Instructive & Beautiful positions

Hi! I would like to share with you two instructive and beautiful "fresh" positions that occured during my games,and one bonus chess nugget that i found while studying,which might challange international players.

The following is an extract from the active time control game Yoni-Gergacz Attila(IM),which was played at 20-Jun-2012.

I played white,and my last move was Bxe6. I thought i was completely winning,but my opponent found a way to fight! Can you do the same?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a multiple choice question: What is white's best move,

Rae1 or Ng3?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a true chess nugget for whoever reads my first blog post.

Yusupov (who was number 3 in the world for a long time) in his excellent book "Build up your chess-the fundamentals" chapter 3 exercise 11 said about the following position:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Na5? is bad due to Qa4+....".

Well,if i did not doubt anything and everything that the author says,i would never improve my play,but this time is special because the author's mistake is so subtle!  

As opposed to Mr Yusupov I think that the text move (1..e4!) and 1..Na5! (planning b6 and Ba6 pressuring the c-pawn Nimzo-indian style) are both good.

Even though i believe that chess improvement can be achieved only through solving exercises,and being actively involved in the material that you are studying,I could not post the following as a puzzle,since there are too many places with different good options.

Having said that,I do recommend that before you play out the position below,take your time and see,what am i talking about? Doesn't Na5 Qa4+ just drops a pawn?! (After an eventual e4 by black etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hope that you enjoyed my first blog post :)