Level 1400 – 1600

Task Position 1

1. Your task is to set up these positions on the real

chessboard.

2. You can spend from 3 to 5 minutes in the

starting position. Try to calculate the best move
and foreseen the variations ahead.

3. Open up your notebook. Write the date that you

performed the questions.

4. The examples here are slighty more

complicated. Try to find unexpected moves and
follow the strategical principles.

5. After you solve the puzzles, by writing your

answer to your notebook, please go to the
solutions and check if you were correct.
White's Turn
6. I suggest you to check the entire game and not
only the solution after the diagram.
Position 2

White's Turn

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 Level 1400 – 1600
Position 3 Position 5

White's Turn Black's Turn

Position 4 Position 6

White's Turn Black's Turn

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 Level 1400 – 1600
Position 7 Position 9

White's Turn Black's Turn

Position 8 Position 10

White's Turn White's Turn

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 Level 1400 – 1600
The Correct Answers
Solution 1
Jakovenko,Dmitrij (2596) - Antonio,Rogelio Jr
(2539) [B19]
Montreal WCT - edited Montreal (6), 19.01.2005
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Bf5
5.Ng3 Bg6 6.h4 h6 7.Nf3 Nd7 8.h5 Bh7 9.Bd3
Bxd3 10.Qxd3 e6 11.Bf4 Qa5+ 12.Bd2 Bb4
13.c3 Be7 14.c4 Bb4 15.Ne4 Ngf6
Diagram #
16.Nd6+!
You need to use the momentum and tactics in
order to achieve your goals. In previous examples
you seen keeping the enemy King in the center of
the board is extremely dangerous. White will be
able to castle and activate all of his pieces. In the
other hand, Black King will be an obstacle for
harmonious development and the target for the
attack.
16...Ke7 17.c5
This is a position that idea, overprotecting the d6-
Knight. This Knight is controlling some square
around the enemy King and we need another
piece in order to perform deadly threats.
17...b6 18.0–0 bxc5 19.Ne5!
#4 - Basic s Required. It's important to understand
the tactics in order not to miss gold opportunities
like this one. It's very important not to retreat your
pieces, but to keep the initiative, the pace for your
attack.
19...Nxe5
[19...Kxd6 20.Nc4++- This was the tactical idea
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and Black is losing material.]
20.dxe5 Bxd2
[20...Nd7 21.Nxf7! #4 - Basic Tactics Required.
When you have a upper hand you need to create
threats and used tactics in your benefits. Help
your pieces, then they will help you back! If you
have active pieces and superiority comparing to
your opponent's army, then the tactics will work
in your favour.]
21.exf6+ gxf6 22.Rad1 Bf4 23.Nxf7!
The final elegant move that finished off the game.
23...Kxf7 24.Qg6+
[24.Qg6+ Ke7 25.Qg7+ Ke8 26.Rd7 Bh2+
27.Kxh2 Rh7 28.Re7+ Kd8 29.Qf8#] 1–0
Solution 2
Kesaris - dkfldvbh1 (1750) [B17]
Blitz 3+1, 27.01.2016
1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 c6 4.Nf3 dxe4
5.Nxe4 Nd7 6.Bd3 Ngf6 7.Ng3 Be7 8.0–0 b6
9.Ne5 Bb7 10.Qf3 Nxe5 11.dxe5 Nd5 12.Rd1
Qc7 13.c4 Nb4 14.Be4 0–0 15.a3 Na6 16.Bf4
Rac8 17.Nh5 Nc5
Diagram #
18.Bc2!?
If you have more than one good continuation this
means that your position is extremely good.
However, this could be a very tricky moment
because it's very likely to go wrong! You need to
calm down, calculate slowly, and select only one
continuation that you understand better and feel
confident with it. There's no need to find all the
winning ideas or all the best computer choices;
 Level 1400 – 1600
you can search them after the game. During game,
when your clock is ticking, you just need good
human moves. I played Bc2 in order to keep my
Bishop alive and slowly build up my attack.
[18.Nf6+!? gxf6 (18...Bxf6 19.Bxh7+ Kxh7
20.exf6 e5 21.Qh5+ Kg8 22.fxg7 Kxg7 23.Bxe5+
+-) 19.exf6 Bxf6 20.Bxc7+-
18.Bxh7+!?
18.Qg3!?]
18...Nd7 19.Rxd7!
#16 - Eliminate - Remove key defenders [19.Qe4
g6]
19...Qxd7 20.Rd1
#24 - Use ALL your pieces
20...Qe8 21.Qh3!?
I'm creating the tactical background and
eyeballing the h7 square.
[21.Nf6+!? We learned this typical attacking
motive from Fisher's game. Black he's not able to
block b1–h7 diagonal. 21...gxf6 22.exf6 Bxf6
23.Qh5 h6 24.Qxh6 Bg7 25.Qh7#;
21.Qg4!? This was my starting idea. 21...g6
22.Nf6+ Bxf6 23.exf6+- Then I can play Qg5,
Qh6, and mate on g7.
21.Nxg7!? I didn't calculate it during the game
but it's winning as well. 21...Kxg7 22.Qh5 f5
23.exf6+ Rxf6 24.Qxh7+ Kf8 25.Bh6+ Rxh6
26.Qxh6+ Kg8 27.Bh7+ Kf7 (27...Kh8 28.Bg6+
Kg8 29.Qh7+ Kf8 30.Qh8#) 28.Qg6+ Kf8
29.Qg8#]
21...f5 22.exf6 Bxf6 23.Nxg7
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[23.Nxg7 Bxg7 (23...Kxg7 24.Qxh7#) 24.Qxh7+
Kf7 25.Bg6+ I stoped here. The computer line,
which I checked afterwards, have fun. 25...Kf6
26.Be5+!! Kxe5 27.Qxg7+ Rf6 28.f4+ Kxf4
29.Qxf6+ Ke3 30.Qe5#] 1–0
Solution 3
Kesaris - Jokerjokerjoker (2043) [B03]
Blitz // 3+0 Main Playing Hall, 18.03.2011
1.e4 Nf6 2.e5 Nd5 3.d4 d6 4.Nf3 Nc6
5.Bc4 e6 6.0–0 Be7 7.exd6 cxd6 8.c3 Nb6 9.Bd3
0–0 10.Re1 d5 11.Nbd2 Nd7 12.Nf1 Nf6 13.Ng3
b6 14.Bf4 Bb7 15.Ne5 Rc8
Diagram #
16.Nh5!?
Again we have plenty of good moves because
Black don't have any real counterplay. His pieces,
Bb7, Rc8, Nc6 are not doing enough. The center
is closed and I have piece superiority in the
kingside. I started my attack by exchanging one
of the key defenders, Nf6. [16.Qf3!?; 16.a3!?;
16.Qe2!?]
16...Nxh5 17.Qxh5
The Greek gift, Bxh7, didn't work here. We're
going to analyzed it deeply it in the next attaching
course. [17.Bxh7+?! Kxh7 18.Qxh5+ Kg8 19.Re3
Nxe5 20.Rh3 f5 21.dxe5 Qd7 22.Qg6 Bd8 23.Rh6
Rc6 24.Qh7+ Kf7 25.Qg6+=]
17...g6 18.Nxg6! #21 - Sacrifice multiple
pieces 18...fxg6 19.Bxg6 hxg6 20.Qxg6+
#41 - Create the rook lift (Kasparov Rook). By
the way this is one of the most common attacking
ideas. In order to remember it's easier I have it in
my mind as a back rank mate. The back rank
 Level 1400 – 1600
could not be only the 8th rank but h-file as
well. ;-)
20...Kh8 21.Re3! Rxf4 22.Qh6+ Kg8
23.Qxf4?
[23.Rg3+! Bg5 24.Rxg5+ Kf7 25.Rg7+ Ke8
26.Qh5+! Kf8 27.Qh8#]
23...Bf6 24.Qg4+ Kf7?? [24...Kf8
25.Rae1]
25.Qxe6+ Kf8 26.Rg3 Bg7 27.Rf3+ Bf6
28.Rxf6+ Kg7 29.Rf7+ 1–0
Solution 4
Aronian,Levon (2799) - Navara,David (2737)
[E15]
Saint Louis Rapid 2017 Saint Louis (1),
14.08.2017
1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Ba6 5.b3
Bb4+ 6.Bd2 Be7 7.Nc3 0–0 8.Bg2 d5 9.cxd5
exd5 10.0–0 Re8 11.Ne5 Bb7 12.Qc2 c5 13.dxc5
bxc5 14.Rad1 Qc8 15.e4 Bf8 16.f4 d4 17.Nd5
Nxd5 18.exd5 f6 19.Rde1 fxe5 20.fxe5 Nd7
21.e6 Nf6
Diagram #
22.Rxf6!
#16 - Eliminate - Remove key defenders. This is
extremely common idea. The Nf6 is the most
important defender on the kingside. In the same
way, White, is creating weaknesses around the
enemy monarch.
22...gxf6 23.Qf5 #19 - Queen to the
penalty area 23...Qd8 24.Re4 #41 - Create the
rook lift (Kasparov Rook) 24...Re7 25.Rg4+ Kh8
[25...Rg7 26.Be4!+- #35 - Combine attacking
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strategies. Black's Rook is overloaded and it
cannot protect h7 effectively... It's impressive how
many attacking rules you can see now on every
single game. You're becoming a pro!]
26.Be4 #20 - Find targets to attack. The
target is h7. 26...Rc8 27.Rh4 Black cannot hold
the position anymore. 27...Kg8 28.Rxh7 Bxd5
29.Qg6+ Rg7 30.Qh5 Bxe4 31.Rh8# 1–0
Solution 5
Aronian,Levon (2767) - Caruana,Fabiano
(2822) [B13]
Saint Louis Rapid 2018 Saint Louis USA (2.1),
11.08.2018
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.exd5 cxd5 4.Bd3 Nc6
5.c3 Nf6 6.Bf4 Bg4 7.Qb3 Qd7 8.Nd2 e6 9.Ngf3
Bd6 10.Bxd6 Qxd6 11.Qxb7 Rb8 12.Qa6 0–0
13.Bb5 Rb6 14.Qa4 Ne7 15.Ne5 Ng6 16.Nxg4
Nxg4 17.h3 Nf6 18.Nb3 e5 19.0–0 e4 20.Rfe1
Nh5 21.Bf1 Nh4 22.Qa5 Qg6 23.Qxd5
Diagram #
23...Nf3+!
The second move was difficult; 24...Ng3+. When
you have a lot of pieces against the enemy King
then the end could be near. Try to combine your
pieces and discover a checkmate patter that you
already know. [23...Re6!?]
24.Kh1 Ng3+! 25.fxg3 Qxg3
White cannot capture the Knight because the rook
will come to g6 and in conjunction with the
Queen Black can deliver checkmate. White
played a desperate move and he lost the game
afterwards.
26.Qe5 [26.gxf3 Rg6 27.Bc4 Qxf3+
28.Kh2 Qg2#] 26...Nxe5 27.dxe5 Qxe5 28.Rad1
 Level 1400 – 1600
f5 29.Rd7 Rd6 30.Rxa7 Qg3 31.Rb1 f4 32.Nc5
Qe3 33.b4 f3 34.Re7 fxg2+ 35.Bxg2 Rh6 0–1
Solution 6
Boutteville,Cesar - Burstein,Sylvain [E97]
Paris Pierre Caillon Cup Paris (9), 11.07.1954
1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 g6 3.c4 Bg7 4.Nc3 0–0
5.e4 d6 6.Be2 e5 7.0–0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Rb1 c5
10.dxc6 bxc6 11.b4 Qc7 12.b5 Rd8 13.bxc6
Qxc6 14.Nd5 Nfxd5 15.cxd5 Qc7 16.Qa4 Bg4
17.Bd2 Rdb8 18.Ba5 Qc8 19.Rbc1 Qf8 20.Bc7
Rb2 21.Bd3 Bxf3 22.gxf3 Bh6 23.Rb1 Bf4
24.Qd7
Diagram #
24...Nf5!!
You have two ideas. The first is to open up your
pieces and the other one to block your opponent's.
This is what Nf5 is doing. It is blocking White's
Queen outside of the defense. Black's plan is Qh6
and checkmate on h2. [24...Qh6 25.h3 Nf5]
25.Qxf5
[25.Rxb2 I added this variation in order to
illustrate the attacking idea. 25...Qh6 26.Rb8+
Rxb8 27.Bxb8 Qxh2#]
25...gxf5 26.Rxb2 Qh6 27.Rfb1 Rc8
28.Ba5 Kh8 29.Rb8 Bxh2+ 0–1
Solution 7
Kelires,Andreas (2483) - Christiansen,Johan-
Sebastian (2404) [D26]
European Youth Chess Championship B18
Prague, Top Hotel Prague (4.3), 21.08.2016
1.d4 d5 2.c4 dxc4 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.e3 e6
5.Bxc4 a6 6.0–0 b5 7.Bd3 Bb7 8.a4 b4 9.Nbd2
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c5 10.e4 Nc6 11.e5 Nd7 12.Ne4 Nxd4 13.Nxd4
cxd4 14.Bg5N Qa5 15.f4 Qd5 16.Qe2 Nc5
17.Nxc5 Bxc5 18.f5 exf5 19.Rxf5 0–0
Diagram #
20.Bf6!!
The target of the attack is g7 and there is no
obvious way for Black to do anything to protect
it. In order to find such moves you need to find
your target. It cool be h7, g7, or f7. You had to
foreseen in which of these squares you can
combine your pieces faster. [20.e6? Qxf5 21.Bxf5
d3+]
20...gxf6
[20...Rae8? Black cannot wait... 21.Rg5 g6
22.Qh5! Re6 23.Qxh7+ Kxh7 24.Rh5+ Kg8
25.Rh8#
20...h6?! 21.Bxg7! Kxg7 22.Qg4+ Kh8 23.Rf6
Qxg2+ 24.Qxg2 Bxg2 25.Rxh6+ Kg7 26.Rh7+
Kg8 27.Kxg2 With the idea Kf3, and Rg1#]
21.Qg4+ Kh8 22.Rh5!
You should be elastic and change target if the
position requires it. White won the game
afterwards.
22...Qxg2+ 23.Qxg2 Bxg2 24.exf6! White creates
the mating net. 24...Bf3 25.Rxh7+ Kg8 26.Rf1
Rfe8 [26...Bc6 27.Rf4 Rfe8 28.Rg4+ Kf8
29.Rh8#]
27.Rxf3 Re3 28.Rf4!+- Rxd3 29.Rfh4
Rd1+ 30.Kg2 Rd2+ 31.Kf1 Rd1+ 32.Ke2 1–0
Solution 8
Kesaris (2221) - zafer8 (1843) [A40]
Blitz // 3+1 https://lichess.org/SmSkRAX3,
 Level 1400 – 1600
25.08.2017
1.d4 c6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+
5.bxc3 b6 6.e4 c5 7.d5 Bb7 8.Bd3 e5 9.f4 d6
10.fxe5 dxe5 11.Nf3 Qd6 12.0–0 Nf6 13.Nh4 0–
0 14.Nf5 Qd8 15.Bg5 Nbd7 16.Qf3 a5
Diagram #
17.Bh6!?
I played the very nice positional game so I have
pieces superiority on the Kingside. You have
many good attacking possibilities, but black
doesn't have any real weakness yet. In general
you should prefer attacking moves; i.e. moves
that threatening to capture something for free. Of
course you needs good calculation ability in order
to apply your ideas in practice. [17.Nxg7! Kxg7
18.Qg3‚; 17.Rf2!?]
17...gxh6
[17...Ne8 18.Nxg7 Nxg7 19.Qg4+-; 17...g6
18.Rf2!? The good news is that he cannot touch
the Knight because we have the same checkmate
on g7. Thus, we can continue preparing our attack
by bringing more pieces do the king side.]
18.Qg3+ Ng4 19.Qxg4+ Qg5 20.Nxh6+!
#4 - Basic Tactics Required. Obviously I had
foreseen this tactic in advance. 20...Kh8 21.Qxg5
1–0
Solution 9
Psathakis,Ioannis (1545) - Kesaris,Evangelos
(1810) [B15]
Team Championship C Division (1), 13.02.2022
1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nf6
5.Nxf6+ exf6 6.Nf3 Bd6 7.Bd3 0–0 8.Be3 Na6
9.a3 Nc7 10.c4 Re8 11.0–0 Bg4 12.h3 Bh5
13.Re1 Qd7 14.c5 Bf8 15.Be2 Nd5 16.Nd2 Bxe2
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17.Qxe2 Re6 18.Qf3 Rae8 19.Nf1 g6 20.Bd2 f5
21.Rxe6 fxe6 22.Be3 Bg7 23.Rd1 Qf7 24.g3 a5
25.Nd2 e5 26.dxe5 Bxe5 27.Nc4 Nxe3 28.Nxe3
Bxb2 29.Ng2 Bg7 30.Nf4 Bf8 31.Qc3 a4 32.h4
Qb3 33.Qd4
Diagram #
[33.Qxb3+ axb3 34.Rb1 Bxc5 35.Rxb3 Re7]
33...Bxc5!
#4 - Basic Tactics Required. When your position
is better, you need to search for such tactics. The
Queen was overloaded to protect c5 and Rd1 in
the same time. He was shocked after my move
and he didn't realize that my bishop is pinning the
f2 pawn...
34.Qd7 [34.Qxc5 Qxd1+] 34...Qxg3+!
Another killin g tactical idea. I didn't just won
material but I have serious threats against his
King. 35.Ng2 Qxf2+ 36.Kh1 Re2–+
Which was the last move that I calculated during
the game. My threats are extremely serious and
White doesn't have time to create enough
counterplay with his Rook and Queen. [36...Re7]
37.Qd8+ Bf8 [37...Kg7? 38.Rd7+ Kh6??
39.Qg5#] 38.Qg5 f4! [38...Be7 39.Rd8+ Bxd8
40.Qxd8+ Kf7 41.Qd7+ Re7–+] 39.Rd8 f3
40.Rxf8+ Kxf8 41.Qd8+ [41.Qf6+ Ke8 42.Qh8+
Kd7 43.Qg7+ Re7–+] 41...Re8 42.Qd6+ Kg8
43.Ne3 Qxe3 44.h5 Qe1+ 45.Kh2 Qh4+ 46.Kg1
Re1# 0–1
Solution 10
Alekhine,Alexander - Podgorny,Jiri [B22]
Prague Prague (17), 26.04.1943
1.e4 c5 2.c3 d5 3.exd5 Qxd5 4.d4 Nc6
5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 e6 8.Nc3 Bb4 9.0–
 Level 1400 – 1600
0 Qa5 10.a3 Nf6 won the game afterwards.

Diagram # 18...Rab8 19.b5 axb5 20.Rxa7 b4 21.Ne2

Rfc8 22.f3 Ra8 23.Rxa8 Rxa8 24.Kf2 Nd7
11.d5! 25.Nf4 Nb6 26.Ke3 Rc8 27.Kd3 g5 28.Nh5 1–0

Black's position looks robust. It seems that he

developed his pieces, White has the isolated pawn
in the center, and in the next move he's going to
castle short. In the next move! Now it's White's
turn and we have some dynamic characteristics in
the position. The b4-Bishop is a semi-hanging
piece and Blakc's King is in the center of the
board. When the enemy King is in the center of
the board you should attack via f7 or via e-file. In
order to open the e-file you need to exchange
pawns or to sacrifice a piece. Thus, the legendary
Alekhine played d5; to open up the e-file.
[11.axb4!? Qxa1 12.d5 Transposition]

11...exd5 12.axb4

He is forcing the enemy Queen to ugly position.

When the enemy King is in center of the board he
cannot connect the Rooks and you might think to
sacrifice your own Rook.

12...Qxa1 13.Nd2!

Every position has it's own unique tactical ideas.

White continue his major strategical plan, to put
his pieces on the e-file, and in the same time
opponent's Queen is in a great danger. White is
threatening Nb3 to trap her. [13.b5!?]

13...Bxe2 14.Qxe2+ Ne7 15.Re1

By pinning the enemy piece on e7 you're going to

stop enemy 0–0 or win material.

15...0–0 16.Nb3 Qa6 17.Qxa6 bxa6

18.Rxe7+-

#36 - Doesn't have to end in checkmate. White

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