That’s the way – aha aha

White to move

Here’s pretty neat and unorthodox mate in three for you to solve.

Everything was right in the position but…

Black to move

Here I have penetrated white position with doom hanging over whites king. This was from chess.com 60 30 game. I saw the right idea but executed the combination the wrong way. Do you see the right order to execute the threat of mate and capturing the queen? (Stop here if you want to work it out.)

I played Qa1+  when after Kd2 Bb4+?? is serious mistake as Rxa1 Bxc3+ Kxc3 I essentially sacrifice a bishop for nothing. So instead of BB4+ I just have to retreat the queen.

Yet more excellent coverage

Before we get back to the key moments in my recent slow time control games I wanted to let you know in the case you missed excellent coverage of Biel tournament on excellent Chessbases youtube channel.  Here example of Alexei Shirov and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave going at their game with lot of insights.

Wrap it up

White to move

This is from very nice 60 30 game against Amneziya on Chess.com. It was a roller coaster where I was already winning but went wrong but maintained the advantage. What is the clean finish for white?

Some food for thought

 

My latest involves going through Alekhines games. There is this tendency now in my games to draw for blood when there isn’t none as was the case here against Dragonfish when I played Ng5 after which Bxf4 must be close to equal. After h6? though it all comes ugly for black sooner than he expected I believe.

White to move

What is whites best?

(Stop here if you don’t want to know the answer.)

Now if fx, Qx+, Be7 trying to preserve the bishop, what is the quickest?

More excellent GM analysis videos

Recent months more and more “The Master Game” videos have popped up into Youtube and here’s two part video of excellent Donner – Miles game.

The exhilirating feeling of being under persons skin is hooking. Also I recommend everyone to write down these notes. I don’t think its particularly their opening play but overall thought process that is captivating.

Excellent video interview of Vasik Rajlich

Vasik Rajlich is of course man behind Rybka that has been banned by ICGA in its evets for using other programs code and not claiming it – so once again it wasn’t wrong to use that code but not to address that.

As the interviewer Nelson Hernandez says it is up to anyone to judge by themselves what they think of the answers. My take is that Rajlich is admitting he used this code as ICGA claims but he defines original and what is the kind of code that should be addressed differently then ICGA and that ICGA hadn’t stated the norms for that specifically enough to gives this decision.

Amazing material

Andrew Martin, guy whose Czech Benoni DVD is my holy bible – for instance, has released videos of his own on his youtube channel for quite a while now. This is the best you can get and you don’t have to even pay for it. Much recommended. Here quite plain look on the essence of time in the opening – to wet your appetite.