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The right counterattack...
28.08.2010
– ... against the black bishop e4 White had to find here after 37...Qh6, since capturing on f6 with his hanging knight h5 would allow 38...Qxh3+. What do you think, which queen move is best suitable for that purpose?
A) 38.Qd4
B) 38.Qf4
C) 38.Qh4
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger version of the diagram.
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The rear lights of passed pawns
24.08.2010
– Richard Reti? Nope. Nikolay Grigoriev? Try again. Henri Rinck? No, the following position, with only four pieces on the board is not from the torturous imagination of some study composer designed to have your mind standing upside down. This position actually arose in the game between Georgiadis - Sandalakis, played in 2010 in an Open on Crete.
The player with White was faced with a delicate problem that had an elegant solution, worthy of a place in some endgame manual. Can you find the narrow path to victory? White to play and win.
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller on
ChessBase Magazine Online.
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Test your IQ(P)
20.08.2010
– In this typical IQP position White would like to avoid piece exchanges with 17.Ne4 but of course has to reckon with the knight sortie 17...Ncb4. What does this entail in your opinion?
A) advantage for Black;
B) advantage for White;
C) balanced play.
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger version of the diagram.
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Opening surveys in CBM 137
18.08.2010
– Whenever White plays 4.Bd2 in the Bogo-Indian, most games end up after 4...Qe7
in an Indian-type position, in which Black is under pressure but can has chances to
draw after the exchange of his problem dark-squared bishop.
Mihail Marin presents a completely different variation. After 4...a5 5.g3 d5
6.Qc2 Nc6 7.Bg2 dxc4 8.Qxc4 Qd5 White cannot avoid the exchange
of queens and the game immediately enters the ending. It's a good position to start out
from, and the variation is also objectively playable. You will find another 11 articles on the
DVD of CBM 137.
Read: Marin's complete article
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One of the highlights...
13.08.2010
– ... of this year's Sparkassen Chess Meeting in Dortmund was the duel between Germany's number one Arkadij Naiditsch and the many times tournament winner Vladimir Kramnik. After a piece sacrifice by Black this position could have occurred. How would you judge the situation following
31...Qf4+ 32.Kb1 Qe4+ now ?
A) White's king can get into safety, his plus piece decides;
B) positional draw (perpetual check);
C) Black wins.
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger version of the diagram.
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All his pieces in play...
10.08.2010
– ... Parimarjan Negi had in his first game at the Young Grandmaster Tournament in Biel and here played 26...Rxd4 in order to force the exchange of the white rook d1. How would you assess the situation after that?
A) White perishes of his underdeveloped queenside;
B) he keeps his position together just like that;
C) he wins by force.
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger verson or the diagram.
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A difficult decision
06.08.2010
– The fact that even simple looking rook endings can be very tricky is exemplified in this example from the Bundesliga. For the moment the black king is shut off from the kingside, where the pair of white passed pawns is heading for promotion. But Black too can still throw his passed pawn into the balance, which greatly complicates matters. Which continuation do you think still offers Black drawing chances here: 53...Rc4, to support the advance of the passed pawn, or 53...Ra8, to harass the white king with checks?
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller on
ChessBase Magazine Online.
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Automatic recapturing...
02.08.2010
– ... is a reflex which often is hard to resist. Here White following 24...bxc3 surprisingly played 25.Rh7 in order to target the point f7 after 25...cxb2 with 25.Qh5 How would you judge this continuation?
A) White gets a decisive attack;
B) nice idea, but only enough for a draw;
C) Black can successfully parry the threats with a return sacrifice and get a new queen afterwards.
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger version of the diagram.
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Of bishops and giant pawns
28.07.2010
– In endgames with bishops of opposite colours it is well known that the likelihood of a draw is particularly high. But when the bishop resembles a giant pawn, as in our present example, problems are of course also on the cards in this type of endgame.
What sequence of moves did Black (to move) use to bring about a winning position here?
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller on
ChessBase Magazine Online.
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Death rides a horse
25.07.2010
– This was the favourite example of yours truly in the tactics section of CBM 131 and also one of the first multiple choice questions. How would you assess the situation after 33...Nc4?
A) White has a beautiful strike, deciding the game in his favour.
B) Black has sufficient resources to fend off the attack, he wins.
C) With best play the game will end in a draw.
The solution is here,
but first ponder over it with a
larger version of the diagram.
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New: ChessBase Magazine 137
23.07.2010
– No less than four top tournaments are covered in CBM 137: the Kings tournament in Bazna, the FIDE Grand Prix in Astrakhan,
the Capablanca Memorial, and the Karpov Tournament. Remarkably the winners are
also the star authors of the new DVD. Carlsen, Eljanov, Karjakin, Bologan among
other top players explain their best games in great depth. Twelve opening articles
offer ideas for your repertoire.
Shipping starts July 28. Order
CBM 137 now or read this
preview.
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Deadly intermediate moves
21.07.2010
– In the rook ending from the game Wang Yue-Nisipeanu, Black may be a pawn down, but his pieces are simply bursting with activity and are well coordinated. The passed pawn on the queenside is effectively supported by the king, and the rook is cutting the white monarch off on the first rank from the rest of the battle.
With Black to move, can you work out an exemplary winning variation? Should the latter begin with 56...b4 or with 56...Kc3? Compare your analysis with the comments by Karsten Müller for
ChessBase Magazine Online.
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