📌 The 10 - Weeks 📆 course 📚 📈 📊 🎓 By\ IM Mat Bobula©®™

Mat Bobula's Chess School

@MatBobula lessons

Lesson 1:-

Hello The__Storm_555!

Today, we begin with our first topic: tactics.

Tactics involve a series of moves, often forced, that lead to a gain in material or position. As Tartakower put it: "Tactics is knowing what to do when there is something to do. Strategy is knowing what to do when there is nothing to do."

There are several compelling reasons why it's crucial to work on tactics daily:

• Executing tactics during a game can provide a significant advantage and increase your chances of winning.
• Developing the habit of searching for tactics, usually short, forced sequences, can help prevent blunders and take advantage when your opponent makes one.
• Improving your visualization skills allows you to see more possibilities on the board.
• Enhancing your calculation abilities by solving tactics helps you make accurate assessments.
• Recognizing tactical patterns swiftly becomes invaluable, especially when playing under time pressure.

Here are some exercises to sharpen your tactical skills:

Puzzles:

Solving tactical puzzles is a classic method. Nowadays, most chess websites offer this tool. Remember, the process of solving is more important than the rating.

Puzzle Rush/Puzzle battle/Puzzle Storm:

Solve as many tactics as you can in a short time, typically three minutes. You'll start with straightforward tactics (checkmate in one, forks, etc.) and progress to more challenging puzzles. This exercise teaches you to find common tactics quickly, even under time constraints.

Memorizing Positions with Moves:

1. Select any game with a notation (we recommend chessgames.com, where you can access many grandmaster games).
2. Choose a position from the game, for example, after move 30, and memorize it.
3. Open a new tab, go to the analysis board (e.g., on chess.com), set up the position from memory, and verify its accuracy. If correct, clear the board; otherwise, repeat the process.
4. Return to the game and read a few moves (e.g., 5) that occurred from that position without moving the pieces on the board. Visualize the moves in your mind.
5. Go back to the analysis board, attempt to set up the position after those moves, and check for accuracy. Repeat this process.

Start with positions containing only a few pieces and 2-3 moves. Once you become proficient without making mistakes, you can tackle more complex positions with longer sequences.

Compositions:

Chess compositions are special puzzles created by composers that require you to perform a specific task. These exercises boost your chess imagination and ability to find unconventional solutions.

For instance, here's an example where White must checkmate in two moves. You can find the solution in the postscriptum. A helpful hint: in chess compositions, the first move is usually neither a check nor a capture.

Tips on How to Spot Tactics:

Frequently, the initial move in a tactical sequence involves a check, capture, or threat. Train yourself to always search for these moves in your games.

Pay close attention to tactical motifs. These motifs are like symptoms that indicate tactics might be in play. While the presence of a tactical motif on the board doesn't guarantee tactics, it does suggest the possibility. Common motifs include undefended pieces (which can lead to various tactics) and x-rays (<--- please click on me), often resulting in discovered attacks or pins.

Make working on tactics a daily routine, just like brushing your teeth. Dedicate 15 to 30 minutes to various exercises.

Best regards,

Mat

P.S. Puzzle Solution: 1. Qa5 Kxc1 2. Qe1# 1-0

This is the 1st edition

Dedicated to @thinhdoduy

The person who stand by me, when NO one stood by me... For more than 5 hrs straight... He encouraged me, supported me in my journey to recall my chess puzzles memory...

With All love & respect I lead you to the previous knowledge...

Sincerely

Storm

From Egypt with love and respect for you all...