Recognize the Master

Can you recognize this great Chess Grandmaster who is considered as the Father of Modern Chess

Pawn Chain Strategy, Fischer vs Panno 1970

PAWN CHAIN STRATEGY

This is a common pawn structure in which each pawn is supporting another; it has the head and the base.
Attack the Base of the Pawn Chain.

Example Game
W: Fischer
B: Panno
Buenos Aires 1970

1. e4 c5 sicilian defence
2. Nf3 e6
3. d3 Nc6
4. g3 g6
5. Bg2 Bg7
6. O-O Nge7
7. Re1 d6
8. c3 O-O
9. d4 cd4
10. cd4 d5
11. e5 white has closed the center and a pawn chain has been created. White-> e5 is the head, d4 is the base. Black-> d5 is the head, e6 is the base.
11..... Bd7? better is ....Nf5 followed by Qb6
12. Nc3 Rc8
13. Bf4 Na5
14. Rc1 b5
15. b3 b4
16. Ne2 Bb5
17. Qd2 Nac6
white now begins a strong king side attack
18. g4! a5? better is ....Bxe2
19. Ng3 Qb6
20. h4 Nb8
21. Bh6 Nd7
22. Qg5! Rxc1
23. Rxc1 Bxh6
24. Qxh6 Rc8
25. Rxc8+ Nxc8 black has no counterplay on the Qside
26. h5! Qd8
27. Ng5 Nf8
28. Be4!! Qe7
29. Nxh7 Nxh7
30. hxg6 fxg6
31. Bxg6 Ng5
32. Nh5 Nf3+
33. Kg2 Nh4+
34. Kg3 Nxg6
35. Nf6+ Kf7
36. Qh7+ Black resigned
1-0
Play through this game on Chessgames

Vienna Gambit

Vienna Gambit
Modern Variation
ECO Code C29

1. e4 e5
2. Nc3 Nf6
3. f4 d5
4. fxe5 Nxe4
5. d3 Nxc3
6. bxc3 d4
7. Nf3 Nc6
8. Be2 Bc5
9. O-O dxc3
10. Kh1 O-O

More about Vienna on Wiki
Play through Vienna games on ChessGames
Move by Move on 365Chess

Knight vs Bishop -> Grandmaster EndGame

Mato Damjanovic vs Robert James Fischer
Buenos Aires (1970); English Opening (A31)

After 37 moves, both Queens were exchanged and the below position was reached with White to play.

Black's N is more stronger because White's B is a bad bishop (has less mobility due to many white pawns on white squares).
38. Ke3 Kf6 39. Kd3 Nb6 40. Bc6 Ke7 41. h4?! h6 42. Ke3 Nc8 43. Kd3 Nd6 44. Ke3 Kd8 45. Kd3 Kc7 46. Ba4 Kb6 47. Ke3 Kc5 48. Bd7 Kb6 49. Ba4 Kc7 50. Kd3 Kd8 51. Bc6 Ke7 52. Ke3 Ke6 53. Kf3 Kf6 54. g4? g5 55. h5 Ke7 56. Ke3 Kd8 57. Kd3 Kc7 58. Ba4 Kb6 59. Bd7 Kc5 60. Ba4 Nc8! finally black identifies the winning plan 61. Be8 Ne7 62. Ke3 Ng8 63. Bd7 Nf6 64. Bf5 Kb5 65. Kd3 a4 66. ba4 Ka4 67. Kc4 Ka3 68. Kc5 Ka2 69. Kb4 Kb2 70. Kc5 Kc3 71. Kd6 Kd4 72. Ke6 Ne4 73. Kf7 Nf2 74. Kg6 e4 75. Kh6 e3 76. Kg7 e2 77. h6 e1Q 78. h7 Qe7 79. Kg8 Ne4 White Resigns 0-1

To play through this game, ClickHere

Grandmaster Game

White: Jose Raul Capablanca
Black: Edward Friederich Schrader
Casual game, 1909
Four Knights Game(C49)

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Bb4 5. O-O O-O 6. d3 Nd4 7. Nd4 ed4 8. Ne2 c6 9. Ba4 b5 10. Bb3 Qb6 11. Bg5 Ne8 12. Ng3 h6 13. Bh4 g5 14. Nf5 gh4 15. Nh6 Kh7 16. Qh5 Ng7 17. Qh4 Qd8 18. Qh3 Qg5 19. Ng4 Kg8 20. f4 Qg6 21. f5 Qg5 22. e5 Nh5 23. Qh5 Qh5 24. Nf6 Kg7 25. Nh5 Kh6 26. Nf6 a5 27. Rf3 a4 28. Rh3 Kg5 29. Rf1 ab3 30. Rh5#

Play through this game here

ENDGAME COURSE by NAGESH CHESS ACADEMY

Pawn Endgames
Knight vs Pawns
Knight Endgames
Bishop vs Pawns
Opposite Colored Bishops
Same Colored Bishops
Bishop vs Knight
Rook vs Pawns
Rook Endgames
Rook vs Knight
Rook vs Bishop
Queen Endgames
Queen vs Rook
Other Material Relations
General Endgame Ideas
Click here to visit Nagesh Chess Academy

ROOK --> OPEN FILE --> DOUBLE ROOKS --> 7th RANK

To bring your Rook to a good position, control the Open File.
Increase the control by doubling the Rooks.
Attack the enemy position by going to the 7th Rank.
2 Sample Games to understand:
Laszlo Szabo vs Robert James Fischer
Jose Raul Capablanca vs Alexander Alekhine

Pirc Defense, Classical Variation

Pirc Defence
Classical variation
(ECO Code B08)

1. e4 g6
2. d4 Bg7
3. Nc3 d6
4. Nf3 Nf6
5. Be2 O-O
6. O-O c6
7. a4 Nbd7
8. a5 Qc7
9. Be3 Rb8
10. Nd2 b5

More on Wiki, Chess.com
Play through Grandmaster Games on Chessgames
Detailed variations on 365Chess, ChessTempo

 

Good Bishop vs Bad Knight

W(R.Reti): Kf2,Ne1,a2,c2,c3,d3,f4,g3,h2
B(A.Rubinstein): Ke8,Ba4,a7,b6,c5,d5,f6,g7,h7
Black to play

Black has a better position because the White N is tied down to defending c2 pawn and White has weak Q-side pawn structure.

29. ...... Ke8-e7
30. Kf2-e3 Ke7-e6
31. g3-g4 Ke6-d6
32. h2-h3 g7-g6
33. Ke3-d2 protecting c2 and freeing the Ne1 Ba4-d7! Black shifts the attack to the K-side
34. Ne1-f3 Kd6-e7
35. Kd2-e3 h7-h5!
36. Nf3-h2 Ke7-d6! waiting move
37. Ke3-e2 d5-d4! clearing the space for the Black K to attack the Q-side
38. c3xd4 c5xd4
39. Ke2-d2 h5xg4
40. h3xg4 Bd7-c6!
41. Kd2-e2 Bc6-d5!
42. a2-a3 b6-b5
43. Nh2-f1 a7-a5 to create a passed pawn
44. Nf1-d2 a5-a4
45. Nd2-e4+? a mistake since King and Pawn endgame is winning for Black
45. ..... Bd5xe4
46. d3xe4 b5-b4!
47. Ke2-d2 b4xa3
48. Kd2-c1 g6-g5
White resigns
since after Kd6-e5, Black captures the other White pawns

Play through this and other good examples on Chess.com
Play through Grandmaster games with Good B vs Bad N

Reti Opening

Reti Opening
ECO A04-09

The Reti Opening is a hyper-modern opening in which center control is done indirectly through pieces.

1. Ng1-f3 d7-d5
2. g2-g3 Ng8-f6
3. Bf1-g2 c7-c6
4. 0-0 Bc8-g4
5. d2-d3 Nb8-d7
6. Nb1-d2 e7-e5
7. e2-e4 d5xe4
8. d3xe4 Bf8-c5
9. h2-h3 Bg4-h5
10. Qd1-e1 0-0
11. Nd2-c4 Rf8-e8
12 a2-a4 Qd8-c7
(=)

More about Reti Opening: Wiki, Chess, TCW
Play through the opening moves on 365Chess
Grandmaster Games of Reti Opening

Cramped Position

In a cramped position, free yourself by exchanging pieces.
Try to improve the position of the piece that is not doing anything useful.

Example from Round 7 of Alekhine Memorial, Moscow, 1971.
W (B. Spassky): Kh1, Qd1, Ra1, Rf1, Be3, Nc3, Nf3, a3, b2, d3, e5, f4, g2, h2
B (M. Tal): Kg8, Qd8, Ra8, Rf8, Bb7, Be7, Nf6, a7, b6, d5, e6, f7, g7, h7
Black to play

Black has a cramped position, so he decides to sacrifice a pawn and exchange pieces.
14. ..... d5-d4!?
15. Nf3xd4 Nf6-d5
16. Be3-g1 Nd5xc3
17. b2xc3 Ra8-c8
18. c3-c4 Rc8-c7!
19. f4-f5 Rc7-d7
Black has freed up his position.

Grandmaster Game: Fischer vs Berliner

[Event "New York ch-US"]
[Date "1960.12.23"]
[Round "5"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Robert James Fischer"]
[Black "Hans Berliner"]
[ECO "B03"]

1. e4 Nf6 

2. e5 Nd5 

3. d4 d6 

4. c4 Nb6 

5. exd6 cxd6 

6. Nc3 g6 

7. Bd3 Bg7 

8. Nge2 Nc6 

9. Be3 O-O 

10. O-O e5 

11. d5 Ne7 

12. b3 Nd7 

13. Ne4 Nf5 

14. Bg5 f6 

15. Bd2 Nc5 

16. Nxc5 dxc5 

17. Bxf5 Bxf5 

18. f4 exf4 

19. Nxf4 Qd6 

20. Nh5 Rae8 

21. Nxg7 Kxg7 

22. Bf4 Qd7 

23. Qd2 Rf7 

24. Bh6+ Kg8 

25. Rae1 Rfe7 

26. Rxe7 Qxe7 

27. h3 Qe4 

28. Qf2 Qe7 

29. g4 Bd3 

30. Rd1 Be4 

31. d6 Qe5 

32. Bf4 Qc3 

33. d7 Rd8 

34. Qe2 Qf3 

35. Qxf3 Bxf3 

36. Bc7 1-0

Play through the game on Chessgames

Simple Checkmates: K+B+B vs K

W: Kh1, Bd1, Bb8
B: Kd5
White to play

Mate is possible in the corners and edges. Move the Bishops to diagonals next to each other.
1. Bb8-f4 already d1-h5 diag is controlled, this move controls c1-h6 diag
1. ...... Kd5-e4
2. Bf4-h6 if Bishop is attacked, go to the other side on the same diag
2. ...... Ke4-e5
3. Bd1-c2 increasing the cutoff to b1-h7 diag
3. ..... Ke5-d5
4. Bh6-g7 increasing the cutoff to a1-h8 diag
4 ..... Kd5-d6
5. Bc2-b3 increasing the cutoff to a2-g8 diag
5. ..... Kd6-c6
6. Bg7-f8 increasing the cutoff to a3-f8 diag
6. ..... Kc6-c7
7. Bb3-a4 increasing the cutoff to a4-e8 diag
7. ..... Kc7-b7
8. Bf8-b4 Kb7-a6
9. Kh1-g2 if you cannot increase the cutoff bring the King closer
9. ..... Ka6-b6
10. Kg2-f3 Kb6-a6
11. Kf3-e4 Ka6-b6
12. Ke4-d5 Kb6-a6
13. Kd5-c6 Ka6-a7
14. Bb4-a5 increasing the cutoff to a5-d8 diag
14. ..... Ka7-a6
15. Ba5-d8 if Bishop is attacked go to the other side of the same diagonal
15. ..... Ka6-a7
16. Ba4-b5 Ka7-b8
17. Bb5-a6 increasing the cutoff to a6-c8 diag
17. ..... Kb8-a7
18. Kc6-b5 Ka7-b8
19. Kb5-b6 leaving the black King with only 2 squares freedom
19. ..... Kb8-a8
20. Ba6-b7+ Ka8-b8
21. Bd8-c7#

Best Chess Coaching in Bangalore

For the Best Chess Coaching in Bangalore join Nagesh Chess Academy.
Visit www.nageshchess.com for more details.

Grabbing Pawns

In the Opening, you must develop pieces quickly. If you waste time capturing pawns, the position will become worse.

Example 1
1. d2-d4 d7-d5
2. Bc1-f4 Ng8-f6
3. Ng1-f3 e7-e6
4. e2-e3 c7-c5
5. c2-c4 in QP openings, the c-pawn is used by both players to attack the enemy pawn center
5. ..... Nb8-c6
6. Nb1-c3 a7-a6
7. Qd1-a4? better Ra1-c1 Bc8-d7
8. Qa4-d1 Qd8-a5 threat Nf6-e4
9. Qd1-b3? better Qd1-d2 d5xc4
10. Qb3xb7?? grabbing this poisoned pawn leads to immediate loss
10. ----- Ra8-a7!
11. White Resigns white Q is trapped since white moved his Q too many times in the opening

Example 2
1. e2-e4 c7-c5
2. Ng1-f3 d7-d6
3. d2-d4 c5xd4
4. Nf3xd4 g7-g6
5. c2-c4 Ng8-f6
6. Nb1-c3 Nb8-c6
7. f2-f3 Qd8-b6? correct is Bf8-g7
8. Bc1-e3! Qb6xb2?? grabbing this poisoned pawn leads to immediate loss. Better move was Qb6-d8
9. Nc3-a4 Qb2-a3
10. Be3-c1! Qa3-b4+
11. Bc1-d2 Qb4-a3
12. Nd4-b5 Black Resigns black Q is trapped since black moved his Q too many times in the opening

Distant Opposition

When the 2 kings are separated by odd number of squares (1,3,5), they are said to be in opposition. Whoever has to play in opposition, their position becomes worse.

W: Ke4, c4
B: Ke7
White to Play and Win

1. Ke5! giving the opposition to black Kd7
2. Kd5 Kc7
3. Kc5! Kd7
4. Kb6 Kc8
5. Kc6! to win, your King must come to the 6th Rank and be in front of the passed pawn
5. .... Kd8
6. c5 Kc8
7. Kd6 Kd8
8. c6 giving the opposition to black Kc8
9. c7 Kb7
10. Kd7 Kb6
11. c8(Q) +-
More about Opposition: Wiki, ChessInsights
Play through a very instructive example on ChessDotCom

 

TACTICS COURSE by NAGESH CHESS ACADEMY

TACTICS COURSE

Pin
Fork
Skewer
Clearance
Interference
Files, Ranks & Diagonals
Mate in 1, 2, 3 Moves
Double Attack
Discovered Attack
Discovered Check
Double Check
Overloaded Piece
Removing the Defender
Back Rank Weakness
Pawn Promotion
Queen Sacrifice
Zugzwang
Attacking Castled King
Attacking Uncastled King
Click Here to visit Itech Chess Academy

Center Counter Defense

Center Counter Defense
Main Line
[ECO Code B01]

1. e4 d5
2. exd5 Qxd5
3. Nc3 Qa5
4. d4 Nf6
5. Nf3 c6
6. Bc4 Bf5
7. Bd2 e6
8. Qe2 Bb4
9. 0-0-0 Nbd7
10. a3 Bxc3
11. Bxc3 Qc7
12. Ne5 Nxe5
13. dxe5 Nd5
(=)
More info about Center Counter: Wiki, ChessCorner, Chess
Play through the opening moves on 365Chess
Play through Grandmaster Games on Chessgames

How to analyse any position in Chess

1. Material - To check the number of pieces and pawns on the board.
2. Pawn weaknesses - Whether White or Black has weak pawns (doubled, isolated, backward, hanging).
3. Weak squares and strong squares – Whether White or Black has weaksquares and strong squares (usually in the centre).
4. Knight must try to control and occupy strong squares.
5. Bishops -> Open diagonals (especially pointing towards enemy King).
6. Rooks -> Open Files -> Double the Rooks -> 7th Rank.
7. Whether the Middle Game or Endgame is better for White and Black.
8. Is your King or the enemy King in a weak position?
9. Are there any checks?
10. Are there any captures?