With the 2024 US Amateur Team West chess tournament happening this weekend, it seemed rather fitting to share a winning chess move from a past edition of the USATW. Tonight’s winning chess move comes from the 2009 US Amateur Team West game between Gabriel Barrameda and Kevin Zhang. Gabriel (white) has just played 31. Ra3ContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Barrameda vs. Zhang, 2009 USATW”
Tag Archives: chess problems
Chess Position Worth Sharing! 154
While scrolling through Facebook, I noticed one of my favorite chess authors posting an endgame study created by one of my favorite chess composers. In a rather fortunate coincidence, this particular king and pawn endgame study fits nicely into a progression of studies I have been giving students to exercise their calculation skills. (See ChessContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing! 154”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 74
To understand why this mate in 4 puzzle by Josef Halumbirek won First Prize in the Neue Leipziger Zeitung for September, 1929, you first need to solve it. Of course, that’s easier said than done which is why I placed this Halumbirek masterpiece into the “Betcha Can’t Solve This” category! White to move and mateContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 74”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 153!
Today’s chess position is wonderful little pawn endgame study by master composer Josef Holumbirek. It has been stated that “The easiest endings to win are pure pawn endings”(Richard Shorman, 30 Rules of Chess) but certain pawn endgames do require deep calculations to uncover the long variation that leads to victory. The endgame study below certainlyContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 153!”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 152!
I like to use pawn endgames to stretch my students calculation ability. This process makes sense because precision is imperative in pawn endgames and the only way to determine if a candidate move is accurate is to check it through deep calculation. My readers are aware that I recently discovered the master composer Josef Holumbirek.ContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 152!”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 73
Solving chess puzzles by master composer Josef Halumbirek is my new favorite pastime. Today’s selection comes from Halumbirek’s entry in the Mémorial W. Von Holzhausen, Österreichische Schachzeitung 1951-52. This mate in 4 is rather approachable and can be solved by examining all of the forced moves available. Still, it’s very satisfying to discover why everyContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 73”
So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 51
Recently, a training game against a student created an additional opportunity to discuss an ancient checkmating pattern. In the position below, it is black to move and mate in 2. This one is not to hard to spot especially if you are familiar with the Arabian Mate or take a moment to analyze your checks,ContinueContinue reading “So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 51”
Puzzle Worthy Position 46
Born on March 9, 1943, Robert James Fischer is widely regarded as one of the greatest chess players in history. Bobby Fischer’s many impressive chess accomplishments include becoming a grandmaster at just 15 years of age, winning the U.S. Chess Championship eight times and becoming a World Champion by defeating Boris Spassky in 1972 inContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 46”
Winning Chess Moves: Messinger vs. Rack, 1989
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”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 151!
Chess Composer Josef Halumbirek (3/7/1891 – 6/23/1968) I recently discovered a chess composer named Josef Halumbirek (3/7/1891 – 6/23/1968) whose problems and studies are a real pleasure to work out. Halumbirek’s compositional style reminds me a bit of Sam Loyd’s as his chess problems tend to be rather simple looking at first glance but containContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 151!”
Pawn Endgame Worthy of Study
“Pawn endings are to chess what putting is to golf.” — Cecil Purdy Pure pawn endgames are said to be the simplest of all endings but that doesn’t mean they are always easy to win. A case and point is presented in a recent blog post where I shared a blown opportunity in a KingContinueContinue reading “Pawn Endgame Worthy of Study”
Puzzle Worthy Position 45
Frequent readers of this blog know that Grandmaster Max Euwe is one of my favorite chess heroes. In 1935, chess prognosticators didn’t give Machgielis “Max” Euwe of the Netherlands much of a chance in his title match against World Champion Alexander Alekhine in part because Dr. Euwe wasn’t a professional chess player but rather aContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 45”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 72
The British Chess Magazine really hit the snail on the head by including this wonderful mate-in-2 chess puzzle in the January issue of 1911. I solved this Frederick Forrest Lawrie Alexander composition at a rather sluggish pace which is why I betcha can’t solve this chess puzzle at all! But go ahead and prove meContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 72”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 149!
Samuel Loyd was one of the greatest creative geniuses of nineteenth century puzzles, both on and off of the chess board. Born on January 30th of 1841, Samuel (Sam) Loyd was a contemporary of Paul Morphy (1837-1884). In fact, Loyd moved from Philadelphia to New York City which means he was occupying the same spaceContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 149!”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 71
The holiday season can be a little daunting, whether it’s due to the commotion of shopping, hosting get-togethers or traveling. Rather than adding to this extra stress with the high intensity of online bullet chess, I recommend enjoying the slower pace of chess puzzles. Why not fill a mug with your favorite hot beverage, cozyContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 71”
Winning Chess Moves: Vokhidov vs. Wojtaszek, 2022
The FIDE World Team Championship for 2022 consisted of 12 nation teams and included many illustrious players who are recurring stars on the Daily Chess Musings blog including Anish Giri, Vasyl Ivanchuk, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Teymur Radjabov, Nihal Sarin, and Alexei Shirov. However, the best finishing move of the event did not occur inContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Vokhidov vs. Wojtaszek, 2022”
Puzzle Worthy Position 44
Since it’s inception in 2018, the Tata Steel Chess India tournament has invited five of the most talented Indian Grandmasters to compete in their home country against an equal number of top international competitors. The annual event features the strongest rapid and blitz chess on the subcontinent. For 2022, the Tata Steel Chess India eventContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 44”
Winning Chess Moves: Caruana vs. Lenderman, 2018
The 2018 US Championship was an action packed event. The San Francisco Bay Area’s own Grandmaster Sam Shankland stole the spotlight by taking first place over such pre-tournament favorites such as Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So and Hikaru Nakamura. Norcal chess enthusiasts weren’t exactly shocked by GM Shankland’s championship run as we have long since grownContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Caruana vs. Lenderman, 2018”
Puzzle Worthy Position 43
Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman. Today’s puzzle worthy position comes from one of the many great battles between GM Anatoly Karpov and GM Jan Timman. Both chess geniuses were born in 1951 and their chessboard rivalry stretched for a half century from 1967 until 2016. Karpov had a winning record against his Dutch contemporary withContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 43”
Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 70
Today’s puzzle of interest is a mate in 2 with many carefully placed ingredients. I was struck by this chess problem’s modern design and surprised by the fact that it was composed over a century ago in 1920. Not only is this chess puzzle a beautiful reminder of how much is possible on the chessboardContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 70”