w t h a r v e y . c o m

1 0 , 0 0 0 c h e s s p u z z l e s

f r o m h i s t o r i c a n d m o d e r n

g a m e s .

7 / 1 0 / 2 0 1 2

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.

Men's 2011-12 Chess Bundesliga: Critical Positions

1) Alexander Gasthofer (GER) -

Martin Zumsande (GER)

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

3) Benjamin Bok (NED) -

Alexander Naumann (GER)

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

4) Vladimir Potkin (RUS) -

Klaus Bischoff (GER)

White Mates in 6.

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

6) Predrag Nikolic (BIH) -

Andrei Maksimenko (UKR)

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)

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

8) Piotr Bobras (POL) -

Alexandre Dgebuadze (BEL)

White Mates in 3.

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

10) Aleksandar Berelovich (GER) -

Peter Acs (HUN)

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

11) Emanuel Berg (SWE) -

Wouter Spoelman (NED)

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

13) Hedinn Steingrimsson (ISL) -

Dariusz Swiercz (POL)

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

14) Alexander Goloshchapov (UKR) -

Romuald Mainka (GER)

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

16) Paul Hoffmann (GER) -

Lothar Vogt (GER)

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

17) Arkadij Naiditsch (GER) -

Peter Michalik (SVK)

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

19) Tomi Nyback (FIN) -

Benjamin Bok (NED)

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

21) Markus Ragger (AUT) -

Zoltan Almasi (HUN)

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

22) Zoltan Ribli (HUN) -

Olaf Wegener (GER)

White Mates in 3.

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

24) Namig Guliyev (AZE) -

Frank Karger (GER)

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)

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

26) Rene Stern (GER) -

Ehsan Ghaem Maghami (IRI)

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

27) Nazar Firman (UKR) -

Luke J McShane (ENG)

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

28) Thomas Henrichs (GER) -

Chanda Sandipan (IND)

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

29) Robert Rabiega (GER) -

Francisco Vallejo Pons (ESP)

Black Mates in 4.

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

30) Rainer Polzin (GER) -

Tobias Hirneise (GER)

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 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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+ 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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+ 1–0

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# 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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

15) 35.Rxc6 1–0

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 1–0

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+ 1–0

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# 1–0

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+ 1–0

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

20) White Mates in 2.

41.Ng6+ 1–0

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] 1–0

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+ 1–0

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 1–0

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 1–0

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+ 1–0

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 0–1

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+ 0–1

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 0–1

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+ 0–1

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 0–1

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# 0–1

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.