Men's 2011-12 Chess Bundesliga: Critical Positions

edited by Bill Harvey

This is a collection of 31 critical positions from games of the Men's 2011-12 Chess Bundesliga. The player at the bottom of the board moves first and wins. Match wits with the stars of the tournament and find the winning moves. Solutions are found at the end of the pamphlet.

wtharvey.com 10,000 chess puzzles from historic and modern games. 7/10/2012

1) Alexander Gasthofer (GER) Martin Zumsande (GER)

4) Vladimir Potkin (RUS) Klaus Bischoff (GER) White Mates in 6.

XABCDEFGHY 8-trnmk-+-+( 7zpP+-+-+-' 6-+-+-zp-zp& 5sN-+rzp-zp-% 4-zp-+-+P+$ 3+-+-zP-+P# 2-zP-+KzP-+" 1+-tR-+-+-! xabcdefghy
2) Volker Seifert (GER) Ilja Zaragatski (GER) White Mates in 4.

XABCDEFGHY 8-+Q+qmk-+( 7+-+-+-zp-' 6-+-zPpsnRzp& 5zp-+-+p+P% 4P+-zP-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-tr-vL-zPP+" 1+-+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
5) Francisco Vallejo Pons (ESP) Klaus Bischoff (GER)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7+-wq-zp-vl-' 6p+nzpP+Q+& 5+-zpl+-vL-% 4-tr-+-+L+$ 3+-+-+PzP-# 2PzP-+-+-zP" 1+R+-+RmK-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+ltrk+-+( 7+p+-+p+-' 6p+-vl-+-tr& 5+-+L+p+p% 4P+-tRp+-+$ 3+-+-sN-+-# 2-zPP+-zPPzP" 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy

3) Benjamin Bok (NED) Alexander Naumann (GER)

6) Predrag Nikolic (BIH) Andrei Maksimenko (UKR)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+kvl-+( 7zp-+-+p+-' 6-zp-+-zP-+& 5+-+KzP-+-% 4-zP-tR-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+r# 2-+-vL-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+r+k+( 7tr-+n+pzp-' 6p+-+p+-zp& 5+-+psN-+-% 4-vl-zP-+-+$ 3+-+LzP-+-# 2-+-+-zPPzP" 1tR-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy

7) Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM) Olaf Heinzel (GER)

10) Aleksandar Berelovich (GER) Peter Acs (HUN)

XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+-+-tr( 7zppwQ-vlk+p' 6-+p+pzpp+& 5+-+-+q+-% 4-+-zP-+-+$ 3+-+-+-vL-# 2PzPP+LzP-zP" 1+K+RtR-+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-+-tr-mk( 7zppzp-+-+p' 6-+-+-sNl+& 5wq-zp-zp-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3zP-+-+-+-# 2-zPPtR-wQPzP" 1+-mKR+-+-! xabcdefghy

8) Piotr Bobras (POL) Alexandre Dgebuadze (BEL) White Mates in 3.

11) Emanuel Berg (SWE) Wouter Spoelman (NED)

XABCDEFGHY 8-wq-+-+k+( 7+r+-+rzp-' 6-+-+lzP-wQ& 5+n+pzP-+-% 4-vLpzP-+-sN$ 3+-zP-+-+-# 2-+P+-mK-+" 1wq-+-+-tRR! xabcdefghy
9) Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (ROM) Joerg Wegerle (GER) White Mates in 4.

XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+kvl-tr( 7+p+n+p+p' 6p+-+-snp+& 5+-+-zpNvL-% 4-+L+P+-+$ 3wq-sN-+-+-# 2P+PwQ-+PzP" 1+R+-mK-+R! xabcdefghy
12) Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) Henrik Teske (GER)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-tr-+-+( 7tr-zp-tR-+-' 6p+Lsn-+kzp& 5zP-+-+-+p% 4-+-zP-+P+$ 3+-+K+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+R+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-sNlmk-+( 7+-sn-+-+p' 6-+-+-zP-zp& 5+p+-+-+-% 4p+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2P+-tR-mKPzP" 1+-trLtR-+-! xabcdefghy

13) Hedinn Steingrimsson (ISL) Dariusz Swiercz (POL)

16) Paul Hoffmann (GER) Lothar Vogt (GER)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7zp-+-+pzp-' 6-+L+-+lzp& 5+PwQ-+-+-% 4-+-+-sn-wq$ 3zPN+-tR-+P# 2-+-+-zP-mK" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+rtr-+k+( 7zpl+-vlpzp-' 6-zp-+-sn-zp& 5sn-+-wq-+-% 4-+-+-sN-+$ 3zP-sN-vL-+-# 2QzP-+LzPPzP" 1tR-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy

14) Alexander Goloshchapov (UKR) Romuald Mainka (GER)

17) Arkadij Naiditsch (GER) Peter Michalik (SVK)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+rvlk+( 7+-+n+p+-' 6-zppzp-trp+& 5zp-+-+-+p% 4P+P+PzP-wq$ 3+P+-vLQsNP# 2-+-+-+P+" 1+-+RtR-mK-! xabcdefghy
15) Jonny Hector (SWE) - Boris Grachev (RUS)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-tr-+( 7vlp+k+-zp-' 6p+n+-+-+& 5zP-+rzp-vLP% 4-snNzpN+-+$ 3+R+-+-+-# 2-+-+-zPP+" 1+-+-tR-mK-! xabcdefghy
18) Vladimir Potkin (RUS) Nils Grandelius (SWE) White Mates in 2.

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7zp-+-+kzp-' 6-zpntRr+-zp& 5+-+-+p+P% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3zP-+-+N+-# 2KzPP+-+P+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-mK-+( 7+-+-+-zpk' 6-+-+-+-zP& 5+-+L+-zP-% 4r+-+-sN-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy

19) Tomi Nyback (FIN) Benjamin Bok (NED)

22) Zoltan Ribli (HUN) Olaf Wegener (GER) White Mates in 3.

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7+-+P+-+p' 6-+-+-+p+& 5+-wQl+p+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-wq-+PzP" 1+-tR-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
20) Martin Kraemer (GER) Klaus Bischoff (GER) White Mates in 2.

XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+-+-+( 7+-mk-+p+p' 6-+p+-tr-+& 5+-sN-+nzp-% 4-zP-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-zP-# 2-+-+RzP-zP" 1+-+R+K+-! xabcdefghy
23) Grzegorz Gajewski (POL) Alexander Goloshchapov (UKR)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+RsN-mk-' 6-+-+-+-zp& 5zpp+-+-zpP% 4P+-+-+-+$ 3snL+-+-+-# 2-vl-+-zPPmK" 1+-tr-+-+-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+Q+-+( 7vll+-+-zpk' 6p+-+-+-zp& 5zPp+-+p+-% 4-+-zpn+-+$ 3+q+N+-zP-# 2-+-+PzPLzP" 1+-+-vL-mK-! xabcdefghy

21) Markus Ragger (AUT) Zoltan Almasi (HUN)

24) Namig Guliyev (AZE) Frank Karger (GER)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-tr-+( 7zp-+-+pmkp' 6-wq-+-+psN& 5+-+-zP-wQ-% 4-+-+p+-+$ 3+-+ltR-zP-# 2r+-+-zP-zP" 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy

XABCDEFGHY 8-+ktr-+-tr( 7zppwqn+pzp-' 6-+p+psn-zp& 5+-+-+-+-% 4-vl-zP-+PzP$ 3+-sN-vLQ+L# 2PzPP+-zP-+" 1+K+R+-+R! xabcdefghy

25) Yaroslav Zherebukh (UKR) Nazar Firman (UKR)

28) Thomas Henrichs (GER) Chanda Sandipan (IND)

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+rwq-mk( 7zp-+r+pzpp' 6-+pvl-sn-+& 5+-+pwQPvL-% 4-zP-tR-+-+$ 3zP-sN-+-+-# 2-+P+L+PzP" 1+-+R+-+K! xabcdefghy

XHGFEDCBAY 1-tR-+-+-+! 2mKR+-+-zP-" 3P+qzP-+-+# 4+-zp-+-zpP$ 5-+-zPp+L+% 6+-+p+-wQ-& 7p+-+-+l+' 8mkr+-+-+r( xhgfedcbay

26) Rene Stern (GER) Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (IRI)

29) Robert Rabiega (GER) Francisco Vallejo Pons (ESP) Black Mates in 4.

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-+R+-+! 2zPPzPRsnQzPL" 3-vL-+rsN-zP# 4+-+-+p+-$ 5n+-+-+P+% 6+-+-+-+-& 7pzpq+-+lzp' 8mk-+-tr-+-( xhgfedcbay

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-tR-+-+! 2+PtR-+P+P" 3PsnP+-+-+# 4wq-sn-+PwQL$ 5-+-+p+-+% 6+-mkl+-+-& 7-+p+-+p+' 8+r+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay

27) Nazar Firman (UKR) Luke J McShane (ENG)

30) Rainer Polzin (GER) Tobias Hirneise (GER)

XHGFEDCBAY 1-+-+r+-+! 2mKP+-+-+-" 3QzP-+-+P+# 4+-+-+-+-$ 5-zp-+-+-+% 6+-zp-+-vl-& 7-wq-+-+kzp' 8wQ-+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-+R+-+! 2+PzPR+L+-" 3P+-+-vl-+# 4+-wQ-+-zp-$ 5-vL-zP-+-+% 6+psnr+-+-& 7p+p+-wq-+' 8+k+r+-+-( xhgfedcbay

31) Wouter Spoelman (NED) Zoltan Almasi (HUN) Black Mates in 2.

XHGFEDCBAY 1-+-+-+-+! 2+r+-+-+-" 3-+PsnN+-+# 4mK-+P+-+-$ 5p+-zpPzp-+% 6+P+-zp-+R& 7-zpp+-+-+' 8+k+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay

XABCDEFGHY 8-trnmk-+-+( 7zpP+-+-+-' 6-+-+-zp-zp& 5sN-+rzp-zp-% 4-zp-+-+P+$ 3+-+-zP-+P# 2-zP-+KzP-+" 1+-tR-+-+-! xabcdefghy
1) 38.Nc6+ Kc7 39.bxc8Q+ Rxc8 40.Nxb4+ Kd7 41.Rxc8 Rb5 42.Rc4 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+Q+qmk-+( 7+-+-+-zp-' 6-+-zPpsnRzp& 5zp-+-+p+P% 4P+-zP-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-tr-vL-zPP+" 1+-+-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
4) White Mates in 6. 38.Rxf6+ gxf6 [38...Kg8 39.Qxe8+ Kh7 40.Rf8] 39.Bxh6+ Kf7 40.Qc7+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7+-wq-zp-vl-' 6p+nzpP+Q+& 5+-zpl+-vL-% 4-tr-+-+L+$ 3+-+-+PzP-# 2PzP-+-+-zP" 1+R+-+RmK-! xabcdefghy
2) White Mates in 4. 27.Bh6 Rxg4 28.fxg4 Rxf1+ 29.Rxf1 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+ltrk+-+( 7+p+-+p+-' 6p+-vl-+-tr& 5+-+L+p+p% 4P+-tRp+-+$ 3+-+-sN-+-# 2-zPP+-zPPzP" 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy
5) 24.Bxb7 Bxb7 [24...Bxh2+ 25.Kxh2 Rxd4 26.Rxd4 Bxb7 27.Nxf5] 25.Nxf5 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+kvl-+( 7zp-+-+p+-' 6-zp-+-zP-+& 5+-+KzP-+-% 4-zP-tR-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+r# 2-+-vL-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
3) 39.Kc6 Bh6 40.Bxh6 [40.Kc7] 40...Rxh6 41.Kc7 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+r+k+( 7tr-+n+pzp-' 6p+-+p+-zp& 5+-+psN-+-% 4-vl-zP-+-+$ 3+-+LzP-+-# 2-+-+-zPPzP" 1tR-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy
6) 24.Nc6 Rb7 25.Rdb1 a5 26.Rxa5 Rb6 [26...Bxa5 27.Rxb7] 27.Nxb4 Reb8 28.Ra7 Nf6 29.Raa1 10

XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+-+-tr( 7zppwQ-vlk+p' 6-+p+pzpp+& 5+-+-+q+-% 4-+-zP-+-+$ 3+-+-+-vL-# 2PzPP+LzP-zP" 1+K+RtR-+-! xabcdefghy
7) 23.d5 e5 [23...cxd5 24.Bd6 Re8 25.Bb5; 23...exd5 24.Bg4] 24.d6 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-+-tr-mk( 7zppzp-+-+p' 6-+-+-sNl+& 5wq-zp-zp-+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3zP-+-+-+-# 2-zPPtR-wQPzP" 1+-mKR+-+-! xabcdefghy
10) 24.Qh4 Qa6 [24...Rbc8 25.Rd7 mates] 25.Nd7 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-wq-+-+k+( 7+r+-+rzp-' 6-+-+lzP-wQ& 5+n+pzP-+-% 4-vLpzP-+-sN$ 3+-zP-+-+-# 2-+P+-mK-+" 1wq-+-+-tRR! xabcdefghy
8) White Mates in 3. 37.Qh8+ Kxh8 38.Ng6+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8r+l+kvl-tr( 7+p+n+p+p' 6p+-+-snp+& 5+-+-zpNvL-% 4-+L+P+-+$ 3wq-sN-+-+-# 2P+PwQ-+PzP" 1+R+-mK-+R! xabcdefghy
11) 13.Nd5 gxf5 14.Nxf6+ Nxf6 15.Bxf6 Be6 [15...Rg8 16.Qd8#] 16.Rb3 Qa4 17.Bxe6 fxe6 18.Bxh8 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-tr-+-+( 7tr-zp-tR-+-' 6p+Lsn-+kzp& 5zP-+-+-+p% 4-+-zP-+P+$ 3+-+K+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+R+-! xabcdefghy
9) White Mates in 4. 41.gxh5+ Kxh5 42.Rg7 Nf5 43.Rh1+ Nh4 44.Bf3# 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-tr-sNlmk-+( 7+-sn-+-+p' 6-+-+-zP-zp& 5+p+-+-+-% 4p+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2P+-tR-mKPzP" 1+-trLtR-+-! xabcdefghy
12) 38.f7 Bc6 [38...Bxf7 39.Nxf7 Kxf7 40.Bh5+] 39.Rd6 Bd5 [39...Ba8 40.Rd7] 40.Rxd5 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7zp-+-+pzp-' 6-+L+-+lzp& 5+PwQ-+-+-% 4-+-+-sn-wq$ 3zPN+-tR-+P# 2-+-+-zP-mK" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
13) 35.Qxf8+ Kh7 [35...Kxf8 36.Re8#] 36.Rg3 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+rtr-+k+( 7zpl+-vlpzp-' 6-zp-+-sn-zp& 5sn-+-wq-+-% 4-+-+-sN-+$ 3zP-sN-vL-+-# 2QzP-+LzPPzP" 1tR-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy
16) 19.Ng6 Qc7 20.Nb5 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+rvlk+( 7+-+n+p+-' 6-zppzp-trp+& 5zp-+-+-+p% 4P+P+PzP-wq$ 3+P+-vLQsNP# 2-+-+-+P+" 1+-+RtR-mK-! xabcdefghy
14) 37.Nf5 gxf5 38.Bf2 fxe4 39.Bxh4 exf3 40.Rxe8 Rxf4 41.g3 Rf5 42.Rxd6 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-tr-+( 7vlp+k+-zp-' 6p+n+-+-+& 5zP-+rzp-vLP% 4-snNzpN+-+$ 3+R+-+-+-# 2-+-+-zPP+" 1+-+-tR-mK-! xabcdefghy
17) 32.Bd2 Nc2 [32...Rb5 33.Ncd6] 33.Rxb7+ Ke6 34.Rc7 Rd7 35.Rxc6+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7zp-+-+kzp-' 6-zpntRr+-zp& 5+-+-+p+P% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3zP-+-+N+-# 2KzPP+-+P+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
15) 35.Rxc6 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-mK-+( 7+-+-+-zpk' 6-+-+-+-zP& 5+-+L+-zP-% 4r+-+-sN-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-+-+-+" 1+-+-+-+-! xabcdefghy
18) White Mates in 2. 70.Bg8+ Kh8 71.Ng6# 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-trk+( 7+-+P+-+p' 6-+-+-+p+& 5+-wQl+p+-% 4-+-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-+-# 2-+-wq-+PzP" 1+-tR-+-mK-! xabcdefghy
19) 37.Qxf8+ Kxf8 38.d8Q+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+r+-+-+( 7+-mk-+p+p' 6-+p+-tr-+& 5+-sN-+nzp-% 4-zP-+-+-+$ 3+-+-+-zP-# 2-+-+RzP-zP" 1+-+R+K+-! xabcdefghy
22) White Mates in 3. 29.Rd7+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-+-+( 7+-+RsN-mk-' 6-+-+-+-zp& 5zpp+-+-zpP% 4P+-+-+-+$ 3snL+-+-+-# 2-vl-+-zPPmK" 1+-tr-+-+-! xabcdefghy
20) White Mates in 2. 41.Ng6+ 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+Q+-+( 7vll+-+-zpk' 6p+-+-+-zp& 5zPp+-+p+-% 4-+-zpn+-+$ 3+q+N+-zP-# 2-+-+PzPLzP" 1+-+-vL-mK-! xabcdefghy
23) 35.Qe7 Qd5 36.Nf4 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+-tr-+( 7zp-+-+pmkp' 6-wq-+-+psN& 5+-+-zP-wQ-% 4-+-+p+-+$ 3+-+ltR-zP-# 2r+-+-zP-zP" 1+-+R+-mK-! xabcdefghy
21) 37.Ng4 Rg8 [37...Kg8 38.Qh6 f6 39.exf6 Rxf6 (39...Qb7 40.Ne5 Rxf6 41.Nxd3) 40.Rdxd3] 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+ktr-+-tr( 7zppwqn+pzp-' 6-+p+psn-zp& 5+-+-+-+-% 4-vl-zP-+PzP$ 3+-sN-vLQ+L# 2PzPP+-zP-+" 1+K+R+-+R! xabcdefghy
24) 14.g5 hxg5 [14...Ne8 15.Qxf7] 15.hxg5 Bxc3 16.gxf6 Qb6 [16...Ba5 17.fxg7 Rhg8 18.Qxf7] 17.Bc1 Bxb2 18.Bxb2 Nxf6 19.c4 Qa5 20.d5 cxd5 21.cxd5 10

XABCDEFGHY 8-+-+rwq-mk( 7zp-+r+pzpp' 6-+pvl-sn-+& 5+-+pwQPvL-% 4-zP-tR-+-+$ 3zP-sN-+-+-# 2-+P+L+PzP" 1+-+R+-+K! xabcdefghy
25) 27.Qxf6 gxf6 28.Bxf6+ Kg8 29.Rg4+ 10

XHGFEDCBAY 1-tR-+-+-+! 2mKR+-+-zP-" 3P+qzP-+-+# 4+-zp-+-zpP$ 5-+-zPp+L+% 6+-+p+-wQ-& 7p+-+-+l+' 8mkr+-+-+r( xhgfedcbay
28) 30...Rxg2+ 31.Rxg2 d4 32.Bf1 fxe3 33.Qc7 Qf4+ 34.Rg3 Rg8 01

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-+R+-+! 2zPPzPRsnQzPL" 3-vL-+rsN-zP# 4+-+-+p+-$ 5n+-+-+P+% 6+-+-+-+-& 7pzpq+-+lzp' 8mk-+-tr-+-( xhgfedcbay
26) 28...Nf3+ 29.Kf1 [29.Kh1 Nxg3+ 30.fxg3 Rxd1+ 31.Nxd1 Nd4; 29.gxf3 Qxf3] 29...Nxg3+ 30.hxg3 Qh5 31.Re4 Bxe4 01

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-tR-+-+! 2+PtR-+P+P" 3PsnP+-+-+# 4wq-sn-+PwQL$ 5-+-+p+-+% 6+-mkl+-+-& 7-+p+-+p+' 8+r+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay
29) Black Mates in 4. 32...Nxh3+ 33.gxh3 Ne4+ 34.Rg2 Qf2+ 01

XHGFEDCBAY 1-+-+r+-+! 2mKP+-+-+-" 3QzP-+-+P+# 4+-+-+-+-$ 5-zp-+-+-+% 6+-zp-+-vl-& 7-wq-+-+kzp' 8wQ-+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay
27) 58...Bg1+ 59.Kh1 Bf2+ 60.Kh2 Qc7 61.Q8h7 [61.Q3h7 Bxg3+ 62.Kh3 Rh1+] 61...Bxg3+ 01

XHGFEDCBAY 1-mK-+R+-+! 2+PzPR+L+-" 3P+-+-vl-+# 4+-wQ-+-zp-$ 5-vL-zP-+-+% 6+psnr+-+-& 7p+p+-wq-+' 8+k+r+-+-( xhgfedcbay
30) 35...Bxe5 36.Rxe5 [36.Qxb4 Bh2+ 37.Kh1 Rxe2] 36...Rxe5 37.Rf1 Nh5 38.Qd2 Rxg5 01

XHGFEDCBAY 1-+-+-+-+! 2+r+-+-+-" 3-+PsnN+-+# 4mK-+P+-+-$ 5p+-zpPzp-+% 6+P+-zp-+R& 7-zpp+-+-+' 8+k+-+-+-( xhgfedcbay
31) Black Mates in 2. 40...Rh2+ 41.Kg3 Nf1# 01

Quick Kills: Practice Crushing your Opponent out of the Opening By Bill Harvey If you play chess for blood, it makes sense to learn the violent tactics that feature in the openings that you play. More practical than taking in tactical themes by general category knight forks, clearance, back-rank mates, and so on is to learn them in the context of your openings. Your knowledge of the lines makes these combinations much more interesting, and in turn the combinations teach you about the dangers that lurk for both players in that opening system.

Combining opening study with tactics practice, Quick Kills is an e-book series devoted to the tactical ideas that crop up when theory runs out. Each title contains hundreds of puzzles by high-rated players, set in a specific opening. The first screen contains the citation, game score, and diagram, while the second screen presents the diagram with the solution. The positions build on each other, yet without becoming repetitive. You will learn tactics best in the field where you already do your best work in the opening you employ. Now available in the Alapin Sicilian, Tarrasch French and Gruenfeld Defense. Coming soon: King's Indian Defense and English Opening.

Author of The Gambit Files (also published by Mongoose Press), Bill Harvey has taught chess in schools for a dozen years in the Washington, D.C. area, and edited two chess puzzle columns. He is the webmaster of http://wtharvey.com, a puzzle collection containing 10,000 critical positions from historical and modern games with a quick link to the solution.