Can You Beat Steve Davis at Chess?

I’ve just completed a video project inspired by the (cult classic?) Steve Davis Plays Chess by GM David Norwood. The book features a wide variety of challenges and personal coaching given to snooker world champion and adult chess improver Steve Davis.

From the puzzle challenge section I’ve selected 7 positions that blend tactical tricks with endgame strategy — practical, psychological tests that will challenge how you think, not just what you know.

Download the free PDF here: [https://benedictineoc.gumroad.com/l/megftv]

Take the challenge yourself. The PDF contains all seven positions, plus space to jot down your ideas and compare with the answers later.

Or, get the full PDF here and take the full 13 position challenge and unlock a private bonus video: https://benedictineoc.gumroad.com/l/niljo

Take your time — these aren’t easy

Some positions are deceptive, others brutally hard. This isn't puzzle rush — it’s a mix of deep calculation, quiet defensive ideas, and critical decisions under pressure.

Don’t worry if you don’t solve them all — Steve Davis didn’t! The question is, can you beat him?

Watch the full video walkthrough here (YouTube – early access):

[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5WBMbvDU38]

In this video, I introduce the topic and briefly talk you through each position in the challenge.

Why this project?

I love finding instructive material that’s a bit off the beaten path. To be honest, I first bought Steve Davis Plays Chess for a bit of a joke (I even bought two copies to double down on it!), but actually it's very good (if dated) because the format is tried and tested - master vs amateur. Davis’s commentary and thoughts are funny as well as instructive and it's interesting to go on the journey with our snooker friend. it offers fun as well as practical takeaways for the club-level player.

If you enjoy these kinds of challenges, I post regular content for adult improvers on my YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4XnY9P1tmsgr3OeSzRK9vA), or you can join my mailing list for updates, freebies and occasional offers. https://benedictineoc.gumroad.com/subscribe

So, can you beat Steve Davis at chess?

Without giving his score away, you're going to have to try very hard indeed.

Let me know how you got on in the comments!