Tag Archives: mate in 4

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle 78

Tonight’s puzzle is another Mate in 4 problem by the German chess composer Arthur Klinke. I found the solution to this chess problem to be truly ingenious in a rather mechanical way. I betcha can’t solve this chess puzzle, but if you do be prepared to be amazed! White to move and mate in 4(ArthurContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle 78”

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle 77

Arthur Klinke (March 1, 1887 – July 23, 1942) was an important German chess composer. Beyond composing, Klinke shared his love for chess puzzles as the editor of the Arbeiter-Schachzeitung (workers’ chess newspaper) published in Chemnitz, and later became the chairman of the Chess Problems Association in Deutschen Arbeiter-Schachbund (German Workers’ Chess Association). The lastContinueContinue reading “Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle 77”

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”

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”

Francisco Friday for 5/6/2022

Attacking maestro Francisco Anchondo had the black pieces in the chess game below. As for white, “Le fue como a los perros en misa.” [Event “Casual Blitz game”] [Date “2022.03.02”] [White “Anonymous”] [Black “Francisco Anchondo”] [Result “0-1”] 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 f5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Qc2 Bc5 6.Be2 Bb6 7.Na3 a6 8.b4 d6 9.Bb2 f4ContinueContinue reading “Francisco Friday for 5/6/2022”

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”

Winning Chess Moves: Carlsen vs Tallaksen Ostmoe, 7/05/2005

Chess is booming in popularity and one of the reasons why is our current world champion Magnus Carlsen. Carlsen regularly produces stunning works of chess art that’ll make you want to play chess. Of course, Magnus’ primary goal in every chess game is winning. However, the very best chess players in history have a wayContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Carlsen vs Tallaksen Ostmoe, 7/05/2005”

Winning Chess Moves: Borisenko-Belova vs Nakhimovskaya, 1968

During her illustrious career, WGM Valentina M Borisenko-Belova (1/28/1920-3/6/1993) won the Women’s Soviet Championship five times (a record she shares with Nona Gaprindashvili.) Zara Nakhimovskaya was a formidable chess player who won the Latvian Chess Championship for Women four times. In our feature position, Valentina M Borisenko-Belova is playing with the white pieces against ZaraContinueContinue reading “Winning Chess Moves: Borisenko-Belova vs Nakhimovskaya, 1968”

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”

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 129

Part of the beauty of chess is that no one can predict the level of greatness which the two participants might create in any given game. You may not have heard much about the chess game played between Kekhayov and Petrov in 1964 but the magnificent mating combination at the end is definitely noteworthy. ThisContinueContinue reading “#Chess Position Worth Sharing 129”

#Chess Position Worth Sharing 128

As chess players, we should always be trying to make improvements in our technique. For example, the player playing white in the position below should be able use good technique to win easily. Good technique may be good enough to win this endgame but with perfect technique white can checkmate in just four moves! SoContinueContinue reading “#Chess Position Worth Sharing 128”

Betcha Can’t Solve This #Chess Puzzle! 43

Today I share a beautiful endgame study/mate-in-4 that I have come across in a couple of books. Carel Christiaan Wilhelm Mann has placed black in zugzwang (1…f5 2.Qh4# or 1…Kf5 2.Qd5#) but has white to move. The resulting solution is sure to entertain!