Chess Tactics Master Class

Question 1.

What interesting idea did Black

play in this position?

Question 2.

Black has sacrificed a queen for

this raging attack.

How can they take advantage of

the exposed White king?

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Question 3.

So close to checkmate – engines

declare mate in 7!

How should Black continue?

Question 4.

Black has sacrificed a bishop.

Now what?

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Question 5.

Black’s attack looks quicker than

White’s.

How should Black continue?

Question 6.

It’s Black’s move. Can you finish

the game now?

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Question 7.

White has given up a pawn for a

lead in development and to keep
Black’s king in the center.

But how should he continue?

Question 8.

White has a strong attack, but

precision is required.

How would you continue?

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Question 9.

White just played h2-h3, kicking

the knight.

What powerful response did Black

find?

Question 10.

Black can finish the game with

one, powerful move.

Can you find it?

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Question 11.

How does White get the

advantage in this position?

Question 12.

Mate looks inevitable but Black

can save himself if he finds one
precise move.

What is it?

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Question 13.

White has a decisive advantage.

How did he finish the game?

Question 14.

Now it’s Black’s turn to get a

decisive advantage. How?

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Question 15.

How does White win here?

Question 16.

White attack is decisive, how did

they win from this position?

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Question 17.

Can you find the best move for

Black here?

Question 18.

Black has a totally winning

position.

Which move seals the victory?

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Question 19.

White has a very strong

continuation that gains the
advantage.

Can you find it?

Question 20.

White’s attack is decisive, but you

have to find the best move!

What is it?

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Question 21

What is the best move for black

in this position?

Question 22

Black has the opportunity to get

the advantage here.

Can you see how?

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Question 23

Black is about to get

checkmated… but has 1 move to
save himself – and win!

What should Black do?

Question 24

White can get a decisive

advantage in this position - how?

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Question 25

Can you find a move for Black

that gives him a big advantage?

Question 26

White has a decisive continuation,

can you find it?

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 Solutions

1 In this position Ding Liren played 1 ... dxc3! sacrificing the queen and getting full
compensation after 2.Rxd8 cxb2+ 3.Ke2? (better is 3.Rd2) 3...Rxd8 - +.

2 The key is to create a mating net; Back played 1...Rd4!! with idea of h5, with the
same idea you could also play 1...h5! first, after 2.h3 h5 3.Bh2 g4 4.Kg3 Rd2! and
Black’s attack is decisive.

3 With 1...Rh8! 2.Nxf7 Bg6 3.Kxg4 Ne5! 4.Nxe5 Bf5 5.Kh4 Rg7 mate.

4 With 1...Bxg4! 2.Qxg4 Qxc3! Black recovers the material because of the threat to
the bishop on e3, the a3 pawn with check and the capture of the a6 bishop.

5 With 1...Nxb2! Black sacrifices a piece and gets a strong attack against the White
king, after 2.Kxb2 bxc3+ 3.Kxc3 0-0 Black gets very good compensation.

6 With 1...e5! ejecting the White knight. The key is that if the knight moves then
Rxc2! followed by Qxa2 and Bxe4 decides the game. White played 2.e5 exd4
3.Nxd4 (3.gxf6 Rxc2-+) Bxd4 4.Qxd4 (4.Kxd4 Qc5- +) Qxe1-+.

7 With 1.Nf5!!. White must act fast before Black completes development, 1...exf5,
(better is 1...Qc5 2.Ng7 Kf8 3.Qh5 although White’s advantage is still decisive)
2.Re1 Be6 3.Qd6 a6.

8 With 1.Bd2! rerouting the bishop to a better diagonal, 1...Qxc2 2.Bb4! attacking
along the dark squares, 2...axb5 3.Qf8 Kd7 4.Red1 Kc7 5.Qxa8+ -.

9 Black ignored the threat to his knight and played 1...h4!! opening the h-file. After
2.hxg4 hxg3 the g3 pawn becomes a thorn in his side.

10 With 1...Rh1!! (other moves win too but this one is the prettiest) 2.Rxh1 g2 3.Rf1 (if
3.Rg1 Qh4 4.Kd1 Qg1-+) Qh4 + 4.Kd1 gxf1=Q+ and White resigns. It’s mate in 3
moves after 5.Bxf1 Bxg4+ 6.Kc1 Qe1 7.Qd1 Qxd1 mate.

11 White got an advantage with 1.dxe6! since any capture on e6 or Nxd1 loses to the
sacrifice 2.Bxh7 followed by Qh5 and g6 with a mating net. The best of a bad lot
would be 1...Bc5 2.exf7 Qxf7 3.Qxe3+-.

12 With 1...Qxc2 2.Ka1 Qxb2!! only move 3.Kxb2 Bf6! 4.Kb1 Rfd8! and Black can
equalize. White must give perpetual check. In the game, Black failed with 4...Rfc8??
and, after 5.d6! cutting off the Black king's escape, White delivers mate.

13 With 1.Rxd5! Qxd5 (1...Qc7 2.Qd2+-) 2.Qxe7 Kg8 3.Qxf6+-.

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14 With 1...b5! deflecting White’s queen, after 2.Qxb5 Bxg4 3.Nh2 Bf5 4.e4 0-0 Black
has a decisive advantage, with White’s king in the center and lack of development
– Black’s pieces are very active.

15 With 1.Qd6 Be7 (if 1...Ne7 2.Bxg5+-) 2.Rxe7! Nxe7 3.Qf6!! gxf6 4.Bh6 mate.

16 There is forced mate with 1.Qh7 Kf7 2.Qxg6!! Rxg6 3.Bh5 Kh7 4.Bf7! Bh6 5.g6! Kg7
6.Bxh6 Kh8 7.Bxf8 Qh4 8.Rxh4 mate.

17 The piece sacrifice with 1...Nxd4! guarantees good compensation and a balanced
game. Other moves are worse and White would have an advantage, after 2.cxd4
Qxd4 3.Nxe6? (Necessary was 3.Bc2 with an equal position) fxe6 and Black has a
decisive advantage since White’s king is stuck in the center.

18 With 1...Rf2! Black is winning. If 2.Qxf2 Qd1 mate, if 2.Bxe6 Kg7 3.Qe3 Rxh2-+.

19 The typical sacrifice on h7 works, 1.Bxh7+! Kxh7 2.Qh5 Kg8 3.Rb3! the key move
allowing the rook to attack along the 3rd rank and now, after 3…Bxe5? White got a
decisive advantage with 4.Rh3 f6 5.dxe5+-.

20 The winning move is 1.e6! and if 1...Bxe6 2.Qe5 f6 3.Rxg6 wins, if 1...Qxe6 2.Bxf8
Kxf8 3.Qh8 Ke7 4.Re3+-, if 1...Qf6 2.Bxf8 Kxf8 3.Qxd5 or 3.Qh6 win.

21 The hammerblow 1...Nxe5! 2.fxe5 Bb5 3.Qe4 (somewhat better is 3.Bxf5 Bxd3
4.Bxd3 Qxe5 with a complex position) 3...Bc6 4.Qf4 Qd5 and Black gets very good
compensation and a dangerous attack.

22 With 1...Re2! attacking the knight and with the idea of Rd2 to get the d5 pawn. The
game continued 2.Ne3 Nxe3 3.fxe3 Qa3 4.Bg2 Re8 5.d6 R8xe3 6.d7.

23 With 1...Rxg2! 2.Kxg2 Re2 3.Qf2 – the only move to avoid mate - 3...Rxf2 4.Kxf2
Qb2+ 5.Kg3 Qc3+ and the Black queen will capture the d7 pawn or give mate.

24 With 1.Rd5!! exd5 2.Bxd5 Kf8 3.Qe6 Ke8 4.Bxe5+-.

25 With 1...Rxb5! 2.cxb5 Qxb5 with clear advantage for Black due to the weakness of
the king and the light squares after 3.Rd1? Ba6 Black’s advantage is decisive.

26 With 1.Rxg7!! exd3 (if 1...Kxg7 2.Qg5 Ng5 3.Qxg5 Kh8 4.Bg3+-) 2.Bf6!! Qxc3
(2...dxe2 3.Rg6#) 3.Rg8!+ Kxg8 4.Qg4 Ng5 5.Qxg5 Kf7 6.Qg7 Ke8 7.Qe7 mate.

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