A combination is merely two tactics being excecuted on consecutive moves. I actually have game i just won to show what i mean. I will show you this game starting at move 19.
The better your opponnent the more complicated your combos need to be. Its all about getting your pieces into positions whehre they can quickly come into play when needed. You als have to be able to see these attacks a few moves in advance.
Not to rain on your parade or anything dlordmagic but you had mate in two 27. Nf6+ Kh8(forced) 28. Qh7++
dlordmagic:
I appreciate the work you put in to demonstrate what combination play is; however, it doesn't really answer my question. I know what combo. play is, I strive for it. My question is: how do I practice combo. play?
Not to rain on your parade or anything dlordmagic but you had mate in two 27. Nf6+ Kh8(forced) 28. Qh7++
True. I missed that variation. But it was forced either way. I had it planned out to be 29. Ne6+ Ke7 30. Qxg7+ Kd6 31. Qc7#
how can i make the live diagram like this?
dlordmagic:
I appreciate the work you put in to demonstrate what combination play is; however, it doesn't really answer my question. I know what combo. play is, I strive for it. My question is: how do I practice combo. play?
If you want some basic practice then get chessmaster grandmaster edition. In the intermediate section there are practice problems to use. As for study its simply a matter of recognising back to back tactics. Pulling them off has a lot to do with how your opponnenet responds to the first tactic. The more forced you make there first move, the more likely you can use the second tactic. For example the first combo started with checkmate pin, while attacking the black queen. Black has to move the queen, but its where he moves the queen which sets up the second tactic. Had black moved Qg4 instead, then Nxf5 is a blunder instead.
how can i make the live diagram like this?
In the reply box, there is a little icon that looks like a chessboard. Select that. You have three options. To make it live, select game or sequence of moves. follow directions from there.
A combination is merely two tactics being excecuted on consecutive moves. I actually have game i just won to show what i mean. I will show you this game starting at move 19.
The better your opponnent the more complicated your combos need to be. Its all about getting your pieces into positions whehre they can quickly come into play when needed. You als have to be able to see these attacks a few moves in advance.
23. Rxd7 Rxf5
24. Rxe7+ Kg6
Although the game didn't play out with these moves, this combination illustrates a pin followed by a double attack.
how can i make the live diagram like this?
In the reply box, there is a little icon that looks like a chessboard. Select that. You have three options. To make it live, select game or sequence of moves. follow directions from there.
woow! thank u.
I always look for things like: all checks. Undefended pieces. Pins and forks. Pieces (esp. the King) that do not have many "escape" squares. masked pieces. Briefly look at bizarre and surprising moves Sacrifices. Pawn breaks. "Obviously unplayable" moves. If I see any of these I look for a combination or tactic.
The question as to what is a combination has caused debate even among Grandmasters for many decades.
Lasker: A variation or net of variations which lead to a desirable issue by force.
Euwe: A short part of the game within which a certain purpose attained by force.
Botvinnik: A forced variation with sacrifice
Fine: A double attack.
Purdy: Play of which the initial move would lead to gain in every possible variation through weakness at more than one point.
Whatever definition you give it, I think it’s clear combinations involve a sacrifice. This is opposed to tactics which do no always require a sacrifice.
Positional play can be described as the means of improving your position in small ways when no sound combination or tactic is available.
In any case one must be alert to tactics and combinations at every move because there’s no point in undertaking a long winded positional route when an immediate tactical win is available. The higher up the rating ladder you climb, the less likely opponent mistakes are to occur in which there is a tactical or combinative solution. Therefore your play at higher levels becomes more positional as you try to improve your position little by little while awaiting an opponent’s tactical error. If yhey don’t make one then you are going to have to play an ending, I guess. At the higher levels bad positions will often lead to tactical mistakes while at lower levels they happen just because of bad play.
One learns to be alert to the possibility of a tactic or combination by studying them and looking for the motif that makes them possible. As you become familiar with the patterns and motifs you will begin to recognize them in your own games.
That said, you must also recognize when they won’t work. For example most players are familiar with the "Classic Bishop Sacrifice" on h7 (or h2), but I’d wager 90% can’t tell you what the requirements are for it to be effective.
Does anyone have advice about how to study and practice combinations? Tactics trainer helps one recognize tactics, but it does a poor job teaching how to combine them.