Here is a game from the 2009 Copper State Open, IM Ginsburg - WFM Cardona with full annotations and commentary: This was a nice game to observe as it shows a common theme in chess. The b7 and b2 squares for both sides can be a sens...
Being a sportsman is risky. The winner takes it all, while the loser is left in the dust. In women chess the situation is even more "egalitarian" - the elite players have hardly more chances of buying a limousine than the rest. First of all, prize...
Pictured at right -- A youthful Botvinnik The legend of Capablanca the prodigy is well known...how he learned the game at 4 years old by watching his father play; how at twelve he won the Championship of Cuba, and would eventually wrest the Worl...
Rabbi Evan Gary asks: Could you recommend a good old classic book (the more classical the more interesting) giving theoretical (perhaps even some philosophical, esoteric) information about Chess? Thank you very much. Dear Rabbi Gary: One ...
This is a continuation of our discussion about typical patterns you can reuse in your games. The recipe for today's pattern is: 1) Fianchettoed Bb2 (Bb7 for Black) pointing at the opponent's King 2) Ne5 (Ne4) that joins the attack eventually 3)...
Tony Miles was the first over the board chess grandmaster born in Britain. For more of his biography see http://www.chess.com/article/view/tony-miles---the-first-native-born-british-grandmaster. His partner in this game is Amador Rodriguez Cespede...
I confess, I'm not much of a party animal. I suppose in general that people suppose that persons who are interested in chess aren't really so much interested in parties. However, such a supposition is not only somewhat prejudiced, it is also dow...
Want to give yourself X-ray vision at the chessboard? Well, as with achieving any worthwhile result, you may expect to have much work to do – but the task is certainly far from impossible. This seems to be the common problem when learning che...
Asuka Nakamura was born on February 4, 1986 in Hirakata City, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. His mother is Carolyn Nakamura Weeramantry, a classically trained musician and former public school teacher. Hikaru Nakamura (pronounced Heh-CAR-uh NAH-kuh...
Most players shun the awkward-looking move 1. f4. "How rediculous!" they cry. "You are revealing your king to a deadly attack by the queen! You shall be crushed to a pulp for your insolence! You shall bow down to my superior knowledge of the openi...
One of my favorite openings is the Ruy Lopez opening. It has so much advantages to it. Let me show you... See! You have so much space and your pieces are in a well develpoped, well protected position. It takes practice to fully rea...
Let me present to you one of my favorite games played by WGM Natalia Pogonina against FM Dmitry Biryukov. Natalia (currently #14 female player in the world rated 2501 FIDE) delivered an unexpected attack on the kingside followed by a few remarkab...
In chess, like in life, the hardest blow is the one that comes unexpectedly. When one knows what to expect, he can prepare, adjust, adopt, defend, and can do many things to ease the blow. What do we call unexpected exchanges? I would think of it ...
We discussed the “Hypermodern” Nimzo Indian defense a few weeks earlier. When any professional chess player talks about the Nimzo Indian defense, the Queen's Indian defense also comes into their mind automatically as these openings go hand in hand...
During the last USA Championship I was meditating in relation to the magnificence and recognition of this tournament. I do not know if there is a specific database with all the games just from US Championship competition, because it could be an in...
Here is a game from the 3rd ACP World Rapid Cup, GM Movsesian - GM Tregubov with full annotations and commentary: I believe this is a very instructive game which can change the mind set of playing against the Sicilian Defense. Many...
Unfortunately this is the last Q&A Chess.com column from International Master Andrew Martin. I'm sure you will join me in thanking Andrew for his insightful columns and wishing him all the best for the future! But if you still have an unan...
If you have a friend that loves to play the two knights defense as white I have a surprise that you can spring on them the next time that you play. Yes this is an old well published trap but it never the less makes for great fun to defeat your opp...
In this game, John Grefe faced off against Walter Browne in Moranwelz, 1973. Here, we see White's plan unfold with 14. fxg5? pinning it to his Queen. Later, White decided it was time to sacrifice his Queen for two minor pieces. Was this a fatal mi...
The Lasker Trap is a chess opening trap in the Albin Countergambit, named after Emanuel Lasker. The Albin Countergambit begins with the moves 1. d4 d52. c4 e53. dxe5 d4I would continue to explain this trap but I found a video on youtube that I t...
WGM Pogonina, a top women grandmaster rated 2501 FIDE, shares her views on the evergreen topic “why do women play chess worse than men” and takes a look at the future of women’s chess. Chess is often divided into men’s chess and women’s ches...
Here is an absolutely amazing game by Emmanuel Lasker. I am not sure as to who his opponent was, but Lasker emerges victorious as White:
Continuing my coverage of the 1935 World Championship match... After 19 games, the score was in Alekhine's favor (10.5-8.5). To get back into contention, Euwe was in serious need of a win. And here, he shows his fighting spirit in an excellent...
Whenever I present a beautiful game in my article, I inevitably see a comment that looks like this: “Wow! Such a beautiful game! I wouldn’t find this fantastic combo in a million years”. From my teaching experience I know that sometimes chess pla...
