tactics / Training

Today’s tactics quiz

by · April 30, 2016

Today I will present some 10 to 20 chess tactics for my readers to solve over the weekend. The solutions will be given at the end of today. As it is an ongoing process, I will add examples as the day progresses…I should note that most-if not all-of the examples are from grandmaster games played recently, in the past week or less.

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The first 4 tactical exercises are from the Italian Team Championship. Good luck!

: Black is threatening Qh1+ winning. But it is White’s move. White to play and win!

: White to play and win! How?

: How does White get a BIG advantage?

: The White King looks safe enough. Black to play and crush!

The next two examples are from the Nona Gaprindashvili Cup (2016) Good luck!

gaprindashvili

: White to play and win!

: White to play and crush!

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: White to play and win!

: White to play and win!

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serbia

The next four examples are from the Women’s Serbian Championship, that ended just the other day. Congrats to Lilja Drljevic!!

xxx

: White to play and win!

: White to play and win!

: White to play and win!

: Black to play and mate in 7 moves!

The next 4 examples are from Saturday’s round of the 4NCL held at Birmingham.

4ncl

: Black was expecting 16.Nxh7? Nhf4! with advantage. Instead, White has MUCH better. White to play and crush!

: White to play and crush!

: Black to play and crush!

: White had been playing for this position. Black seems to be picking up the a-pawn. What does White have up her sleeve?

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SOLUTIONS

(The examples on the left are odd-numbered; on the right they are even-numbered)

Part I: Italian Team Championship

1) 48th Italian Teams 2016 Civitanova 2016.4.28 Iordachescu, Viorel– Valsecchi, Alessio: 30.Qd8+! 1-0 The point is 30…Kg7 31.Qf6+!

2) 48th Italian Teams 2016 Civitanova 2016.4.27 Melone, Antonio– De Eccher, Stefano: 31.Bb7! Qd7 32.Rc7! Qxc7 33.Rxc7 Kxc7 and now the simplest win is with 34.Qc3+! Kb8 34.BxN! NxB 35.Qc6 etc

3) 48th Italian Teams 2016 Civitanova 2016.4.27 Rombaldoni, Denis–Calavalle, Giulio: 21.e6+! Nxe6 22.Ne5 Nf4?! (Black is lost anyway after 22…Qc7 23.NxR QxN 24.Qxf5) 23.Qf3 (23.Qh6! is even faster) 23… Nxd3+ 24.Rxd3 Qc7 25.Nxf7 Kxf7 26.Re3 Re8 27.Rxe8 Kxe8 28.h4 and White had no problem winning

4) 48th Italian Teams 2016 Civitanova 2016.4.28 Sebastianelli, Diego–Rombaldoni, Denis: 41…Rxh3!! 40.Rxh3 Bxg4 41.Rg3 Bxg3 42.f3 Bh3 43.Ra1 Bf4+ 44.Kh1 Qh5 0-1

Part III: Miscelaneous

Chinese Ch Xinghua 2016.4.24 Wei, Yi–Wang, Chen: 26.Rh3! (With the crushing threat of 27.Qh4 h6 28.Qxh6! and mate to follow) 26…Rc5 27.Qh4 h5 28.b4! 1-0 When the Rook retreats 29.Bxh5 rips the Kingside open and mate would not be far off.

48th Italian Teams 2016 Civitanova 2016.4.28 Rombaldoni, Axel–Collutiis, Duilio: 27.Bxf5! 1-0 The Black Kingside defences disintegrate and Black’s King has no escape from the coming White’s attack.

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Part V: 4NCL Team Championship

4NCL Birmingham 2016.4.30 Collins, Sam–Short, Nigel: 16.Qxh5!! Cute! If Black takes the Queen then follows 17.Bxh7+ and 18.Nef7+ coming out an Exchange to the good. h6 17.Nexf7! Rxf7 18.Nxf7 1-0 White’s attack is just getting started. When was the last time that Short lost a game in less than 20 moves?

4NCL Birmingham 2016.4.30 Pert, Nicholas–D’Costa, Lorin: 29.Rxf7 1-0 A bit premature, but Black is busted. Taking the Rook gets mated after 30.Rd8+ and 31.Qd5+; 29…Rc8 is met by 30.Rfd7 with an unstoppable attac. So I guess Black’s resignation is a reasonable move!

4NCL Birmingham 2016.4.30 Lauterbach, Ingrid–Stefanova, Antoaneta: 34…Rxe1! 0-1 The coming check (35…Nhg3+) is a convincing argument!

4NCL Birmingham 2016.4.30 Sowray, Peter J–Milliet, Sophie: 37.Ra5!! Rxa5 38.Bxa5 Nb5 (Obviously the piece can not be taken, and Black is now pinned down by the strong a-pawn) Play continued 39.Bc3 Kf7 40.f4 with a clear endgame plus. Sowray won on move 59.

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