Sunday’s 5-second Tactics

by kevinspraggettonchess · Published September 12, 2021 · Updated September 12, 2021

How are you today? I present 14 tactics from the games of grandmaster Nicolas Rossolimo’s games. Some are difficult, some are relatively straight-forward and some are inbetween. It all depends on how sharp your tactical skill is today. Good luck!

gm Rossolimo,N – Cukierman,J
Paris 1937 (1-0)

The Black Queen seems cut off from its forces. How can White take advantage of this?

gm Rossolimo,N– Romanenko
Bad Gastien 1948 (1-0)

Black has a serious problems with his piece coordination, and his King is uncastled. How can White take advantage of this? White to play and CRUSH!

gm Rossolimo,N – gm O’Kelly,A
Oldenburg 1948 (1-0)

White has sacrificed a piece to disrupt Black’s development. How can he make progress? White to play and CRUSH!

Paoli,E – gm Rossolimo,N
Slovakia, 1949 (0-1)

A sharp position! If Black now retreats his Knight to c6, then White will play Bb3,Kc2 and Ra1. How should Black proceed instead?

gm Rossolimo,N– im Golombek,H
Venice 1949 (1-0)

Of course White has a big positional advantage and an attack to boot. How should White press his advantage in a few short moves?

gm Rossolimo,H– Winter,W
Hastings 1950 (1-0)

White has finished his development while Black still finds his King in the centre.How can White exploit this to his advantage?

gm Rossetto,H– gm Rossolimo,N
Mar del Plata 1950 (1-0)

Black has just played his Knight to b4, attacking the White Queen. What did Black overlook?

gm Rossolimo,N– Rousemann
Puerto Rico 1967 (1-0)

Look at Black’s Bishop on a8! How can White take advantage of Black’s lack of piece coordination.

Tartakower– Rossolimo
Paris 1936 (1-0)

White to play and CRUSH!

gm Rossolimo,N– Muhring,J
Hastings 1948 (1-0)

All of White’s pieces are perfectly placed. How can White take advantage of this to strike deeply into Black’s position?

gm Schmid,L– gm Rossolimo,N
Heidleberg 1949 (0-1)

Black appears to be in trouble. His Queenside pawns are about to disappear. Black needs to seriously pull a rabbit from his hat to change his luck. Black to play and win!

gm Rossolimo,N– Paoli,E
Venice 1950 (1-0)

White to play and win!

gm Rossolimo,N– gm Pilnik,H
Amsterdam 1950 (1-0)

Black has just tried to take the initiative in the centre by advancing his d-pawn. How should White demonstrate that this action is faulty?

im Ojanen,K – gm Rossolimo,N
Dubrovnik (1-0)

Besides being a pawn up, White’s pieces dominate the entire board. How should White demonstrate Black’s helplessness?