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Good trade? Not exactly!
A rare tactical idea.

Improve your Chess
via Active Learning

ACTIVE LEARNING is any strategy that involves students in doing things and thinking about the things they are doing (*)

You could study the following material either by skipping the test and going directly to the lecture. Or start by attempting to figure out on your own what is going on in each of the positions I will be talking about and then proceed to the lecture. If you chose the latter, spend time on each diagram and record your evaluation and move / plan for the side whose turn it is and sample variations. Then compare your ideas with mine. Let me know how you like the test and the lecture.

Test yourself:

Level - beginner through advanced

1. Check whose move it is / Read the question.

2. Evaluate position (i.e. White is Better, or Black is Winning, or Equal...)

3. Find the Best move and, if necessary, support it with variations. <<CALCULATE thoroughly!!>>

4. Answer the question (if there is a specific one)

IM Igor Khmelnitsky

Igor is a winner of many national and international tournaments in Europe and the United States.

At various points during his career, he has won individual encounters with many of the game’s best players - including Lev Alburt, Boris Alterman, Viorel Bologan, Roman Dzindzikhashvili, Vasily Ivanchuk, Alexander Ivanov, Oleg Romanishin, Alexander Shabalov, Evgeniy Sveshnikov, Patrick Wolff, and Alex Yermolinsky.

In total, Igor has beaten over 30 different Grandmasters. He has been a participant in the Ukrainian National Championship as well as a three times contestant in the US National Championship.

What do you think about trade of the Ns in the following positions?

#1. 50...Ng3+

#2. 21.Nf6+

STOP

Lecture begins below

Special – 3 books autographed for $60 delivered (in US)

A Bad Trade? Not Exactly!
Very Unusual Variation of the Common Tactical Theme

I'd like to show a very unusual variation of the very important tactical theme - Intermediate Move (also called In-between Move, Zwischenzug).

A typical Intermediate Move occurs when a Player A either captures a piece or a pawn, or creates a threat, but the player B, rather then addressing the issue, creates a counter-threat of at least an equal strength (often a check). Only when the Player A addresses the threat, the player B deals with the original issue (either recaptures or defends).

Example:

Letov,Alexander - Khamatgaleev,Alexej
Russia 1997

1...Rd8! 2.Qxb6 Rxd1+

Intermediate move.

3.Kf2 Pxb6 -+

Winning the rook.

Black to Move

Once you learn this standard theme and solved enough problems, you will be able to execute this idea in your games.

Here, I wanted to present you with a very unusual variation of an Intermediate Move. Indeed, rather then re-capturing the N, which in both examples would result in far less than optimal position, a different move was played with the attack on the N that was already available to be captured! This is what was so unusual and perhaps stumped many who tried to evaluate the check with the N.

Diagram #1

Do you like 50...Ng3+?

Alekseev,Evgeny - Jakovenko,Dmitrij, Sochi, Russian Teams 2009

White has an excellent chances to escape due to the Bs of opposite color. The trade of the Ns seems only helpful to his cause. After 51. Nxg3 Bxg3 52.Bg2 then Ke3-e2, the Black K will never reach the g1-square. Black also has no chance on the Q-side (the a4-P is easily defended with the B).

This basic conclusion is proven incorrect an after an amazing 51...Kh4!!, attacking the N (rather than simply taking it) and the B. The difference of course is that by capturing the N with the K, Black will be able to get his K to g1 and promote the h-P. I.e. 52.Bg2 Kxg3 53.Bh1 Kf2-+.

Instead, White gave up the B, but soon succumbed to zugzwang... 52.Kf3 Kxh3 53.Nh1 Bb6-+ 54.Ng3 0-1 [White resigned in view of 54... Bd8 55.Nh1 Bh4 56.Ke2 Kg2]

Diagram #2

Do you like 21.Nf6+?

Efimenko,Zahar - Ivanov,S, Russia 2009

Black has 'holes' around his K and no B on g7 to cover them. The White B is a dominant force along the dark-squares. However, trading the last defender (d5-N) after 21.Nf6+ Nxf6 22.Bxf6 +/- doesn't seem very promising. Black could bring his Q up (22...Qd5 or 22...Qe4) to prevent invasion Qg3-f4(g5)-h6. White has advantage, but Black is alive.

Again, fortunately for White, he could postpone capture on f6 and instead... attack the poor N yet again - 22.Qe5!+- Black is hopeless and resigned after 22...Re8 23.Qxf6 e5 [23...Kf8 24.Bc1+- aiming at h6] 24.Bxe5 Rxe5 25.Qxe5 Bb7 26.Re1 Kh7 27.Qe8 1-0

================================================================

Summary

I wanted to show this rare variation of one of the key tactical theme - attacking the piece you could have captured for free. Hopefully, this was enjoyable and educational and you will add this tactical pattern to your knowledge base.

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For comments send email or this form.

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Special – 3 books autographed for $60 delivered (in US)

===============================================================

Chess Exam - Matches Against Chess Legends:
You vs. Bobby Fischer

by Igor Khmelnitsky, International Master

Some free samples, in PDF format:

Table of Contents

Preface

Rating Report

Sample Game

Best-selling and award-winning author Igor Khmelnitsky gathers examples from Bobby Fischer's games that are educational, entertaining, and can be studied without a board.

In each of the examples you will take a seat of Fischer's opponent and be asked to come up with an assessment and a move. Based on your response you are assigned points towards your rating evaluation and a game score towards your "match."

Once finished, you will learn how well you have done in the "match," have an estimate of your rating, and know what you need to work on to improve your game.

In this book, you will discover:

60 diagrams with multiple-choice questions of varied complexity.
Comprehensive answers with diagrams to make reviewing easier.
Distributions of answers and other statistical reports by rating.
Ratings are assigned Overall and by 13 distinct categories.
Bonus section: 20-exercise warm-up, tie-breaker, tips and training suggestions.

Ordering information:

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More on chess training (serious and enlightening):

Chess Exam and Training Guide
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Chess Exam and
Training Guide: Tactics

Read our review

60 diagrams & 120 total questions of various difficulty.
Comprehensive answers includes diagrams for easy reading away from the chessboard.
Distributions of answers, percentiles and other statistical reports by rating group from unrated to 2400+. Match yourself against players of all levels, up to grandmaster and see how you stock up.
Results evaluated and Rating assigned overall & by 29 distinct categories: Motive: Misplaced Piece, Advanced Pawn, Lack of Protection, Back Rank Mate, Mating Net, Simplification. Theme: In-Between Move, Decoy, Interference, Clearance, Deflection, Discovered Attack, Double Attack, Removal of the Guard, Pin, Skewer, Trap. Objective: Checkmate, Force a Draw, Win Material, Pawn Promotion, Reaching Standard Endgame. Stage: Opening vs. Middlegame vs. Endgame Situation: Attack vs. Defense Result: Win vs. Draw
Comprehensive reports on each of the categories with examples, training recommendations and book/materials suggestions.

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Rate Yourself and Learn How to Improve

IM Igor Khmelnitsky's book, Chess Exam and Training Guide: Rate Yourself and Learn How to Improve (2004, IamCoach Press) - winner of Book of the Year from CJA - Chess Journalists of America (2005).

"...will quickly and accurately test your combinational ability, positional judgment and endgame expertise... Instructive and Entertaining!" - Alex Yermolinsky, Grandmaster, former US Champion and Olympic team member.