What is the best move for Black ?

Black to play

Once again, going through the main motifs/candidate moves + a bit of calculation are necessary here ( no opening book or ending manual is needed; Chess engines will find the right move instantly)...

December Tactical Position : Candidate Moves

White to play

The Rook in e1 is attacked by the knight in d3. Three choices

a) I am playing Re2
b) I am playing Re3
c) I am playing Rxe4

and with the best play with White, what is your assessment of the position ?

Take your time

The Key Move : Black to Play

Black to play

Can you navigate this complex middle-game ? Black has coordinated her pieces and is not afraid of going into tactics.

GM Carlsen: Three Attacking Games

In this post, I present three games from Carlsen played in 2010.
You can replay the games here :

http://theory.top10chess.com/template1.html

Game 1: Carlsen - Vallejo Pons Olympiad 2010. Sicilian Attack

Game 2: Nisipeanu-Carlsen 0-1 Kings tournament. Sicilian Dragon

Game 3: Ponomariov-Carlsen 0-1 Kings tournament. King's Indian Saemish.

To sum up: 3 sharp middle-games where Carlsen beats strong chess Grandmasters. The interface for the games display is pgn4web


For older Carlsen Games, please go to the following (interface is PgntoJS) :
http://games.top10chess.com/carlsengames.htm

Game of the Month : Karjakin-Kramnik Nov 2010 . Attack!

Click = to pause. Click again to resume
Click the E2 Square for slower replay
Click the G8 Square for list of functions.

Design by pgn4web - Paolo Casaschi
http://pgn4web.casaschi.net/home.html

Comments on variations to the game itself featuring a piece sac 15.Be2!

12..Nc4 13 Ne6 !? instead of 13 Qd3 played in Gashimov-Gelfand 2010. Kramnik goes for the novelty 12..Bf5

15..hg5 16 hg5 Qd7 17 g4 Bg6 18 Rdg1 followed by 18 f4 is strong for White therefore Black declined the sacrifice

17..Nc4 would has been followed by 18 Bc4 dc4 19 Qf2!? Qa5 20 f5! with attack on column h

21 Qc4!? Qd5! 22 Bd3 Qc4 23 Bc4 Be7 24 g5!?

22 ..Bh4! 23 Bd3 Bf6! is much better than the game. 22..b5!? 23 Qc6 Re2 was better than the game

23..Qd5 24 Qc3 Qb5 25 gh6 with advantage. 23..b5!?

Winning Attack Against The King

White to play !

The experienced GM with Black could not save the day. How did White convert his advantage convincingly here ?

November Tactical Position

Black to play and win

What is the best move here for black ?

Key moment : November 2010 GM edition

White to Play

What are the candidate moves and what is your assessment of the position ?

Critical moment: are you up to the task ?

White to play

How would you assess your chances with White here ? Black just played ..Qf4
Several candidate moves here. Analyze well ! ( Difficult )

Position of the Month (October)

Position I White to play : Find the best move !

Position II: White to play and win !

Two positions of the same game, where White found the best move each time !

Linear calculation (Horizon)

White to play

Can you calculate until the end , following the steps of the Grandmaster playing White ?
You are not allowed to move the pieces on the board or to use a computer for help !

complexity

White to play

Battle between two strong grandmasters reached a crucial point. Can you find the best continuation for White ?

What is the best move here for Black ?

Black to play and win

King tactics ( easy puzzle)

White to play and win

Summer quiz. can you finish off the attack ?

Tactical position of the month (August 2010-NH Amsterdam)

White to play and win !

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Attack and Counter-Attack ( Difficult)

Black to play

Both sides went for the attack. Black ( who eventually was crowned world champion !) to play. Only a careful review of candidate moves followed by concrete variations can guide you through the solution. Good luck!

Strong GM giving material for attacking chances

White to play

White has invested material (down a rook) in order to mount an attack. White to play in the position above.

Can White get a return on his investment and if so how ?

Black to play !

What would you do here with Black ?

intricate position

A lot pieces are "en-prise" i.e hanging. No time for positional assesment but only precise moves will do. Are you up to the task ?

Black to play

Hint: You've got to be imaginative and to calculate through the end because your queen,knight AND bishop are under enemy fire...

the path to victory 07-05-2010

Black to play and win !

2 Grandmasters (both with Elo above 2600) were battling in the last round of the U.S World Open played in Philly,PA.

The crucial moment didn't come in the opening or in the ending but in the middlegame.
Black gained a decisive advantage here, taking advatange of 38 Re1-e2?

linear calculation ( puzzle category : easy )

Black to play and win

Hint: Black ( a norvegian promising GM) noticed the awkward situation of the white pieces in the middle of the board and exploited it in a linear and convincing fashion. Yours to find !

Attacking tactics ( level=easy)

To continue with the theme Queen+Knight.

White to play and win ( Position I)

White to play and win ( position II)

White to play and win ! (Medium Difficulty)

White to play and win !

The GrandMaster with White has developped his attack on the King-Side. How does he get closer to the Black King ( note that the Black Queen and Knights are too far to protect the King-Side)

Tactics at the 39th move

Find the best move with White !

White (who sent me the spectacular game and position) to play in the following position, which happened in a recent tournament game.

What would you play ?

Find the best move with Black !

Black to play and take the advantage :19...?

______________________________

There is no straight win here, just a strong continuation made possible by a tactical motif

US Chess Championship 2010 : Nakamura-Shulman Tactics (round 9)

Black to play and win !

Nakamura-Shulman , (9) U.S Championship 2010; a brilliant tactical win for Black, issued from a french defense opening where Naka overpressed.

Shulman will play Kamsky tomorrow in the decisive game for the 2010 U.S Championship !

tactical conclusion

Black to play and conclude the attack

The White player ( a GM) just played Qc6. Can you figure out why Black ( also a GM ) was pleased to play on ?

Solution/Hint:

in the comments, one guest (gaffeur) found the right idea !

1..Rh2+ 2 Kg3 f1=N+ ! 3 Kf4 Rh4+ 4 Kg5 ( and 2 Kg1?? Bh3 #), reaching this diagram

Follow-up , Black to win :

What is the neat finish ?

Super Grandmaster Attack

White to play and win !

Played in a rapid game by a certain ukrainian super grandmaster

Tricky position

Black to play

In this position, Black to play. Can you work out the unfolding tactics ?

GM tactic weapons: World Cup Edition

Black to play and win !

In this position, Mamyedarov with the black pieces uncorked a nice move using a tactical motif against the White king.
Can you guess the key move&theme Black used here ?

Tactics in the Spanish

White to play and win !

Difficulty: Medium

Tactic puzzle of the day

Black to play and win !

Hint: This exercize is about tactical vision, finding the right idea, not about calculating complex and long variations. Assess where Black has the advantage and evaluate how to make progress.
With the black pieces is a very talented british GM (not Adams, not Short) against a very talented and younger american GM.

Grandmaster tactics: World Blitz edition

White (Current World Champion Anand) wrapped up his blitz Game against GM Ktachiev in one move here.

1.? White to play and win