Faik Aleskerov

Arkadij Naiditsch

Chess
Evolution
Cover designer
Piotr Pielach
Drawings by Ingram Image

Typesetting
i-Press ‹www.i-press.pl›

First edition 2018 by Chess Evolution

ChessGamer. Tactics awaken

Copyright © 2018 Chess Evolution

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, electrostatic, magnetic
tape, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior permission of the publisher.

ISBN 978-615-5793-05-9

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e-mail: info@chess-evolution.com
website: www.chess-evolution.com

Printed in Hungary
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................5
EDITORIAL PREFACE .................................................................................................7
CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE ...................................................................... 9
CHAPTER 2. MATE IN TWO MOVES ................................................................. 21
CHAPTER 3. MATE USING THE PIN .................................................................. 33
CHAPTER 4. SMOTHERED MATE.......................................................................45
CHAPTER 5. MATE WITH DOUBLECHECK ...................................................57
CHAPTER 6. STALEMATE ...................................................................................... 69
CHAPTER 7. WINNING MATERIAL IN TWO MOVES ............................... 81
CHAPTER 8. PIN ..........................................................................................................93
CHAPTER 9. SKEWER ............................................................................................. 105
CHAPTER 10. DOUBLE ATTACK .........................................................................117
TESTS ............................................................................................................. 129
SOLUTIONS...................................................................................................................155
 INTRODUCTION

Dear Reader!

This book covers 10 important chess topics. Each topic is separated into its own
chapter and each chapter is constructed in the following way: 2 illustrative po-
sitions with solutions, an explanation of the topic and some help and hints to
help the reader solve the exercises. There are 40 exercises, growing in difficulty,
starting with the easy ones and finishing with the most complicated. The solu-
tions for each chapter can be found at the very end of the book.

After you have worked through the 10 topics, you will find yourself at the test
section, where you can challenge your new-found knowledge. There are 8 tests,
each consisting of 10 positions, with one position from each of the topics that
we covered in this book. However, you won’t know which position belongs to
which topic!

The solutions to the tests can also be found at the very end of the book. The
book contains 500 educational positions: 20 exemplary positions, 400 exercises
and 80 test positions.

While you are going through the exercises,

you will sometimes run into the following smiley:

When you meet with this smiley, it means that you must take a deeper look
into the position. It could be that the most obvious move is not the best one,
or the key move comes later, not on the first move, and you need to foresee it.
In each position White is to move. When you see “1. +-”, it means White to
move and win. When you see “1. =” , it means White to move and make a draw.

We wish you a lot of fun reading our book, and we hope that the motifs you
will learn in this book will prove very useful in your own games as well!
 EDITORIAL PREFACE

The first chess game your authors played against each other was at the World
Junior under 10 championship, now more than 22 years ago. Since then a lot of
time may have passed, but one thing has remained — we both still love chess
and are both still involved in playing and training!

With our first book in the series ChessGamer — “Tactics awaken” — we would
like to introduce a learning concept, one which we think is the best among
many and which places the emphasis on an effective and practical chess edu-
cation.

To us, chess is a combination of sport, art and science. To be a good chess player
and show improvement, you need to have a feel for the game, combined with
being passionate about it — and there is nothing that brings young players
more fun and enjoyment than solving chess puzzles.

By having 10 different topics, the current book will improve your various tacti-
cal skills and imagination a lot.

Every professional player knows that the most important factor in chess is
good, stable calculation. You can play a great game and reduce all your efforts
to dust in just one move, so precise, fast calculation helps you to avoid big er-
rors — a major factor in every game you play.

As in every sport, chess is about winning. A game that might last up to 7 hours
straight is very emotional, and a tournament win stays forever in the memory
(as well as some losses!) but this is what chess is about. We all play with the
same pieces, with the same rules, and the better player wins having no influ-
ence from outside.

We tried to give our very best here to create educational material that combines
fun and the learning process into one. Enjoy solving the puzzles, learning new
ideas and using them in your practical games!

Arkadij Naiditsch Faik Aleskerov

International Grandmaster International Master (elect)
 CHAPTER 1.
MATE IN ONE MOVE

In this chapter, we are going to solve There is no way to escape from the
‘mate in one move’ problems. Check- check, therefore it is checkmate.
mate occurs when a player’s king is
directly attacked by an opponent’s
piece or pawn and has no possible
move to escape the check. There are
Example 2
three escape possibilities: Moving
away from the check with the king, 8 -mk-+-+-+
capturing the piece which is giving 7 +-+-+-+-
the check, or moving a piece in-be- 6 -mK-+-+-+
tween the king and the piece which 5 +-+-+-+-
is giving the check. If none of these 4 -+-+-+-+
is possible, the side who gives check-
3 +-+-+-+-
mate wins the game.
2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-tR-+-

Example 1 a b c d e f g h

1. e8#
8 -+k+-+-+
7 +-+-+-+- After this rook check the king has no
6 -mK-+-+-+ square to move to, so it is checkmate!
5 +-+-+-+- In this chapter you need to deliver
4 -+-+-+-+
such checkmates in one move, but
in more-and-more complicated posi-
3 +-+-+-+-
tions as the chapter progresses.
2 -+-+-+-wQ

1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h

1.c7#
10 TACTICS AWAKEN

PUZZLE 1 PUZZLE 2

8 -+-+k+-+ 8 -vL-+-+-mk
7 tR-+-+-+- 7+-+-+-+-
6 -tR-+-+-+ 6 -+-+L+K+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+K+-+-+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 3 PUZZLE 4

8 k+N+-+-+ 8 -+-+-+-mk
7 +-mK-+-+- 7+-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-sNK+
5 +L+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-sN-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-+-+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
 CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE 11

PUZZLE 5 PUZZLE 6

8 -+-+-trk+ 8 -+-+-+-mk
7 tR-+-+-+R 7 +-+-+-+p
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+K+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 wQ-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-+-+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-mK- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 7 PUZZLE 8

8 -+-+-+k+ 8 -vL-+-+lmk
7 +-+-+pzpp 7+-+-+-+p
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-zPPzP 2 -+-+K+-+

1 +-+-tR-mK- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
12 TACTICS AWAKEN

PUZZLE 9 PUZZLE 10

8 -+-+-+-+ 8 -+-+-trktr
7 +-+-+-+- 7+-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+Q+-+-
2 -+-+-mK-zp 2 -+-+-+P+

1 +-+-+N+k 1 +-+-+-mK-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 11 PUZZLE 12

8 -+-+-mk-+ 8 -+-+-+-mk
7 +-+-+pzp- 7tR-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-sN-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-wQ 4 -+-+K+-+
3 +-+-+-zP- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-zPK+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
 CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE 13

PUZZLE 13 PUZZLE 14

8 -+-+-tr-+ 8 -+-+-+kvl
7 +-+-sN-zpk 7+-+-+R+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 tR-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+N+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-+K+ 2 -+K+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 15 PUZZLE 16

8 -+-+rmkr+ 8 -+-+-tr-mk
7 +R+-+-+- 7+-+-+p+p
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-sN- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-vL
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-tR-
2 -+-+-+K+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+K
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
14 TACTICS AWAKEN

PUZZLE 17 PUZZLE 18

8 -+-+-trk+ 8 -+-+-trk+
7 +-+-+p+p 7+-+-+pzp-
6 -+-+-vLp+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-sNQ
4 -+-+-+N+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-+-+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-mK- 1 +-+-+-mK-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 19 PUZZLE 20

8 -mkr+-+-+ 8 -+-+-+-+
7 zpLzp-+-+- 7+-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -tR-+-+-wq 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-zp-
2 -zPP+-+-+ 2 -+-+R+-+

1 +K+-+-+- 1 +-mk-mK-+R
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
 CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE 15

PUZZLE 21 PUZZLE 22

8 rsn-+-+-+ 8 -+-+-+-+
7 mkpzP-+-+- 7+-+-vl-+-
6 p+-+-+-+ 6 -+-+Pmk-vL
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+Q+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 K+-+-+-+ 2 -+-+-+K+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 23 PUZZLE 24

8 -+-+-+k+ 8 -+Q+-+-+
7 +-+-+-trp 7 +-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+N+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+-+N+- 5 +K+k+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+-+-+- 3 zp-+-+-+-
2 -+-+-+K+ 2 -+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 vL-+-+-wq-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
16 TACTICS AWAKEN

PUZZLE 25 PUZZLE 26

8 -+-+-+-+ 8 -+-+-tr-+
7 +-+-+-zpk 7zpp+-+kzp-
6 l+-+-+-+ 6 -+p+-vl-zp
5 +-+-+p+L 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-tR 4 -+-+Q+-+
3 +-+-+-zP- 3 +-zP-+-+-
2 -+-+-zPKzP 2 PzPL+-wq-zP

1 +-+-wq-+- 1 +K+R+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 27 PUZZLE 28

8 -+-+-+-+ 8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+-+-+- 7zpp+-+-zp-
6 -+-+l+-wq 6 -mk-+-+-+
5 vL-zP-mk-+- 5 +-+-vLq+-
4 -+-+P+-+ 4 -+-+-+-+
3 +-+P+-+- 3 +-+L+-+-
2 -+-+-tRK+ 2 -zP-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-tR- 1 +KtR-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
 CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE 17

PUZZLE 29 PUZZLE 30

8 -trr+-vlk+ 8 -vL-+r+-+
7 +-+-+p+p 7+-+-+-+-
6 -+-wql+p+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+n+-+- 5 +-+-+-+L
4 p+-+-+-+ 4 -+r+-+-zp
3 zP-+-+NzP- 3 +-+-+-+k
2 -wQ-+-zPLzP 2 -+-mKN+p+

1 vL-tRR+-mK- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 31 PUZZLE 32

8 -+-+nmk-+ 8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+-zp-zp- 7tR-+-+-+-
6 -+-vlPsn-+ 6 -zp-trkvl-+
5 +-+p+R+- 5 +-+-+-+p
4 -+-sNp+p+ 4 -+-zpKzPpzP
3 +-+-+-+- 3 +-zpP+-zP-
2 -+-+K+-+ 2 -+P+N+-+

1 +-+-+-+R 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
18 TACTICS AWAKEN

PUZZLE 33 PUZZLE 34

8 -+ktr-vl-tr 8 -tr-+-+-+
7 +p+n+-zpp 7 zpkvl-+-+-
6 p+N+-zp-+ 6 lzp-+-+-+
5 +-+p+-+- 5 +-+NzP-+-
4 -+q+-+-+ 4 -zP-+LzP-+
3 +-+-+-vL- 3 zP-+-mK-+-
2 PzPP+-zPPzP 2 -+-+-+-+

1 tR-+QtR-mK- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 35 PUZZLE 36

8 -+-+-+-+ 8 R+-+-+-+
7 +-+-+-+- 7+-+r+-mk-
6 -+-+-+Q+ 6 -+-+-+-+
5 +-+ksn-+N 5 +-+-sn-zP-
4 -zP-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+q+
3 +-mK-zp-+- 3 +-+-mK-+-
2 -+-tr-+r+ 2 Q+-+-+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–
 CHAPTER 1. MATE IN ONE MOVE 19

PUZZLE 37 PUZZLE 38

8 -+-+-+R+ 8 -+-+-+-+
7 vL-+-+-+- 7+N+r+-+-
6 q+p+-+-+ 6 -+-+-+-wQ
5 +-+-+-+- 5 +k+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+-+-tR
3 +L+-zp-+- 3 +-+qtr-+-
2 -mK-+-sN-mk 2 P+-+-+K+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +-+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–

PUZZLE 39 PUZZLE 40

8 -+-+-+-tR 8 -+-+-+-+
7 +-+-+p+- 7zp-+-+-+-
6 -+-+-+-+ 6 ktr-+-+-+
5 +-+nwQLmk- 5 +-+-+-+-
4 -+-+-+-+ 4 -+-+N+-+
3 +-+-+q+- 3 +-+-+-+-
2 -+K+-+-zP 2 r+-vLK+-+

1 +-+-+-+- 1 +R+-+-+-
a b c d e f g h a b c d e f g h

1. +– 1. +–