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Tactics from the 2015 US Chess Championship

Posted by ChessMaven in Tactics on Apr 14th, 2015 | 5 comments

Tactical exercises from the recently concluded US Chess Championship.

For help on using these exercises click here.

Women’s Championship

Exercise 7 (Medium)

Yu – Sharevich round 1

Can the pawn on e3 be taken?

Exercise 10 (Very Difficult)

Goletiani – Foisor round 2

How should Black respond to the check?

Solutions

Solution to Exercise 1

Solution to Exercise 2

Solution to Exercise 3

Solution to Exercise 4

Solution to Exercise 5

Solution to Exercise 6

Solution to Exercise 7

Solution to Exercise 8

Solution to Exercise 9

Solution to Exercise 10

Open Championship

Exercise 11 (Easy)

Nakamura – So round 4

Why didn’t Nakamura capture on f4 here?

Solutions

Solution to Exercise 11

Solution to Exercise 12

Solution to Exercise 13

Solution to Exercise 14

Solution to Exercise 15

Solution to Exercise 16

Tactics from Reykjavic Open 2015

Posted by ChessMaven in Tactics on Mar 28th, 2015 | Comments Off

This week’s tactical exercises come from the recently concluded Reykjavic Open.

For help on using these exercises click here.

Exercise 20 (Medium)

Bekker-Jensen – Johannesson round 10

Exercise 21 (Difficult)

Navara – Fier round 8

Can the pawn on h4 be taken?

Exercise 22 (Difficult)

Christiansen, J. – Rombaldoni round 8

Solutions

Solution to Exercise 1

Solution to Exercise 2

Solution to Exercise 3

Solution to Exercise 4

Solution to Exercise 5

Solution to Exercise 6

Solution to Exercise 7

Solution to Exercise 8

Solution to Exercise 9

Solution to Exercise 10

Solution to Exercise 11

Solution to Exercise 12

Solution to Exercise 13

Solution to Exercise 14

Solution to Exercise 15

Solution to Exercise 16

Solution to Exercise 17

Solution to Exercise 18

Solution to Exercise 19

Solution to Exercise 20

Solution to Exercise 21

Solution to Exercise 22

Tactics from FIDE Grand Prix Tbilisi 2015

Posted by ChessMaven in Tactics on Mar 8th, 2015 | Comments Off

This week’s tactical exercises come from the recently concluded 3rd leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Tbilisi.

The 9th round encounter between Baadur Jobava and Vachier-Lagrave was a fine attacking achievement for the Frenchman –

Jobava – Vachier-Lagrave round 9

Black enjoys a space advantage. Meanwhile, White is suffering from a badly placed bishop, and the king on f3 is in front of the rest of its army – not a good arrangement with so many forces remaining on the board.

43…h4! 44.g4

White would love to secure the e4 square for his knight. For example, after 44…fxg4 45.hxg4 Bg5 46.Ne4 Rf7+ 47.Kg2, he would have a gone a long way in solving his problems. MVL had other plans –

44…e4! 45.dxe4 fxg4+

And here Jobava was facing a tough decision. On either capture of the pawn g4, he will be under pressure due to his opponent’s dark square play. On 46.hxg4, MVL was planning 46…h3, which is very hard to deal with. For example, after 47.Rh1 Be5 48.Rxh3, Black can execute a tactic that is hanging over many of these variations – 48…d3! 49.cxd3 Bxb2 -+. 46…Be5 47.Nc4 Rf8+ 48.Kg2 Bg3 with an invasion along the f-file is also very strong.

In the game, White chose 46.Kxg4, but after 46…Rf7!, the King was entombed on g4 and had to face direct attack –

position after 46.Kxg4 Rf7!

Exercise #1. Why is retreating the king with 47.Kf3 a mistake?

Show Solution

47.Nf3 was also possible. After 47…Rg8 48.Bc1

analysis diagram

Exercise #2. Black to move and win.

Show Solution

The game continued with the relatively best 47.Rf2, but after the forced sequence 47…Rg8 48.Rf5 Nd6 49.Rh5 Be5 (threatening mate) 50.Rf1 Rxf1 51.Nxf1 Nf7 (threatening …Nh6+) 52.Bc1, Black switched to the queenside with 52…Rc8!, and eventually converted the advantage.

One of the sharpest struggles of the tournament occurred in the same round –

Kasimdzhanov – Grischuk round 9

position after 30…Qe2

With seconds left on the clock, Kasim played 31.c6?, and after b2 32.Qc4 Qd2!, Black was winning.

analysis diagram after 31.c6 b2

Exercise #3. Black to move. Would 32.Qd1 save White?

Show Solution

Returning to the game, 33.c7 Rc8 34.Qb3 Rcf8.

position after 34…Rcf8

Exercise #4. How could Black win if White plays 35.Qb8 now?

Show Solution

The game concluded in Black’s favor after the equally hopeless 34.Qb3 Rcf8 35.Qd1 Rxf2!.

It turns out that in the critical position after 30…Qe2 –

position after 30…Qe2

White could have kept the balance with the trade offer 31.Qc4!. Kasim said in the press conference that he didn’t like 31…Qxc4 32.Rxc4 a4, when the passed a and b pawns look very intimidating –

analysis diagram after 31.Qc4 Qxc4 32.Rxc4 a4

Exercise #5. Find the best move for White.

Show Solution

After 31.Qc4, Black would be better off trying 31…Qd2 32.Qxb3 Raf8 –

analysis diagram after 31.Qc4 Qd2 32.Qb3 Raf8

Exercise #6. How should White defend the f2 square?

Show Solution

We conclude with some sharp positions from other games in the tournament.

Jobava – Jakovenko round 3

Exercise #7. Black to move and win.

Show Solution

Andreikin – Vachier-Lagrave round 7