Attacking a Kingside Hook: Part 1
A couple earlier articles, about Tiviakov’s games in the Ruy Lopez, reached the following position. There, his opponents elected to kingside castle, allowing him to… Read More »Attacking a Kingside Hook: Part 1
A couple earlier articles, about Tiviakov’s games in the Ruy Lopez, reached the following position. There, his opponents elected to kingside castle, allowing him to… Read More »Attacking a Kingside Hook: Part 1
Last time we left off with this critical position, from a variation of the game between Matti Rantanen and James Walsh, in the 1956 Moscow… Read More »The Agile Knight – Promoting the Pawn
In our last post, I asked you to come up with a move and variation for White in this position. I suspect many of you… Read More »The Agile Knight Returns: An answer and a question
Collecting chess positions is a bit like reading books: After a while, you notice they start to ‘talk to each other’. The January 2nd entry… Read More »The Agile Knight Returns
Chess teachers talk to their students a great deal about calculation. In particular, two things come up very often in my lessons: Paying attention to… Read More »Short Calculation, Noticing the Opponent’s Idea
I want to tell you about a new calendar I’m enjoying quite a bit: The 2026 Chess Calendar, by SILU Games. It is made by… Read More »Book Review and a Problem: 2026 SILU Calendar
Last time, I asked you to find a forced win for Black in this position. Answer after the diagram! The solution is pleasingly clear. Black… Read More »Solution: Simplification, Rook Ending
After a few minor piece endgames, our series on passed pawns continues with a tactic from a rook ending. This comes from a game between… Read More »Passed Pawns: Rook Ending
Sticking with passed pawns in the endgame, I want to share another example where the side with the knight tries to convert against a bishop.… Read More »Passed Pawns, Small Tactics
Last time, I asked you how to refute a couple incorrect defensive tries for the opponent. The first one, 66.Kh6? was played in the game,… Read More »Converting a Passed Pawn: B vs. N Ending