This training consists of two parts (25 problems total):
Part I (20 Problems)
Find the checkmate in the move number specified, then identify on a separate sheet of paper the name of the checkmate (use this Wikipedia article for reference). As a side note, the first three problems demo how it is possible to create checkmate problems working in retrograde.
1. White to move and mate in 1.
2. White to move and mate in 2.
3. White to move and mate in 3.
4. White to move and mate in 1.
From Magnus Carlsen vs. Ernst Spike, Chorus Group C, 2004.
5. Black to move and mate in 2.
From William Steinitz vs. Samuel Rosenthal; London, 1883.
6. White to move and mate in 2.
Common motif.
7. White to move and mate in 3. From Anatoly Karpov vs. Miguel Najdorf, Mar del Plata 1982.
8. White to move and mate in 2.
From Paul Morphy vs. Duke Karl & Count Isouard; Paris, France 1858. (The "Opera Game")
9. White to move and mate in 2.
From Garry Kasparov vs. Viktor Korchnoi, Korchnoi Birthday KO rapid; Zurich, 2001.
10. White to move and mate in 3. Schematic.
11. Black to move and mate in 1. From Paul Keres vs. Robert James Fischer, Candidates 1959.
12. Black to move and mate in 1. From Emanuel Lasker vs. Henry Bird, Liverpool 1890.
13. White to move and mate in 2.
From Emanuel Lasker vs. N.N., GBR tour, 1900.
14. Black to move and mate in 3.
From Conrad Bayer vs. Ernst Falkbeer, Vienna 1852.
15. Black to move and mate in 2. Hint: the name of one of the players is also the name of the checkmate pattern!
From R. Schulder vs. Samuel Standidge Boden; England 1853.
16. White to move and mate in 1.
Schematic. Often comes up in practice.
17. White to move and mate in 3.
Schematic. A common pattern extending the previous problem.
18. White to move and mate in 2. Consider this pattern to be called the "ladder mate," since you will not find a close match on Wikipedia. From John Stuart Morrison vs. Max Euwe, London BCF Congress 1922.
19. White to move and mate in 1. Consider this pattern to be called the "double check checkmate," since you will not find a close match on Wikipedia.** From Jose Capablanca vs. Kiev Masyutin, casual, 1914.
20. White to move and mate in 3. From Frank James Marshall vs. William Ewart Napier; Brooklyn 1898. Hint: recall that a pawn reaching the last rank can turn into any piece it wants. In this case, you want to promote to knight for your first move!
Part II (5 Problems)
Five assorted tactics with higher difficulty than usual. Be sure to read directions! For the last three, write down the name of the tactic.
Try to use a tactics trainer (and/or review unsolved homeworks) for the majority of your tactics over these next two weeks. If you use a tactics trainer, try to identify each tactic you're presented with, and if you're not familiar with the name, you can take a screenshot for the next lesson and we can discuss.
(21) Black to move. Sacrifice, then fork, then win the material. From Teemu Kilpi vs. Mark Taimanov; Heart of Finland Open, 1996.
(22) White to move. Find the winning tactic. From Pascal Horn vs. Alexander Shabalov, Geneva op 1992. Hint: the first move is a discovery, which takes advantage of a pin. This discovery also involves deflection (distracting one piece from defending another), i.e. if the piece moving is captured, then another key Black piece will be vulnerable.
(23) Black to move. From Lothar Schmid vs. Andreas Dueckstein, Europe-chT qual 1963.
(24) White to move. From Larry Christiansen vs. Craig Madsen, Showboat op 1975.
(25) White to move. From Richard Reti vs. Jacques Davidson; Scheveningen, 1923.
** It is important to know the power of the double check (delivering check with two pieces simultaneously). Recall that there are three ways to escape checks: (1) Blocking, (2) Capturing the checking piece, (3) Moving the king. A double check generally removes possibilities (1) and (2).
