1...hxg5+
After 1...Kxg2 2 Bxh6 Kf3 3 Kg5 Rxg4+ 4 Kf6 Ke4
5 Bg5 the last pawn falls.
2 Kh3 Rf1
Both 2...Rxg2 and 2...Ra1 3 g3! lead to stalemate
again.
3 g3 Rf5!
No better is 3...Rf4 4 gxf4 gxf4 5 g5, with a drawn
pawn ending.
4 gxf5 gxf5 5 g4 f4 =
The final stalemate of an active defence!
6) V. and M. Platov
Rokada, 1984
Never say die!
1 Rb1!
1 Ra2? Re3 leaves no hope.
1...f2! 2 Rxb3 f1Q 3 Rxb4+ Kh5 4 Rh4+!
Black can only choose between three different
draws: perpetual check, a fortress or stalemate.
4...Kg5 5 Rg4+ Kh5
The fortress arises after 5...Kf5 6 Rg2.
6 Rh4+ Kxh4 =
Stalemate.
8) A. Hildebrand
Sp. Pr., De Vanföres Tidsskrift, 1950
He can’t, so he should try extreme measures:
1 Rc6!
Wrong are both 1 Rc1? Bg5+ and 1 Rf3? Bg7+! 2
Kxg7 Be4+.
1...Bg7+!
Decoying the king to set up a battery.
2 Kxg7 Be4+
2...Be8+ allows White an additional option
compared to the main line, i.e. 3 Rg6. 10: White to play and draw
3 Kh8! Bxc6 4 Be4! 10) A. Selezniev
There’s no good answer to this double threat since Deutsches Wochenschach, 1919
the black rook cannot protect its bishop from either
side. In fact, it’s a forced draw:
4...Bxe4 = 1 Kc6! Kd8 2 Kd5! Kxd7 3 Ke4!
Stalemate. But not 3 Ke5? Ke7 4 Kd4 Kf6 5 Ke4 g4 6 Kf4 g3 7
Kxg3 Kxf5 –+.
3...Kd6
3...Ke7 4 Kf3 Kf6 5 Kg4.
4 Kf3!
Where is the king heading?
4...Ke5 5 Kg4 Kf6 6 Kh5! Kxf5 =
Stalemate.

9) D. Gurgenidze
1 Kg4 Kf6 2 Kh5 Kg7 3 f6+ Kh7 4 f7 Bxc4 5
f8N+!
Obviously not 5 f8Q? Be2+ 6 Qf3 Bxf3#.
5...Kg7 6 Ne6+! Bxe6 =
Stalemate.

11) M. Matouš
Source unknown, 1995
White should use his only pawn to create significant
counterplay:
1 c6 Qh8! 13: White to play and draw
After 1...Qe5+ 2 c7+ Kd7 (2...Ke8 3 Nab6 =) 3 13) H. Mattison
Nab6+ Kc6 4 Ka7 White promotes. Rigaer Tageblatt, 1914
2 c7+ A well-coordinated interaction of the rook and its
2 Nab6? Be5+. king saves the day:
2...Kd7+ 3 Kb7! 1 Rg8! Bxd6+ 2 Kc4 Rc3+
3 Ka7? Bd4+ 4 Nab6+ Bxb6+. 2...Rd4+ fails to 3 Kxd4 f2 4 Ra8+ Kb3 5 Ra1 =.
3...Qc8+ 4 Ka7 Bd4+ 5 Ndb6+! Ke6 = 3 Kxc3 f2 4 Rg4+!
It’s stalemate, as both knights are paralysed, for Not 4 Ra8+? Kb5 5 Ra1 Be5+, when Black wins.
differing reasons.
4...Ka3
4...Ka5 5 Rg5+ Kb6 6 Rf5 =.
5 Rg5!
5 Rg7? allows the fork 5...Be5+.
5...Bb4+ 6 Kc2 f1Q
Or 6...f1R, with R+B vs R.
7 Ra5+! Bxa5 =
Stalemate.

12) V. Kivi
Schackvärlden, 1935
With the active help of their king, the pawns may
narrowly escape:
1 g7+ Kh7 2 g6+ Kh6 3 a8Q! Rxa8 4 Kf7 Ra7+ 5
Kg8!! Rxg7+
On 5...Kxg6, 6 Kh8 draws.
6 Kh8!
Black has a whole free tempo, but cannot avoid the
upcoming stalemate.
6...Ra7 7 g7! Rxg7 =
Stalemate.

14) V. Anufriev
Usually not much, but here is an exception:
1 Kc1!
1 Bg5? Kd4 2 Bd2 Ke4 3 Bc3 Ke3.
1...Kb4 2 Ba1!!
Not 2 Bb2? a1Q+! 3 Bxa1 Ka3 4 Bd4 Ka2, when
Black wins as he will soon get a won K+P vs K
ending. 16) E. Somov-Nasimovich
2...Ka4! 5th HM, Shakhmatny Listok, 1927
2...Ka3 3 Bb2+ Ka4! 4 Kd2! a1Q 5 Bxa1 Ka3 6 To avoid a fatal material disadvantage, White must
Kxd3 b2 7 Bxb2+ Kxb2 8 Kc4 is a draw. move his rook. But where? If it moves along the e-
file, it will be won by a series of bishop checks
3 Kd2 b5 4 Kc3! b4+ 5 Kb2! d2 =
against the cornered king. However, if it moves
Stalemate. along the rank, then the unprotected knight will be
picked off by a similar series of bishop checks. In
such a desperate situation there is still one chance: a
miraculous stalemate!
1 Rf1! Bd4+ 2 Ka2 Bd5+ 3 Ka3 Bc5+ 4 Ka4 Bc6+
5 Ka5 Bxe8
This would normally be a won position for Black,
except that in this particular case White has an
unexpected resource:
6 Rc1+! Kxc1 =
Stalemate.

15) Y. Afek
HM, Israel Ring Tourney, 1981
White can still come up with a surprising escape:
17) V. Halberstadt 18) A. Herbstman
1st Pr., Réti MT, Šachové Umenie, 1950 Shakhmaty, 1925
Keeping the pieces close to their king is usually the White uses interference to gain precious time for
way to save them against a mighty queen. Here it greater tactical goals:
seems an impossible mission and yet a couple of
1 Ka8! b2 2 b7 Bh2 3 f4! Bxf4 4 e5! Bxe5
unusual moves manage to do the magic:
Having got rid of the surplus pawns, almost
1 Be1! everything is ready for a lovely stalemate.
With the idea of continuing 2 Bf2, when White
5 b8Q Bxb8 6 Bd5!
would be safe.
Threatening 7 Ba2.
1...Qe3
6...b1Q 7 Be4+! Kxe4 =
After 1...Qd1 2 Re5 or 1...Qb1 2 Ra5+! (but not 2
Re5? Qb7+ followed by a fork) 2...Kb6 3 Re5 Stalemate.
White’s pieces are safe.
But how should White meet the powerful text-
move? In what looks an insane act of despair, he
puts both his pieces en prise!
2 Bg3!! Qxg3
2...Qxc5 3 Bf2! Qxf2 is immediate stalemate, while
after 2...Kb6 3 Rc2! Qxg3 4 Rb2+ White checks
along his second rank, and Black has no refuge other
than taking the rampant rook, giving stalemate.
3 Ra5+ Kb6 4 Ra6+! =
Once more, Black cannot escape the checks along
the a-file as taking the rampant rook would mean
stalemate.
Here we witnessed a combination of both ‘devious
draw’ themes: perpetual check and stalemate. 19) H. Mattison
Latvijas Sacha Vestnesis, 1924
No he can’t, but he can still save the game! The time
required for Black to trap the knight is used by
White to force a surprising stalemate.
1 Kd5!
The pawn ending following 1 a4? Kc8 2 a5 Kb7 3
Nb6 Bxb6 4 axb6 axb6 is lost; e.g., 5 Kd4 Ka6 6
Kc3 Ka5 7 Kb3 Kb5, seizing the opposition and pieces changed their colour squares. In chess
winning. composition, this is called a chameleon echo.
1...Kd7
After 1...Kc8 2 Kc6 the knight is rescued.
2 a4
White cannot afford a waiting move: 2 a3? allows
2...Bf2 3 a4 a5 4 Kc4 Kc6 5 Nc7 Kxc7 6 Kb5 Be1!,
when Black wins.
2...a5 3 Kc4 Kc6
What remains to be done?
4 Nc7! Kxc7 5 Kb5 Bb6 6 Ka6!
And Black is left with just...
6...Kc6 =
Stalemate. 21: White to play and draw
21) P. Farago
Gininger MT, Revista Romana de Sah, 1935
Passive defence would lead to defeat, so a more
creative approach is called for.
1 a7!
Not 1 Kc6? f3! 2 Re6 Kb8! 3 Re1 f2 4 Rf1 Rf6+ 5
Kb5 Ka7, with an easy win for Black.
1...Kb7 2 a8Q+!
A double deflection!
2...Kxa8
After 2...Rxa8 3 Rf5 White wins the dangerous
pawn.
3 Kc6 Kb8
20) M. Liburkin
3...f3 4 Ra5+ (or 4 Kxc7 Rf7+ 5 Kb6 =) 4...Kb8 5
Izbrannie Etiudy Kaminera i Liburkina, 1981
Rb5+ is essentially the same as the main line.
Try to trap the black knight and you won’t believe
what will happen! 4 Rb5+! Kc8
Now all is set for the highlight of White’s play.
1 Rc6!
The knight is lost but Black has three ways to 5 Rf5! Rxf5 =
prepare annoying pins after its capture: Stalemate.
a) 1...Bf2 2 Kxa4 Bd7 3 Kb5 Kg4 4 a4 Kf4 5 a5 Ke4
6 Ka6! (not 6 a6? Ba7) 6...Bxc6 stalemate.
b) 1...Bd1 2 Rc4+ Kg5 3 Rd4! (not 3 Rxa4? Bd6+ 4
Rb4 Kf5, when White is in zugzwang and must lose
his rook) 3...Nc3 4 Rd3 Be5 5 Rxc3! Bxc3
stalemate.
c) 1...Nc5 2 Rxc5 Bd6 3 Kb4 Be2 4 a4 Kg4 5 Ka5!
(not 5 a5? Ba6!) 5...Bxc5 stalemate.
So what have we just witnessed? Three identical
stalemate patterns on three different ranks where the
Not quite! In fact he is most unsafe, as was
14: The Ultimate Goal: demonstrated on the board:
Mate! 39...Nf3+! 0-1

40 Kh1 Nf2# or 40 gxf3 Rg6+ 41 Kh1 Nf2#.
Checkmate is of course the aim of the game, and
capable of justifying any amount of material
sacrifice. Innumerable combinations are aimed at
spinning a mating-net, using all tactical devices
available. Here is a fine selection for you to crack.

G. Zakhodiakin
Comm., Belarussian Ch 1979
White to play The extra pawn seems insignificant. Is there a way
to use it after all?
Spassky – Marsalek
If you can’t promote it, mate with it:
Leningrad (team event) 1960
1 b6+ Kc8
Can you spot Black’s vulnerability and inflict the
final blow? 1...Kxc6 2 Nd8+ Kd7 3 bxa7 +–.
Yes, it’s g7 and the attacked queen strikes with no 2 Bb7+!! Kxb7 3 Nd6+!
delay: 3 Nd8+? Kc8 4 bxa7 Nc6+! 5 Nxc6 Kb7 is a well-
21 Qh6! 1-0 known fortress position in which despite the knight
advantage White can make no progress.
21...gxh6 22 Nxh6#.
3...Ka8
3...Kc6 4 bxa7.
4 b7#
Black to play
Korchnoi – Karpov
World Ch (17), Baguio City 1978
Is the white king as safe as it looks? White to play and win
E. Pogosiants
Leninets Put, 1971
How many knights will be on the board for the final
mate?
Four! It’s not a printing error; just wait and see:
1 Nf2+ Kg1 2 Nh3+ Kf1
2...Kh1 is met by 3 Ng3#.
3 Kd1 h1N
The only way to parry the immediate mate threat.
4 Kd2!
Zugzwang! It’s Black to move and any of his moves
is met by a knight mate on either g3 or e3.
4...Nf2 5 Ng3#
Can you help Black to spin a net around the enemy
Mate Exercises king?
4: Black to play
1: White to play
Can you spot White’s weakness and go for it?
How does White activate his heavy artillery on the
queenside?
5: White to play
2: Black to play Black is seeking queenside play, leaving the other
wing to White. Can he act vigorously?
What is the best way for Black to protect his
attacked pieces?
6: White to play
3: Black to play How can White transform his attacked rook into a
poisonous one?
The naked black king doesn’t seem bothered by Can White win with a single bishop?
White’s activity. Should it be?

8: White to play All the white pieces will take an active part in the
White looks set to increase the kingside pressure. mating process. Can you see how?
But is he ready to fire already?

9: White to play The black king seems as free as a bird. Can White
How can White break the tough enemy resistance? trap it in a mating-net?
White must hunt the black pawn while protecting his The white pawn is about to fall. Can you make
own. Do these goals contradict? Black fall with it?
The h-pawn looks doomed. What then are White’s Can you discover a forceful mating sequence?
aspirations based on?

15: White to play and win Preventing promotion might cost White a rook.
Materially it’s a drawish ending. What could Where lies the winning chance, then?
possibly change this outcome?
18 Kh3 Nf2# or 18 Kg4 h5+ 19 Kg5 Bh6#.
Mate Solutions
3: Black to play
1: White to play 3) Liutov – Botvinnik
1) Tal – Botvinnik Leningrad 1925
World Ch (17), Moscow 1960 Despite being a piece down, Black can use his
kingside pawns efficiently for that purpose:
Black’s royal castle falls apart following:
1...h5!!
40 Rxa6+! Kb8
Threatening 2...g4+ and mate.
Or: 40...bxa6 41 Qb6+ Ka8 42 Qxa6+ Ra7 43
Qxc8#. 2 Qxh5
41 Qa4 1-0 Following 2 g4 hxg4+ 3 Qxg4 Qh1+ 4 Kg3 Qe1+ –+
White wins the knight and the resulting queen
Black is unable to escape the mating attack.
ending.
2...Qh1+ 3 Kg4 Qd1+
It’s a skewer.
4 Nf3 Qd7#
A rare mate in over-the-board practice using two
active self-blocks!
2: Black to play
2) Potemkin – Alekhine
St Petersburg 1912
In view of White’s king position, it’s better to give
away the black queen for a mating attack:
16...Nxd4!
4: Black to play
With 16...Qb5? 17 Nc3 Qc4 18 Bf1 Black doesn’t
achieve much. 4) Andruet – Spassky
German Bundesliga 1987/8
17 gxf5 Nxf5+ 0-1
Surprisingly, the light squares around the white king 29...Kxg4 30 fxg5+.
are vulnerable:
30 Nf2+ Kxf4
28...Qf3!! 0-1 And now a quiet move finishes Black off.
After 29 gxf3 Nexf3+ 30 Kh1 Bh3!, mate is
31 Rg1! 1-0
unavoidable.
31...e4 32 Nh3#.
5: White to play
7: White to play
5) Kasparov – Korchnoi
7) Karpov – Szoldos
Zurich rapid 2001
Hungary 1973
White handles the king-hunt with no opposition in
sight: No doubt it should, as an astounding act of
aggression allows him no chance:
21 Rf3+! Kxg6
1 Nxe5!! Qxe2 2 Rf7+ Kh6 3 Rh8+ Kg5 4 Rg8+
21...Kg8 22 Ne7+ +–.
Kh4
22 Bd3+ Kh5 23 Rh3+ Kg4 24 f3+ Kf4 25 Kf2! g4 4...Kh6 5 Rg6#.
26 g3+ 1-0
5 Ng6+ Kg3 6 Nxe7+ Qg4 7 Rf3+ Kh4 8 Nf5+ 1-0
It is mate next move.
8...Qxf5 9 Rxf5 Rg3 10 Rf4+ Rg4 11 Kh2! Rxf4 12
g3#.
6: White to play
6) Smyslov – Oll 8: White to play
Rostov-on-Don 1993
8) Petrosian – Pachman
By spinning a mating-net as follows: Bled 1961
29 g4+! Kxe4
In fact, White is set to convert his initiative even
faster than expected:
19 Qxf6+!! Kxf6 20 Be5+ Kg5 21 Bg7!! 1-0
The black king can’t escape the mating-net.

11) C. Bent
Volksgazet, 1970
The solution is sharp and elegant:
9: White to play
1 g8Q+!
9) Spassky – Filip A rook promotion is equally good.
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955
1...Nxg8 2 Rg7+ Kh4
A vigorous counter-attack obtains a quick decision: 2...Kh2 is met by the lethal pin 3 Bc7.
38 Rxf6! Rxg2+ 39 Qxg2 Bxg2 40 Rf8! 1-0 3 Rh7+ Nh6+ 4 Rxh6+! Qxh6
White wins back the queen owing to the mate on the Creating an active self-block.
seventh rank.
5 Bf2+ Kh5 6 g4#

10) G. Zakhodiakin
12) H. Rinck
He can, owing to Black’s cramped position. In fact,
it’s a mate-in-four problem: A series of well-coordinated tactical acts should do
the trick.
1 Kc7 a3 2 Ba4! a2 3 Kc6! a1Q 4 Bb5#
1 Bd5+!
As a starter, a skewer secures promotion...
1...Kxd5 2 exd7 g2
...but to what piece? 14) G. Zakhodiakin
3 d8N! “64”, 1931
The net is made! On the cramped position of the black pieces:
3...g1Q 4 c4# 1 h6!
1 Rd8? is of no use: 1...Kg7! 2 Kf4 Kh6 3 Kf5
Nxh5! with a draw.
1...Ng4+ 2 Kf4 Nxh6 3 Kg5!
The king is also a key factor here. Again 3 Rd8? is
no good: 3...Kg7 4 Rxe8 Kxg6 =.
3...Ng8
3...Kg7 loses to 4 Rd7+.
4 Rh2+ Kg7 5 Rh7+ Kf8 6 Rf7#
An attractive mating picture!

13) J. Fritz
České Slovo, 1939
Paradoxically, White can handle them both with the
help of the Réti theme:
1 Kf7 h5 2 Ke6
After 2 Bf6? Kb3! 3 Kg6 h4! Black escapes.
2...h4 3 Kd5!
The Réti manoeuvre: the white king is threatening to
enter the square of the black pawn but at the same 15: White to play and win
time is heading to the other side of the board for a
15) J. Fritz
different purpose.
Šachové Umenie, 1950
3...h3
1 Rf5+!
3...Kb3 is met by the desired 4 Ke4.
Now White either wins one of the black knights or
4 Kc4! h2 5 Bb4! h1Q 6 b3# inflicts a rather unexpected mate.
The more natural 1 Rxh5? leads nowhere due to
1...Nf6! 2 Rf5 Ne7 =.
1...Ke6 2 Rxh5 Nf6 3 Ra5! Ne7
3...Nd6 loses a knight after 4 Ng5+ Ke7 5 Re5+.
4 Ng5#
An ideal mate following a pair of active self-blocks.

4 Rh8+!! Qxh8 5 Bf4+ Kh7 6 Be4#

16) A. Lewandowski 18: White to play and win
1st HM, Czechoslovak Ty, 1989 18) H. Lommer
The fall of the white pawn is followed by the fall of British Chess Magazine, 1943
the black king: Here again it all depends on luring the king to the
1 Kc7! Be6 2 Kd6 Bf7 3 Be2 Kg5 4 Ke7! Bxh5 scaffold:
The active self-block completes the mating-net. 1 Ne3+ Kd4
5 Bf6+ Kg6 6 Bd3# It is important to keep attacking the knight.
2 Rxe2 Bd3+ 3 Kb4! Bxe2
A self-block!
4 Nc2+ Kd3 5 Bg6#

17) G. Amirian
Schakend Nederland, 1994
A rook and a bishop-pair make a pretty powerful
team, though with no pawns they are usually unable
to overcome a queen. Here is one of the more
surprising exceptions:
1 Kf7+ Kh4
After 1...Kh5 White employs a discovered check to
win the queen: 2 Bf3+ Kh4 3 Bg3+ Kh3 4 Bg2+!
Kxg2 5 Be5+.
2 Bg3+ Kh5 3 Bf3+ Kh6
Now what?
White is two pawns up with a seemingly safe king.
15: Combined Motifs Perhaps too safe?
A game might be decided by a single motif, but a Indeed. The white king is surrounded by too many
great deal of chess combinations are more complex friendly pieces.
than that, requiring the employment of two or more 24...Qxe3!! –+
tactical motifs along the road to success.
This deflects the white pawn so that Black can open
the h-file: 25 fxe3 Ng3+ 26 hxg3 Rh5#.
Black to play
Galliamova – Kosteniuk
Russian Women’s Ch, Kazan 2004
L. Prokeš
How should Black conclude a successful kingside
Schweizerische Arbeiterschach Journal, 1948
attack?
Can White promote one of his pawns?
First she should remove the guard:
Combining a breakthrough with a line interference is
27...Rxd4! 28 Rxd4
the key to success here:
And then close the line of the other guard:
1 g6!
28...Rc3 29 g4
Breaking through to secure promotion.
Or even a second time in the case of 29 Qb2 Rc2 –+.
1...fxg6
29...Qf3+ 0-1
1...Rxe4 2 gxf7 and 1...Rc1 2 g7 Rc8 3 Bh7 are no
White’s queen is lost. fun either.
2 f7 Rf1 3 Bf5!
Interference on the promoting file.
3...Rxf5 4 g4+
And a fork for dessert.
4...Kh6 5 gxf5 Kg7 6 fxg6 +–
Black to play
Yudasin – Kramnik
Candidates (1), Wijk aan Zee 1994
Combined Motifs Exercises
4: White to play
Can you see a way for White to gain material
superiority?
1: White to play
Should White accept the offer to trade queens?
5: White to play
How does White convert his queenside pressure into
2: White to play
something more tangible?
Does the complete material equality herald an
inevitable draw?
6: White to play
Can you help White find the finishing touch?
3: Black to play
We have opposite-wing attacks. Who wins the race?
Black’s game looks positionally sound, but can you Can you see a way for White to win this pawnless
spot his serious tactical weakness? ending?

The passed pawn is blockaded. How should Black Will White’s strong passed b-pawn bring victory?
make progress?

9: White to play and win White is about to lose a piece. How should he play
How should White make the most of his activity on for a win?
the central files?
Two guards are removed and the remaining one is
Combined Motifs Solutions deflected by a fork to leave the queen unprotected:
34...Nxf7 35 Ne6+! Rxe6 36 Qxd4+ +–.
1: White to play
3: Black to play
1) Karpov – Topalov
3) Glek – Chiburdanidze
Dos Hermanas 1994
Minsk 1983
White inserts a powerful fork:
Black is to move and comes first by decoying the
30 Nf6!! Kxf6 king:
30...Qxf3 is met by 31 Nxe8+ +–. 25...Nxb2! 26 Kxb2 Ba3+! 27 Kb1
31 Be5++! 27 Kxa3 Qc3+ 28 Nb3 axb3+ 29 Ra4 b2#.
The black king is decoyed to the open file. 27...Qc3 28 Nc4 Qxd4! 0-1
31...Kxe5 32 Qxe4+ Kxe4 33 Re1+ Kf5 34 Rxe8 Profiting from the weakness of the back rank.
+–
4: White to play
2: White to play
4) Smyslov – Unzicker
2) Anand – Charbonneau
Hastings 1954/5
Calvia Olympiad 2004
Thanks to his space advantage, White can use a
Not quite! The e6-square is triple protected surprising deflection to exploit the pin along the
however... half-open c-file:
34 Rxf7+!! 1-0 25 Bh3! Qxh3 26 Bxd6 1-0
26...Ree8 (26...Rd7 27 Bxe5 +–) 27 Rxc7 leaves 30 Re8!!
Black a pawn down, with a second one under serious Pinning the bishop to threaten 31 Qa7#.
pressure.
30...Qh2+
30...Rxe8 31 Qxh6.
31 Kf1 Qxg2+
31...Rxe8 is now met by 32 a6 +–.
32 Kxg2 +–
The game was concluded after:
32...d4+ 33 Qxb7+! Rxb7 34 Rxh8 Rxb5 35 a6
Ka7 36 Rf8 Rxb2 37 Rxf7+ Ka8 38 a7 c3 39 Rf8
1-0
5: White to play
5) Fischer – Gligorić
Havana Olympiad 1966
He opens a file and removes a guard:
18 Nxa6!! +–
The game concluded:
18...Bxh3
18...bxa6 19 Rxc6.
19 e5 Nxe5 7: White to play
19...fxe5 20 Nc5+ Kb8 21 Rc3!. 7) Botvinnik – Sharov
20 dxe5 fxe5 21 Nc5+ Kb8 22 gxh3 e4 23 Nxe4 USSR Trades Unions Team Ch, Leningrad 1928
Qe7 24 Rc3 b5 25 Qc2 1-0 Did you find the unusual idea?
26 Nf6+!
The first point is to deflect the queen to win the
exchange after 26...Qxf6 27 Qxc7 +–. But what if
Black calmly moves his king?
26...Kh8 27 Ne8!!
The next surprise is a double threat behind enemy
lines.
27...Qxe8 28 Qxc7 Rb2 29 Rad1 1-0
6: White to play
6) Kasparov – Ivanchuk
Linares 1994
He threatens mate and decoys the rook at the same
time:
a) 3...Kg3 and now 4 Ne3! is interference to allow a
deflection by pinning and then queening: 4...Rxe3 5
Rd3 Rxd3 6 e8Q.
b) 3...Kg5 4 Ne5! Rxe5 5 Rd5! Rxd5 6 e8Q +– with
a similar outcome.
8: Black to play
8) Kmoch – Alekhine
Kecskemet 1927
It’s last call for a pawn move!
27...dxc3! 28 Rxd7 Rxd7 29 Rxd7 10: White to play and win
29 Qe8+ Kh7 30 Qxd7 Qe4!, intending ...c2, is 10) P. Rossi
winning for Black.
L’Italia Scacchistica, 1975
29...Bd4+ 30 Kh1?
A combination of battery play and domination
After 30 Rxd4 Black liquidates to a winning queen prevails:
ending; e.g., 30...Qxd4+ 31 Kf1 Qf4+ 32 Ke1 Qc1+
33 Qd1 Qe3+ 34 Kf1 Qf4+ 35 Ke2 Qg4+ 36 Ke1 1 Bg4+! Bxc7 2 Rxc7+ Rf7!
Qe4+ 37 Qe2 Qb1+ 38 Kf2 c2 –+. A surprising decoy.
30...Qc1+ 0-1 3 Rxf7+ Kg6
It’s back-rank mate. 3...Kg8 4 Rf2! Bxg4 5 Rg2, pinning and winning.
4 Bh5+!
Counter-decoy!
4...Kxh5 5 Rh7+ Kg4 6 Kf2! +–
Black is in zugzwang.

9) J. Ulrichsen
Dagbladet, 1967
With a double sacrificial interference, each followed
by a luring pin: 11: White to play and win
1 e6 Re2 2 e7 Kf4 3 Rd4+ 11) A. Maksimovskikh and V. Shupletsov
With two echo lines, each leading to a technical win:
2nd Comm., Magadansky Komsomolets, 1985
With two sacrificial decoys, it might:
1 b6 exd5 2 bxa7 Bb7 3 Ba6!! Bxa6+
Or 3...Bc6 4 Nc4! Kd8 5 Na5 Ba8 6 Bb7 and White
wins.
4 Nc4!! Bb7 5 Nd6+ +–
The deadly fork secures promotion.

12) E. Pogosiants
2nd HM, Problemista, 1965
By seeking forks:
1 Ne5!! Qxe5
Following 1...Qh2 2 Bb4+ Ke8 3 Nc7+ Kd8 4 Ne6+
Kc8 5 Nf4+ Kc7 6 Neg6 all White’s pieces are well
protected, so he should win.
2 Bb4+ Kf7
Or 2...Ke8 3 Nd6+ Kf8 4 Nc4+ – a discovered attack
by battery play.
3 Nd6+ Kf6 4 Bc3!
A lethal pin that results in a decisive fork.
4...Qxc3 5 Ne4+ +–
16: It’s Your Move!
To end the book, here is a variety of exercises with
neither hints nor any indication of the themes. You
are told just who is to move and, in the case of the
endgame studies, whether it is ‘White to play and
win’ or ‘White to play and draw’. Good luck!
4: Black to play
1: White to play
5: Black to play
2: White to play
6: Black to play
3: White to play
7: Black to play 10: White to play




White has a decisive material advantage
It’s Your Move Solutions
3: White to play
1: White to play 3) Kosteniuk – Milman
1) Kramnik – Adams Philadelphia 2003
Linares 1999 White removes the guard of g6:
White profits from the vulnerability of Black’s back 32 Rxf7+! Kxf7 33 Rf1+ 1-0
rank to win his knight by deflection: It’s mate in a few more trivial moves.
38 Rd6! 1-0
It’s in fact a fork too, attacking both black rook and
knight at the same time. The point is 38...Rxd6 39
Rb8+ Rd8 40 Rxd8#.
4: Black to play
4) Dao Thien Hai – Kasparov
Batumi rapid 2001
2: White to play Black takes advantage of the pinned pawn to
engineer a fork:
2) Kramnik – Radjabov
23...Rxe3+!!
London Candidates 2013
Deflecting the queen from defending the g4-pawn.
33 Nxe7+!
24 Qxe3
A fork owing to the weakness of the back rank.
24 Kxe3? Re8+ costs White either his queen or his
33...Kh8 king: 25 Kf4 g5+ 26 Kf5 Qxf3#.
Or 33...Rxe7 34 Qc8+ Bf8 35 Rb8 Re8 36 Qxe8 Qa3
24...Qxg4+ 25 Kf1 Qxd7 26 Qxa7 Qb5+ 27 Kg2 0-
37 e6 fxe6 38 Qxe6+ with a lethal fork.
1
34 Nxd5 Qxd5 35 Qc4 +– 27...Qg5+ will leave White a rook down.
5) I. Thomas – Chiburdanidze 7) Keres – Petrosian
Lloyds Bank Masters, London 1985 Bled/Zagreb/Belgrade Candidates 1959
19...Qxf1+! Black didn’t miss the decisive deflection:
Removing the guard. 51...Qxf4+! 0-1
20 Rxf1 Bxg3+ 21 Rf2 Raf8 0-1 52 Qxf4 Rh1#.
The massive pin along the file is irresistible.
8: White to play
6: Black to play 8) Spassky – Foguelman
6) Sliwa – Smyslov Mar del Plata 1960
Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1956 27 Rg8+!!
59...h3+! Deflecting the king to gain material. This is way
more vigorous than the defensive option 27 Rc1
Luring the king to an unfavourable square.
(though this is also good).
60 Kxh3 Qg1! 0-1
27...Kxg8 28 Qxg6+ Rg7
White’s position falls apart: 61 Rg2 fxg4+ 62 Kg3
Forced, since after 28...Kf8 29 Qf6+! +– White
Nf5+ and mate in two more moves.
mates with no delay.
29 Rd8+ Qf8 30 Rxf8+ Kxf8 31 Qxc2
Black’s most feared pawn is gone too, so the game is
practically over.
31...Kg8 32 Qc5 1-0
9) Letelier – Fischer 11) Karpov – Najdorf
Leipzig Olympiad 1960 Mar del Plata 1982
23...Qxf4+!! 0-1 White strikes first by luring the enemy king to its
back rank and then inflicting a mate in two:
A lovely queen sacrifice to decoy the king: 24 Kxf4
Bh6#. 24 Kf2 invites a devastating attack by 53 Rh8+! 1-0
24...Ng4+ 25 Kg2 Ne3+ 26 Kf2 Nd4 – one out of 53...Kxh8 54 Qe8+ Kh7 55 Qg8#.
various winning options.
12: Black to play

10: White to play
12) Topalov – Kasparov
10) Fischer – Celle
Novgorod 1995
Davis simul 1964
A sacrifice smokes the white king out all the way to
The uncastled king is punished by two deflections to a mid-board scaffold:
open the central files:
40...Bxc2+! 0-1
22 Rxd7+! Qxd7 23 f6+! Nxf6
41 Qxc2 allows 41...gxh6 –+ as there is no Qh7# any
23...Kxf6 24 Qxd7 +–. more. After 41 Kxc2 it’s mate in four: 41...Rf2+ 42
24 Re1+ +– Kd3 (42 Kd1 Qd4+ makes it even shorter) 42...Qd5+
43 Ke3 Qd2+ 44 Ke4 Rf4#.
13) Lobron – Kramnik 15) Rodzinski – Alekhine
Dortmund 1995 Paris simul 1913
Black liquidated to win the endgame: A double threat against the royal couple fully
justifies the earlier rook sacrifice:
33...Rxe5! 34 Qxe5 Qxe5 35 Nxe5 d2 36 Rxd2
Rxd2+ –+ 13...Qxd3! 14 cxd4 Be7!
With a pair of extra connected passed pawns, the A devastating move, unleashing the battery against
win is just a matter of time. the queen while threatening mate.
15 Qxh8 Bh4# (0-1)
14: Black to play

14) Krasenkow – Karpov 16: White to play
Wijk aan Zee 2003 16) Alekhine – Verlinsky
A deflection leaves White with no chance: Odessa (match) 1918
29...Re1! 0-1 24 Qd1!!
30 Rxe1 Qxf3# or 30 Kg2 Rxf1 31 Kxf1 Qxf3+ 32 The black queen is taboo owing to White’s
Ke1 Qxd5 –+. weakened back rank, but this stunning zwischenzug
protects the white rooks while defending the back
rank and attacking both enemy queen and bishop.
Thus White maintains his material advantage.
24...Qa5
Or 24...Bxd1 25 Rxc7 +–.
25 Qxe2 Qxe5 26 Rd5 1-0
White is a piece and a pawn up. White has won the exchange and a pawn. The game
didn’t last long:
27...Qf5 28 Rfd1! Rxd1+ 29 Rxd1 Qxf7 30 Qxc8
Kh7 31 Qxa6 Qf3 32 Qd3+ 1-0
Forcing the exchange of queens rules out any last
hope of a miracle reprieve.
17: White to play

17) Euwe – Cortlever
Beverwijk 1940
White wins in the opening by attacking both black
knights:
19: White to play
11 Nc4! 1-0
19) Fischer – Benko
After 11...Nxc4 12 Bxd5+ White wins a piece by a
fork.
A shocking obstruction of the black f-pawn leaves
the black king defenceless:
19 Rf6!!
The premature 19 e5? allows 19...f5!.
19...Kg8
After 19...Bxf6 the black bishop blocks its own
pawn, so after 20 e5 there is no defence against 21
Qxh7#.
20 e5 h6 21 Ne2 1-0
18: White to play

18) Alekhine – Rubinstein
Karlsbad 1923
A surprising bishop move paves the way for the
queen to the open file on the kingside while
threatening to win material:
25 Bg6!! Qe5
25...Kg8 26 Qc4 +– is hardly an improvement, while
25...fxg6 26 Qe4! Bd6 27 Qh4+ leads to mate:
27...Kg8 28 Qh7+ Kf8 29 Qh8+ Ke7 30 Qxg7+ Ke8 20: White to play
31 Qg8+ Bf8 32 Qxg6+ Ke7 33 Qxe6#.
20) Karpov – Korchnoi
26 Nxf7+ Rxf7 27 Bxf7 World Ch (8), Baguio City 1978
A deadly invasion: 26...Bxf1 27 Rxf1 doesn’t change the position and
its consequences.
26 Rd7! Rb8
26...Bxd7 removes a guard of f7, allowing mate by 27 Bxe4+ Kh8 28 Ng6+ Kh7 29 Nxf8++
27 Qxf7+! Rxf7 28 Rxf7#. Removing the guard of the mating square by a
double check.
27 Nxf7 Bxd7 28 Nd8+! 1-0
White uses the discovered check to shut off the back 29...Kh8 30 Ng6+ Kh7 31 Ne5+
rank so that 28...Ke7 29 Qf8# is possible. And a discovered check to get to the mating square.
31...Kh8 32 Nf7# (1-0)
21: White to play

21) Menchik – Mora Iturralde 23: White to play and win
Women’s World Ch, Buenos Aires 1939 23) L. Prokeš
Removing the guard opens up a lethal diagonal: Revista Romana de Sah, 1939
19 Nxf7! Rxf7 20 Qxe6 1-0 White shuts off the bishop’s route as follows:
With unavoidable heavy material losses along the 1 Ke3!
weakened a2-g8 diagonal. The premature 1 d4? cxd3 2 c4? Kf1! 3 Ke3 Ke1 4
c5 d2 proves too daring and even loses, while 1
Ke2? Kg2! 2 d4 cxd3+ 3 cxd3 Kg3 is simply too
slow.
1...Bxc2
Or 1...Kg2 2 d4! (2 d3? Kg3 3 dxc4 Kg4) 2...cxd3 3
c4 Kf1! 4 Kd2! Kf2 5 c5 with two unstoppable
passed pawns.
The text-move places the bishop behind the critical
d3-square, which allows White’s main idea:
2 d4! cxd3 3 Kd2! +–
22: White to play

22) Alekhine – Fletcher
London simul 1928
A queen sacrifice leads to deadly battery play:
26 Qxe4!! fxe4
stopping either the black rook or the black bishop
from doing its job.
1 d7
1 a7? Kb6 2 d7 Kc7 3 Rxh7 Bb5.
1...Rd2 2 a7
2 Ra1+? Kb6 3 a7 Bf3 achieves nothing but a draw.
2...Bf3 3 Rh5+ Kb6
3...Bxh5 allows 4 a8Q+.
4 Rd5!
The rook lands right at the crossroads, interfering
with both guards at the same time. Black can prevent
24: White to play and win just one promotion, but not both.
24) L. Prokeš 4...Bxd5
Šach, 1940 Or 4...Rxd5 5 a8Q.
The white rook shuts off the promotion file four 5 d8Q+ Kxa7 6 Qa5+ +–
times in the solution: The fork finishes Black off.
1 e7 Re1+ 2 Kf4! g5+
Both king moves are met by interferences along the
e-file: 2...Kh5 3 Rg5+ Kh6 4 Re5 or 2...Kh3 3 Rg3+
Kh2 4 Re3.
3 Kf3 g4+
3...Kh3 4 Re2 interferes on the e-file for the third
time.
4 Rxg4+
Not 4 Kf4? g3.
4...Kh5 5 Re4 +–
And the fourth and final one!

26) E. Pogosiants
With the royal couple close to the edge of the board,
the rooks prove stronger:
1 Rh7+ Kd8 2 Ra6 Qf8+ 3 Kg3! Qg8+ 4 Kf2 Qd5
The queen runs out of checks following 4...Qf8+ 5
Ke2 Qe8+ 6 Kd2.
Now a typical skewer combination finishes Black
off.
5 Ra8+! Qxa8 6 Rh8+ +–
25: White to play and win Black loses his queen and consequently the game
25) H. Rinck too.
Here we see the Novotny theme: the white rook is
sacrificed on the intersection square of two lines,
2 f8Q? is too early owing to 2...Qd7+ 3 Ke2 Qb5+ 4
Kf3 Qc6+ 5 Kg3 Qg6+, with perpetual check; if the
white king instead seeks shelter on the queenside, he
is likely to lose his only pawn.
2...Kxf4
Otherwise White promotes with check. But what
was the point of White’s pawn sacrifice?
3 f8N!! +–
Surprisingly, the attacked queen has no escape since
any move to a dark square is met with a fork by the
new-born knight: 3...Qg7 4 Ne6+, 3...Qe7 4 Ng6+,
3...Qc7 4 Ne6+ or 3...Qh8 4 Ng6+.

27) L. Kubbel
Rigaer Tageblatt, 1911
The white duo wins the black queen by forking the
royal pair following a sacrificial decoy:
1 Rc8! Qxc8
An echo variation is 1...Qg7 2 Rg8! Qxg8 3 Ng4+
Kd5 (3...Kf5 4 Nh6+; 3...Ke4 4 Nf6+) 4 Nf6+.
2 Nc4+ +–
With three forks: 2...Kd5 3 Nb6+, 2...Kf5 3 Nd6+
and 2...Ke4 3 Nd6+.
A true festival of forks! 29: White to play and win
29) L. Prokeš
Narodni Prace, 1940
The pin along the d-file is fatal.
1 Rg7+
1 Kd2? is premature in view of 1...Nf6! 2 Rg7+ Kf8!
=. The same goes for 1 Rge4+? due to 1...Kf7 2 Kd2
Nf6! =.
1...Ke6
1...Ke8 2 Rg8+ Ke7 3 Re4+ +–.
2 Kd2! +–
This square is the only safe haven for the white king
against potential checks. Black is in zugzwang, and
any of his moves loses a piece.
28) E. Pogosiants
Priziv, 1964
A white underpromotion brings about the
domination of the black queen:
1 Ba2+
A premature promotion is met by a skewer: 1 f8Q?
f4+ =.
1...Ke5 2 f4+!!
1 e7 Re5 2 Rb7!
Preparing the pin in advance.
2...Rxe7 3 Ra7+ Kb4 4 Nc6+!
It’s a fork since the pawn is pinned.
4...dxc6 5 Rxe7 +–
with an easy win for White.

30) L. Prokeš
2nd Pr., Duras JT, Šach, 1943
The black rook is decoyed to the third or fifth rank
by an interference and then deflected off the same
rank by pinning:
1 b7
Now 1...Kxa4 loses simply to 2 Ra6+, while the
main lines are two echo pinning variations: 32) L. Kubbel
a) 1...Ka3 2 Bb3! (blocking the b-file to lure the Shakhmaty, 1955 (composed 1937)
black rook to the third rank) 2...Rxb3 3 Rc3! (in A combination of a skewer threat and operating a
order to deflect the rook by pinning and discovered attack does the trick:
consequently allow promotion) 3...Rxc3 4 b8Q; e.g.,
4...Ka2 5 Qb5 Ka3 6 Qb1 or 4...Rb3 5 Qf4 +–. 1 Bc2! Kg5!
b) 1...Ka5 is answered analogously: 2 Bb5! Rxb5 3 Any queen move is met by another skewer; e.g.,
Rc5! Rxc5 4 b8Q +–. Again, this is a won Q vs R+P 1...Qg6 2 Rh1+ Kg5 3 Rg1+.
ending. 2 Rg1+ Kf4
Or 2...Kf6 3 e5+.
3 Rg4+ Ke5 4 d4+! Kxd4 5 e5+! +–
Two batteries are unleashed at the very same time
against the enemy royal couple.

31) L. Prokeš
Prace, 1946
The black rook is won by an X-ray fork on the
seventh rank: 33: White to play and win
33) L. Prokeš
České Slovo, 1937
A hidden battery is unleashed as if from nowhere to
win the new-born queen:
1 Qh4+ Kd3! 2 Qxf2 c1Q 3 Qe3+ Kc4
3...Kc2 leads to a queen exchange following 4 Qc3+
Kd1 5 Qxc1+, when the rest is trivial.
4 d3+! +–

35) L. Kubbel
Izvestia, 1923
The only way to maintain the two-piece advantage is
to give away the rook and regain its counterpart by
domination:
1 Nh5!! Rg4+ 2 Kc3 Rxa4 3 Kb3!
The rook is dominated.
34: White to play and win 3...Re4
34) E. Pogosiants Other moves are no better: 3...Rd4 4 Bc3, 3...Rg4 4
Bc3+ Kh7 5 Nf6+, forking, or 3...Ra1 4 Bc3+,
forking again.
The superior knight is given away to dominate the
enemy bishop: 4 Bc3+ Kg8 5 Nf6+ +–
with yet another winning fork.
1 Nf6!!
Avoiding both 1 Nh6? Be8 2 g5 Kd5 3 Kf8 Ke4 4 f5
Kf4! 5 f6 exf6 6 gxf6 Ba4 = and 1 Kf8? Bxg8 2
Kxg8 Kd5! 3 Kf7 Ke4 =.
1...exf6 2 Kf8!
The sacrifice has changed the pawn-formation, and
Black will soon run out of moves.
2...f5 3 g5! +–
The bishop is trapped and the resulting pawn ending
is hopeless.

36) A. Grin
2nd HM, Lenin MT, Biulleten Tsentralnogo
Shakhmatnogo Kluba SSSR, 1990
My pieces for a skewer!
1 Ne2! Kxe2
1...b1Q? is met by 2 Nc3+, while 1...Kd2 is defeated
by 2 Nc3! Kxc3 3 h8Q+, winning.
2 Bf1+! Kd2
2...Kxf1 allows a horizontal skewer: 3 h8Q b1Q 4
Qh1+.
3 Bd3! Kxd3 4 h8Q b1Q 5 Qh7+
And now a diagonal one!
5...Kc3 6 Qxb1 +–

38) V. Platov
La Stratégie, 1907
Stalemate might still remain an option after all other
resources have let one down.
1 Ra5+ Kb1
1...Kb2 2 Nd3+ is an immediate fork.
2 Nf3!
37: White to play and win But not 2 Nc4? Nf3+!, when the forking square is
37) H. Rinck under control.
3rd Pr., Sala Imperio, 1916 2...Nxf3+
The well-coordinated rooks prove stronger than the 2...f1Q is obviously met by the fork 3 Nd2+.
queen:
3 Kg3 f1Q
1 Re6+ 3...f1R allows 4 Rxf5, with a ‘normal’ draw.
Not 1 Rh6+? Kb5 2 Rh5+ Ka4! 3 Rh4+ Ka3! 4
4 Ra1+! Kxa1 =
Kd2+ Ka2.
Stalemate.
1...Kb5 2 Re5+! Ka4! 3 Re4+! Ka3
3...Kb5 loses to 4 Rh5+ Kc6 5 Re6+ Kd7 6 Rh7+.
4 Kc4+! Ka4
4...Kb2 leads to a mate on the back rank: 5 Re2+
(not 5 Rh2+? Ka3! 6 Rh3+ Kb2) 5...Kc1 6 Rh1+.
5 Kd5+! Kb5! 6 Rb3+ Ka5 7 Ra3+ +–
The skewer wins the black queen.

39) D. Gurgenidze
Šachové Umenie, 1974
White refutes the ‘unavoidable’ stalemate with an
elegant mate:
1 Nc2! g4 2 Ne1 g3
The first self-block around the king...
3 Ke2 Kg1 4 Ng6 h1Q
...and the second one.
5 Nf3+ Kxg2 6 Nf4#
Mate following two active self-blocks.

40) T. Gorgiev
Shakhmaty, 1927
White can stop the black pawn without losing his
own if he employs a variety of tactical motifs. And it
takes just four moves:
1 Bd6!
Interfering on the promotion file while protecting the
e7-pawn.
1...d1Q+
Avoiding the fork following 1...Rxd6 2 Kd1 Re6 3
Bc4+.
2 Kxd1 Rxd6+ 3 Bd3!
The second decoy by a bishop!
3...Rxd3+
3...Re6 is met with the fork 4 Bc4+ once again.
4 Ke2 +–
Promotion is finally secured!
Hoch, Y. 6, 6, 9
Index of Names Kaev, L. 3, 5
Composers Kakovin, A. 6
Players Kichigin, V. 5
Kivi, V. 13
Composers
Kliatskin, M. 7
Numbers refer to chapters (I = Introduction). Kovalenko, V. 5, 9, 9, 10
Afanasiev, G. 12 Kozlowski, S. 2, 4, 6, 12, 12
Afek, Y. 7, 9, 13 Kralin, N. 5
Aitov, F. 11 Kubbel, L. 2, 2, 4, 4, 6, 7, 16, 16, 16
Åkerblom, A. 1 Lazard, F. 5, 12
Amirian, G. 3, 14 Lerman, J. 8
Anufriev, V. 13 Lewandowski, A. 14
Avni, A. 7 Liburkin, M. 8, 13
Barbier, G. 9 Lommer, H. 4, 7, 14
Bazlov, Y. 10 Maksimovskikh, A. 4, 5, 10, 11, 13, 15
Beliavsky, A. 10 Matouš, M. 3, 13
Benko, P. 9 Mattison, H. 3, 13, 13
Bent, C. 2, 14 Mees, W. 5
Bianchetti, R. 2 Mitrofanov, L. 3, 5, 5, 8, 10, 10, 10
Birnov, Z. 6 Moravec, J. 10, 10
Blandford, H. 9 Pachman, V. 3
Bron, V. 6 Perelman, M. 4
Dolgov, V. 10, 13 Petrov, D. 6
Dvizov, E. 12 Platov, M. 3, 8, 13
Farago, P. 9, 10, 13 Platov, V. 3, 8, 13, 16
Fritz, J. 2, 2, 3, 4, 6, 6, 6, 8, 8, 11, 14, 14 Pogosiants, E. I, 1, 1, 2, 2, 2, 3, 3, 6, 6, 6, 7, 8, 9, 11,
Gillberg, A. 5 11, 13, 13, 14, 15, 16, 16, 16
Gorgiev, T. 3, 5, 6, 8, 16 Prokeš, L. 1, 1, 2, 3, 3, 3, 4, 4, 5, 7, 8, 10, 10, 10, 11,
11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16, 16
Grin/Guliaev, A. 3, 4, 16, 6, 9, 10
Prokop, F. 10
Gunst, J. 6, 10
Proskurowski, W. 4, 8
Gurgenidze, D. 13, 16
Razumenko, V. 5
Gurvich, A. 6, 6
Réti, R. 6
Halberstadt, V. 8, 13
Richter, E. 6
Hašek, J. 9
Rinck, H. 3, 4, 4, 8, 10, 13, 14, 16, 16
Henneberger, M. 5
Rossi, P. 15
Herberg, A. 10
Saavedra, F 9
Herbstman, A. 4, 13
Sehwers, J. 11
Heuäcker, P. 6, 8
Selezniev, A. 7, 7, 7, 9, 12, 13
Hildebrand, A. 5, 6, 7, 13
Shupletsov, V. 4, 5, 15 BOTVINNIK – Goglidze; Keres; Keres; Liutov;
Matulović; Schneiderman Stepanov; Sharov;
Silaev, L. 3
Smyslov; Tal; Yurgis
Sochniev, A. 2
CAPABLANCA – Bernstein, O.; Fonaroff; Grommer;
Somov-Nasimovich, E. 13 Rossolimo; Spielmann; Vassaux
Topko, L. 12 CARLSEN – Hammer; Ibraev; Kamsky; Kariakin;
Troitsky, A. 1, 1, 1, 4, 5 Stefansson
Ulrichsen, J. 9, 15 CELLE – Fischer
Van der Heijden, H. 7 CHARBONNEAU – Anand
Van Vliet, L. 4 CHIBURDANIDZE – Cramling; Glek; Thomas, I.
Weenink, H. 5 COLLE – Alekhine
Wotawa, A. 6 CORTLEVER – Euwe
Yakimchik, V. 13, 6 CRAMLING – Chiburdanidze
Zakhodiakin, G. 1, 4, 4, 6, 8, 8, 10, 12, 12, 14, 14, DAO THIEN HAI – Kasparov
14 DEMBO – Stefanova
DENKER – Euwe
Players
DI CAMILLO – Fischer
When a player’s name appears in bold, that player EFROIMSKI – Kosteniuk
had White. Otherwise the FIRST-NAMED PLAYER was
EUWE – Alekhine; Cortlever; Denker; Fontein;
White.
Guimard; Lasker; Tartakower
ADAMS – Anand; Kramnik
FILIP – Spassky
ALEKHINE – Blümich; Bogoljubow; Colle; Euwe;
FISCHER – Benko; Bennett, J.; Bisguier; Celle; Di
Fletcher; Flohr; Frieman; Kmoch; Kussman; Lasker;
Camillo; Gligorić; Gligorić; Goldsmith; Letelier;
Nestor, A.; Pavlov Pianov; Potemkin; Reshevsky;
Lombardy; Pilnik; Reshevsky; Sherwin; Sherwin;
Rodzinski; Rubinstein; Sämisch; Spielmann;
Shocron; Sofrevski; Spassky; Spassky
Tenner; Torres Caravaca; Vasić; Verlinsky
FLETCHER – Alekhine
ANAND – Adams; Charbonneau; Gelfand; Ivanchuk;
Kasimdzhanov; Kasimdzhanov; Kasparov; FLOHR – Alekhine
Kramnik; Kramnik; Lautier; Lobron; Nikolić; FOGUELMAN – Spassky
Spassky
FONAROFF – Capablanca
ANDRUET – Spassky
FONTEIN – Euwe
BALASHOV – Petrosian
FRIEMAN – Alekhine
BANNIK – Tal
GALLIAMOVA – Kosteniuk
BARCZA – Tal; Tal
GAPRINDASHVILI – Litinskaya; Polgar, J.; Umudova
BAREEV – Kasparov
GELFAND – Anand
BENKO – Fischer; Tal
GEORGIEV, KI. – Karpov
BENNETT, J. – Fischer
GLEK – Chiburdanidze
BERNSTEIN, O. – Capablanca; Smyslov
GLIGORIĆ – Fischer; Fischer
BIRD – Steinitz
GOGLIDZE – Botvinnik
BISGUIER – Fischer
GOLDSMITH – Fischer
BLÜMICH – Alekhine
GOMES, M. – Stefanova
BOGOLJUBOW – Alekhine
GRAF, S. – Menchik
GROMMER – Capablanca
GUIMARD – Euwe; Smyslov MALICH – Tal
HAMMER – Carlsen MARSALEK – Spassky
HANHAM – Lasker MATULOVIĆ – Botvinnik
HARTSTON – Tal MEDINA GARCIA – Tal
HONFI – Tal MENCHIK – Graf, S.; Mora Iturralde
HOU YIFAN – Skripchenko MILMAN – Kosteniuk
IBRAEV – Carlsen MORA ITURRALDE – Menchik
IVANCHUK – Anand; Kasparov NAJDORF – Karpov; Kasparov
IVKOV – Petrosian; Xie Jun NESTOR, A. – Alekhine
KAMSKY – Carlsen NIKITIN/SAKHAROV – Kasparov
KARIAKIN – Carlsen NIKOLIĆ – Anand
KARPOV – Georgiev, Ki.; Khalifman; Korchnoi; NN – Lasker; Lasker; Steinitz; Tal
Korchnoi; Krasenkow; Lautier; Najdorf; Sax; NOVOPASHIN – Popov, N.
Szoldos; Timman; Topalov
OLL – Smyslov
KASIMDZHANOV – Anand; Anand
PACHMAN – Petrosian
KASPAROV – Anand; Bareev; Dao Thien Hai;
Ivanchuk; Korchnoi; Kramnik; Najdorf; PAOLI – Smyslov
Nikitin/Sakharov; Portisch; Smirin; Topalov PAVLOV PIANOV – Alekhine
KELLER – Tal PETROSIAN – Balashov; Ivkov; Keres; Korchnoi;
KERES – Botvinnik; Botvinnik; Petrosian Pachman; Simagin; Taimanov; Tal
KHALIFMAN – Karpov PILNIK – Fischer
KMOCH – Alekhine PLATONOV – Tal
KOBLENCS – Tal POLGAR, J. – Gaprindashvili
KORCHNOI – Karpov; Karpov; Kasparov; POLGAR, ZSU. – Todorčević; Yudasin
Petrosian; Spassky POPOV, N. – Novopashin
KOSTENIUK – Efroimski; Galliamova; Milman; PORTISCH – Kasparov
Ushenina
POTEMKIN – Alekhine
KRAMNIK – Adams; Anand; Anand; Kasparov;
Lobron; Radjabov; Yudasin RADJABOV – Kramnik
KRASENKOW – Karpov RAMON PEREZ – Stefanova
KUSSMAN – Alekhine RESHEVSKY – Alekhine; Fischer
LARSEN – Spassky; Spassky RIBLI – Spassky
LASKER – Alekhine; Euwe; Hanham; NN; NN; RODZINSKI – Alekhine
Steinitz; Von Scheve ROSSOLIMO – Capablanca
LAUTIER – Anand; Karpov RUBINSTEIN – Alekhine
LETELIER – Fischer; Tal SÄMISCH – Alekhine
LILIENTHAL – Smyslov SANTO-ROMAN – Spassky
LISITSYN – Smyslov SAX – Karpov
LITINSKAYA – Gaprindashvili SCHNEIDERMAN STEPANOV – Botvinnik
LIUTOV – Botvinnik SHAROV – Botvinnik
LOBRON – Anand; Kramnik SHERWIN – Fischer; Fischer
LOMBARDY – Fischer SHOCRON – Fischer
SICH – Steinitz VON SCHEVE – Lasker
SIMAGIN – Petrosian WANG LEI – Stefanova
SKRIPCHENKO – Hou Yifan XIE JUN – Ivkov; Tisdall
SLIWA – Smyslov YUDASIN – Kramnik; Polgar, Zsu.
SMIRIN – Kasparov YURGIS – Botvinnik
SMYSLOV – Bernstein, O.; Botvinnik; Guimard; ZHUKOVA – Stefanova
Lilienthal; Lisitsyn; Oll; Paoli; Sliwa; Tal; ZILBER – Tal
Unzicker; Vasiukov
SOFREVSKI – Fischer
SPASSKY – Anand; Andruet; Filip; Fischer;
Fischer; Foguelman; Korchnoi; Larsen; Larsen;
Marsalek; Ribli; Santo-Roman
SPIELMANN – Alekhine; Capablanca
STEFANOVA – Dembo; Gomes, M.; Ramon Perez;
Wang Lei; Zhukova
STEFANSSON – Carlsen
STEINITZ – Bird; Lasker; NN; Sich
STREICHER – Tal
SUETIN – Tal
SZOLDOS – Karpov
TAIMANOV – Petrosian
TAL – Bannik; Barcza; Barcza; Benko; Botvinnik;
Hartston; Honfi; Keller; Koblencs; Letelier; Malich;
Medina Garcia; NN; Petrosian; Platonov; Smyslov;
Streicher; Suetin; Tringov; Ulski; Zilber
TARTAKOWER – Euwe
TENNER – Alekhine
THOMAS, I. – Chiburdanidze
TIMMAN – Karpov
TISDALL – Xie Jun
TODORČEVIĆ – Polgar, Zsu.
TOPALOV – Karpov; Kasparov
TORRES CARAVACA – Alekhine
TRINGOV – Tal
ULSKI – Tal
UMUDOVA – Gaprindashvili
UNZICKER – Smyslov
USHENINA – Kosteniuk
VASIĆ – Alekhine
VASIUKOV – Smyslov
VASSAUX – Capablanca
VERLINSKY – Alekhine
Copyright Information About the Author
First published in printed form in the UK by Gambit Yochanan Afek is both a Grandmaster of
Publications Ltd in 2017 Composition and an over-the-board International
First Kindle edition published by Gambit Master. This unique combination of talents makes
Publications Ltd in 2017 him a highly insightful writer, noted for his work on
the factors that make moves hard to see. He grew up
Copyright © Yochanan Afek 2017 in Tel-Aviv and now lives in Amsterdam. His
greatest over-the-board success was winning the
The right of Yochanan Afek to be identified as the Paris Championship in 2002.
author of this work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. About Gambit
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may
be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a
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any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, publishing company catering for players of all skill
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publication or images thereof may be transmitted via Nunn, Grandmaster Murray Chandler, and FIDE
the Internet or uploaded to a website without the Master Graham Burgess.
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Chess Explained: The Queen’s Gambit Declined
The Giant Chess Puzzle Book – Zenon Franco – James Rizzitano
Understanding Chess Endgames – John Nunn Chess Explained: The French – Viacheslav
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Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian – Alex
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Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 – John
Watson Chess Explained: The Modern Benoni – Zenon
Franco
Watson Chess Explained: The Meran Semi-Slav –
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Watson Chess Explained: The Taimanov Sicilian – James
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Watson Chess Explained: The Main-Line Slav – David
Vigorito
Graham Burgess Chess Explained: The English Opening – Zenon
Franco
Understanding the Chess Openings – Sam Collins
Win with the Stonewall Dutch – Sverre Johnsen,
How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire – Ivar Bern and Simen Agdestein
Steve Giddins
Win with the London System – Sverre Johnsen
101 Chess Opening Traps – Steve Giddins and Vlatko Kovačević
The Quickest Chess Victories of All Time (new The Dynamic English – Tony Kosten
enlarged edition) – Graham Burgess
A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White
125 Chess Opening Surprises – Graham Burgess – John Watson
The Cambridge Springs – Krzysztof Panczyk and
Jacek Ilczuk
Opening Books: Specific and Understanding the King’s Indian – Mikhail

Golubev
Repertoire Play the Sicilian Dragon – Edward Dearing
A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire (new Mastering the Najdorf – Julen Arizmendi and
enlarged edition) – Aaron Summerscale and Sverre Javier Moreno
Johnsen Play the Open Games as Black – John Emms
Attack with Black – Valery Aveskulov Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black – Dorian
A Rock-Solid Chess Opening Repertoire for Rogozenko
Black – Viacheslav Eingorn The Gambit Guide to the Torre Attack – Graham
Grandmaster Secrets: The Caro-Kann – Peter Burgess
Wells An Explosive Chess Opening Repertoire for
Play the Najdorf Sicilian – James Rizzitano Black – Jouni Yrjölä and Jussi Tella
Understanding the Scandinavian – Sergey Essential Chess Sacrifices – David LeMoir
Kasparov A Course in Chess Tactics – Dejan Bojkov and
How to Beat 1 d4 – James Rizzitano Vladimir Georgiev
Understanding the Leningrad Dutch – Valeri A Complete Chess Course – Antonio Gude
Beim
Problem Chess: Art and Magic on the
The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black – Sverre Chessboard – Göran Forslund
Johnsen and Leif Erlend Johannessen Fundamental Checkmates – Antonio Gude
Understanding the Marshall Attack – David Instructive Chess Miniatures – Alper Efe Ataman
Vigorito
Extreme Chess Tactics – Yochanan Afek
A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White –
Sam Collins Fundamental Chess Tactics – Antonio Gude
Play the Classical Dutch – Simon Williams
The Slav – Graham Burgess
Understanding the Sicilian – Mikhail Golubev Strategy and Training
My Secrets in the Ruy Lopez – Lajos Portisch
125 Chess Opening Surprises – Graham Burgess der Sterren
Understanding Pawn Play in Chess – Dražen
Marović
Tactics, Exercises and Puzzles Understanding Chess Middlegames – John Nunn

Chess for Zebras – Jonathan Rowson
How to Beat Your Dad at Chess – Murray Understanding Chess Move by Move – John Nunn
Chandler
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy – John Watson
Chess Tactics for Kids – Murray Chandler
Chess Strategy in Action – John Watson
The Gambit Book of Instructive Chess Puzzles –
Graham Burgess Secrets of Practical Chess (new enlarged edition)
– John Nunn
Chess Puzzles for Kids – Murray Chandler
The Road to Chess Improvement – Alex
The Most Amazing Chess Moves of All Time – Yermolinsky
John Emms
John Nunn’s Chess Course – John Nunn
The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book – John Emms
Secrets of Positional Chess – Dražen Marović
365 Ways to Checkmate – Joe Gallagher
Secrets of Chess Defence – Mihail Marin
1001 Deadly Checkmates – John Nunn
Secrets of Attacking Chess – Mihail Marin
Learn Chess Tactics – John Nunn
How to Play Chess Endgames – Karsten Müller
101 Chess Opening Traps – Steve Giddins and Wolfgang Pajeken
Endgame Challenge – John Nunn 101 Winning Chess Strategies – Angus Dunnington
John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book – John Nunn Dynamic Pawn Play in Chess – Dražen Marović
The Giant Chess Puzzle Book – Zenon Franco Chess Training for Budding Champions – Jesper
How to Calculate Chess Tactics – Valeri Beim Hall
Perfect Your Chess – Andrei Volokitin and 50 Essential Chess Lessons – Steve Giddins
Vladimir Grabinsky How Chess Games are Won and Lost – Lars Bo
The Quickest Chess Victories of All Time (new Hansen
enlarged edition) – Graham Burgess Essential Chess Sacrifices – David LeMoir
How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician – David Storming the Barricades – Larry Christiansen
LeMoir
Chess for Life – Matthew Sadler and Natasha Endgame Challenge – John Nunn
Regan How to Play Chess Endgames – Karsten Müller
Fundamental Checkmates – Antonio Gude and Wolfgang Pajeken
Instructive Chess Miniatures – Alper Efe Ataman Secrets of Pawn Endings – Karsten Müller and
Frank Lamprecht
The Seven Deadly Chess Sins – Jonathan Rowson
Secrets of Rook Endings – John Nunn
Chess Strategy for Kids – Thomas Engqvist
Secrets of Pawnless Endings – John Nunn
How to Play Dynamic Chess – Valeri Beim
The Survival Guide to Rook Endings – John
Improve Your Positional Chess – Carsten Hansen
Emms
The Chess Attacker’s Handbook – Michael Song
Chess Endgames for Kids – Karsten Müller
and Razvan Preotu
Fundamental Chess Tactics – Antonio Gude Problem Chess: Art and Magic on the
Chessboard – Göran Forslund
Understanding Rook Endgames – Karsten Müller
and Yakov Konoval
Game Collections Solving in Style – John Nunn
Extreme Chess Tactics – Yochanan Afek
Understanding Chess Move by Move – John Nunn
Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume
1 – Igor Stohl
Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume Complete List
2 – Igor Stohl
John Nunn’s Chess Course – John Nunn
der Sterren
Vishy Anand: World Chess Champion – Vishy
Anand and John Nunn
Frank Lamprecht
Secrets of Grandmaster Chess – John Nunn
A Cunning Chess Opening Repertoire for White
John Nunn’s Best Games – John Nunn – Graham Burgess
The Quickest Chess Victories of All Time (new Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1 – John
enlarged edition) – Graham Burgess Watson
50 Essential Chess Lessons – Steve Giddins Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 2 – John
Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces – Igor Watson
Stohl Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 3 – John
Grandmaster Chess Move by Move – John Nunn Watson
Instructive Chess Miniatures – Alper Efe Ataman Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 4 – John
Watson
My Secrets in the Ruy Lopez – Lajos Portisch
Graham Burgess
A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire (new
Endgames, Studies and enlarged edition) – Aaron Summerscale and Sverre
Johnsen
Problems How to Beat Your Dad at Chess – Murray
Chandler
Frank Lamprecht Chess Tactics for Kids – Murray Chandler
Understanding Chess Endgames – John Nunn Attack with Black – Valery Aveskulov
Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 1 – John Nunn The Gambit Book of Instructive Chess Puzzles –
Graham Burgess
Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 2 – John Nunn
Chess Puzzles for Kids – Murray Chandler Chess Explained: The Queen’s Indian – Peter
Wells
Understanding Pawn Play in Chess – Dražen
Marović Chess Explained: The Modern Benoni – Zenon
Franco
The Most Amazing Chess Moves of All Time –
John Emms Chess Explained: The Meran Semi-Slav –
Reinaldo Vera
A Rock-Solid Chess Opening Repertoire for
Black – Viacheslav Eingorn Chess Explained: The Taimanov Sicilian – James
Rizzitano
Understanding Chess Middlegames – John Nunn
Chess Explained: The Main-Line Slav – David
Understanding the Chess Openings – Sam Collins
Vigorito
The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book – John Emms
Chess Explained: The English Opening – Zenon
Chess for Zebras – Jonathan Rowson Franco
Understanding Chess Move by Move – John Nunn Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 1 – John Nunn
365 Ways to Checkmate – Joe Gallagher Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 2 – John Nunn
1001 Deadly Checkmates – John Nunn Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy – John Watson 1 – Igor Stohl
Chess Strategy in Action – John Watson Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume
2 – Igor Stohl
Learn Chess Tactics – John Nunn
Endgame Challenge – John Nunn
How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire –
Steve Giddins John Nunn’s Chess Course – John Nunn
Secrets of Practical Chess (new enlarged edition) Win with the Stonewall Dutch – Sverre Johnsen,
– John Nunn Ivar Bern and Simen Agdestein
The Road to Chess Improvement – Alex Secrets of Positional Chess – Dražen Marović
Yermolinsky Secrets of Chess Defence – Mihail Marin
Understanding Chess Endgames – John Nunn Secrets of Attacking Chess – Mihail Marin
101 Chess Opening Traps – Steve Giddins Vishy Anand: World Chess Champion – Vishy
Learn Chess – John Nunn Anand and John Nunn
Chess for Children – Murray Chandler and Helen Win with the London System – Sverre Johnsen
Milligan and Vlatko Kovačević
Grandmaster Secrets: The Caro-Kann – Peter How to Play Chess Endgames – Karsten Müller
Wells and Wolfgang Pajeken
Play the Najdorf Sicilian – James Rizzitano 101 Winning Chess Strategies – Angus Dunnington
Play the Alekhine – Valentin Bogdanov The Dynamic English – Tony Kosten
Chess Explained: The Queen’s Gambit Declined A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White
– James Rizzitano – John Watson
Chess Explained: The French – Viacheslav John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book – John Nunn
Eingorn and Valentin Bogdanov Secrets of Pawn Endings – Karsten Müller and
Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian – Alex Frank Lamprecht
Yermolinsky Secrets of Rook Endings – John Nunn
Chess Explained: The c3 Sicilian – Sam Collins Secrets of Pawnless Endings – John Nunn
Chess Explained: The Grünfeld – Valentin Secrets of Grandmaster Chess – John Nunn
Bogdanov
John Nunn’s Best Games – John Nunn
Chess Explained: The Nimzo-Indian – Reinaldo
Dynamic Pawn Play in Chess – Dražen Marović
Vera
The Survival Guide to Rook Endings – John The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black – Sverre
Emms Johnsen and Leif Erlend Johannessen
The Giant Chess Puzzle Book – Zenon Franco Understanding the Marshall Attack – David
Vigorito
The Cambridge Springs – Krzysztof Panczyk and
Jacek Ilczuk Understanding Rook Endgames – Karsten Müller
and Yakov Konoval
Understanding the King’s Indian – Mikhail
Golubev Chess for Life – Matthew Sadler and Natasha
Regan
How to Calculate Chess Tactics – Valeri Beim
Fundamental Checkmates – Antonio Gude
Perfect Your Chess – Andrei Volokitin and
Vladimir Grabinsky A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White –
Sam Collins
Chess Training for Budding Champions – Jesper
Hall Instructive Chess Miniatures – Alper Efe Ataman
Play the Sicilian Dragon – Edward Dearing Play the Classical Dutch – Simon Williams
Mastering the Najdorf – Julen Arizmendi and The Seven Deadly Chess Sins – Jonathan Rowson
Javier Moreno The Slav – Graham Burgess
The Quickest Chess Victories of All Time (new Chess Strategy for Kids – Thomas Engqvist
enlarged edition) – Graham Burgess
Your First Chess Lessons – Paul van der Sterren
How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician – David
LeMoir How to Play Dynamic Chess – Valeri Beim
Play the Open Games as Black – John Emms Improve Your Positional Chess – Carsten Hansen
Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black – Dorian Solving in Style – John Nunn
Rogozenko Understanding the Sicilian – Mikhail Golubev
50 Essential Chess Lessons – Steve Giddins My Secrets in the Ruy Lopez – Lajos Portisch
Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces – Igor Extreme Chess Tactics – Yochanan Afek
Stohl
The Chess Attacker’s Handbook – Michael Song
The Gambit Guide to the Torre Attack – Graham and Razvan Preotu
Burgess
125 Chess Opening Surprises – Graham Burgess
An Explosive Chess Opening Repertoire for
Black – Jouni Yrjölä and Jussi Tella Fundamental Chess Tactics – Antonio Gude
How Chess Games are Won and Lost – Lars Bo FCO: Fundamental Chess Openings
Hansen Paul van der Sterren
Essential Chess Sacrifices – David LeMoir This just has to be the perfect single-volume survival
A Course in Chess Tactics – Dejan Bojkov and guide. All openings are covered, with detailed verbal
Vladimir Georgiev explanations of plans for both sides.
Chess Endgames for Kids – Karsten Müller The first moves of a chess game define the nature of
the whole struggle, as both players stake their claim
Storming the Barricades – Larry Christiansen to the critical squares and start to develop their
A Complete Chess Course – Antonio Gude plans. It is essential to play purposefully and to
avoid falling into traps or reaching a position that
Problem Chess: Art and Magic on the you don’t understand. This is not a book that
Chessboard – Göran Forslund provides masses of variations to memorize. Paul van
Understanding the Scandinavian – Sergey der Sterren instead offers a wealth of ideas and
Kasparov explanation, together with the basic variations of
each and every opening. This knowledge will equip
Grandmaster Chess Move by Move – John Nunn
players to succeed in the opening up to good club
How to Beat 1 d4 – James Rizzitano level, and provide a superb grounding in opening
Understanding the Leningrad Dutch – Valeri play on which to build a more sophisticated
Beim repertoire. The strategies he explains will, unlike
ever-changing chess opening theory, remain valid as In this major four-volume work, Watson explains
long as chess is played, and so the time spent not only the ideas and strategies behind specific
studying this book will be rewarded many times openings, but also the interconnections of chess
over. openings taken as a whole. By presenting the
Also available on Chess Studio. common threads that underlie opening play, he
provides a permanent basis for playing openings of
“The format of the book is very friendly, openings any type. Volume 1 offers both entertainment and
very clearly set out and identified, with the challenging study material in king’s pawn openings
variations touched upon in short and sweet sections” such as the Sicilian and Ruy Lopez.
– John Lee Shaw, CHESS CHECK (e-zine)
Also available on Chess Studio.
Fundamental Chess Endings Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
Karsten Müller and Frank Lamprecht “The publication of this series is a bellwether event
This is the first truly modern one-volume endgame in chess publishing, and all players should avail
encyclopaedia. It makes full use of endgame themselves of the opportunity to read these books.”
tablebases and analytical engines that access these – Mark Donlan, CHESS HORIZONS
tablebases; where previous authors could only make “All of these epic Watson works have one thing in
educated guesses, Müller and Lamprecht have often common. You walk away after reading with a deeper
been able to state the definitive truth, or get much understanding of chess.” – Pete Tamburro, CHESS
closer to it. Covers all major types of endgame, LIFE
featuring rules of thumb, thinking methods,
principles, practical advice, and much more. Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 2
Also available on Chess Studio. John Watson
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. Watson presents a wide-ranging view of the way in
“The authors love the endgame phase of the game which top-class players really handle the opening,
and this shows in the writing. ... Anyone reading it rather than an idealized and simplified model. This
will seriously improve their game.” – British Chess volume, focusing on queen’s pawn openings, will
Federation Book of the Year Award press release make chess-players think hard about how they begin
their games. It also offers both entertainment and
A Cunning Chess Opening Repertoire for White challenging study material in openings such as the
Graham Burgess Nimzo-Indian, King’s Indian and the entire Queen’s
Gambit complex.
A good opening repertoire need not require an
enormous amount of study to be highly effective. A Also available on Chess Studio.
cunning choice of lines and move-orders can steer Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
the game to positions that we like and deny the “Watson has managed to present the most important
opponent his preferred strategies. The main openings after 1 d4 and analyses them in detail as
cornerstones of this repertoire are carefully chosen well as explaining the backgrounds. ... you have the
Queen’s Gambit lines, the Torre Attack (vs ...e6), feeling you are holding a real classic in your hand. It
and a variety of fianchetto options against the King’s may sound exaggerated, but I believe Watson is a
Indian and related set-ups. White’s position is kept sort of modern Aron Nimzowitsch. Absolutely
highly flexible, with many possible transpositions to recommended!” – Martin Rieger, WWW.FREECHESS.DE
a wide variety of systems that the reader can use to
extend and vary the repertoire. The book features a Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 3
wealth of new ideas and original analysis. John Watson
In the third volume of his highly acclaimed series,
“This is the way opening books should be written. It Watson moves on to flank openings. He provides in-
is a training repertoire book which you can use to depth coverage of the English Opening, while
build a solid white repertoire for your career. It is drawing upon many themes from the first two books.
not a ‘hope they make a mistake and fall for the trap’ Particularly in the context of reversed and analogous
book. Best value if you want to learn to play the forms of standard structures, we understand why
opening like a grandmaster.” – Danny Woodall, certain ideas work and others don’t, and experience
Amazon.com review the concept of ‘Cross-Pollination’ at work in even
more varied forms than seen in earlier volumes.
Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 1
John Watson
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. “To be able to provide both enthusiasm, inspiration
“This volume can be read separate from the other and basic knowledge is a praiseworthy effort.” –
FARBRORTHEGURU.BLOGSPOT.COM
two in this series; however, I recommend reading all
three books. They will truly take your game to the A Killer Chess Opening Repertoire (new
next level and help you understand the opening enlarged edition)
phase so much better, as well as help minimize the Aaron Summerscale and Sverre Johnsen
risk of starting the game out from an inferior
position. Those who play the English Opening Bored with the same old openings? Worried about
should buy this book without any hesitation. This having to learn too much theory? Then this book – a
book is a modern classic. It is genuinely instructive set of exceptionally dangerous opening weapons for
and provides numerous examples of original White – will come as a godsend. The queen’s pawn
analysis and improvements over existing theory.” – repertoire is based on rapid piece development, and
Carsten Hansen, CHESSCAFE.COM includes many lethal attacking ideas and traps.
Mastering the Chess Openings Volume 4
John Watson “Johnsen has chosen to build on the first edition,
addressing the areas where theory has substantially
This final volume draws together many themes in a changed or Summerscale’s original coverage needed
wide-ranging discussion of general opening topics. expanding. Offers a nice mix for the player who
In the process, Watson covers a variety of opening doesn’t like to study theory too much but still wants
structures and variations not seen in the earlier a chance to come out of the opening with chances
volumes and presents a great wealth of original for an advantage” – IM John Donaldson, US Team
analysis. He also explains how players should best Captain
prepare and choose their openings for the level at
which they play. The final topics are the future of How to Beat Your Dad at Chess
chess openings and the skills that will be most Murray Chandler
important as chess evolves in the forthcoming
The enduring bestseller – explaining in simple terms
decades.
all the basic checkmate patterns. Learn about the 50
Also available on Chess Studio. Deadly Checkmates – attacking patterns that occur
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. repeatedly in games between players of all
“The section on gambit play is extremely well done standards.
and must reading for any player coming up through Also available on Chess Studio.
the ranks. So too is the following chapter ‘Choosing Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
and Preparing Openings’ which is pure gold. Watson
“Fun to read for players of any age or any strength”
gives well-considered suggestions for appropriate
– GM Lubosh Kavalek, WASHINGTON POST
openings for players from just beyond beginner to
2300 that will solve many amateurs’ perennial Chess Tactics for Kids
headache. Highly Recommended” – IM John Murray Chandler
Donaldson, US Team Captain
In an easy-to-understand format, this book explains
Chess Openings for Kids how to bamboozle your chess opponents using
John Watson and Graham Burgess commonly occurring tactical motifs. 50 different
tactical motifs are covered, all leading to the win of
This book teaches the names and starting moves of
material.
all the main chess openings, and explains the basic
ideas. Beginners will learn how to position their Also available on Chess Studio.
pieces for maximum impact. More experienced Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
players will discover some remarkable tactical and “As a teacher of scholastic/junior players, I have
strategic themes that are vital for chess mastery. long wished for a comprehensive yet brief and
Also available on Chess Studio. inexpensive guide to chess tactics. Finally a work
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. that fills the bill” – Bill Whited, CHESS COUNTRY
“A very succinct overview of the main openings and Attack with Black
the ideas behind them” – GM Luke McShane, NEW Valery Aveskulov
IN CHESS
Need a reliable way to fight for the initiative when
White plays 1 d4? Grandmaster Aveskulov presents
a sound but ultra-aggressive repertoire based on struggle. They can be blockers, battering-rams, self-
gambits that have proved their worth in grandmaster sacrificing heroes, and can even be promoted to the
play over many years. The Benko Gambit offers ranks of royalty. Marović investigates high-quality
Black very active piece-play and intense positional games to provide the reader with an armoury of
pressure. If White dodges the Benko, we hit him pawn-play concepts that will help him make the
with the Blumenfeld, sacrificing a pawn to set up a right judgements at the board.
strong pawn-centre. Aveskulov examines all of Also available on Chess Studio.
White’s options and move-orders after 1 d4 Nf6. Also available as a German-language Kindle edition.
“GM Marović utilizes all his experience as a GM
“This isn’t like previous books on the Benko ... this and trainer to outline appropriate strategies
book has the real strength of taking the total Black associated with specific pawn-structures: isolated
approach in hand. Anyone looking to fill out a full pawns (specifically IQP), isolated pawn couples,
defense to 1 d4 would do well to pick this up.” – Bill hanging pawns, passed, doubled and backward
McGeary, WWW.CHESSVILLE.COM pawns, pawn-chains and pawn-islands. This
The Gambit Book of Instructive Chess Puzzles approach ... has of course been attempted before, but
not, that I have seen, with such clarity as in this
Graham Burgess book” – Jonathan Tait, BCCA
Solving chess puzzles is one of the most effective The Most Amazing Chess Moves of All Time
ways to improve your game. This convenient book
provides 300 exercises, with instructive points John Emms
highlighted in the solutions. Very occasionally, a chess move is played that
Also available as a German-language Kindle edition. astonishes the whole world. It may be a move of
astounding complexity, unearthly beauty, deep
“There are several things a successful book on
paradox... or all three. The move is discussed and
tactical puzzles should have. They include examples
analysed around the world as chess-players attempt
that are not well-known, material arranged not by
to fathom both why the move works, and how on
theme but by degree of difficulty and perhaps most
earth anyone thought of it in the first place. In this
importantly solutions that are detailed enough to
book John Emms has selected, from hundreds of
explain to the student why they went wrong. Burgess
candidates, the 200 most amazing chess moves of all
passes all these tests with flying colors.” – IM John
time. In each case, the reader is given the chance to
Donaldson, US Team Captain
try to find the move for himself – making this one of
Chess Puzzles for Kids the most challenging chess puzzle books ever
Murray Chandler published.
This chess puzzle super-challenge contains 100 fun
positions to solve, ranging from encouragingly easy “...you are getting double value for money – a
to mind-numbingly hard. Using an innovative wonderful games collection and a ‘find the
format, every puzzle is preceded by an instructive continuation’ complication. A really enjoyable and
example, illustrating an important pattern. Chess instructive book.” – Alan Sutton, EN PASSANT
Puzzles for Kids will quickly enable children to A Rock-Solid Chess Opening Repertoire for
enjoy using their new-found skills to outwit friends Black
and relatives.
Viacheslav Eingorn
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. Grandmaster Eingorn shows that it is possible both
to play solidly, and to take White out of his comfort
“Grandmaster Murray Chandler writes excellent zone. The repertoire, based on playing 1...e6, is
books for kids who already know how to play. ... strikingly creative and will appeal to those who want
presents the mating and tactical patterns in such a a stress-free life as Black. You will get every chance
clear and entertaining way that it is a joy to read it.” to demonstrate your chess skills, and are very
– GM Lubosh Kavalek, HUFFINGTON POST unlikely to be blown off the board by a sharp
Understanding Pawn Play in Chess prepared line. Eingorn’s subtle move-orders are
particularly effective if White refuses to pick up the
Dražen Marović
gauntlet, as Black can then use his delay in playing
Chess owes its extraordinary depth to pawns. These ...Nf6 to good effect and take the fight directly to his
humble pieces can take on many roles in the chess opponent.
Also available on Chess Studio. masters and grandmasters” – Leonard Barden,
“...shows depth of reading and balanced research. ... EVENING STANDARD
A pleasure to recommend this little gem of a book. Chess for Zebras
... Perhaps the best book of 2012 so far. A creative
effort.” – James Pratt, BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE Jonathan Rowson
Understanding Chess Middlegames An insight into human idiosyncrasies, in all phases

of the game. The reader will begin to appreciate
John Nunn chess at a more profound level, while enjoying a
The middlegame is the phase of the chess battle book overflowing with common sense and humour.
where most games are decided, yet is the one that Also available on Chess Studio.
has received the least systematic treatment from Also available as a German-language Kindle edition.
chess writers. With the outstanding clarity for which
he is famous, Nunn breaks down complex problems “I warmly recommend the book, especially to
into bite-sized pieces. Each of the 100 lessons players frustrated by a long period of stagnation.
features two inspiring examples from modern chess, Most chess books attempt to change what we think,
with a clear focus on the key instructive points. but Rowson’s helps us to change how we think, and
in the long run, that’s what will pay the biggest
dividends” – Dennis Monokroussos, CHESS TODAY
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
Understanding Chess Move by Move
“I own several books on the Middlegame in chess
written by esteemed Grandmasters but this one is John Nunn
probably my favourite. John Nunn knows his Thirty modern games are examined in depth, to help
subject; he is three-times World Chess Solving the reader understand the most important aspects of
Champion” – Carl Portman, CARLSPLANET.CO.UK chess and to illustrate modern chess principles in
Understanding the Chess Openings action. Virtually every move is explained using
words that everyone can understand.
Sam Collins
A comprehensive guide to all important chess Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
openings. There is coverage of all major variations,
and helpful descriptions and explanation of the “This is a great book from one of the best chess
typical strategies for both sides. writers in the world. He does a fine job explaining
the plans ‘move by move’ so everybody can
understand what it’s all about” – Søren Søgaard,
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. SEAGAARD REVIEWS
“Anyone rated under 1700 should own this book and 365 Ways to Checkmate
even higher rated players who are looking to fill in
the blanks in their repertoire can benefit. It arms you Joe Gallagher
with the knowledge of where to focus your resources Tactics based on checkmate ideas against the enemy
when investing money on other opening books.” – king decide a large proportion of chess games, so it
Carsten Hansen, CHESSCAFE.COM is vital to be alert to these possibilities when they
The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book occur. Joe Gallagher provides 365 checkmate
puzzles to help readers sharpen their skills. In each
John Emms position, the task is to find a way to force a clear-cut
This book provides a wealth of puzzle positions to win.
test just about every facet of your tactical skills. The “One of the things that makes this a good book is
book begins with 100 relatively easy positions Gallagher’s skill at selecting examples and placing
suitable for novices, and ends with 100 extremely them at the right level of difficulty. Another is
tough puzzles, which provide a mind-bending offering detailed solutions which often cover
challenge even for top-class players. There are 1001 plausible sidelines that might have attracted the
puzzles in all. reader.” – IM John Donaldson, JEREMYSILMAN.COM
1001 Deadly Checkmates
John Nunn
“The material is well chosen, and a marking system
enables you to assess your performance relative to The ability to spot checkmates is a vital skill – and
this easy-to-use book shows you how it is done.
With the help of Grandmaster John Nunn, you will How to Build Your Chess Opening Repertoire
be ready to shock your next opponent with a deadly Steve Giddins
checkmate, whether in a school match, a club
tournament – or even a championship game! Whether a novice or a master, every player needs to
select an opening repertoire. In this book, the first to
focus on these issues, Steve Giddins provides
common-sense guidance on one of the perennial
“A great book, which I think will be useful to a wide problems facing chess-players. He tackles questions
range of players, say from 1400 to 2400. Chess is such as: whether to play main lines, offbeat openings
largely a matter of pattern recognition, so exercises or ‘universal’ systems; how to avoid being ‘move-
like these are useful to everyone.” – Frederick ordered’; how to use computers; and if and when to
Rhine, CHICAGOCHESS.BLOGSPOT.COM depart from or change your repertoire.
Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy Also available on Chess Studio.
Also available as a German-language Kindle edition.
John Watson
“I can recommend this book unreservedly to anyone
In a profound but thoroughly practical manner, this
who is serious about improving” – Phil Adams, 3Cs
classic work explores how chess concepts have
website
evolved over the past 70 years. Acclaimed double-
winner of the British Chess Federation and United Secrets of Practical Chess (new enlarged edition)
States Chess Federation ‘Book of the Year’ awards. John Nunn
What is the best way to improve your chess results?
Memorizing openings, learning endgames... there
“can, without resorting to hyperbole, be considered a must be an easier way! How about making the most
classic” – GM Nigel Short, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH of your existing talent? Contains 45% more material
Chess Strategy in Action than the first edition.
John Watson
“Grandmaster John Nunn offers practical advice on
Here Watson fleshes out the theory presented to how to improve your chess results. It includes
enormous acclaim in Secrets of Modern Chess guidance on making decisions at the board, the study
Strategy. He illustrates the modern practice of chess of opening, middlegame and endgame play, use of
with examples from imaginative players such as computers plus the selection and use of chess books.
Kasparov, Kramnik, Anand and Ivanchuk, and ... I found the chapters on use of computers and the
tempestuous innovators like Shirov and Morozevich. selection and use of chess books of particular
Also available on Chess Studio. interest” – David Mills, TIME TROUBLE
The Road to Chess Improvement
“...above all else Watson is excellent at explaining
Alex Yermolinsky
these mysterious grandmaster concepts to the club
player” – IM Richard Palliser, CHESS MONTHLY “How can I improve my game?” is a perennial
question facing chess-players. Alex Yermolinsky is
Learn Chess Tactics well-qualified to offer advice – having trained
John Nunn himself, slowly but surely raising his game to top-
This book teaches basic tactical ideas such as the class grandmaster standard. In this award-winning
fork, pin and discovered attack, and introduces book he passes on many of the insights he has
general ideas like elimination, immobilization and gained over the years, steering the reader away from
compulsion. A basic knowledge of simple tactics ‘quick-fix’ approaches and focusing on the critical
will enable a novice to start winning games, by areas of chess understanding and over-the-board
giving checkmate or capturing material. decision-making.
“The quality of the material, the fine layout, and the “a magnificent achievement, by far the finest book
enlightening comments make this book the ideal I’ve ever seen on the subject of practical play” – GM
introduction to chess tactics for the inexperienced Matthew Sadler, NEW IN CHESS
player.” – SCHACHMARKT Understanding Chess Endgames
John Nunn Chess is widely recognized as a useful tool for
developing creative thinking in children, yet the
Assuming no specialized endgame knowledge, John
rules of the game are straightforward. With this
Nunn presents 100 key endgame concepts, and
book, even children as young as five can enjoy
explains how they are used to win games or save
exciting games and will thoroughly enjoy outwitting
difficult positions. He covers all the main types of
friends and relatives.
endgames and typical thinking methods, and so
equips readers with all the skills needed to excel in Also available on Chess Studio.
this vital phase of the game up to good club level Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
and beyond. “...the best book of its type ever published” – Peter
Also available on Chess Studio. Connor, CHESSCOUNTRY.COM
“The highly professional design of this book
“A fantastic endgame primer ... Nunn has distilled a commends it for use in chess lessons for beginners”
vast amount of detailed endgame research into clear – Dr W. Schweizer, ROCHADE
and well-presented chunks. There are 100 short
Grandmaster Secrets: The Caro-Kann
sections, each with four examples, each with a
diagram, fitting neatly across two pages” – GM Peter Wells
Daniel King, THE GUARDIAN The Caro-Kann is one of the most popular responses
101 Chess Opening Traps to 1 e4. Black stakes a claim to the central squares
and seeks free development for all his pieces. While
Steve Giddins solid, it is by no means a drawing weapon – the
This timeless collection of deadly traps might win resulting positions generally contain at least a degree
you games in just a handful of moves! The book of imbalance and the critical lines lead to sharp
focuses on established opening traps that club positions with chances for both sides. Many new
players are most likely to fall for. approaches for both sides have been developed in
Also available on Chess Studio. recent years, and a good understanding of these
ideas is vital for anyone looking to handle either side
“To my delight and amazement [my opponent] fell of the Caro with success.
straight into the trap” – Alec Toll, OPEN FILE
Learn Chess
“I would be quick to pick up this book as an e4
John Nunn player or if I defended it with the Caro-Kann. Wells
Starting with the very basics, this book tells you really focuses on how to play the opening by
everything you need to know to become a successful presenting a wide range of ideas for both sides.
chess-player. No prior knowledge is assumed. The Explanations abound ... the analysis and coverage is
reader learns step-by-step, with each new point outstanding.” – Lou Mercuri, CHESS HORIZONS
illustrated by clear examples. By the end of the Play the Najdorf Sicilian
book, the reader will be fully ready to take on
James Rizzitano
opponents across the board, or on the Internet, and
start winning. The Najdorf Sicilian has a unique place amongst
Also available on Chess Studio. chess openings: for several decades it has been
regarded by the top grandmasters as the best way for
Black to play soundly for a win against 1 e4. James
“an excellent primer. The prose is lucid and the Rizzitano, a battle-hardened Sicilian warrior, distils
presentation systematic; an adult reader with no the most important ideas and themes from current
prior knowledge of the game will be taught all he practice to provide an ideal guide for those looking
needs to know” – James Vigus, DRAGON to succeed as White or Black in the Najdorf in the
Chess for Children modern scientific era.
Murray Chandler and Helen Milligan
“A good book for those that want to start playing the
With this charming book, children will delight in
Najdorf with Black and also recommendable for
learning the basic moves of chess. All the rules are
Najdorf players not the least because it is very much
explained step by step, assuming no prior
up to date and includes state of the art knowledge
knowledge. The lessons are reinforced by the
about the lines presented. Also quite useful for
inventive tales that George is told by his pet alligator
players that face the Najdorf with White, specially
Kirsty, self-proclaimed Grand Alligator of chess.
those that play Bg5 or Be3 since so many different “...if you are considering utilizing the French as a
lines for Black are analysed here.” – Hedinn weapon against 1 e4, then this book is a very good
Steingrimsson, WWW.SCHACH-WELT.DE and inexpensive way of deciding if the opening is
for you. It will give you a solid grounding in
Play the Alekhine
fundamental positional ideas and typical tactics in
Valentin Bogdanov the French.” – Munroe Morrison, OPEN FILE
The Alekhine is arguably the most forcing and Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian
aggressive reply to 1 e4. Black immediately forces
Alex Yermolinsky
the pace and drags the game onto his own favoured
territory. Those who specialize in the Alekhine find The Classical (1 e4 c5 2 Nf3 d6 3 d4 cxd4 4 Nxd4
that the opening has a real practical sting and quick- Nf6 5 Nc3 Nc6) is one of the most popular and
strike potential. The coverage in this book is even- respected systems of the Sicilian. Black develops his
handed, and there are abundant ideas presented to pieces more quickly than in many Sicilian systems,
both sides. and intricate piece-play often results. Yermolinsky
Also available on Chess Studio. covers lines that retain the independent significance
of the Classical move-order, such as 6 Bc4 Qb6 – a
“This is Bogdanov’s third book for Gambit, showing line in which he is a leading specialist.
that this quality publishing house trusts the author –
and why wouldn’t they? The language is fluent and
informative, and the sample games are well chosen Also available as a German-language Kindle edition.
and instructive.” – Marko Tauriainen, SUOMEN “Yermo’s book represents a good way to get to grips
SHAKKI with this sound and interesting opening system.” –
Chess Explained: The Queen’s Gambit Declined Phil Adams, 3Cs website
James Rizzitano Chess Explained: The c3 Sicilian
The Queen’s Gambit Declined is one of the most Sam Collins
important and popular of chess openings. Both sides The c3 Sicilian is one of White’s most popular and
have ways to create imbalance and test their poisonous ways to avoid the main lines of the
opponent’s skills and knowledge in a full-blooded Sicilian. With the forcing line 1 e4 c5 2 c3, White
struggle. In addition to the traditional main lines denies his opponent the chance to demonstrate his
with Bg5, White has at his disposal the Exchange preparation in some chaotic system. There are plenty
Variation, and the Bf4 system, both of which can be of tricks and traps in the c3 Sicilian, and the open
handled in highly aggressive style if he wishes. piece-play that often results can lead to quick attacks
Rizzitano covers all these lines and a plethora of and means that careless play will rarely go
other important options, focusing on the unpunished.
fundamental ideas on which they are based. Also available on Chess Studio.
“...the format is well suited to the average club
“I should also loudly call attention to Rizzitano’s player who wishes to start using this variation.” –
new, well-written, and amazingly well-researched David Mills, TIME TROUBLE
Chess Explained: The Queen’s Gambit Declined...”
– John Watson, THE WEEK IN CHESS Chess Explained: The Grünfeld
Chess Explained: The French Valentin Bogdanov
Viacheslav Eingorn and Valentin Bogdanov The Grünfeld creates immediate imbalance: Black
strikes at White’s centre with all available resources.
The French appeals to a wide range of chess In the main lines, White creates a large pawn-centre
temperaments: it is solid yet uncompromising, and and launches an attack. While the theory of these
with a variety of chaotic variations to appeal to the lines has been extensively developed, there is a
most bloodthirsty of players, but also offering more coherent logical thread that needs to be understood
tranquil lines to those seeking a quieter existence. in order to get to grips with the theory and handle
Chess Explained books provide an understanding of the resulting positions. This book features a special
an opening and the middlegames to which it leads, contribution from Viacheslav Eingorn on the key
enabling you to find the right moves and plans in ideas of the Rb1 Exchange main line, which he was
your own games. instrumental in developing.
Also available on Chess Studio. Also available on Chess Studio.
“If you like aggression when you play Black then attracted champions such as Tal, Kasparov and
this book is for you. It creates immediate imbalance Topalov to the Benoni, and also demonstrates how
and again it is crucial to know how to handle this White can seek either to put a positional clamp on
opening as White too.” – Carl Portman, DEFENCE the game, or else to storm Black’s position before
FOCUS his development is complete. A special section deals
with the vital question of move-orders.
Chess Explained: The Nimzo-Indian
Reinaldo Vera
“These books provide 25 well annotated, up to date
The Nimzo-Indian is one of the most important of all model games which you can use to guide you when
chess openings, and popular at all levels of play. It learning the openings. Excellent introduction to
provides winning chances for both sides as it leads these openings for intermediate players.” – Paul
to structures of great strategic variety and Dunn, AUSTRALIAN CHESS
complexity. Key battlegrounds in the Nimzo include
the blockade, IQP positions, the handling of Chess Explained: The Meran Semi-Slav
unbalanced pawn-structures, and the struggle Reinaldo Vera
between bishop and knight. An understanding of
these topics will prove valuable in a very broad Belying its solid classical appearance, the Semi-Slav
context. is one of Black’s most aggressive responses when
White opens with the queen’s pawn. The Meran is
its traditional main line, and often leads to chaotic
“This is a very well-written book with enough positions of immense strategic and tactical richness.
analytical material to launch your Nimzo-Indian Vera draws upon decades of personal experience to
career, and more than enough explanation to justify explain the underlying logic of the Meran and
the series title.” – John Watson, THE WEEK IN CHESS related lines, and to pick out the key features of
positions that to the untrained eye might appear
Chess Explained: The Queen’s Indian
random and unfathomable.
Peter Wells Also available on Chess Studio.
The Queen’s Indian is an important and popular “What he offers is honesty! I like that. It means to
opening at all levels of play. Black’s flexible stance me you can trust the rest of the book because he is
allows him to choose between a range of solid and honest about his own contribution.” – Bob Long,
dynamic structures. In turn, White can play flexibly, WWW.CHESSCO.COM
opposing Black’s fianchetto, or can try to force the
pace in the centre and start a hand-to-hand fight. It is Chess Explained: The Taimanov Sicilian
an opening rich in nuances, and many of the modern James Rizzitano
main lines involve moves that look extravagant, but
are backed up by a deep underlying logic. The Taimanov Sicilian is one of the most flexible
options for Black in the Open Sicilian. It leads to a
great variety of central structures, and the player
Also available as a German-language Kindle edition. with the better understanding of typical Sicilian
“The annotations in particular really impressed me, themes will often emerge victorious – Taimanov
for the author actually did explain what was positions need to be understood well in order to be
happening at every stage of the game. Everything played well. This book covers the Paulsen set-up
appeared logical as I played through the games and with ...Qc7 in addition to the ‘pure’ Taimanov with
read the annotations. Where alternatives are given, ...Nge7.
you are told why a certain move is good or bad, not Also available on Chess Studio.
just the fact that it is so. Peter Wells is to be “I’m really impressed with how thorough and
congratulated on presenting everything so lucidly.” – helpful the explanations are. I’m quite sure that
Alan Sutton, EN PASSANT anyone interested in taking up the Taimanov would
Chess Explained: The Modern Benoni learn a lot from this book – in fact, the average club
player would probably be able to make do with this
Zenon Franco
as his or her one and only Taimanov book.” – S.
The Modern Benoni is one of the few openings Evan Kreider, WWW.CHESSVILLE.COM
where White has no easy way to force drawish
simplifications or deny Black any dynamic Chess Explained: The Main-Line Slav
counterplay. In this book Franco shows how Black David Vigorito
can seek to create the kind of mayhem that has
The Main-Line Slav is one of the key battlegrounds related chess prose I’ve read in a long time.” – Arne
of modern chess, with adherents among all levels of Moll, CHESSVIBES.COM
chess-players. This book discusses all major lines
Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 2
following the moves 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4
Nc3 dxc4. Vigorito dissects the most important John Nunn
themes and nuances, placing them firmly in the In this award-winning two-volume series, Dr John
context of the practical struggle, making sure that Nunn identifies new and important motifs which
readers will be familiar with the resources at their occur repeatedly in over-the-board play. Tactical
disposal, and understand when to employ them. elements are heavily featured, and the focus is on
Also available on Chess Studio. endgames that are susceptible to concrete analysis.
“...a solid understanding of the pawn-structures and The discussion is geared to the over-the-board
piece-play will be the main factor in the success of player; the ideas underlying the analysis – however
any player who takes on this opening. ... As an complex – are richly explained in words. This
introductory work to the Main-Line Slav, this book second volume focuses on rook endgames – the
is an excellent place to start” – Carsten Hansen, most common and important category of practical
WWW.CHESSCAFE.COM endgames. Nunn also covers endings with rooks and
minor pieces, a wide and rich area of strategic
Chess Explained: The English Opening endgame play that is universally recognized as vital
Zenon Franco for chess mastery, but nevertheless neglected in
chess literature.
The English Opening is a flexible and dynamic
choice for White, which avoids a great deal of sharp
and well-mapped opening theory. It is popular with “The book is in many respects different and better
all levels of chess-players, and has been used to than the majority of the other books on the endgame
good effect at world championship level by where often the inspiration of the author languishes
Kasparov, Korchnoi, Botvinnik and other greats of after a few chapters. ... the reader undoubtedly takes
the game. The English gives rise to an immense profit even from a passive or lazy reading: so great
variety of structures, ranging from reversed Sicilians is the way the author explains complex positions
to Hedgehogs and fluid or locked central structures. making them easy and appealing to any range of
Also available on Chess Studio. audience” – Martin Eden, SOLOSCACCHI
“Altogether I found this book really helpful in both Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume
the white as well as the black side of this opening.” 1
– Andy May, WWW.NSGCHESS.COM Igor Stohl
Nunn’s Chess Endings Volume 1 Garry Kasparov dominated the chess world for more
John Nunn than twenty years. His dynamism and preparation set
an example that is followed by most ambitious
Going beyond standard texts, Dr Nunn shows how to players. Igor Stohl has selected 74 of Kasparov’s
apply knowledge of standard endgames to find the best and most instructive games from 1973 to 1993,
right methods in tricky real-life practical situations – and annotated them in detail. The emphasis is on
even when they differ greatly from the idealized explaining the thoughts behind Kasparov’s
forms given by traditional endgame manuals. Nunn decisions, and the principles and concepts embodied
shows that lack of familiarity with key ideas can by his moves. Stohl provides a wealth of fresh
cause important ideas and themes to be missed even insights into these landmark games, together with
by very strong players. We discover that a many new analytical points. This makes the book
staggering amount of previously published endgame outstanding study material for all chess enthusiasts.
analysis is simply wrong, and that many of the
standard guidelines are at best partially true. This
first volume covers general topics and discusses in Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
detail pawn endings, queen endings and minor-piece “[Stohl] often improves on Kasparov’s past
endings. comments. It is one of this year’s best books, and it
Also available on Chess Studio. could be a great help to Kasparov in preparation of
his own works about his career.” – GM Lubomir
“I think this really is a fantastic book. ... The book’s
Kavalek, WASHINGTON POST
introduction and the first chapter (The Three Key
Endgame Skills) are some of the best endgame- Garry Kasparov’s Greatest Chess Games Volume
2
Igor Stohl pragmatism and a deep understanding of how chess-
players think. Nunn covers topics not usually
This second volume covers Kasparov’s career from
considered, such as queenless middlegames and
1993 up to his retirement in 2005, a period during
manoeuvring, and dissects strategic issues including
which he successfully faced the challenge of a new
piece-activity, pawn-structure and bishop vs knight.
generation and achieved some of his greatest
He looks at psychological aspects of chess, such as
successes, both creatively and competitively.
choosing lines which are most uncomfortable for the
Also available on Chess Studio. opponent. The explanations focus on general ideas
Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions. rather than detailed analysis. The book concludes
“Congratulations to Gambit and to Igor Stohl for this with a selection of exercises, with full commentary
masterpiece! As a matter of fact I would like at this and explanation.
point to state how much this book for me personally Also available on Chess Studio.
constitutes an absolute milestone in the field of Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
chess books, but extraordinary quality needs no
“Now and again, amongst the hundreds of new
more words. ... sets new standards in the field of
books published, a jewel arrives. ... Choosing to
commentary and presentation of mastergames!
examine chess strategy, tactics, etc., through the
Categorically a must-buy!” – Martin Rieger,
WWW.FREECHESS.DE medium of the career of one player satisfies two
objectives – one, the biographical chess career of a
Endgame Challenge world champion and the other, all techniques
John Nunn necessary to become a proficient chess-player. Nunn
succeeds magnificently in achieving this. When I
John Nunn presents 250 challenging positions where
was involved in running a chess stall at congresses,
your task is to find a cunning way to win or draw. In
many times I faced the question ‘Can you
many cases the odds against success seem
recommend a chess book that I can read?’. Now, I
overwhelming, yet by using all the tactical resources
would not struggle to find an answer.” – Bill Frost,
in the position it is possible to achieve the goal.
CHESS DEVON
Nunn’s detailed solutions contain many points and
clarifications that have hitherto gone unmentioned, Win with the Stonewall Dutch
so readers will rarely be left to wonder whether their Sverre Johnsen, Ivar Bern and Simen Agdestein
intended solution really did work. In an over-the-
board game, the ability to use the pieces in harmony The Stonewall Dutch is a traditional favourite
is paramount, and those players who can exploit amongst club players, as it offers Black ready-made
every resource in a position are those who become attacking plans on the kingside. As Bent Larsen
champions. While the focus in this book is on noted, the Dutch also has the tendency to ‘bring out
tactics, readers will also develop a greater the coward’ in opponents, giving it an added
understanding of many important endgame topics, practical sting. However, up until the late 1980s, the
such as fortresses, stalemate defences, the opposition Stonewall wasn’t fully trusted at grandmaster level,
and zugzwang. despite its earlier use by Alekhine and Botvinnik.
Black’s attacking plans were too one-sided, and
White’s methods too well worked out. The change
“The first 50 pages contain 250 diagrams to solve, came when a new generation of players, including
and then we get 250 pages of shocking solutions – Nigel Short and Simen Agdestein, showed that
shocking in the sense that even world-class players Black could handle his position in many other ways,
might draw or even resign positions, when beautiful including play on the queenside and in the centre,
and unlikely possibilities still exist” – Bab Wilders, with the ‘Stonewall’ structure stifling White’s
NEDERLANDS DAGBLAD attempts to generate play of his own. Agdestein in
John Nunn’s Chess Course particular has continued to experiment with many
new set-ups and move-orders for Black, and this
John Nunn book contains a wealth of new recommendations and
Following on from his successful books suggestions based on this work.
Understanding Chess Endgames and Understanding Also available on Chess Studio.
Chess Middlegames, John Nunn fleshes out the
“An outstanding book ... Not only do the authors
theory by showing how World Champion Emanuel
rehabilitate an underestimated opening – they even
Lasker handled a wide variety of practical situations.
do so by means of inspiring chapters supported by
We see how Lasker’s play, which his opponents
the personal experiences of leading experts.” – GM
found so unfathomable, was based on logic, extreme
Peter Heine Nielsen, SKAKBLADET
Secrets of Positional Chess What are the premises for a successful attack? Marin
discusses the traditional concept that a player with
Dražen Marović
the advantage is obliged to attack, and also the value
How can one determine if a piece is weak or strong? of notions of logic and justice in deciding whether to
Or if a square is weak or strong? These are the attack. If we believe an attack is justified, but cannot
principal questions that grandmaster and trainer back it up with concrete variations, how do we
Dražen Marović addresses in this important book. decide whether to trust our intuition? Marin surveys
By discussing carefully-chosen games and positions, typical attacking scenarios, such an attack on two
Marović explains how to recognize good and bad wings, with a queenside attack as a prelude for a
features of positions, and how to make use of one’s swift strike on the other wing, and all-out attacks
advantages and exploit the opponent’s weaknesses. against apparently well-defended positions. He also
Also available on Chess Studio. explains why grandmasters generally prefer to
Also available as a German-language Kindle edition. maintain as many options as possible, and
investigates the role of prophylactic thinking in
“As in his previous works, Marović’s deep attacking play.
knowledge shines through and he makes welcome
use of classics and not just recent games. This work
looks at many important positional principles, such “A quick glance at Secrets of Attacking Chess might
as the weakness of the second rank or the use of prove somewhat intimidating. While there is plenty
rooks on half-open files ... the club player who takes of explanatory prose Marin believes in backing up
time to study its many themes, and hundreds of well- his conclusions with concrete analysis. A closer look
explained examples, should significantly boost the reveals that Marin has a definite pedagogical bent
depth of their positional understanding memory and has taken pains to sprinkle instructive comments
bank” – Richard Palliser throughout the book that are destined to stay with
the reader. Highly Recommended.” – IM John
Secrets of Chess Defence
Donaldson, JEREMYSILMAN.COM
Mihail Marin
Vishy Anand: World Chess Champion
Good defensive abilities earn players a great many
Vishy Anand and John Nunn
half-points and full-points. The climax of the
defence is the launching of a devastating counter- Anand has been one of the world’s top players for
attack, a skill at which all the great chess champions more than two decades, but it’s not just his results
have been adept. Of particular interest to club that make Anand special. His style of play leads to
players is Marin’s discussion of how to defend highly spectacular games, and his speed of thought
against unsound attacks, and the problem of how to is the stuff of legends. He is also a great explainer of
parry the attack while retaining winning chances. ideas, as his annotations for this book demonstrate.
Other topics include attack and defence in equal Anand is renowned as ‘Mr Nice Guy’, popular with
positions, where both sides must judge carefully both the public and his fellow supergrandmasters.
how much of their resources to devote to the attack This new expanded edition of the award-winning
and the counter-attack. The main subject, though, is Vishy Anand: My Best Games of Chess features 30
the case where the defender is fighting for his life, extra games from the period of Anand’s greatest
and must decide how to maximize his chances of successes, selected by Anand and annotated by John
survival. Marin considers psychological issues and Nunn, and also contains a biographical sketch and a
explains the main options available to the defender: detailed career record.
simplification, cold-blooded defence, a positional “This book is full of wonderful games, many of
sacrifice, ‘blackmailing’ the attacker, or a counter- which are tremendously complex, and occasionally
attack. the variations run to a considerable depth – neither
“Chess defence is invariably the part of the game Anand nor Nunn refrains from showing concrete
that a lot of players don’t like to study because they variations, where the position warrants it. But both
find it too boring or they’d rather attack like Tal. In offer a nice balance of explanatory annotation as
this his first publication, Mihail has written a book well, so there is a great deal of instructional value in
that will change your mind about defence as an here as well.” – GM Luke McShane, NEW IN CHESS
important element to the game.” – Michael Win with the London System
Stevenson, NEW ZEALAND CHESS
Sverre Johnsen and Vlatko Kovačević
Secrets of Attacking Chess
The London System is a perennial favourite of club
Mihail Marin players, as it is a very sound and solid system with a
real practical sting. The authors of this new book progress towards victory. This book makes sure you
seek to maximize this sting in two principal ways. will never be short of winning strategies. Angus
Firstly, by explaining in detail the typical plans for Dunnington utilizes his many years of chess playing
White, they help readers to make the most of their and training to provide an arsenal of ideas that can
chances, whether they are based on a kingside be employed in many types of position. These plans
attack, queenside penetration, central play, or have been proven in many grandmaster games, so
transition to a favourable endgame. Secondly, they you can be sure that by using them your game will
advocate some subtle move-orders that limit Black’s be soundly based.
options, and give White possibilities to change the Also available on Chess Studio.
nature of the game and go straight for the kill if
Black responds casually or inappropriately. These “...a useful book for players seeking to improve their
move-orders have been tested successfully by co- creativity and piece coordination” – Alan Borwell,
author Kovačević at grandmaster level, and much of SCOTTISH CORRESPONDENCE CHESS
the analysis presented here is of totally new The Dynamic English
variations, and is previously unpublished. Covers all
Tony Kosten
responses to 1 d4 against which White can use the
London System. In the first book to explain the popular English
Also available on Chess Studio. Opening for many years, Grandmaster Kosten
supplies players of the white side with a set of
weapons that will equip them to challenge any
“This is a first-class book, extremely well written, opponent they face. Kosten concentrates on
about a system that for too long has had its light aggressive treatments of the English – an approach
hidden under a bushel.” – Michael Stevenson, NEW that has brought him great success in tournament
ZEALAND CHESS play. His book provides everything you need to start
How to Play Chess Endgames attacking with the English Opening.
Karsten Müller and Wolfgang Pajeken
“Grandmaster Tony Kosten, a great exponent of this
In this companion volume to the award-winning line, makes out a compelling case for this opening.
Fundamental Chess Endings, Müller and Pajeken He conveys his understanding with great skill” – IM
focus on the practical side of playing endgames. Craig Pritchett, THE HERALD
They cover all aspects of strategic endgames, with
particular emphasis on thinking methods, and ways A Strategic Chess Opening Repertoire for White
to create difficulties for opponents over the board. John Watson
Using hundreds of outstanding examples from
modern practice, the authors explain not only how to Such has been the acclaim for John Watson’s
conduct ‘classical’ endgame tasks, such as ground-breaking works on modern chess strategy
exploiting an extra pawn or more active pieces, but and his insightful opening books, that it is only
also how to handle the extremely unbalanced natural that he now presents a strategic opening
endings that often arise from the dynamic openings repertoire. The repertoire is based on 1 d4 and 2 c4,
favoured nowadays. All varieties of endgames are following up with methodical play in the centre.
covered, and there are more than 200 exercises for Watson uses his vast opening knowledge to pick
the reader, together with full solutions. cunning move-orders and poisonous sequences that
will force opponents to think for themselves,
providing a true test of chess understanding.
“Karsten Müller rose to the Mount Olympus of Throughout, he discusses strategies for both sides, so
endgame literature with Fundamental Chess readers will be fully ready to pounce on any
Endings. ... His latest book, How to Play Chess inaccuracies, and have all the tools to decide on the
Endings, with colleague Wolfgang Pajeken, is a most appropriate plans for White.
sequel to that standard work.” – Harry Schaack, Also available on Chess Studio.
KARL
“Watson’s Secrets of Modern Chess Strategy I
101 Winning Chess Strategies consider as one of the best books ever written! So
Angus Dunnington for me Watson is the big star among chess book
authors and I presume that all his books are best
Without strategy, a chess game is just a series of sellers – and that this last one, A Strategic Chess
tactical tricks. A good strategy binds together the Opening Repertoire for White, also will be that” –
tactics, and enables a player to make methodical GM Simen Agdestein, VERDENS GANG
John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book However, this book is no computer print-out. It takes
a human ‘oracle’ to extract the useful information
John Nunn
from this mass of data and to identify new principles
Most chess puzzle books put you in an artificial to help the rest of us appreciate the key practical
situation: you are told a combination exists, what the points. Dr John Nunn, top-class grandmaster and
theme is and what you are required to achieve. This renowned theoretician, performs this role admirably.
one is different. In a real game, a player may He has identified where previous theory has been
sometimes need to find a combination. On the other overturned, and where there are important new
hand he may have to reject a tactical idea and simply results. Dr Nunn was also the first to reveal the
find a good positional move. His task is to find the general importance of the many ‘reciprocal
right move, whatever it may be. The 300 puzzles in zugzwang’ positions.
this book put you precisely in that situation. Also available on Chess Studio.
Spectacular ideas abound in these positions, but it is
for you to decide whether to go in for them, or “I am sure that in fifty years’ time Secrets of Rook
whether you would be falling into a trap. If you need Endings will be regarded as one of the great classics
them, there are hints to help you on your way. The of the twentieth century. It is as close as any book
book ends with a series of tests to measure your can ever realistically come to perfection on its
skills against those of other players. subject.” – GM Julian Hodgson, BRITISH CHESS
MAGAZINE
“I think puzzle books serve as a great training tool Secrets of Pawnless Endings
before tournaments, to sharpen up tactics and help John Nunn
players to get into the groove of being able to After the success of Secrets of Rook Endings, John
calculate some lengthy variations. I don’t have a Nunn turns his attention towards endgames without
great deal of puzzle books but this is clearly the best pawns. These occur surprisingly often in practice
one on my bookshelf!” – GM Stephen Gordon, 3CS and are extremely tactical in nature. This book unites
CHESS man and machine in the search for ultimate answers.
Secrets of Pawn Endings The computer databases created by Ken Thompson,
formerly of Bell Laboratories, can state with
Karsten Müller and Frank Lamprecht
certainty the correct result of any position with five
This book provides a thorough course in endings pieces or fewer. John Nunn has extracted the most
with just kings and pawns, from the simple to the important information from these databases and
highly complex. Armed with this knowledge, the presented it in the form of guidelines and specific
reader will also be able to tackle other types of key positions, which can be more readily digested by
endgame with greater confidence and certainty. the human mind. With most competitive games
Many interesting and beautiful positions are these days being played to a finish in a single
included, and there are test positions for the reader session, this knowledge may prove invaluable over
to solve. The authors follow the rigorously logical the board.
conventions introduced by John Nunn in his famous
This is a new and expanded edition of an important
series of endgame manuals. This has necessitated a
book. Since the first edition was published, the
phenomenal amount of new analysis of theoretical
databases for six-man endings have been created,
positions to assess precisely the merits of each and
resulting in some surprising and paradoxical
every move.
discoveries. The coverage has therefore been
Also available on Chess Studio. expanded to include the most interesting features of
“For years, Secrets of Pawn Endings has been one of these endings.
my favorite endgame books. Müller and Lamprecht Also available on Chess Studio.
have written a book of great theoretical and practical
“...a treasure trove of the precisely extraordinary,
significance. Secrets of Pawn Endings is a must-
with considerable practical value for more serious
have.” – Josh Specht, CHESSVIDEOS.TV
players in the earlier sections” – GM Jon Speelman,
Secrets of Rook Endings THE INDEPENDENT
John Nunn Secrets of Grandmaster Chess
The first edition of this book ushered in a new era in John Nunn
chess publishing. It was the first book based on
This book, originally published in 1997, is an
computer-generated position databases that are
updated edition of Secrets of Grandmaster Play,
guaranteed to provide the actual result of a position.
which was hailed as a modern classic and won the how the pawn’s role in controlling the centre has
British Chess Federation Book of the Year Award in been developed over the last 150 years, and how this
1988. It covers Nunn’s career from childhood up to has led to the refinement of concepts such as the
1985 and features 24 of John Nunn’s best and most ‘dynamic’ backward pawn and the positional
instructive games, including his award-winning exchange sacrifice. The bulk of the book is devoted
1985 victory over Beliavsky. This superb manual of to discussions of the main type of centre: Open
strategy and tactics also offers advice on how to Centre; Closed/Blocked Centre; Fixed Centre; and in
think at the board and insights into the world of particular the Mobile/Dynamic Centre.
professional chess. “Marović has obviously been in the company of
Also available on Chess Studio. some of the greatest players and listened carefully to
“A beautifully eloquent and instructive blend of what they had to say ... this book is excellent value
variations and verbal explanations.” – INSIDE CHESS and is sure to improve your chess” – Chris Rice,
WEEKEND CHESS
John Nunn’s Best Games
The Survival Guide to Rook Endings
John Nunn
John Emms
Winner of the British Chess Federation Book of the
Year Award For all chess-players – from beginners to
grandmasters, and whatever their style of play – one
John Nunn has an unparalleled reputation as a chess thing is certain: rook endings will arise in a great
theoretician and writer of the highest class. In this many of their games. Yet it is precisely in this area
book he focuses his attention on his own games and of the game that many players give away hard-
annotates 40 complete games and many game earned points, either through lack of knowledge or
fragments. inadequate understanding. Most previous books on
The book covers the period 1985-93, when Nunn the subject have been extremely technical and
rose to enter the world top 10, and includes victories theoretical, but this one is different. John Emms
over Short, Tal, Korchnoi, Anand, Gelfand, Portisch, provides the essential specific knowledge and
Judit Polgar and many other top players. The explains the key concepts that will enable readers to
analysis of these games provides a manual of find the right plan in most common types of rook
attacking chess from one of the world’s best endings.
tacticians. This book is far more than a collection of Also available on Chess Studio.
superbly analysed games, however, since the author
“If you didn’t purchase this book first time around
has brought the games to life with anecdotes from
then I think you missed out. Rook endgame
the events, and provides many practical tips which
knowledge is at the core of endgame theory. Many
will be of benefit to aspiring chess players of all
club players would save a huge amount of points by
levels of ability.
having the confidence to go into a rook endgame,
Also available on Chess Studio. especially when a pawn or two down.” – Munroe
“[Nunn’s] combination of erudition and Morrison, OPEN FILE
straightforwardness makes him a particularly good The Giant Chess Puzzle Book
subject to emulate. ... Perhaps the high point of this
collection is Nunn’s 25-move victory over Sokolov Zenon Franco
of the USSR at the Dubai Olympiad, 1986. Wiping a More than anything else, a player’s ability to find
top Soviet player off the board so unceremoniously tactical solutions determines how successful he is
was something that British players simply never did over-the-board. No endgame scheme, opening idea
until Nunn and Tony Miles came along.” – T.D. or strategic plan, however brilliant a concept it may
Welsh, ‘Top 500’ Amazon.co.uk reviewer be, is of any value unless it is accurately calculated
Dynamic Pawn Play in Chess and implemented. This book provides a wealth of
chess puzzles to test just about every facet of your
Dražen Marović tactical ability. Franco has searched recent events
This book tackles fundamental questions such as: and used powerful computers to seek out previously
‘How should pawns be used to fight for the centre?’ unpublished puzzles, and has also drawn extensively
and ‘How does the central pawn formation affect upon Latin American sources that he has been
planning for both sides?’ These issues are central to scouring for brilliant examples over the last three
understanding chess. Marović discusses central decades. The book begins with 120 relatively easy
pawn-structures and their impact on play both in the positions suitable for novices, and ends with 80
centre and on the wings. He begins by surveying extremely tough puzzles, which provide a mind-
bending challenge even for grandmasters. There are King’s Indian is also wide-ranging and detailed. The
1001 puzzles in all, including themed sections and main games are all from Golubev’s own practice,
graded tests, all with detailed computer-verified enabling him to provide a completely accurate
solutions and verbal explanations of the main description of the decisions at the board. The notes
instructive points. contain a wealth of references to games and ideas
from other King’s Indian specialists, and the
“Most of the positions will not have been seen
coverage is sufficient to provide Black with a
before in other publications and you will not fail to
flexible and aggressive repertoire.
improve your game – certainly your tactical
awareness – if you have the discipline to work “If you work with this book, you will affirm that the
through this lovely book. Chess problems are like author is with you in the tiniest details, thorough,
life. We are given a question and we don’t always self-critical, and comprehensively analytical” – E.
know the answer. Is it right to turn away and not try Carl, ROCHADE
to find that answer? Maybe we should just roll up
How to Calculate Chess Tactics
our sleeves and meet that challenge head on; after all
the answers are all there, waiting to be found. Enjoy Valeri Beim
the journey and absorb yourself in just some of the Thinking methods are at the heart of the chess
delightful mysteries of the 64 squares.” – Carl struggle, yet most players devote little conscious
Portman, DEFENCE FOCUS effort to improving their calculating ability. Much of
The Cambridge Springs the previous literature on the subject has presented
idealized models that have limited relevance to the
Krzysztof Panczyk and Jacek Ilczuk hurly-burly of practical chess, or else provide little
The Cambridge Springs is a popular defence to the more than ad hoc suggestions. Here, experienced
Queen’s Gambit that takes its name from the famous trainer Valeri Beim strikes a balance by explaining
tournament in 1904 during which it was tested in a how to use intuition and logic together to solve
number of games. Since then it has become firmly tactical problems in a methodical way. He also
established as a club-player’s favourite, since Black offers advice on when it is best to calculate ‘like a
sets a number of traps and can generate a very quick machine’, and when it is better to rely on intuitive
initiative if White fails to respond precisely. Several assessment.
world champions have used the Cambridge Springs, Also available on Chess Studio.
most notably Alekhine and Smyslov, while Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
Kasparov has played it on occasion, including a
sensationally quick victory over Karpov in 1985. “One of Beim’s insights is that, when we find a
The authors combine thorough research with a beautiful combination that fails, we’re often halfway
wealth of original material to offer comprehensive to finding the move we should play. The opponent’s
coverage of this combative system. While the main strength that breaks our attack is precisely the target
body of the book covers both sides of the Cambridge we should set about undermining. ... Beim shares
Springs, it also offers Black a repertoire against with us a set of tools that, once mastered, appear
White’s alternative options in the Queen’s Gambit, well-designed for rapid, effective calculation in the
the most important of which is the Exchange critical positions that separate the master from the
Variation. amateur.” – Derek Grimmell, CHESSCAFE.COM
“A professional effort where the authors have made Perfect Your Chess
their own contributions and have overturned long- Andrei Volokitin and Vladimir Grabinsky
held erroneous conclusions. I’m quite happy giving
it 9/10” – GM Glenn Flear, NEW IN CHESS Andrei Volokitin is one of a rare breed of players: he
achieved a ranking in the world’s top 20 while still a
Understanding the King’s Indian teenager, playing dynamic and often brilliant chess.
Mikhail Golubev Although we cannot all aspire to emulate his
achievements, there is much that we can learn from
Despite its sharp and aggressive nature, the King’s his training methods, his games and his general
Indian is an opening that lends itself well to approach to chess. These topics are the subject of
discussion in terms of plans, ideas and pawn- this book, written in collaboration with his trainer.
structures. Those who are familiar with these The core material of the book is 369 positions where
underlying themes will enjoy an enormous practical the reader is given a task or asked a question. These
advantage when facing those who lack this tasks resemble those that players regularly face over
understanding, even if they are theoretically well- the board, and are especially useful from a training
prepared. This engaging personal account of the viewpoint. Many of the positions are from
Volokitin’s own games, so we get the ‘inside story’ White is to expose a defect in the Dragon, it must be
on some truly spectacular chess. We are also by a direct attack, and this leads to ferocious battles,
presented with fine examples from Grabinsky’s with White trying to checkmate the black king via
training files, carefully collected and graded over the the h-file, while Black seeks to gain counterplay
years for their instructive merit. The commentaries down the c-file and on the long diagonal. In the
and detailed solutions explain the key issues in each Dragon, many Sicilian themes are seen in their
position, and also convey the authors’ philosophy of clearest form, with the ...Rxc3 exchange sacrifice
chess and their love for the game. particularly important. Even Dragon endgames tend
Also available on Chess Studio. to be very sharp, with Black often possessing a
swathe of mobile pawns in return for an exchange, a
“I had the opportunity to ask 21-year-old GM Valery piece, or even a whole rook. In hazardous territory, a
Aveskulov, how it was that the Ukraine produced so guide is essential, and Edward Dearing has stepped
many great young talents. I had already factored in a up to offer his services. He explains at length the all-
tradition of excellence, government and private important general themes, and advises on how to
support, and an economically challenging choose plans and methods, drawing upon his many
environment in which being a chess professional did years of experience and study of the Dragon.
not look so bad, but Valery added one more key Dearing also provides an up-to-date view of Dragon
ingredient – good coaching. One of the best he said theory, including many new ideas and suggestions to
was IM Grabinsky of Lvov and then rattled off a list help the reader tailor his Dragon repertoire to suit his
of teenage IMs and GMs over 2500 on a rapid own preferences.
course toward 2600. Perfect Your Chess is geared
towards this level and many of the young talents “This is the new Dragon bible and because of the
Aveskulov mentioned have gone through this analysis it will remain essential to every Dragon
material which relies on the games of Volokitin and player for years to come. Gambit’s emphasis has
others.” – IM John Donaldson, USA Team Captain always been on quality and depth, thus giving their
books a long shelf life. Play the Sicilian Dragon is a
Chess Training for Budding Champions great example of this, and also one of the best
Jesper Hall opening books in recent years.” – IM John Watson,
THE WEEK IN CHESS
Many chess-players find it difficult to improve their
game beyond a certain level. They can see basic Mastering the Najdorf
tactics, know a little about openings and can Julen Arizmendi and Javier Moreno
calculate a few moves ahead. However, so do their
opponents. What is the next level, and how does one The Najdorf is the most popular line of the Sicilian
get there? This book is aimed at chess-players who Defence for a very good reason: Black can play for a
have progressed well beyond beginner level and win without taking undue risks. The Najdorf’s
have acquired the basic skills required to play at club fundamental soundness has been confirmed in
level, but need guidance to improve their countless top-level games, and in particular by Garry
understanding of chess. It is based on the training Kasparov’s successful use of it throughout his
program that Hall himself followed when he was an career. White has tried a wide variety of approaches
up-and-coming player. The lessons are not based on against the Najdorf, including quiet positional lines
‘quick fixes’, but instead provide a well-rounded and the traditional main line with 6 Bg5. Recently
course in all aspects of chess that will equip the the idea of a rapid kingside pawn advance has found
reader well for his chessboard battles, and provide a favour. The Najdorf’s landscape changes rapidly,
firm yet flexible basis for further improvement. and this presents its devotees with a complex task:
they must not only keep up-to-date with sharp
theoretical lines, but must also have a firm grasp of
“The examples are great, the pieces of advice even the strategies that underpin the main systems, both
better and the presentation is logical and easy to old and new. This book lends a helping hand to
follow” – BIBLIOTEKSTJÄNST those who play the Najdorf or wish to take up this
Play the Sicilian Dragon complex opening. Two Najdorf experts from Spain
present a flexible repertoire for Black, including a
Edward Dearing wealth of original analysis of the critical variations.
The Dragon Variation is one of the key They also explain the key ideas behind the Najdorf,
battlegrounds of modern chess, and a perennial focusing on those plans that are most relevant to
favourite of ambitious chess-players of all standards. modern practice.
Black develops his pieces so as to maximize the
strategic pluses granted him in the Open Sicilian. If
“If you are interested in taking up the Najdorf, I players might miss) and calculation (being able to
highly recommend this book if you are looking for a analyse and calculate effectively). This user-friendly
good reference that will let you learn the opening and humorously written book contains many
quickly and give you excellent winning chances to outstanding examples of seized opportunities,
boot.” – Bill Whited, CHESS COUNTRY together with guidance on how to spot surprising
tactics and handle positions of material imbalance.
The Quickest Chess Victories of All Time (new
Throughout, there are exercises for the reader to
enlarged edition)
tackle.
Graham Burgess Also available on Chess Studio.
This updated and expanded new edition contains a “LeMoir has selected his chess material extremely
comprehensive collection of the shortest decisive well – there are a huge number of startling examples
games in chess history. It is an indispensable guide which I’d never seen before – and his comments are
to the pitfalls and traps that lurk in every opening always entertaining or instructive” – GM Matthew
system. An ability to punish errors in the opening is Sadler, NEW IN CHESS
an essential aspect of modern opening play. The
thousands of games featured in this book show how Play the Open Games as Black
to detect the opponent’s errors and take maximum John Emms
advantage. Studying this book will help you seize
your chances to win crisp miniature games, while This book fills a gaping chasm in chess literature.
reducing your chances of suffering an opening For years, those who wish to take on the black side
catastrophe, and overall will improve the level of of the Ruy Lopez have had to muddle their way
your opening and tactical play. through against the variety of alternative openings at
White’s disposal, as there have been no good books
 An outstanding and comprehensive to assist them. Grandmaster John Emms is ideally
collection of games won in thirteen moves or fewer. qualified to deal with this subject. Not only does he
 Explanations of the errors made and how to face these openings as Black, but he also used to
avoid them. play many of them as White before he graduated to
 Helps sharpen your killer instinct! the Lopez. He provides no-nonsense answers to such
openings as the King’s Gambit, Vienna, Scotch,
Also available on Chess Studio. Four Knights, Italian Game, Bishop’s Opening and
the variety of oddball gambits White can try.
“The notes are excellent. Each chapter has a brief
summary of the odds of an opening’s difficulty.
Transposing move-orders are usually mentioned. “I was also impressed by watching the way Magnus
Some games have little anecdotes or historical [Carlsen, age 10] read chess books. While the others
connections. Whenever a game is resigned for less- lay around and relaxed or clowned around in their
than-obvious reasons (as most of these are) Burgess rooms, Magnus lay in his bed and read Grandmaster
explains the mate threat or material loss to us patzers John Emms’s Play the Open Games as Black, a
succinctly and precisely. This is really a book of brilliant book that covers everything but the Ruy
how not to play openings. It will complement any Lopez that one can meet when answering 1 e4 with
repertoire books and opening encyclopediae. I 1...e5. That the book was in English and at a level
highly recommend it for your shelf, even to more suited for top international players did not
intermediate players (like me). You might find it appear to worry Magnus in the slightest. He didn’t
entertaining. You will find it useful.” – C. Dunn, need to get out a board and pieces either, he simply
Amazon.com reviewer read the games from the book without a problem.” –
How to Become a Deadly Chess Tactician GM Simen Agdestein, How Magnus Carlsen
Became the Youngest Chess Grandmaster in the
David LeMoir World
A guide for chess-players to help them spot Anti-Sicilians: A Guide for Black
unlikely-looking tactical tricks and launch cunning
attacks. Readers are shown how to hunt the enemy Dorian Rogozenko
king and how to seize the initiative with surprising The Sicilian is far and away the most popular chess
sacrifices. LeMoir shows that the key factors in opening. The reason is obvious: it enables Black to
becoming a deadly tactician are motivation (having fight for victory without taking excessive risks. The
the willingness to sacrifice and to consider tactical Sicilian scores well in practice and is a firm
ideas during play), imagination (being aware of favourite with players of all standards. Given both
tactical concepts that lead to ideas which other the Sicilian’s fearsome reputation and the amount of
theoretical preparation required to tackle it head-on, critical survey of modern trends. The middlegame is
many players prefer to side-step the Open Sicilian dissected and the critical decisions subjected to keen
with one of the Anti-Sicilian systems at White’s scrutiny – we are invited inside Stohl’s laboratory to
disposal. These include: positionally motivated lines join him in the quest for the truth. The endgame
such as the 2 c3 Sicilian and the 3 Bb5 systems; phase, if reached, is handled with similar erudition,
slow but tricky attacking lines including the Closed with insights into the grandmaster’s approach to
Sicilian and the King’s Indian Attack; and questions of technique. Following each game there
aggressive but loosening ideas like the Grand Prix is a discussion of the most important lessons to be
Attack and a variety of gambits. This book equips learned. The expanded and revised new edition of
Black to fight against all these lines. In the most this award-winning work features 12 new top-level
critical variations, Rogozenko provides a choice games from the period 2000-7 annotated in great
between a solid and an aggressive option. He caters depth – about 40% new material. There are also
for those who meet 2 Nf3 with the three main corrections to the existing notes and a revised
moves, 2...d6, 2...e6 and 2...Nc6. Introduction.
Also available on Chess Studio. Also available on Chess Studio.
“To be blunt, any player who plays the Sicilian “This is an outstandingly thorough and insightful
Defense as Black must have this book” – Chris book. I have greatly enjoyed playing through some
Chambers, GEORGIA CHESS of the 50 deeply annotated games and learned a fair
amount in the process, including various insights in
50 Essential Chess Lessons
the opening phase in which Stohl is a renowned
Steve Giddins expert ... I heartily recommend it” – GM Jonathan
Steve Giddins has chosen 50 supremely instructive Rowson
games – some old, some new, and including many The Gambit Guide to the Torre Attack
that few readers will have seen before. He has
Graham Burgess
annotated these games in detail from a modern
perspective, explaining the useful lessons that can be An award-winning author provides user-friendly
learnt from them, while avoiding the harmful dogma coverage of an opening in which he has a wealth of
that characterized many older works of this type. experience against players of all levels. The Torre
Topics include: Attacking the King, Defence, Piece Attack is a very attractive system for White as it
Power, and Endgame Themes. Each game is allows him to set the agenda from the outset,
followed by a recap of the main lessons to be preventing many counterattacking systems. It has
learned. Giddins writes in a highly accessible down- quick-strike potential if Black is careless or
to-earth style that appeals to club players seeking to unfamiliar with the subtleties. The book provides
improve their understanding of practical chess. His detailed coverage and explanation of the Torre. The
knowledge of Russian-language chess literature has main themes are explained, and the critical
enabled him to find many excellent examples that variations examined in detail. The book focuses
have not appeared in previous western literature. squarely on the ideas and systems that are of most
Also available on Chess Studio. relevance to the practical player. The analysis has
been checked and revised for this new electronic
“Highly recommended for 1200-2000 players edition.
seeking for a game collection, especially those who
would like to improve their understanding in
middlegame pawn-structures. Giddins tried to “A couple of books dealing with the Torre came out
update Chernev’s Most Instructive Chess Games but early in the nineties, but this superb work by
he outdid his teacher.” – CHESSBUG.COM Burgess surpasses them. The Torre is a very flexible
set-up and gives White good chances of having a
Instructive Modern Chess Masterpieces
pleasant initiative after 1 d4 Nf6 2 Nf3 e6 with 3
Igor Stohl Bg5. The Torre will repay careful study and provide
Igor Stohl has selected 62 outstanding games from interesting chess. The strategic introduction whets
recent years and analysed them in painstaking depth. the reader’s appetite right from the word go as
Here he presents his findings to chess enthusiasts, Burgess shows, via 12 illustrative games, just how
who will find the games entertaining and the dangerous the Torre is, and readers will realise that
annotations both instructive and illuminating. Stohl by taking up the opening they will have excellent
is an outstanding theoretical expert, so the opening chances of a quick and decisive attack” – IM
phase of each game reads like a lesson in the key Richard Palliser, HULL CHESS CLUB MAGAZINE
strategic aspects of the opening chosen, with a
An Explosive Chess Opening Repertoire for “Very rarely is so much good advice packed into one
Black book. Hansen considers the lessons to be learned
from the way his opening repertoire evolved, pawn
Jouni Yrjölä and Jussi Tella
structures, advice on swindling, defending, when to
This book equips the reader with everything he seek counterplay, tactics, technical endgames and
needs to know to play Black in a game of chess. how to use computers to analyse. This amongst
Two experienced Finnish players have described an many other ideas. What was particularly impressive
exciting repertoire based on the move 1...d6 in reply to me was the 25 pages of discussion on how to play
to whatever White’s first move happens to be. Queen’s Gambit Exchange structures from the point
Black’s strategy is hypermodern and dynamic: of view of Black and White. Really good stuff. This
White is encouraged to seize space, while Black may be for the advanced player (1800+), but it’s a
develops his pieces rapidly and actively, waiting for real treasure trove of ideas. It is very rare that one
the ideal moment to attack and destroy White’s volume can contain such a wide breadth of
central bastions. The variations advocated have been information over the whole spectrum of chess ideas
proven in top-level play and have quick-strike without sacrificing depth. A true ‘desert island’
potential if White is at all careless or imprecise. The chess book.” – Munroe Morrison, OPEN FILE
repertoire is based around the Pirc Defence and the
variations 1 d4 d6 2 c4 e5 and 1 d4 d6 2 Nf3 Bg4, Essential Chess Sacrifices
which fit seamlessly together with 1...d6 systems David LeMoir
against White’s various flank openings. Sacrifices are an essential part of chess. Those who
Also available on Chess Studio. never consider sacrificing will miss countless
“To my pleasant surprise the whole book focused opportunities and find that promising positions
solely on Black’s opening move 1...d6. Having repeatedly slip away. Players who do not appreciate
dabbled with this a few times myself, I can assure their opponents’ sacrificial possibilities will be
you that the opening is a lot more dazzling than it unable to see danger signs, and find themselves on
sounds. The authors appear to have done an the wrong end of too many king-hunts. Rather than
extremely diligent job, covering all possibilities for merely cataloguing the various possibilities and
White and, with not far off 300 pages, you get a lot providing examples, LeMoir discusses the possible
of chess for your money” – GM David Norwood, follow-ups to the sacrifices, the defensive options
WEEKEND TELEGRAPH against them, and the positional factors that might
suggest whether the sacrifice will be sound or
How Chess Games are Won and Lost unsound. There are many important types of chess
Lars Bo Hansen positions that can only be played well by those who
understand the thematic sacrifices that are possible.
Traditionally, chess games have been divided into
three stages – opening, middlegame and endgame – Also available on Chess Studio.
and general principles presented for how to handle Also available as German-language Chess Studio and Kindle editions.
each stage. All chess-players will be well aware that “What makes this book brilliant, is that the concepts
these principles all too frequently fail to help in their and positions examined are part of any top player’s
selection of the best move. In this important work, fundamental chess knowledge. However, for the
Lars Bo Hansen, grandmaster and professional average player, below this aura of invincibility, there
educator, presents chess as a game of five phases, is no way to gain such an understanding without
and explains the do’s and don’ts in each: the help from a teacher such as Mr LeMoir. We cannot
opening; the transition to the early middlegame; the sift through games, recognize the themes, make
middlegame; strategic endgames; technical numerous case studies, and figure out what factors
endgames. With a wealth of examples from both his lead to success, and what factors let you down.
own practice and that of his colleagues, Hansen David LeMoir has done this for us, and anyone who
discusses the typical mistakes and pitfalls, and devotes some time to this book will emerge a better
shows how to handle the subtleties unique to each chess-player.” – Søren Søgaard, SEAGAARD REVIEWS
stage. He also gives advice on how to work on your
chess in each aspect of the game. Of special value is A Course in Chess Tactics
his explanation of how to study typical Dejan Bojkov and Vladimir Georgiev
middlegames, and that middlegame preparation – a
neglected area for most players – is both possible The advice frequently given to chess-players eager
and necessary. to improve their results is straightforward: study
tactics! But there is often little useful guidance as to
how this is best done. By solving puzzle positions?
Or endgame studies? By dissecting the games of Storming the Barricades
great tacticians? Few books present a structured Larry Christiansen
approach to tactics, so this book fills a valuable
niche in the ambitious player’s library. The authors Many books provide training in how to round off a
present each major tactical theme in turn, explaining successful attack with a final combination, but that’s
how it works and providing inspiring examples. really just the easy part. The difficult thing is to
They then explain how you can spot the idea in your decide how and where to attack in the first place,
own games and use it to your advantage. You and to build up the offensive without giving the
immediately get a chance to put your knowledge to opponent real counterchances. Larry Christiansen is
the test, as there are challenging exercises highly respected by his grandmaster colleagues for
throughout the whole book, with detailed solutions. his ability to conjure up dangerous attacking chances
The second part of the book offers more advanced from almost any position. In this book he takes more
material, and takes us inside the professional’s than 50 real-life positions, breaks each one down
tactics laboratory. Here we see how tactical themes into its key elements and explains the right strategy
are combined, and employed to achieve strategic for conducting a successful attack. The examples are
goals. We are also shown how grandmasters spot the selected to illustrate a wide variety of attacking
targets for their breathtaking combinations, which themes and to provide an instructive and accurate
we thus come to see not as sheer witchcraft, but as picture of how modern players attack and defend.
the product of disciplined thought and training. Also available on Chess Studio.
Also available on Chess Studio. “Christiansen reveals what he has studied to become
“The two Bulgarians spend the first part of the book a master tactician ... in contrast to many attacking
explaining and delineating the elements of tactics books, Christiansen gives fresh examples from
(pin, deflection, decoy, discovered attack, etc.) and recent years, organizing them according to attacking
then move on to some more advanced tactical principles” – GM Lubosh Kavalek, WASHINGTON
themes and then top the book off with 40 pages of POST
exercises to reinforce what has been learnt.” – John A Complete Chess Course
Saunders, BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE
Antonio Gude
Chess Endgames for Kids
This book is a comprehensive manual for those new
Karsten Müller to chess, which explains with great clarity the basics
Most chess games are decided in the endgame. It is of the game. Using innovative methods, Gude
here where you reap the reward for your good play, ensures that readers quickly grasp each key concept
or else use all your cunning to deny the opponent before building on it by introducing new ideas. This
victory. Knowing just a few key endgame is an interactive course. With a total of 280
techniques will dramatically increase your questions and exercises to tackle, the reader will
confidence, as you will understand what positions to quickly gain skills rather than mere knowledge.
aim for and which to avoid. Starting with the basic Gude strips the mystery away from tactics and
mates and the simplest pawn endings, this book combinations by looking first at the strengths and
provides all the endgame knowledge that players weaknesses of each piece in isolation, and then
need to take them through to club level and beyond. showing how they work together with each of the
Müller carefully guides us step-by-step through a other pieces. He also presents guidelines on chess
fascinating range of endgame tactics and strategy that will help shape the reader’s
manoeuvres, helping us understand the underlying understanding of chess, and a wide variety of
logic. Throughout the book, many cunning endgame patterns for the reader’s all-important ‘mental
tricks are highlighted. You will have fun springing database’. The section on openings explains the
them on friends, family – or your opponents in main aims of each major opening, and the style of
serious tournaments. Chess Endgames for Kids game to which they tend of lead, together with some
makes learning chess endgames fun. But it is also a key variations. Later chapters provide examples of
serious endgame course written by a leading how to launch attacks, putting together the skills
endgame expert, and provides a firm basis for vital from earlier chapters, and deal with issues such as
skills that will develop throughout your chess career. chess training, psychology and competitive chess at
club and tournament level.
Also available as a German-language Kindle edition. Also available on Chess Studio.
“Useful for both young kids and old kids like me!” – Antonio Gude is an extremely experienced chess
GM Matthew Sadler, NEW IN CHESS writer and teacher from Spain. Several of his books
on tactics and for beginners are long-standing best- special and personal, even a little autobiographical.”
sellers in Spanish language. Gude has also translated – IM Axel Ornstein, TIDSKRIFT FÖR SCHACK
a great many books, including some of the classics
Understanding the Scandinavian
of chess literature.
Sergey Kasparov
“My fellow teachers at my elementary-middle
school have been trying to get a real curriculum for The appeal of the Scandinavian Defence is easy to
our chess program, and in Gude’s book I think understand: it is very forcing – Black is virtually
we’ve found it” – Ben George, Houston, Texas guaranteed to get his desired structure. There are no
annoying ‘Anti-Scandinavians’ to study! But for
Problem Chess: Art and Magic on the many decades the Scandinavian was regarded with
Chessboard some suspicion, as Black apparently loses time
Göran Forslund recapturing on d5. Modern players have a different
view. The great Danish player Bent Larsen
This is a book for those who enjoy problem-solving
kickstarted the revolution with his provocative
and appreciate clever solutions, and have at least a
assertion that it is an improved Caro-Kann (and, not
basic knowledge of chess. It is about the
least, beating Karpov with our opening)! But the
composition and beauty of chess problems: positions
21st-century Scandinavian is a different beast
forged not in combat but from pure human
altogether; the new main line of the whole opening
imagination, and featuring elegant and surprising
(3...Qd6) has proven to have great strategic richness,
solutions. The author offers a personal view of chess
with more than a few tactical tricks lurking just
problems, conveying an infectious zeal for his
behind the scenes. The Scandinavian has been
subject. Because this is as much a collection of short
transformed into an opening that strong
stories as it is a conventional problem collection. No
grandmasters are willing to use as their main
matter how you use the book, you can expect many
defence, rather than as an occasional surprise
hours of excitement and a craving for more. Each
weapon. This thoroughly modern guide focuses on
chapter presents a variety of chess problems of a
these new approaches, while also covering the more
specific type, ranging from the familiar ‘mate in
traditional main lines. Kasparov guides the reader
two’ puzzles via retro-analytical problems worthy of
carefully through each system, explaining his
a whodunit novel to 15-move series problems and
recommendations with wit and clarity. With his
the ‘outer limits’ of fairy problems (altered rules or
help, you will have your opponents wishing there
pieces). Throughout, the creative processes of
problem chess are at the forefront of the discussion. really were some ‘Anti-Scandinavian’ lines!
Readers are given the opportunity to solve most of Also available on Chess Studio.
the problems before being presented with the Sergey Kasparov is a grandmaster from Belarus.
solutions. Or you can simply enjoy reading the book He plays regularly in international events around the
from cover to cover without ever needing to set up a globe and is an experienced writer, with several
chessboard. books and online reports to his credit.
“Conclusion: Understanding the Scandinavian is a
Göran Forslund (1958–2015) was a computer new addition to the book market and focuses
software professional with a PhD in computer especially on the strategic basis of the Scandinavian
science, with a focus on artificial intelligence. He Defence. It is both an instruction manual and a guide
published chess compositions in most genres, and book, and distinguishes itself particularly by
won awards in the World Chess Composition explaining and illustrating as much as possible of
Tournament, and several of his problems were what’s happening on the board.” – Uwe Bekemann,
selected for the FIDE albums. He also served as a German Correspondence Chess Federation
judge in chess composition contests. He played
Grandmaster Chess Move by Move
regular chess too, with some success: he was a
finalist in both the Swedish Junior Championship John Nunn
and the Swedish Correspondence Chess Cup. A collection of John Nunn’s best games from 1994
“problem books are usually written for the already to the present day, annotated in detail in the same
initiated. But now an exception has been style as the best-selling Understanding Chess Move
accomplished by Göran Forslund. ... Forslund by Move. Throughout, the emphasis is on what the
introduces each chapter with short texts about, for reader can learn from each game, so the book is
example, ice hockey, film, childhood memories or ideal study material for those seeking to progress to
Einstein’s theory of relativity, and finds relations a higher level of chess understanding. There is also
with chess problems. This makes the book very entertainment in abundance: Nunn has a direct
aggressive style, and many of his opponents in these and evaluations are carefully considered, and a
games are ambitious young grandmasters from the complete repertoire against a major opening move is
generation inspired by Kasparov’s dynamic chess. presented. Highly Recommended.” – Lou Mercuri,
The book also includes all of John Nunn’s CHESS HORIZONS
compositions – problems and studies – with full
Understanding the Leningrad Dutch
solutions.
Valeri Beim
“GM John Nunn is at the pinnacle of chess writers The Leningrad System of the Dutch Defence is an
and this book shows why. His analysis is always interesting hybrid of the Dutch and the King’s
first-rate, and he does a good job of using words, Indian. For many years, it was viewed with some
where practical, to explain what’s going on. Besides suspicion in view of the slight positional weaknesses
giving you 46 of his most interesting games created in Black’s position. However, in the 1980s
(complete with detailed notes) played during the last dynamic new approaches were introduced by such
third of his career, he also throws in a slew of chess players as Sergei Dolmatov, Evgeny Bareev,
problems and studies, as well as two interesting Mikhail Gurevich and especially Vladimir
articles.” – Michael Jeffreys, WWW.CHESSVILLE.COM Malaniuk. These players showed how an active
approach could compensate for these defects, and
How to Beat 1 d4 offer Black excellent winning chances. Since then,
James Rizzitano the Leningrad has been a popular and effective
opening choice for players of all levels. A good
Rizzitano, author of Understanding Your Chess, understanding of the themes of the Leningrad is at
presents a full repertoire for Black against 1 d4, least as important as detailed knowledge of its
based on the Queen’s Gambit Accepted (QGA). The theory. Valeri Beim has a wealth of experience with
QGA is an extremely popular opening amongst the Leningrad Dutch and is an accomplished trainer,
players of all levels, as it gives Black free so is ideally qualified to guide the reader through the
development and counterpunching potential, twists and turns of this remarkable opening.
especially if White takes up the challenge and tries
to set up a broad pawn centre. The QGA’s
soundness is shown by the number of top-class Valeri Beim is a grandmaster who lives in Austria.
grandmasters who have used it in critical games – it He has won numerous tournaments and plays in the
was a key factor in Short’s victory over Karpov, and Austrian and German leagues. For many years, he
has even been used by Garry Kasparov at world- was the head trainer at the chess school in Odessa
championship level. Rizzitano has chosen to (Ukraine), and he was also the trainer of the Israeli
recommend dependable main lines of the QGA, and olympiad team. This is his second chess book.
throughout emphasizes how Black can create “Valeri, as well as being an experienced chess
winning chances and White’s typical ways to go trainer, is a player that uses the Leningrad Dutch
wrong. The repertoire is completed by a set of Defence himself which is a big plus when writing a
weapons against White’s alternatives to offering the chess book. Through nine well-written chapters
Queen’s Gambit, ranging from the stolid Colle to the Valeri covers not only the Leningrad Dutch but also
weird Hodgson Attack and the reckless Blackmar- covers what to do if White plays a gambit or tries to
Diemer. deviate early. At the end of the book there is also
Also available on Chess Studio. homework in the form of exercises to do to see how
James Rizzitano is a strong international master much you’ve learned. If you wish to learn and
who dominated chess in the New England region understand how to play the Leningrad Dutch then
during a 14-year period from 1976 to 1989 – he won this is the book for you.” – Michael Stevenson, NEW
157 out of 336 events in which he competed. His ZEALAND CHESS
career highlights include victories over Alburt, The Ruy Lopez: A Guide for Black
Benjamin, Benko, Christiansen, Dlugy, I.Gurevich
and Wolff, and exciting draws with de Firmian, Sverre Johnsen and Leif Erlend Johannessen
Larsen, Speelman, and the legendary former world The Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Opening) is one of the
champion Tal. Rizzitano has recently made a return critical chess battlegrounds. It has long been
to competitive chess. recommended as an excellent chess opening for
“Overall, I see no reason not to recommend this training purposes, as it leads to a wide variety of
book to players from 1200 through at least master structures and strategies. This book is a complete
level. The analysis is comprehensive, the judgments guide to handling the black side of the Lopez, based
principally around the Zaitsev Variation, upon which
Anatoly Karpov relied during much of his career. gambit, but it is still controversial, and more popular
This line leads to sharp play, often in open battles than ever amongst the best players in the world. In
where Black gains active counterplay and challenges their hands, the Marshall Attack looks remarkably
White to seize the initiative on the kingside. The solid – even if White neutralizes Black’s attacking
authors explain in detail how Black can weather the chances and remains a pawn up, Black often
storm. They also explain how Black can handle the achieves full positional compensation. However, the
practical problem of the Ng5 repetition, and Marshall appears a forbidding opening to ordinary
recommend reliable procedures against White’s club players, who feel that the theory is too difficult
other options in the Lopez, starting off with the to understand and much too complex to memorize.
Exchange Variation, and moving on to a variety of Many simply avoid it with both colours. That,
closed systems. Throughout, the emphasis is on what argues David Vigorito, is a shame. He shows that
readers actually need to know and understand in many typical Marshall positions can be broken down
order to play the opening successfully in practice. into elements that we can all grasp, and so build up
There is a great deal of explanation of important an intuition to guide us. Then we are able to tackle
ideas, and the authors take pains to guide their this incredible opening and develop a feel for why
readers away from potential pitfalls. pieces go to the squares that they do, and when
Also available on Chess Studio. Black has sufficient compensation, and when he
does not. Of course, the Marshall remains a highly
Sverre Johnsen is a FIDE-rated player from sharp and concrete opening, even to those who are
Norway. He is an enthusiastic chess analyst, versed in its unique brand of black magic. Vigorito
researcher and writer, and co-author of Win with the provides detailed, cutting-edge theoretical coverage
London System one of the most popular openings of all its main lines and the most important Anti-
books of recent years. Leif Johannessen is a young Marshall systems.
grandmaster, also from Norway. He plays in several
national leagues and has represented his country in
many team events. The quality of his opening David Vigorito is an International Master from the
preparation is shown by the fact that he won the United States. He plays regularly in high-level
prize for most important theoretical novelty in competitions, including the US Championship. He
Informator 92. has written extensively for a variety of publications
and is a chess teacher. This is his second book for
“Good chess opening books are all about ‘feel’ – do
Gambit.
you feel the authors are making you at home in the
variation, do you feel they are giving up their “a good summary of existing theory, and the author
‘secrets’ to you, the reader, and do you get the has taken care to track down often overlooked, but
feeling they are on your side? Well, this book scores sometimes theoretically crucial correspondence
very highly in this respect; take the Preface, for games, and importantly there is a decent sized
example. It’s a 15 page discussion by GM section on Anti-Marshall lines that often crop up in
Johannessen on how to learn a chess opening (albeit practice.” – GM Michael Adams, DAILY TELEGRAPH
aimed at the Zaitsev, but the lessons are universal) –
Understanding Rook Endgames
and it does the subject matter wonderful justice. I’ve
read magazine and internet articles which do not Karsten Müller and Yakov Konoval
come close to Johannessen’s logical explanation of Endgames with rooks and pawns are the most
taking an opening from a thought over a coffee at a frequently occurring in chess, arising in about 1
chess bookstall to a full part of your tournament game in 10. If you learn an important technique in
repertoire. For my money, the best part of the book, this endgame, chances are you will end up using it
although the rest of the material doesn’t lag behind sooner or later. And there are a great many methods
in quality.” – Munroe Morrison, OPEN FILE and concepts that can be mastered with a little effort.
Understanding the Marshall Attack This book highlights the key themes in rook endings,
and at each turn invites the reader to test his
David Vigorito knowledge and skills with abundant exercises. Rook
The Marshall Attack is a chess opening like no endgame theory does not stand still. New practical
other. Rather than subjecting himself to the ‘Spanish examples illustrate novel approaches as players seek
torture’ so typical in the Ruy Lopez, Black simply to pose problems to their opponents – Magnus
gives away a centre pawn. But in return, he gets Carlsen has shown that even the driest-looking
long-term attacking chances and activity that can positions can feature deadly traps. The ongoing
persist well into the endgame. It is almost a century creation of new endgame tablebases – of which co-
since Frank Marshall invented his sensational author Yakov Konoval has been at the forefront –
enables new classes of positions to be assessed with Matthew Sadler is one of the strongest British
definitive certainty. Using six-man and the brand players of recent decades. Having become a GM in
new seven-man tablebases, the authors re-examine his teens, he twice won the British Championship
many of the old evaluations and reach new and and was awarded an individual gold medal at the
enlightening conclusions about classic rook endings. 1996 Olympiad. After concentrating on an IT career
You will be startled and amazed, and soon discover for more than a decade, he returned to high-level
that you are becoming a far more effective endgame chess in 2010 and quickly regained a spot in the
player. world top 100. Matthew’s struggles to bring his
Also available on Chess Studio. game back up to speed after his long break were part
of the inspiration for this book. Natasha Regan is a
German grandmaster Karsten Müller is arguably Women’s International Master from England who
the world’s foremost writer on chess endgames. His achieved a degree in mathematics from Cambridge
‘masterwork’, Fundamental Chess Endings, is a University. While pursuing a successful career as an
modern endgame ‘bible’ and was studied intensively actuary in the insurance industry, she has raised a
in his youth by current World Champion Magnus family and maintained a strong interest in chess and
Carlsen. Yakov Konoval is a Russian chess-player other board games, including Go.
and programmer who studied at Mikhail Botvinnik’s
chess school. He has written programs for solving “unlike any other chess book I have seen. It
chess problems and has pioneered new techniques addresses the subject of how to sustain, and seek to
for generating endgame tablebases. improve, one’s chess strength throughout life,
despite the inevitable diminution of calculation
“Unbelievably well written ... many new discoveries ability. Sadler and Regan have produced an
are revealed here. One of the best endgame books of insightful analysis of the way chess players of
all time” – John Elburg, WWW.CHESSBOOKS.NL different styles adapted to age and the advancement
“You can feel confident that anything you study and of theory. From this, and candid interviews ... they
learn on the basis of Müller’s book is 100% correct” unveil a tour de force of ideas to consider applying
– GM Matthew Sadler, NEW IN CHESS to one’s own game. This is not a book for the aging
– it is rather a testament to the value of experience
Chess for Life
with lessons for players of all ages” – Ross Jackson,
Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan NEW ZEALAND CHESS
WINNER OF THE ECF BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARD Fundamental Checkmates
In this thought-provoking, wide-ranging and often Antonio Gude
inspiring book, the authors examine how chess style
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ECF BOOK OF THE YEAR
and abilities vary with age. The conventional
AWARD
wisdom is that greater experience should
compensate for a loss of youthful energy, but with Chess might seem a complex and mysterious game,
so many of the world elite currently in their but the ultimate goal is simple: checkmate.
twenties, chess is increasingly looking like a young Checkmate can occur in all stages of the game, from
man’s game. By making a number of case studies snap mates in the opening, through middlegame
and interviewing players who have stayed strong attacks to simplified endgames. Learning how to use
into their forties, fifties and beyond, the authors our pieces together to corner the enemy king is a
show in detail how players can steer their games fundamental skill that all chess-players must
towards positions where their experience can shine constantly practise, sharpen and develop. This book
through. Interviewees include: GM John Nunn, GM lays out, in systematic and thorough fashion, a wide
Yasser Seirawan, GM Nigel Short, GM Judit Polgar, range of mating patterns and techniques, in
GM Keith Arkell, GM Pia Cramling, FM Terry particular showing how each piece-pair can
Chapman, GM Jon Speelman, GM Sergei Tiviakov combine to deliver mate. A working knowledge of
and WIM Ingrid Lauterbach. By examining so many these ideas enables players to move on to mating
aspects of chess, the authors have written a work combinations, where pieces lay down their lives so
that ends up transcending its subject-matter, and that the remaining forces can deliver mate. Gude
becomes a text on how and why we love chess, the explains an amazing variety of tactical devices, and
means by which we can play successfully whatever illustrates them in unforgettable style with some of
our age and level of play, and how chess is truly a the most brilliant mating attacks from practice, new
game for life. and old. There are chapters on how to attack kings in
Also available on Chess Studio. the centre, as well as standard (and other!) attacks
against the castled position. This is a true textbook
of checkmate; readers will never be short of mating were Chess Explained: The c3 Sicilian and the
ideas, and will instinctively know when there is a highly successful general opening work
possibility to launch an attack, or when they must Understanding the Chess Openings.
parry the opponent’s threats. Fundamental “Sam Collins delivers a small but very well thought
Checkmates also features more than 300 exercises out repertoire book for White, based on lines that I
with full solutions. have hardly seen before – for example the Italian
Also available on Chess Studio. line: 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Nc6 3 Bc4 Bc5 4 c3 Nf6 5 d4
Antonio Gude is an extremely experienced chess exd4 6 cxd4 Bb4+ 7 Nbd2!?. One of the most
writer and teacher from Spain. Several of his books interesting repertoire books at this moment!” – John
on tactics and for beginners are long-standing best- Elburg, WWW.CHESSBOOKS.NL
sellers in Spanish language. Gude has also translated Instructive Chess Miniatures
a great many books, including some of the classics
of chess literature. Alper Efe Ataman
“The number of great examples is overwhelming. Warning: this book is not just entertainment. The
On the one part there are classic game fragments you author wants to teach you a lot about chess and
may already know, but also a lot is new, giving improve the quality of your play! He has selected 53
something for everyone. I myself am currently using miniatures from throughout chess history – the
this book as study material for my constant training earliest are from the 1850s, while the most recent are
... the book is actually suitable for any chess player. from grandmaster events just a few months ago!
High recommended” – IM Dirk Schuh, ROCHADE A miniature is a decisive game, won in 25 moves or
EUROPA fewer. Most of these 53 games feature brilliant
A Simple Chess Opening Repertoire for White tactics, attacks on the king, and even a few
outrageous king-hunts. In many, the winner had to
Sam Collins overcome cunning defensive ploys and inventive
By choosing variations that lead to similar counterattacks. But our aim in this book is not just to
structures, highly experienced player, writer and admire the players’ skill, but to learn how we can
teacher Sam Collins has put together an ideal play like this in our own games. Chess coach
repertoire for players with limited study time. White Ataman is keenly focused on the instructive points,
opens with 1 e4 and develops his pieces to natural explaining which features of the position justified
squares and seeks open lines and the initiative. A the attacks, and what prompted the critical decisions.
successful repertoire is more than a set of variations; Where analysis is given, it is restricted to what it
it also requires strategic understanding of the would be realistic for a human to work out at the
resulting positions and a knowledge of the key board. But why are miniatures so instructive,
tactical methods and patterns. Because many of especially for younger players? It’s because we get
Collins’s recommendations lead to IQP (Isolated to see an idea or plan implemented successfully, in
Queen’s Pawn) structures, ideas can easily be full. Once we understand what players are trying to
transplanted from one opening to another. He gives achieve, we can then appreciate how to oppose these
complete illustrative games that emphasize the main ideas, and the cut-and-thrust typical in modern
themes. The specific analysis is up-to-the-minute grandmaster play will make a lot more sense.
and features many new ideas that have proven their Also available on Chess Studio.
worth in recent grandmaster practice. Throughout Alper Efe Ataman is a FIDE Master from Turkey.
there is a great deal of attention to move-order He is a chess publisher, author and an experienced
subtleties and on finding nuances in ‘sidelines’ that trainer, especially at the scholastic level.
your opponents are most unlikely to have examined
in detail. “The author has dragged his net wide and
rediscovered gems like Freeman-Mednis, New York
1955, played when the future Grandmaster was still
a teenager. Instructive Chess Miniatures is a book
Irish international master Sam Collins won the that will provide plenty of pleasure and instruction at
championship of his home country in 2002 and a very reasonable price ... recommended” – IM John
2014. He has represented Ireland in numerous Donaldson, USA Team Captain
Olympiads, winning an individual gold medal at
Play the Classical Dutch
Bled in 2002. He is also an experienced chess
teacher who has lectured at the Berkeley Chess Simon Williams
School in California. His previous books for Gambit
The Classical Dutch is a flexible opening that often Jonathan Rowson became Scotland’s third
gives Black dynamic attacking chances. In this book, grandmaster in late 1999, within months of
one of its most enthusiastic adherents explains the graduating from Oxford University. He was runner-
workings of his favourite opening, and provides up in the 1997 European Junior Championship,
Black with a complete repertoire against 1 d4. Few Scottish Champion in 1999 and winner of the
opponents will be ready to take on the Classical Canadian Open in 2000. Rowson’s first book,
Dutch, since it has received little attention in chess Understanding the Grünfeld, has been highly praised
literature in recent decades. For an opening that has for the quality and originality of his writing, and
been played by all-time greats such as Korchnoi, Tal freshness of approach.
and Larsen, the Classical Dutch’s current lack of “Whenever two large groups argue over a subject so
popularity is puzzling. In this book, Simon Williams intensely, that subject must be interesting and
shows how Black can obtain counterchances against thought provoking ... The Seven Deadly Chess Sins
each of White’s main options. He also provides is a fascinating, original, insightful work by the most
recommendations against all of White’s alternative promising young chess writer out there. It’s well
approaches against the Dutch, including a variety of worth owning (in fact, I consider it a must own!),
sharp possibilities after 1 d4 f5. and contains a bounty of knowledge that will
Also available on Chess Studio. improve your game at the cellular level if the Zen
English grandmaster Simon Williams has gained a gene is a dominant one in you ... Quite simply, The
reputation for playing daring attacking chess. He Seven Deadly Chess Sins is one of the best
represented England in World and European chessbooks to come out in many, many years.” –
Championships in various age groups, and has been Jeremy Silman, SILMAN REVIEWS
a regular in the British Championship since his early The Slav
teens.
Graham Burgess
“The author makes a spirited plea for the Dutch. Its
key ideas and theory are relatively clear and self- The Slav has been played by 11 of the first 13 World
contained, providing a rare opportunity these days to Champions, and has been favoured by many stars of
absorb sufficient information to play and experiment modern chess, including Anand, Kramnik, Shirov,
confidently without considerable research.” – IM Ivanchuk and Morozevich. Its great popularity is due
Craig Pritchett, THE HERALD to its extreme solidity and abundant possibilities for
dynamic counterplay. This book provides detailed
The Seven Deadly Chess Sins coverage to help players as both White and Black
Jonathan Rowson face the challenges of this tough yet rewarding
opening. All lines after 1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 are
Everyone loses chess games occasionally, but all too discussed, except those that transpose to the Semi-
often we lose a game due to moves that, deep down, Slav. The sharpest tactical lines of the Slav receive
we knew were flawed. Why do we commit these especially detailed coverage. These include the
chess-board sins? Are they the result of general critical piece sacrifice in the main line (5...Bf5 6
misconceptions about chess and how it should be Ne5 e6 7 f3 Bb4 8 e4 Bxe4), the Steiner line
played? And how can we recognize the warning (5...Bg4) with 6 Ne5 Bh5 7 h3, and the possibly
signs better? In this thought-provoking and dubious but highly dangerous Geller Gambit (5 e4),
entertaining book, Jonathan Rowson investigates, in which was a favourite of the young Kasparov. The
his inimitable style, the main reasons why chess- trendy ...a6 lines are also covered systematically for
players sometimes go horribly astray, focusing on the first time in chess literature.
the underlying psychological pitfalls: Thinking
(unnecessary or erroneous); Blinking (missing
opportunities; lack of resolution); Wanting (too Graham Burgess holds the world record for
much concern with the result of the game); marathon blitz chess-playing. He is a highly
Materialism (lack of attention to non-material versatile chess writer, whose previous books range
factors); Egoism (insufficient awareness of the from general guides for relatively inexperienced
opponent and his ideas); Perfectionism (running players to high-level theoretical manuals. His
short of time; trying too hard); Looseness (“losing Mammoth Book of Chess won the 1997 British
the plot”; drifting; poor concentration). Chess Federation Book of the Year Award, while
Also available on Chess Studio. Nunn’s Chess Openings, of which he is a co-author,
has established itself as the leading modern one-
volume openings encyclopaedia.
“The Slav continues to remain a very popular the amateur. I think this book can be a nice gift for
opening at all levels and so a thorough survey from children who are interested in improving, or for
the ever diligent Burgess is very welcome. Burgess adults who would like to know more about the game
has meanwhile managed to maintain his reputation but don’t want to deal with some boring authors of
as a very conscientious author with this work, as the past who ... didn’t treat the topic in an
once again he constantly corrects the analysis of entertaining manner.” – Davide Nastasio,
others, whilst providing many important suggestions GEORGIACHESSNEWS.COM
and improvements himself as well as producing Your First Chess Lessons
clear assessments of lines” – IM Richard Palliser,
HULL CHESS CLUB MAGAZINE Paul van der Sterren
Chess Strategy for Kids Assuming no previous knowledge of the game,

Grandmaster Paul van der Sterren teaches you how
Thomas Engqvist to play and draws you into the fascinating world of
So you have learned how to play chess, studied modern chess. This carefully crafted chess course is
tactics and know some basic endgames and divided into true lessons, each building on what has
openings. What’s next? The glue that binds it all been learned in the previous ones. Before moving on
together is strategy. By forming a good plan, chess- from a topic, you have the chance to test that you
players seize strong points on the board and target have fully understood it with the help of
the opponent’s weaknesses. Experienced player and thoughtfully graded exercises. This is a 21st-century
teacher Thomas Engqvist shows that it all depends guide. Throughout, there are references to online
on logic that can be grasped by players of any age. chess resources and suggestions for online activities,
He explains how to identify the right strategy in a such as training, playing and live broadcasts, and
wide range of typical situations. With his guidance, chess-related social media. Also dotted throughout
you will soon be finding good plans on your own – the book are pieces of chess lore, practical tips and
and then it will be time to demonstrate your tactical information about great players past and present.
mastery! He first teaches the importance of the Also available on Chess Studio.
central squares and the basics of pawn-play, before Grandmaster Paul van der Sterren has won the
examining the role of each of the pieces and how Dutch Championship on two occasions, and in 1993
they are affected by the pawn-structure. Finally we reached the Candidates stage of the World Chess
see how to use them together to launch attacks of Championship. He is an internationally renowned
many different types. You then get a chance to test chess writer and editor: he was one of the founding
your new strategic skills in 27 exercises, all with full editors of New in Chess, and is author of the
solutions. Chess Strategy for Kids provides a bestselling user-friendly opening guide Fundamental
complete course that will help readers understand Chess Openings.
the potential of their pieces and play more
purposefully in their games. Chess will stop feeling How to Play Dynamic Chess
like a series of random events as you take command Valeri Beim
of your forces and direct them like a general in
charge of an army. Chess is fundamentally a dynamic game. Each move
changes the situation and the possibilities for both
sides. No piece is ever identically as valuable as any
Thomas Engqvist is an International Master from other, and their scope changes from move to move.
Sweden with more than three decades’ experience of The current generation of supergrandmasters play
international chess. He is a successful chess trainer unrelentingly dynamic chess, but a great deal of
and has also made notable contributions to chess chess literature still deals with chess as if it were a
theory. Engqvist is editor of the website predominantly static game. Much of our
schacksnack.se and teaches at a school in the understanding of the game is based around
Stockholm area. traditional rules of thumb that might work well ‘on
“simplifies some chess concepts in a manner that a average’ or in ‘typical’ situations. But these rules
modern reader can understand and appreciate. ... the may not equip us at all well in the specific and
author clearly shows he understood Nimzowitsch sometimes exceptional situations that we face in our
and knows how to convey Nimzowitsch’s ideas, but games. In this book, Valeri Beim explains how to
he does it in an easier and more appealing fashion. ... factor in dynamic considerations, and weigh
I also found the graphics absolutely exhilarating. initiative and time against material and other static
They show typical chess ideas in a stunning fashion, factors. This is a realistic account by an experienced
which makes them easy to remember, especially for trainer and battle-hardened competitor, geared
towards the needs of players looking to improve In this book, John Nunn, a top-class grandmaster
their results. Topics include: Dynamics; who has also won the World Problem Solving
Development; The King as a Target; Breakthrough; Championship three times, explains the methods by
Initiative. which chess problems and studies are solved. The
logical and creative methods advocated, while
Valeri Beim is a grandmaster who lives in Austria.
targeted at the solving of composed positions, may
He has won numerous tournaments and plays in the
also help players find startling tactical solutions in
Austrian and German leagues. For many years he
their games. Solving in Style also constitutes an
was the head trainer at the chess school in Odessa,
entertaining and insightful introduction to the world
and he was also the trainer of the Israeli Olympiad
of problems and studies. There are chapters on series
team. This is his fourth chess book.
problems and other unorthodox stipulations, and also
“an incredible work, simply the best I have ever read a discussion of specific themes such as the Novotny
on this topic. I suspect even some players of the first interference. This brand new electronic edition
rank will find something to think about, and the rest contains 50% more material than the original print
of us will have our games adjusted forever. If you edition. There are new chapters on proof games and
buy one chess book this year, this should be it. This solving competitions, as well as a large collection of
book is so good, I have to stray from my usual new problems for readers to solve. Unsound
method of categorizing books, and deem it an Instant problems from the first edition have been replaced,
Classic.” – Don Aldrich, CHESS TODAY and errors and omissions corrected.
Improve Your Positional Chess Also available on Chess Studio.
Carsten Hansen Dr John Nunn is one of the best-respected figures

in world chess. He was among the world’s leading
Throughout a game of chess, we must constantly
grandmasters for nearly twenty years, winning four
make judgements and decisions that cannot be
gold medals in chess Olympiads and finishing sixth
determined simply by calculation. We must then rely
overall in the World Cup in 1989. He is a much-
on our positional judgement. Good positional skills
acclaimed writer, whose works have won ‘Book of
are primarily developed by experience, but they can
the Year’ awards in several countries. In 2004, 2007
also be learnt. In this book, Carsten Hansen provides
and 2010 Nunn was crowned World Chess Solving
a wealth of advice and ideas that will help give
Champion, ahead of many former champions.
readers a helping-hand up to new levels of positional
understanding. Paramount in this discussion is the “Nunn does an excellent job of explaining the
player’s need to weigh up positional elements at the special rules of this parallel universe, but where he is
board, and decide which are most important for the likely to gain the most converts is in the field of
situation at hand. Topics include: The Quest for chess studies ... Many of these studies look
Weaknesses; What is the Initiative?; Understanding sufficiently ‘game-like’ that the over-the-board
Imbalances; The Relative Value of the Pieces; player will have no trouble appreciating the beauty
Decisions Regarding Pawn-Structures; Structural and ingenuity involved. Highly recommended” – IM
Weaknesses; Where and How to Attack. The book is John Donaldson, USA Team Captain
rounded off with exercises to test your Understanding the Sicilian
understanding of the concepts discussed, together
with full solutions. Mikhail Golubev
Carsten Hansen is a FIDE Master from Denmark Mikhail Golubev has played the Sicilian as Black
who currently lives in the USA. He has a reputation and White for the whole of his chess career,
for writing well-researched books on major chess specializing in the sharpest and most aggressive
topics, and is known to many through his systems. Here he presents the whole undiluted truth
painstaking book reviews on the Internet. This is his – as best he sees it – about this most popular and
fourth book for Gambit. cut-throat of openings.
“I figure to put about 20 Elo points on to my grade The quality of the games is striking. Even the list of
(2433) by the time I’ve finished; that’s how good it opponents in junior tournaments features Kramnik
is. I can’t really say more than that. Oh, and I am and Shirov, while more recent opponents include
enjoying reading it!” – IM Andrew Martin, Ponomariov and Svidler. Ivanchuk’s extraordinary
SEAGAARD’S REVIEWS ideas crop up repeatedly. But we also see Golubev
facing more ‘normal’ opposition, where as the
Solving in Style higher-rated player the top priority was to create
John Nunn winning opportunities.
There is much to learn from Golubev’s honest ‘warts Also available on Chess Studio.
and all’ presentation. We see the process of Lajos Portisch is one of the greatest players of the
discovery and experimentation, and develop a feel modern era. An elite player from the 1960s to the
for the spirit of the Sicilian. There is a wealth of 1990s, he qualified for the candidates eight times
original analysis (all scrupulously computer- and was board 1 for the Hungary team that won
checked), novelties and strategic guidance. For olympic gold in 1978, ahead of the USSR. He is one
Dragon, Sozin/Najdorf and Velimirović players in of the 12 Hungarian ‘Sportsmen of the Nation’ – the
particular, this book is an absolute must-read, but country’s highest sporting honour.
Anti-Sicilian and Taimanov players are among those
who must also watch out. All Sicilian lines are Extreme Chess Tactics
covered, with the exception of those that have never Yochanan Afek
occurred in the more than 440 Sicilian games from
Tactical ability requires knowledge and skills:
Golubev’s professional career.
knowledge of patterns and tactical methods, and the
Also available on Chess Studio. skill to recognize them, combine them, and calculate
Mikhail Golubev is a grandmaster from Odessa, accurately.
Ukraine, who plays regularly in tournaments in This book features both composed studies and real-
eastern and central Europe. He is a noted expert in game positions. Composed positions distil tactics
several sharp and aggressive opening systems, into their purest form: nothing irrelevant is present
including the King’s Indian and the Dragon. His on the board. We can focus purely on the key ideas,
previous books, The Sicilian Sozin and which makes them an ideal learning tool. As one of
Understanding the King’s Indian, have been praised the world’s greatest experts on chess composition,
for the quantity and quality of their original analysis, Yochanan Afek is the perfect man to select the best
and for Golubev’s objectivity in identifying the studies for this purpose. In over-the-board chess (in
critical lines. which Afek is also highly accomplished), the tactical
My Secrets in the Ruy Lopez ideas tend to be less complex, but they may prove
harder to identify – unless they are already familiar
Lajos Portisch to you. Afek provides a case in point in his
SHORTLISTED FOR THE ECF BOOK OF THE YEAR introduction, where the stunning final move of the
AWARD 2016 world championship could not possibly have
It’s major news when a legendary player reveals his been missed by those familiar with an earlier game.
All the real-game positions in this book are taken
opening secrets. And when he has rarely written
from games by world champions (male or female).
about his games or preparation methods, and was
famous for meticulous, ahead-of-his-time opening Following the structure of John Nunn’s best-selling
analysis, it makes it a true publishing event. Learn Chess Tactics, in each chapter a theme is
introduced and a number of examples are explained.
Yet that is what eight-time world championship
Then the reader immediately gets to use this
candidate Lajos Portisch has done. In this book, he
knowledge in a series of carefully selected exercises.
opens his extensive opening files and presents the
most important games and unused novelties in the Also available on Chess Studio.
Ruy Lopez (or Spanish Game). He also explains the Yochanan Afek is both a Grandmaster of
strategies and ideas behind these lines, and places Composition and an over-the-board International
the key games in their historical settings. Anecdotes Master. This unique combination of talents makes
abound, as do reflections on his key rivals, including him a highly insightful writer, noted for his work on
Fischer, Karpov, Tal, Larsen and Smyslov. the factors that make moves hard to see. He grew up
This is also a thoroughly modern work. As well as in Tel-Aviv and now lives in Amsterdam. His
drawing upon games from his own long career, greatest over-the-board success was winning the
Portisch includes important Ruy Lopez games by Paris Championship in 2002.
modern champions, including Anand and Carlsen, The Chess Attacker’s Handbook
describing them from his own unique perspective.
All analysis has been computer-verified, with Michael Song and Razvan Preotu
Portisch’s hand-made variations standing up to Life is too short to play boring chess!
scrutiny in most cases, but with the computer adding
That’s the mantra of the two young authors of this
new and surprising twists. Thus we see how human
book, and as you read their energetic and insightful
creativity can remain a vital component in modern
words, you may find yourself caught up in their
preparation.
enthusiasm for direct attacking play.
Their over-the-board successes are not based on sections mostly deal with ideas that were unknown
mere bravado or trickery, but on a profound or untopical before 2016 or 2017.
understanding of the chessboard struggle and Reviews of the first edition (101 Chess Opening
thought process. Song and Preotu consider the role Surprises):
of manoeuvring and prophylactic thought, and
examine attacks in the endgame, as well as more “explodes right in your face, with ideas in all
standard topics such as play on colour complexes openings ranging from the sublime to the ridiculous”
and when and how to launch the pawns in an all-out – GM Lubosh Kavalek, WASHINGTON POST
assault. “I was stunned by some of the author’s ideas ...
And because life’s too short to read a boring chess excellent” – GM Paul Motwani, THE SCOTSMAN
book, the text is packed with advice, study Also available on Chess Studio.
suggestions and anecdotes as well as quotes and
FIDE Master Graham Burgess is Gambit’s
references to philosophy and other ‘real-world’
Editorial Director, and one of the founders of the
topics. Their examples are drawn from their own
company. He holds the world record for marathon
practice and their supergrandmaster trainer, as well
blitz chess playing, and lives in Minnesota. This is
as modern classics and older gems. Most of their
his 24th chess book, his earlier works including
material you will not have seen before; the rest you
well-regarded opening guides and best-selling
will not have seen explained this way before.
general texts.
Fundamental Chess Tactics
The authors are the two highest-rated Canadian
juniors. Razvan Preotu earned the Grandmaster title Antonio Gude
in 2016 at the age of 17. The most notable result Once a player has learned how the pieces move, the
during his meteoric rise was at the 2016 Calgary next task is to put them to work – that is, to study
International, which he won outright ahead of a tactics. For all players, from beginners to
strong international field including five GMs. champions, tactical skill is the main component of
Michael Song became an International Master by chess ability. And this skill must be constantly
winning the North American Under-18 practised and improved.
Championship. He has represented Canada many
times, winning a bronze medal at the 2011 World This book provides a systematic course in chess
Youth Championship. His trainer is super- tactics and hundreds of exercises to sharpen and
grandmaster Evgeny Bareev. measure your skills. With Antonio Gude’s
assistance, you will understand how the pieces work,
125 Chess Opening Surprises so you can carry out your strategic plans and launch
Graham Burgess devastating attacks. And even in those games where
things go wrong, you will always be ready to pounce
Surprising the opponent is a primary aim of modern when given the chance. The book is packed with
opening preparation. You can’t afford to be a entertaining and inspiring examples, brought to life
stationary target – gone are the days when players with information and stories about some of the more
worked out an elaborate repertoire from which they notable figures in chess history.
never varied.
This is a companion volume to Gude’s much-
These 125 opening surprises land like bombshells in acclaimed Fundamental Checkmates:
the apparent calm of standard openings and
disorientate your opponents as they grapple with “Books offering tactical positions to solve are
original problems. This book is a treasure-trove of universally agreed upon as first-rate training, but
unusual ideas at an early stage of the opening, each before starting out it makes sense to first have a
with a firm logical foundation, yet running against solid grounding in the fundamentals. This book will
the grain of conventional play. Each idea has quick- do that and more.” – IM John Donaldson, USA
strike potential and is supported by enough concrete Team Captain
analysis to enable you to try it with confidence. “[Gude] is well-read, knows important games from
For this new edition, Burgess has thoroughly revised the past and present, and uses famous endgame
and expanded the original content with a great many compositions to create a useful mating manual for
new verdicts and additional analysis and ideas. wide readership” – GM Lubosh Kavalek,
Every single move has been re-examined and HUFFINGTON POST
checked against current theory. The brand-new Also available on Chess Studio.
Antonio Gude is a well-known chess writer and
teacher from Spain who has represented his country
in international correspondence chess events. His
previous book for Gambit, Fundamental
Checkmates, was shortlisted for the English Chess
Federation Book of the Year Award.

Extreme Chess Tactics

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Extreme Chess Tactics

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Extreme Chess Tactics

Develop your ability to find stunning chessboard tactics

In each section, real-game positions appear first,

White to play and win

White to play and win

17: White to play and draw

10: Black to play 12: White to play and win

15: White to play and draw

14: White to play and draw

18: White to play and draw

White to play and win

8: White to play and win 11: White to play and win

9: White to play and win 12: White to play and win

14: White to play and win

15: White to play and draw

2: Black to play 4: Black to play

8: White to play and win

9: White to play and win

12: White to play and win

15: White to play and draw

16: White to play and win

Initially Black even seems in serious trouble, but he

White to play and win

White to play and win

8: White to play and draw 11: White to play and win

9: White to play and win

15: White to play and win

20: White to play and draw

21: White to play and draw

25 Bh6 1-0 Mar del Plata 1959

Mate is unavoidable. With a simple pinning trick:

8: White to play and draw

9: White to play and win

13: White to play and win

14: White to play and draw

21: White to play and draw

22: White to play and win

20 Rxh8 Qxg5 21 Qd2 1-0 Szachy, 1959

White to play and win

8: White to play and win 11: White to play and win

9: White to play and win 12: White to play and win

14: White to play and win

15: White to play and win

21: White to play and win

8: White to play and win

9: White to play and win

10: White to play and win

19: White to play and win

20: White to play and win

23: White to play and win

White to play and win

White to play and draw

11: White to play and win

12: White to play and win

15: White to play and draw

21: White to play and draw

11: White to play and win

10: White to play and win

12: White to play and win

19: White to play and draw

3...Kxh4 All of a sudden Black, despite his tremendous

A deflection to keep the king away. 2...Ke3! 3 Bf3!

4...Kxd4 5 Bc4! A second decoy to shut off the f-file.

And now the diagonal is shut off by a decoy. 3...Kxf3 4 f6 d1Q 5 f7 =