chess puzzle – Daily Chess Musings

So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 62

As a chess teacher, I find genuine joy and pride when I lose to a student who beats me with truly brilliant tactic. Such moments affirm my effectiveness as an instructor, highlighting that my guidance has cultivated a sharp, creative, and resourceful player. Watching my student pull off an amazing combination not only sparks admirationContinueContinue reading “So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 62”

Puzzle Worthy Position 52

Mikhail Tal famously stated: “You must take your opponent into a deep, dark forest where 2+2=5, and the path leading out is only wide enough for one.” If a chess game metaphorically becomes a forest, International Master Emory Tate was a tiger. Sometimes, his opponent would almost escape the forest only to be ambushed byContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 52”

Betcha Can’t Solve this #Chess Puzzle! 81

Often in my youth I felt compelled to finish a chess puzzle as I would my homework; it must be done before I could rest. If my mind became too tired to solve the chess puzzle then I would admit defeat and look up the answer. As I have matured, I find the process ofContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve this #Chess Puzzle! 81”

My Quora Answer to: What are some great one-move chess puzzles?

A lot of chess enthusiasts have the unfortunate belief that Mate in 1 puzzles are too simple to bother with. However, some truly great chess composers such as Gustavus Reichhelm have been up to the seemingly impossible task of creating puzzles that are as simple as they are brilliant. Reichhelm managed to create a chessContinueContinue reading “My Quora Answer to: What are some great one-move chess puzzles?”

Winning Chess Moves: Erigaisi vs Kunin, 2024

So far in 2024, Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has made winning on the chessboard look easy. Erigaisi’s latest accomplishment was taking clear first in the French Team Championship strong Pool A group with a whopping 2900 performance rating! Now as the highest rated player in India and ranked within the top 5 in the world,ContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Erigaisi vs Kunin, 2024”

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”

Chess Position Worth Sharing 142

Tonight I showed Werner Springe vs Hans Gebhardt, Munich 1927 to my chess students at Gomes Elementary School in Fremont, California. This game, played by relatively unknown players, is a delightful choice for a chess lesson. In the position below, black has just played pawn to h6 threatening white’s bishop. What is white’s best move?ContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 142”

Winning Chess Moves: Koltanowski vs. Tholfsen, 1928

GM George Koltanowski, simply known as Kolty to his many friends, was the most passionate chess player I have ever met. He was always sharing his love for chess through his daily San Francisco chess column that ran for over five decades straight. His blindfold simultaneous exhibitions set world records and many new chess fansContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Koltanowski vs. Tholfsen, 1928”

Chess Position Worth Sharing 139

Mentally visualizing possible chess positions while calculating accurately is an essential skill for chess players to possess. Since, the ultimate goal in chess is to checkmate, it therefore makes sense to incorporate checkmating puzzles into chess visualization training. A good training puzzle for this purpose should challenge the solver’s ability to properly visualize the squaresContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 139”

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 126

I used this position in a chess class today. What is black’s best move?

#Chess Position Worth Sharing! 121

White to move and draw (Gorgiev, 1936.)

#Chess Positions Worth Sharing! 117

Tonight’s puzzle comes from Hikaru Nakamura vs. Robert Lee Hess, 2012 US Championship in St Louis. GM Robert Hess has just played move 30… Kh8. What did GM Nakamura play for white’s 31st move? What is white’s best move?

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 54

White to move and win. (Hint: Bishop domination is the key strategy.)

Betcha Can Solve This #Chess Puzzle!

This one is really not as hard as it looks. White to move and mate in 6 (Wilhelm Ropke, 1942.)

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 114

White to move and draw (D. Lolly, 1763).

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 113

White to move and mate in 3.

Benko’s Great Sacrifice

Chess has a rich history full of stories that I share with my students to add extra colour to our lesson material. Below is the tale of Pal Benko’s incredible life’s journey and his great sacrifice which allowed Bobby Fischer to make history. Pal Benko was born while his Hungarian parents were vacationing in Amiens,ContinueContinue reading “Benko’s Great Sacrifice”

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