Sometimes I can almost hear C-3PO telling me that the odds of winning a chess game against a second year player when starting down ten points in material is approximately 3,720 to 1. Winning against all odds is a common theme in Star Wars and my chess classes. Playing against students with a handicap makesContinueContinue reading “So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 53”
Tag Archives: chess tactics
Winning Chess Moves: Euwe vs. Bernard van Mindeno, 1927
Imagine how awesome it would be to have your favorite high school math teacher become the World Chess Champion! The girls attending a Dutch Lyceum in 1935 had this happen when Machgielis “Max” Euwe defeated Alexander Alekhine in their World Championship Match. After winning the title, Max Euwe returned to the all girls Lyceum inContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Euwe vs. Bernard van Mindeno, 1927”
Winning Chess Moves: Barrameda vs. Zhang, 2009 USATW
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”
So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 52
I have often talked at length about the benefits for the chess student to play a master in a handicapped game (See: “At Odds With My Student”). However, there appears to be a benefit for the master as well. Beginning a chess game at a disadvantage against an amateur player sometimes ignites a fire ofContinueContinue reading “So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 52”
Puzzle Worthy Position 47
The annual Tata Steel Masters in Wijk aan Zee is always worth following and 2024 is no exception. Each year, the best of the best come to compete in the Netherlands and, even without Magnus Carlsen this time, there’s been plenty of excitement. Today’s puzzle worthy position comes from the Round 9 chess game betweenContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 47”
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”
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”
Chess Position Worth Sharing 150!
Chris Torres with Anish Giri. Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri just concluded an absolutely brilliant tournament performance in Wijk aan Zee to win the 2023 Tata Steel Masters. GM Giri’s second round victory with the white pieces over GM Dommaraju Gukesh will undoubtedly be remembered for his innovative 14. Rc2 in the famous Ragozin Variation ofContinueContinue reading “Chess Position Worth Sharing 150!”
Get Inspired to Play Better Chess!
Napoleon Hill famously stated “To be inspired is great, to inspire is incredible!” This is especially true in terms of chess. Napoleon Hill Most days I spend quality time searching through chess databases for sources of inspiration. Some days produce less than stellar results while on rare occasions I discover real hidden gems in theContinueContinue reading “Get Inspired to Play Better Chess!”
Watch and Learn Chess
Breaking through a castled king’s defenses is an important skill and one we can improve by studying illustrative examples. GM Vadim Zvjaginsev played a beautiful mating combination against a castled king during the second round of the 2022 Dvoretsky Memorial chess tournament. In the position below, IM Aleksey Grebnev (black) has just played 42… Nc6ContinueContinue reading “Watch and Learn Chess”
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”
So I was just playing a game of #chess and then this happened! 48
Position after just five moves. Last night I Played a 5 move miniature with the black pieces that would fit nicely into Irving Chernev’s 1000 Best Short Games of Chess. Enjoy… 1.d4 e5 2.dxe5 Nc6 3.Nf3 Qe7 4.c4 Nxe5 5.g3 Nxf3#
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”
Puzzle Worthy Position 42
The action at the Chess Bundesliga is always worth checking out! A recent Bundesliga game between GM David Navara and GM Luke McShane reached a most remarkable position before concluding. In the position below, black (McShane) has just moved his pawn to b2 on his 34th move. GM David Navara (white) responds to the promotionContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 42”
Puzzle Worthy Position 41
At just 19 years of age, FM Ekaterina Goltseva has made quite a name for herself by twice tying for first place at the European Youth Championships and also winning the silver medal at 2017 Russian Youth Chess Championship. Today’s Puzzle Worthy Position comes from the seventh round victory by Fide Master Ekaterina Goltseva overContinueContinue reading “Puzzle Worthy Position 41”
Winning Chess Moves: Karpov vs. Mickiewicz, 1997
Former World Champion Anatoly Karpov is an incredible chess player who dominated the international chess scene for a decade beginning in the mid-seventies. Anatoly wasn’t the flashiest World Champion but his games are very approachable and I often recommend that fans of Capablanca also study the games of Karpov. For today’s Winning Chess Move puzzle,ContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Karpov vs. Mickiewicz, 1997”