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Cover problem: I. Shel “De Maasbode”

1. Rf2! – 2.Qxg2#

1…Qxg6 2. 0-0-0#!

1…Qg4 2.Kd2#,

1…Qg3(or g5) 2.Ke2#

#1 N. van Dick “E. W. W. Wedstrijd”. White to move and mate in 2.

1.Bd1! – 2.Re1, R1f3, R5f3, Re5#

1…Bg2 2.Re1#, 1…Bg2

2.Re1#, 1…Bxf1

2.R5f3#, 1…Bg4

2.Re5#, 1…Bxf5

2.R1f3#

#2 L. Cubbel “Special Collection”. White to move and mate in 2.

1.Qa7!

1…b5 2.Rd4#

1…Kb3 2.Rb5#

1…Kc4 2.Qa4#

#3 A. Gulyaev “Special Collection”. White to move and mate in 2.

1.Qf1!

1…Ke7 2.Bc5#

1…Ke5 2.Bg3#

1…Kxc6 2.Qa6#

#4 L. Cubbel “Special Collection”. White to move and mate in 2.

1.Qe3!

1…Ka4 (or Kb4)2.Qb3#

1…Kc4 2.Qxc5#

1…a4 2.Qxc5#

1…c4 2.Qe8#

#5 L. Cubbel “Special Collection”. White to move and mate in 2.

1…e6 2.f2#

1.Kd4! e5+2.fe#

1…Kd6 2.Qd8#

#6 K. Voityla “The Problemist”. White to move and mate in 2.

1. Bb5! Bxb5 2.Nb6#!

1…Kd4 2.Nc6#

1…Kd62.Nd3#

#7 V. Moikin “USSR Chess”. White to move and mate in 2.

1…Rf4 2.Qg2#

1. Qh8! – 2. Qh4#

1…Rxh8 2.Be5#

1…Kf4 2.Qe5#

1… Rf4 2.Qh3#

1…Rb8+ 2.Qxb8#

Here are they come, the week 3 tactical studies. You can find week 1 and week 2 studies and try to solve them in case you didn’t yet do it. If you have any difficulties finding solutions, I strongly recommend reviewing how to solve tactics problems guide. Most tactics problems presented here have various ways to reach the mate, depending on the way black respond on the white first move. Try to find all the moves possible to be played for black and all the possible checkmates for white.

It’s a good idea to use a piece of paper or a notebook to record the moves and lines leading to mate. Being well organized helps to solve tactics. I have been receiving multiple messages via facebook , if there is a mate in 3 in this problems. Yes, there may be a mate in 3, but the idea is to find mate in 2. Only then and only then the problem is considered to be solved. So, if you find a mate in 3 keep looking for mate in 2. Good luck!

I have started posting 2 move tactical studies, solving those is a very effective way to improve tactical vision and the overall chess intuition. Today’s writing I’ve decided to devote to explaining the ways and methods of approaching these chess studies (aka tactics problems). Not only these methods can be applied for solving chess compositions and tactics problems, but the following guidelines can also be applied during the actual game (complimenting how to analyze a chess game I wrote before).

Let’s say you have a chess position in front of you in the form of a diagram, a chess board, a computer screen, a notation (if you’re really advanced) or whatever else. Let’s imaging, your job is to find a forced mate in a specific number of moves. How do you approach this task? Do you take the most powerful piece available and start checking the opponent’s King? Maybe. But let me assure you that that is not the most efficient way of solving a chess problem.

#1: S. Lloyd “Sunny South” 1885

1.Qa8!

1…Rg- 2.Qg8#

1…Rg7! 2.Qh1#

1…Kg7 2.Qg8 #

#2 A. Galitsky “Niva” 1905.

1.Rd2!

1…Bxd2 (a3)2.Qf1#

1…Kf4 2.Rf2#

#3 L. Cubel “Narodni Listy” 1903

1.Qa2!

1…Kxa8 2.c8Q#

1…Nc8 2.d8N#

1…Kc6 2.Qd5#

1…N- 2.c8Q#

#4 M. Marble, G.Battman “Pittsburg Gassete Times” 1915.

1.Qe8!

1…cd 2.Rh5#

1…c6 2.Qh5#

1…c5 Qe4#

1…Kc5 2.Qb5#

#5 G. Vennink “Good Campanion” 1917.

1…c6 2.Qe5#

1…c5 2.Qd7#

1. Qc4! – 2.Qxc7#

1…c6 2.Qd4# (2.Bd5?)

1…c5 2.Qe6#

1…c6 2.Qb4# (2.c5?)

1…Bd5 2.Qxd5#

#6 P. Leopold “Deutshe Schachzeitung” 1923.

1.Qh7!

1…g1Q 2.Qc2#

1…g1N 2.Qh2#

1…Kg1 2.Bc5#

1…f6 2.Qa7#

#7 A. Kramer “Bohumer Anzeiger” 1926.

1.Rc8! Kxg3 2.Qc7#

This is continuation of the previous week’s tactical studies. Here are another 7 very difficult mate in 2 problems. You can approach them in two different ways. First, you should try to analyze the position before struggling to find the right moves. In this type of problems each piece is usually does a specific job and if you find this job, your problem is almost solved. So, first approach is to try to solve them on the diagram without shuffling the pieces on the chess board. If you find that quite difficult, only then you should go ahead and use the board (second approach). Visualization is the key. In each problemGood luck.

Diagram on the left: I have decided to put an actual problem (I. Shel “De Maasbode”. White to mave and mate in 2) due to the confusion caused by the previous’ week position, which was there just for demonstration purposes.

Time is precious when you don’t have enough of it. ~ chess quote by Vladimir Kramnik

A strong player requires only a few minutes of thought to get to the heart of the conflict. You see a solution immediately, and half an hour later merely convince yourself that your intuition has not deceived you. ~ chess quote by David Bronstein

In blitz, the knight is stronger than the bishop. ~ chess quote by Vlastmil Hort
Yes, I have played a blitz game once. It was on a train, in 1929. ~ chess quote by Mikhail Botvinnik
It is very difficult to play a single blitz game! You want to play for a long time. So I tend not to do that anymore. ~ chess quote by Viswanathan Anand

What is the object of playing a gambit opening?… To acquire a reputation of being a dashing player at the cost of losing a game ~ chess quote by Siegbert Tarrasch

Many Chess players were surprised when after the game, Fischer quietly explained: ‘I had already analyzed this possibility’ in a position which I thought was not possible to foresee from the opening ~ chess quote by Mikhail Tal

No other master has such a terrific will to win. At the board, he radiates danger, and even the strongest opponents tend to freeze, like rabbits when they smell a panther. Even his weaknesses are dangerous. As white, his opening game is predictable – you can make plans against it – but so strong that your plans almost never work. In the middle game his precision and invention are fabulous, and in the end game, you simply cannot beat him. ~ chess quote by Anonymous-German Expert

Chess holds its master in its own bonds, shackling the mind and brain so that the inner freedom of the very strongest must suffer. ~ chess quote by Albert Einstein

In Chess, as it is played by masters, chance is practically eliminated. ~ chess quote by Emanuel Lasker