I showed this to your classes at the beginning of the year, but this would be a good time to come back to it. There's a lot to digest with it, so I hope you'll appreciate it even more this time around! Take the time to not only play through the moves, but look at the analysis I've provided. If you have any questions or suggestions, write them below, email me or come see me at school. I hope you enjoy it all!
Sarahalime
Feb 25, 2019
Think hard before putting your rook on a boxed-in square like h2!
bbirney
Jun 3, 2010
If you are attracted by 1. ... Nc4, forking the Queen and Bishop, forget it! Black here played 1. ... f6 giving up a pawn. Why?
bbirney
Jun 2, 2010
Be very careful! The tempting 1.Ne5 loses to 1. ... Qxg2+ (the only defense -- but what a defense!) 2.Kxg2 c5+, and White is a pawn down in a bad position. Any normal move is better, e.g., 1.Qd3, or even the daring 1.c5, sacrificing the pawn to keep the b7-Bishop locked out.
bbirney
Jun 2, 2010
This famous "windmill" combination was first played in the game between Mexican champion Carlos Torre and by then former World Champion Emanuel Lasker (Black) in the Moscow International, 1925. White's Bishop on g5 is pinned against his Queen, but such a "relative" pin (rather than the "absolute" pin on the King) can be broken if the price is right!
bbirney
May 31, 2010
If, after 1.g5+, the reply 1. ... Qxg5+ were not check, then White could win with 2.Rh3+. Still, the Black King is in a very dangerous spot...
This brilliant move combines the creation of a mating net with a discovered attack on Black's Queen. (Antoshin-Rabar, 1964)
bbirney
May 31, 2010
After 1.Qxh7+? Ke6, Black's King protects his Queen. So...
Decoys the Queen farther from her King, but still along the same rank.
bbirney
May 30, 2010
Yes, you may start by analyzing 1.Rxc7+ Kxc7 2.Qa7+ Kd8 3.Qxb8+, or 2. ... Kc8 3.Nb6+ Kd8 4.Qxb8+. Maybe White's winning. But as lines grow longer and murkier, it's time to stop, make mental notes of your discoveries, and move ahead -- or rather, move back. Return to the original position and look for other candidate moves. What about reversing the move order? This means sacrificing the Queen. Still, it might be worth looking at for a few seconds...
bbirney
May 28, 2010
Black thought he could not save his Bishop on d4, and so he resigned. But can you make a threat that takes precedence over White's?
bbirney
May 5, 2010
When a pawn coming to the 7th rank attacks a piece, the pawn has two squares to use for promotion -- it can take the piece or move straight ahead. This extra option often makes the pawn unstoppable!
ninjaguy56
May 4, 2010
Consider driving the Black King even further into White's position...
bbirney
May 4, 2010
Admins
Super Admins
Admins
