Just like an underwater explorer scanning the ocean floor for valuable artifacts, I often scour the chess databases for exceptional moves that have yet to be brought to light. This evening, I journeyed into the vast ocean of chess possibilities, diving deep into the depths of strategic encounters in search of some artifact of humanContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Messinger vs. Rack, 1989”
Tag Archives: brilliant chess moves
The Chess Artistry of Tigran Petrosian
I recently described how chess can be considered an art form so it makes sense that I should also write about one of my favorite chess artists. Many artists had difficult childhoods and that can certainly be said of the ninth official World Champion Grandmaster Petrosian whose parents died before he was 16. Fortunately, PetrosianContinueContinue reading “The Chess Artistry of Tigran Petrosian”
Francisco Friday for 3/4/2022
Francisco (right) with Anatoly Karpov. Those who live in Northern California or are regular readers of this blog know that Francisco Anchondo is an expert of the attack on the chessboard. His tactical expertise regularly creates short masterpieces that are equally as educational as they are fun. So today, I am pleased to begin aContinueContinue reading “Francisco Friday for 3/4/2022”
Puzzle Worthy Position 36
Today’s puzzle worthy position comes from the exciting Round 3 chess game between IM Roberto Carlos Sanchez Alvarez and GM Jorge Cori played in Mexico City at the Iberoamericano chess tournament on 2/13/2022. In the position below Grandmaster Cori (black) has just played 22… Qa5. What brilliant move did IM Roberto Carlos Sanchez Alvarez (white)ContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 36”
Winning Chess Moves: Ehlvest vs. Kasparov, 1977
The remarkable career of Garry Kasparov makes him one of the most influential chess players of the twentieth century. Kasparov, who views chess as both a sport and and art has stated that “Chess is one of the few arts where composition takes place simultaneously with performance.” His style of neatly combining the art andContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Ehlvest vs. Kasparov, 1977”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 138
Tonight’s chess position comes from a game played by a talented student. Avik (black) found himself in a difficult situation where his opponent was threatening checkmate with Qh8 and also threatening to capture his queen with Rxa4. Avik, who goes by crosserbishop on chess.com, analyzed all of his checks, captures and threats and went onContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 138”
Winning Chess Moves: Nakamura vs Shankland, 9/9/2021
The Champions Showdown 9LX is a rapid Fischer Random/Chess960 chess tournament that is currently taking place in Saint Louis, USA. Today’s winning chess move comes from the round 2 game between Grandmasters Hikaru Nakamura and Sam Shankland. White (Nakamura) has just recaptured with Rxe5. What is black’s (Sam Shankland’s) winning move? What is black’s winningContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Nakamura vs Shankland, 9/9/2021”
Winning Chess Moves: Mieses vs Von Bardeleben, 1905
Curt Carl Alfred von Bardeleben Curt von Bardeleben was a most interesting chess personality and managed to lose in some of the most beautiful ways possible. Of course, many students of chess are quite familiar with the triumph Wilhelm Steinitz played over Curt Carl Alfred von Bardeleben at Hastings in 1895, but also of noteContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Mieses vs Von Bardeleben, 1905”
#Chess Position Worth Sharing 133
Tonight I finished a long day of teaching chess by presenting an absolutely superb mating combination played by the first World Chess Champion. A brilliant positional player, particularly in his later years, Wilhelm Steinitz rose to prominence in the mid-nineteenth century as a dangerous attacker in the romantic style of chess that had been popularisedContinueContinue reading “#Chess Position Worth Sharing 133”
#Chess Position Worth Sharing 130
Some of the most brilliant chess puzzles involve material sacrifice for the sake of the mate. Here however, the sacrifice is not merely needed to mate but in fact to avoid loss. One wrong move, and the outcome is completely out of your hands. White to move and mate in 4 (Skuja vs Rozenbergs, Latvia,ContinueContinue reading “#Chess Position Worth Sharing 130”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 16
White to move and mate in 7! (Edward Lasker vs. George Thomas, City of London Chess Club, 1912) “The following game I consider the most beautiful I ever played … though it was not a tournament game and can, therefore, hardly be classed among the best games.” – Edward Lasker “A year later, Alekhine calledContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 16”