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...

Position for Study #1

White to move 1. 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...

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 page A summary of Stoyko exercise: 1) Find a fairly complicated...

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...

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...