White to move
Highlight below for answer:
15.Rxf6 gxf6 16.Bh3+ Rd7 17.Bxd7+ Kxd7 18.Qg4+ Ke8 19.Nd5 Qd8 20.Qe6+ Kf8 21.Bh6#
Month: August 2009
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Tactical Position for Study
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Chess Visualization Exercise #8
It is very important that you have mastered exercises 1-7 before starting on this exercise. For exercises 1-7 visit the chess exercises page.
Without looking at the board, tell all the squares controlled by:
– a knight on c6
– a knight on f3
– a knight on b2
– a knight on c5
– a knight on h7 -
Karpov & Mazukevich's Chess Thought Process
(adapted by Herman Grooten)
The following thought process which is recommended by Karpov and Mazukevich is used to detect the important features of an arbitrary position in order to devise a plan that conforms to the positional assessment derived by using this thought process.
This thinking process is based on 7 criteria in which the White position is compared with the Black position.
1. What is the material balance?
2. Are there any (direct) threats?
3. How is the safety of both Kings?
4. Pawn structure questions:
a. Where are the open lines and diagonals?
b. Are there many strong squares?
c. Who is controlling the center
d. Who has more space and where on the board do they have it?
5. Which pieces are active and which are not?
Training applications:
Go through the questions out loud while doing middlegame positions based on Stoyko Exercises. The idea is to practice “talking out loud” with the list in front of you so that when you are in real game mode the questions will be asked subconsiously.
Source: Chess Strategy for Club Players pg. 37.
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Chess Visualization Exercise #7
It is very important that you have mastered exercises 1-6 before starting on this exercise. For exercises 1-6 visit the chess exercises page.
Without looking at the board, tell all the squares controlled by:
– a knight on c3
– a knight on e2
– a knight on f6
– a knight on d4 -
Annotated Game: Szabo v.Geller Zurich 1953
[Annotator: Bronstein, David]
A weakness of the dark squares is also a weakness of the pieces and pawns on the light squares. Light-square weaknesses are also possible, resulting in a weakening of the enemy pieces on the dark squares. The point of an attack on the dark squares is that by placing my pawns and pieces on the dark, I attack my opponent’s pieces and pawns on the light. This game provides a clear example of the method of exploiting dark square weakness; and the combination which was possible after Black’s 24th move begs to be included in a textbook, taking place as it does entirely on light squares.
1.c4 Nf6 2.g3 e6 3.Bg2 d5 4.d4 dxc4 5.Qa4+ Nbd7 6.Nf3 a6 7.Qxc4 b5 8.Qc6 Diagram
Having hatched a plan to weaken the enemy dark squares, Szabo undertakes a delicate maneuver aimed at bringing about the exchange of the dark square bishops, which will further strengthen his grip on the dark squares.8…Rb8 9.Bf4 Nd5 10.Bg5 Be7 11.Bxe7 Qxe7 12.0-0 Bb7 13.Qc2 c5 14.dxc5 Nxc5 15.Rc1 Rc8 16.Nc3 Nf6 Diagram
A small but serious inaccuracy; Black removes this piece from the main theater of operations.[16…Nb6 much better for Black. Increases control of c4 and makes it more difficult for White to play b4.] -
Position for Study #1
White to move1. Material: White is up a pawn, that is about to Queen. But White cannot defend it.
2. King safety. White’s King is pinned to the light squared bishop. Black’s King is in no immediate danger.
3. Activity: Black’s rook is more active, and his bishop is not pinned like White’s.
4. Pawn structure. White has the better pawn structure on the Kingside, and has a passed pawn on the Qside.
Biggest threat for White is 1…Rxa7 losing the passed pawn and heading into a draw.
Problem is that White cannot defend the pawn with the rook since the rook is lost with either 1.Ra8 or 1.Rc7.
Candidates:
Highlight text for answer:
1. Rxc6+ {the most forcing move} Kxc6 2.a8=Q Rxa8 3.Be4+ {Wins the Black rook due to the skewering of the King and the Rook}
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Improving Chess Analysis Skills with Stoyko Exercises
This content was buried in a post for Kotov’s Method for Chess Improvement, and since it is such an important chess improvement tool, I figured I would promote it to its own post.
Stoyko Exercises
from Dan Heisman’s Exercises pageA summary of Stoyko exercise:
1) Find a fairly complicated position
2) Get out a pen/pencil and paper
3) You have unlimited time
4) Write down every (pertinent) line for as deep as you can see, making sure to include an evaluation at the end of the line. This will likely include dozens of lines and several first ply candidate moves. Evaluations can be any type you like:
a) Computer (in pawns, like +.3)
b) MCO/Informant (=, +/=, etc.)
c) English (”White is a little better”)
5) At the end state which move you would play and it’s “best play for both sides” line becomes the PV
6) When you are done, go over each line and its evaluation with a strong player and/or a computer. Look for:
a) Lines/moves you should have analyzed but missed
b) Any errors in visualization (retained images, etc.)
c) Any lines where you stopped analyzing too soon, thus causing a big error in evaluation (quiescence errors)
d) Any large errors in evaluation of any line
e) Whether the above caused you to chose the wrong move
etc. -
Chess Board Visualization Exercise #6
It is very important that you have mastered exercises 1-5 before starting on this exercise. For exercises 1-5 visit the chess exercises page.
Without looking at the board, tell all the squares controlled by:
– a bishop on b2
– a bishop on b7
– a bishop on a5
– a bishop on h4
– a bishop on d4
– a bishop on c4 -
Common Chess Errors
The purpose of the following list of chess errors, is to assist us to diagnose our weaknesses when we annotate our games.
Opening Weaknesses
Falling victim to an opening trap
Ignoring the development of your pieces
Waiting too long to castle
Opening inaccuracy
Moving the same piece more than once in the openingCalculation Weaknesses
Missing the strongest continuation
calculation errors
stopping analysis of a candidate too early
Losing the thread of your analysis (getting lost in your analytical tree of variations)
Retained image error (calculation)
Not analyzing a candidate because it seems to lose material
Stopping the analysis of a line 1-2 ply before the winning move
Not evaluating the position at the end of your analysisThought Process Weaknesses
Failing to see your opponents threats
Losing a won game
Losing concentration / Focus / Thread of the game
Not asking the right questionsTime Management Weaknesses
getting into time trouble
playing too fast
playing too slow
Spending too much time on a non-critical moveEndgame Weaknesses
Entering into a lost endgame
Missing a common endgame pattern
Not knowing how to play a fundamental endgame positionPositional Weaknesses
Ignoring your opponents threats
Ignoring King safety
Starting a premature attack
Pawn hunting in the opening
Losing control of an important file or diagonal
Allowing your opponent too much space
Weakening your pawn structure
Misplaying a pawn breakthrough
Entering an exchange which leads to a worse position
Missing a positional move / ideaPsychological Weaknesses
Worrying about ratings / results
Fearing your opponents rating
Playing without a planLearning
Not reviewing your games
Learning concepts too advanced for your level
Focusing too much on knowledge and not on skill (studying too much versus playing too little)