Tactics from Zurich Chess Challenge 2015

This week’s tactical exercises come from the recently concluded Zurich Chess Challenge.

We’ll take a closer look at two games by Anand, which happen to be particularly instructive. The second round encounter between Viswanathan Anand and Levon Aronian –

Anand – Aronian round 4 (Classical)

Black’s best continuation would have been 20…Ra5 21.Nd2 Bf5, and after 22.Nc4 there is a crossroads.

analysis diagram

22…Nxf2!! is the only move. After the forced sequence 23.Nxa5 (23.Kxf2 Rb8 24.Nxa5 Rxb3 25.axb3 (25.Nc6 Qh4+!) is not better for White) Nxd1 24.Nb7 Qxd7 25.Rxd1 Qc6 –

analysis diagram

In the game continuation, White had a winning position due to its better coordinated and centralized pieces:

In the blitz portion of the tournament, Anand converted his material advantage impressively in a rook ending against Nakamura –

Anand – Nakamura round 4 (Blitz)

White is up a pawn, and forces a winning pawn ending. 53.Rc6! Rxc6 54.bxc6 Kd6 55.f4! Kxc6

56.g4!. Launching a typical breakthrough. Black played 56…Kd6, and White won with the extra passed pawn after 57.gxh5 gxh5 58.Ke4.

An important alternative would have been 56…hxg4 57.f5! Kd6 58.fxg6 Ke6 59.Kf4 b5.

analysis diagram

The rest of the exercises are positions from the blitz and rapid portions of the tournament.

Anand – Kramnik round 2 (Blitz)

Karjakin – Kramnik round 4 (Blitz)

Kramnik – Caruana round 5 (Blitz)

Nakamura – Kramnik round 2 (Rapid)

Kramnik – Aronian round 3 (Rapid)

Combinations from Tradewise Gibraltar Chess Festival 2015

This week’s tactical exercises come from the recently concluded Gibraltar Chess Festival.

For help on using these exercises click here.