Today's article features a fun topic of opening blunders! It feels great to catch an opponent in an opening trap, but not so great when we end up being caught by some tricky line. There's a variety of opening blunders and most of them have occurre...
Imagine this is YOU It’s 1918, and you’re one of the strongest chess players on earth. You live in Odessa, during one of Russia’s most chaotic periods. Trying to stay on top of the political upheaval, you take whatever side offers the best chance...
Here is something you don't see very often... On the 17th move of the game, Tartakower decides to sacrifice his rook for a few pawns. Although his attack seems to go nowhere, he then calmly completes his development. Eventually, he is able to use...
Recently while teaching chess, the following position occurred in a tournament game that a student was showing me. The student was Black and his opponent had just played 1.Nd5. He said "I think if I traded knights I would actually be losing." ...
Have you ever played a chess game with a "ringed piece"? In these games, "a ring or band is placed around a particular piece, and the player giving odds must checkmate with that piece" (Source: Wikipedia). The following game depicts Max Lange pla...
Happy Thanksgiving! This very interesting game features an unexpected series of sacrifices that culminate in mate. Blackburne always seems to one up his sleeve at every crucial junction in the game. Each time, he is able to revive what seemed li...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
Is this game a composition? That's what I'll let you decide. Some say that it was. In any case, it's quite instructive. It features a classic sacrifice, but in unusual circumstances. The foresight of Perrier is also quite notable. I suggest that e...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
Four years ago my wife Shelly and I were having our anniversary dinner at a restaurant in downtown Philadelphia. The meal was rather sumptuous, so afterwards we decided to take a walk. After we strolled a while Shelly made an unexpected suggestion...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
White had been trying to keep the position closed since he feared activating black’s two Bishops if he opened things up. The first and foremost question in any position should be, “Where is my play coming from? Which side of the boar...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
Black (newble) shared this game and asked, “Please tell me what I did wrong.” Well, Mr. newble, it won’t be pretty, but if you insist, I’ll obey! Keep in mind that it’s not just what you did wrong, it’s what y...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOVE...
IMPORTANT: [At the end of the puzzles, you should click MOVE LIST so you can see my instructive notes and variations. If you are having trouble solving a problem, just click SOLUTION, and then MOVE LIST. Even if you solve everything, DO click MOV...
This is an Alekhine game that you may not have seen before. On his tenth move, he takes a bold risk with the classic Greek gift bishop sac. He even has the audacity to quietly castle in the middle of an attack! Several more quiet moves follow, but...
