Tuesday’s Winning 5-sec Tactics!
“A thing of beauty…”
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever.” So wrote the English Romantic poet John Keats (1895-1921). No doubt our game of chess has beauty as well, and tactics are a constant source of this joy. Below you find some 15 tactics for the reader to feast upon. Good Luck!
(The lovely lass above is none other than Julian Bonde!)
Let’s get started!
Aratovsky,N – gm Smyslov
St.Petersburg 1951
White seems solid enough, but the next move must have come as an unpleasant surprise. Black to play and crush!
gm Smyslov – im Florian,T
Budapest 1949
A sharp game! White has sacrificed a piece but Black seems to be wiggling out, and White’s Bishop is being attacked. White to play and win!
gm Keres – gm Smyslov
Zurich 1953
One of Smyslov’s most famous games! Keres has what looks like a winning attack. Taking the Rook probably loses. What should Black do?
gm Smyslov – gm Padevsky,Nikola
Moscow 1963
What a position! Both sides have compromised King postions. Fortunately it is White’s move! White to play and crush!
gm Smyslov – im Schweber,S
Mar del Plata 1966
Black was no doubt anticipating Nd5, which does not win for White. How does White get a large advantage?
gm Smyslov – fm Fuller,Max
Hastings 1968
Black seems ok at first sight, but you should rarely trust your first impressions! White to play and crush!
gm Filip – gm Smyslov
Palma 1970
Once more we have the first impression that White is not so badly off. And we would be wrong, again! Black to play and win!
gm Uhlmann – gm Smyslov
Moscow 1956
I really like this one! I once won a game using the same trick! Black to play and win!
gm Smyslov – gm Spassky
St.Petersburg 1959
The future world champion Spassky was given some painful lessons by Smyslov. How should White continue?
China Black to play and win!
BelgradeBlack to play and win!
BelgradeBlack to play and win!
BelgradeBlack to play and crush!
BelgradeWhite to play and mate!