IMPORTANTEND GAMES

IN CHESS

A Collection of most Common endings and how to Conduct through them

IMPORTANTEND GAMES

IN CHESS

Philip Robar

PANKAJ PUBLICATIONSNEW DELHI

Books on ChessPublished by Pankaj Publications

A Guide to Chess 300 Chess Problems Important End Games in Chess Techniques of End Game Techniques of Middle Game Techniques of Opening Game Chess—How to become a Champion Rules of Chess

L Pankaj Publications; Cambridge Book Depot. 3, Regal Building, Sansad Marg, New Delhi 110001.

INTRODUCTIONThe endgame is a rather difficult and somewhat

uninteresting study for an average chessplayer. This probably is the reason why a vast majority of chessplayers do not pay particular attention to the perfection of their endgame technique. But any weakness in the understand­ing of basic endings are ruthlessly revealed and have serious consequences. Theoretical knowledge plays an indispensable part of the winning potential in the last stages of the game.

In the last stages most of the material has already been removed from the board and situation looks quite simple but paradoxically, the very simplicity of the endgame adds in practice to its difficulty and lends it, in the minds of many, an air of mystery. A player’s true strength and ability can be judged reliably from this final phase of the struggle. The hand of the master is easily distinguishable and it is no accident that all the present and past great masters of chess are virtuosos of the endgame.

At the final stage the player is usually confronted by one of the tasks: to exploit the advantage he has gained in the earlier part of the game and convert it into a win, or neutralize his opponent’s advantage by accurate defence and draw the game; or finally, having failed to gain an advantage in the middle game, he can try to obtain it here.

The endgame begins when there is a relatively small number of pieces left on the board and, but for the rare exceptions, direct attacks on the King with the combinatorial complications typical of the middle game are impossible. The concluding stage of a game of chess has its characteristic peculiarities which, in comparison with the middle game, alter the whole approach to the

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position and the significance of the forces in action on the board.

The first important moment distinguishing the endgame from the other stages of the game is when the King takes an active part in the play. Having “sat out” the whole game behind the pawn bastions in its own camp, the King now becomes an active piece and tries to participate in the struggle with all its might. It falls upon the opponent’s pieces and is often the first to force its way into the enemy camp.

Comparatively few pieces are left on the board in the endgame, but their relative values are considerably mcreased. For success it is important to know hpw to get maximum activity out of the pieces and to organize the co­operation of the pieces among themselves and With the pawns. To play the endgame correctly means to make pne’s fighting forces active to the greatest possible extent atkl to assure their smooth co-operation.

In the endgame it is rarely possible, even with a big material advantage, to mate the opponent’s King at once, cme lacks the force to do it. In order to obtain a sufficient material superiority one must promoteone or several pawns. This means that since every “insignificant” Pawn may, given the chance, become a mighty piece—a Queen—their role here is greatly increased. Pawn promotion is one of the strategic tasks of the endgame.

ft is relatively easier to study the endgame with its small number of pieces and Pawns, than it is the other stages of the game. In the development of the chess theory over the feist hundred years, dozen of endgame positions havebeen thoroughly analysed and published in the literature of the $me. In these positions, the best methods of attack and

. dtefence have been found and the final outcome, granted

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correct play on both sides has been determined. Furthermore for many endings typical playing procedures have been established .and auxiliary methods worked out which permit a rapid and accurate appreciation of the position. Ending which have been investigated like this are called theoretical. In playing these endings, which are often far from easy, accurate knowledge is of first importance. When it is put to proper use, the game inevitably ends in its preordained result.

Play does not become theoretical immediately the endgame is reached, though even in the most complicated positions typical manoeuvres have now been elaborated and the best ways of playing discovered. Normally, the problem in a complex ending is to transpose it into the sort of positions that have already been studied:

When learning chess one ought to begin with an analysis of simple positions with a small number of fighting units. And these, as a rule, are endgame positions. By analysing straight forward endings with the most varied combinations of material, the beginner can get to know the special characteristics of the various pieces and the mechanism of their struggle against each other. He may then more easily understand the way they work together. Thus the study of the simplest endings should precede the analysis of the openings and the middle game.

We will now make an attempt to provide the reader with the basic properties of the pieces and how they interact with each other.

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THE PROPERTIES OF THE PIECESIn the final phase the importance and strength of each

piece becomes augmented and stands out in greater relief than in the other stages of the game. We will therefore, review the properties of the pieces in this light.

THE KNIGHT: It is a short range piece, it attacks squares which are comparatively near to it. Eightsquares come under the simultaneous fire from the Knight when it is stationed in the centre of the board, but as it approaches the edge, the number it can control at the same time diminishes, or as it is commonly put, its striking power decreases. In the corner of the board the Knight can attack only two squares, in other words, its striking power goes down fourfold. It is clear that centralization enables the Knight to display its strength to the full. The Knight differs from all other pieces in its right to jump over pieces and Pawns. Because of this exclusive property, its power does not diminish in closed positions.

The following property of Knight is interesting, if it stands, for example, on a black square, it can attack another black square only in an even number of moves and a white square only in an uneven number.

THE BISHOP: This is a long range piece. Its striking power alters from thirteen squares when it is in the centre to seven at the edge of the board. Centralization enhances the Bishop’s possibilities. Thanks to its long range action it is better than the Knight at handling play on two flanks. If its sphere of action is restricted by Pawns, its strength decreases. The Bishop needs clear diagonals.

THE ROOK: A long range piece, it attaks exactly fourteen squares from any point on the board. Its striking power, therefore, does not depend on its placing. To

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display its strength to the best the Rook needs space­open lines (rank and files.)

THE QUEEN: This is the piece with the greatest range. The striking power of the Queen alters from twenty seven squares when it is in the centre to twenty one at the edge of the board. Centralization heightens its fighting qualities. To display its power fully the Queen also needs open space (ranks, files and diagonals)

THE PAWN: The Pawn has the least striking power and its mobility is highly restricted specially at the initial stages of the game. The situation is reversed in the final phases as the mobility of the Pawn becomes greater and the most importants, its importance becomes tenfold because of its capacity of getting promoted to any desired piece. The Pawn manipulations is the most important aspect of the endgame studies and should be mastered thoroughly.

THE KING: Last but not least is the King which gains importance aS a striking pieces cis the game enters the endgame phase. Its striking power varies from three to eight squares depending upon the position it occupies in the board. The King plays a very important and deciding role in supporting the Pawn heading for promotion.

This, in brief, is the summary of the properties of pieces.We shall now study the main themes which recure again and again in checkmating the King.

IMPORTANT THEMES IN CHECKMATING THE KING

THE PIN: A pin is really a quite simple idea. A player is not allowed to move a piece which will put his own King in check. Such a piece is said to be pinned and although

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seemingly powerful and attacking is in reality a helpless guy. The seeming strength of the pinned’piece is illusory and deceptive. One should avoid getting a piece pinned as far as possible as in an unguarded moment this leads to a great loss and even checkmate.

THE FORK: The Knight has a special privilege of jumping over the other pieces. As the squares which are under the attack of Knight are neither in a rank, a file or a diagonal, sometimes two pieces seemingly quite apart come under simultaneous attack of Knight and the only option before the opponent is to loose one. If one of the pieces being attacked is the King, the other piece has to be sacrificed. The fork is a deadly weapon in the arsenal of the player and recure again and again in the checkmating tFWFDCS

THE DISCOVERED CHECKS: The discovered checks are quite common and have an element of surprise in them. It is important for all players to be familiar with them. The idea is quite simple. The player moves a piece which clears rank, a file or a diagonal and the opponent’s King is under check. As the opponent will have to parry the check somehow, the piece which has been moved is free to attack and can cause a great damage, usually loss of a vital piece.

THE DOUBLE CHECKS: A double check is a special type of discovered check and is one of the most powerful moves in chess. They have an element of force and inevitability in them. The idea is that, as in discovered check, the player moves a piece clearing a rank, a file or a diagonal so that the King comes under check and at the same time the piece moved is also putting the King under check. As a result the opponent King is under check by two,pieces simultaneously. The important thing about

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double checks is that you can only get out of them by moving your King. It is impossible to block both checks in one move and you cannot take both the checking pieces in one move, so a King move is the only escape left. In moving out of double check the King can sometimes take one of the checking pieces. A beginner should always be in the look out for the discovered and double check and take advantage wherever possible.

EXAMPLES: Diagram A gives an example of the pin. The black Bishop cannot be moved because then the black King will be under check by the white Rook which is not permitted by the rules of chess. However, it must be remembered that the white King cannot move to h3 as this square is under attack by the black Bishop (although it is pinned) and the white King would be moving into check himself. Now look at the diagram B. Although the Bishop is controlling the square e6, white can play Ne6+without the danger of being taken by the Bishop as it is pinned by the white Rook.

Diagram C gives an example of discovered check. White can check the black King by just moving his Rook to any square. As soon as the Rook is moved the black King is under attack by the white Bishop. This is known as the discovered check. If however this Rook moves to g4or e6, the black King will be under double check i.e. by the white Bishop as well as by the white Rook. The power of the discovered and double check is illustrated by the diagram D. If the white Rook is moved to g8 black will be under double check and he will have to move the black King to g8 by capturing the white Rook. But if the white Rook moves to h7 and captures the black Pawn, the black has no option but to move to g8 and in the next move, the black Rook is also captured.

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abodefghA

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefghB

87654321

abodefgh c D

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SOME SIMPLE CHECKMATE POSITIONS

abcdefgh

Rook and Knight1 Ne4-f6+ Kg8-h82 Rf7-h7#

Two Rooks1 Ra5-a7+ Kf7^e8,

f8 or g82 Rb6-b8#

abcdef gh Two Rooks

1 Rd7-g7+ Kg8-h82 Rg7-h7+ Kh8-g83 Rc7-g7#

.a b c d e. f g h

Back row (or rank)1 Rd5-d8+ Rc8xd82 Rd4xd8#

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abcdefgh

Rook and Bishop1 Rel-gl+ Kg8-h82 Bc3xf6#

Queen and Knight1 Qb5-d7+ Kc8-b82 Ne5-c6+ Kb8-a83 Qd7-a7 or

c8#

abcdefgh

Queen and Bishop1 Qb4-e7 Kc8-b82 Qe7-b7#

Queen and King1 Qg4-g7+ Ke7-d&2 Ke5-d6 Kd8-<83 Qg7-c7#Or if 2 ... Kd8-e8; 3

Qg7-e7#.

You have seen how pieces work together forcing positions of checkmate.

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With only the enemy King on the board you need at least the following forces to achieve checkmate :

King and QueenKing and RookKing and two BishopsKing, Knight and BishopKing and three Knights (this very unlikely situation could

only arise if a Pawn had been promoted to a Knight)

It is necessary to realise, of course, that with enemy pieces blocking the way of their own King, it may be possible to checkmate with less material—even with a Pawn supported by another piece, Also, as you have seen in the previous diagrams, you do not always have to use your King as a supporting piece.

However, you cannot force checkmate against a lone King with only a King and Bishop, or even with a King and two Knights. Such endings are therefore drawn. Similarly King v King is drawn! You might think that it is unnecessary to mention that, but we have seen some beginners chasing round the board, each with a lone King—all to no avail!

It is very useful to become familiar with the following patterns of checkmate. The best way to do this is to set up each position on the chessboard, and see how many similar patterns you can make, using the same pieces in each case.

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PATTERNS OF CHECKMATE

Each of the following diagrams have been divided into four quarter-diagrams for convenience. Thus every quarter-diagram is a separate mating pattern, and these are numbered from 1 to 32.

1. Queen Checkmates

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Patterns of Checkmate

2. Rook Checkmates

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(23) Bishop aided by Rook

(21) Bishop aided by knight

(22) Similar to (21) but with the Knight covering escape square from a different position

(24) Bishop mate with support by Knight and Bishop

4. Knight Checkmates

(31) Knight and Rook mate

27) Knight in the amusing ‘smothered* mate* position

(25) Knight mates aided by King

(26) Knight mates with Pawn help

(28) Two Knights trap the enemy King

(29) Knight mates with Bishop support

(30) Knight and Bishop in a different mating pattern

(32) Knight mates with Queen help

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BASICS OF CHESSTrying to play chess without having the feel of the

game is like trying to learn to act without ever walking across a stage. It’s possible—but a thousandfold harder to do. After a while you will get to feel at home with a chessboard; the pieces will become familiar fig­ures to you. And you will, if you give yourself half a chance, grow to love this fascinating “royal game.”

Chess has often been called a game of war, and there probably is more than a grain or two of truth in this. But the comparison cannot be carried too far (al­though one chess master actually won many games basing his strategy on the principles of military opera­tions). Chess has remained essentially unchanged for a thousand years or more; war, on the other hand, has not.

Where wars were once decided by the clash of men on well laid-out fields of battle, they are now fought by entire populations in an arena that outreaches the world. Chess is still played on the same four-sided battlefield used by its earliest exponents. That battle­field is the chessboard; let’s examine it.

The BoardThe chessboard is eight squares wide and eight squares long, a total area of 64 squares. In any row the light and dark squares alternate; in any diagonal the squares are all one color.

Colors are far from standard; they range from straightforward black and white to such off-beat com­binations as green and blue or gold-flecked and silver- flecked. By convention, however, the lighter squares are called white and the darker ones black. And by convention, too, the board is placed between the play­

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ers (who alternate in moving) so that each player has a white square in his lower right-hand comer. The rows that point from one player to the other are called files; the crossing rows are called ranks.

So much for the board. Now let’s look at the forces —the chess pieces.

The MenTHE KING

The most important piece—the one around which the whole game revolves—is the King. He is the largest piece and, in most traditionally designed sets, can easily be recognized by the cross he wears on his crown. The symbol for the King is for White and ^|pfor Black; his abbreviation is K.

THE QUEEN

The strongest piece is the Queen. She is the power be­hind the throne, and her status is indicated by her size; she is just a hair smaller than the King, who still outranks her in importance. Unlike him, however, she wears a coronet, not a crown, and there is no cross to top her off. Her symbol is for White and 'ty for Black; her*abbreviation is Q.

THE ROOK

Next, in order of power, is the Rook, the piece that in standard sets looks like the tower of a castle. Many casual chess players, in fact, call this piece the castle. But, as you will soon learn/this can be confusing. The true name is derived from the Persian word rouk, which means elephant. You can see evidence of this origin in chess sets made in the Far East—Or designed to look as though made in the Far East. In these exotic

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sets the Rook is, in fact as well as in name, an ele­phant, often carrying a howdah on its back. In stand­ard sets, which are called the Staunton Pattern after the English chess master, the piece looks something like the symbol for White and 8 for Black. And the abbreviation—casual players notwithstanding—is R.

THE BISHOP

The Bishop is the piece with the slit in its head. Sup­posedly, this represents a Bishop’s mitre. But it might also represent a court jester’s hat (the French call this piece le Fou, the fool, or jester). The English abbrevi­ation, however, is B. And the symbol of the piece is

for White and for Black.

THE KNIGHT

The Knight is probably the most fascinating piece for beginners and grandmasters alike (though beginners seem to mix their fascination with a touch of fear). It has not changed its appearance since chess was in­vented (some might say discovered), or so we are led to believe by historical findings. It is true that in many old chess sets, and in some modern ones, the piece is a knight on horseback. But though the knight himself may disappear, his horse does not. For this reason the casual player is at odds here, too, with official rules. He calls this piece (he Horse. But he would have trouble following a printed score or a chess book, be­cause the abbreviation is not H. It is, in most modem chess books, N. This is not a case of poor spelling; the convention was adopted because the old abbreviation (Kt) frequently was confused with K, the abbreviation for the King. When game scores appeared in agate (that miniscule type so handv for hidden clauses in

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legal documents) the chess enthusiast, trying to dis­tinguish K’s from Kt’s, often as not ended up in an optometrist’s chair. The symbol is unmistakable. It is <^for White and for Black.

THE PAWN

We come now to the last piece, the Pawn, often—but mistakenly—called the lowly pawn. In all sets, no mat­ter what their origin, no matter how radical their de­sign, the Pawn is the smallest piece on the board. As though to make up for stature, though, there are more of them than of any other piece. The Pawn is at the bottom of the power ladder but he can and often does hold the big guns at bay. And, he can be the decisive factor in a game. The symbol for the White Pawn is

and for the Black Pawn The abbreviation is P.

How the Board Is Set UpHaving learned what the board and pieces look like you can now get the forces set up. Remember to place your chessboard so that a white square is at the lower right-hand corner.

Put one White Rook (use the White pieces only for the time being; we’ll get to the Black shortly) on the lower right-hand square and the other White Rook in the dark square at the lower left. Now, on the same rank (horizontal row), place a Knight next to each Rook, then a Bishop next to each Knight.

Only the two center squares of the bottom rank should now be unoccupied; these are for the King and Queen. The Queen always stands, at the start of the game, on a square of her own color. Thus, the White Queen should be placed on the left-hand center square. The King stands next to her.

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The principal pieces now fill the bottom rank. The Pawns come next. Set them up on the rank immedi­ately in front of the principal pieces, one Pawn in front of each piece. This completes the starting line-up for White.

Now turn your board around (or walk around to the other side of the board if you enjoy that split­personality feeling of playing both sides) and set up the Black pieces. They are arranged precisely the way the White pieces are—Rooks occupying end squares, Knights next and then Bishops. Notice, however, that because the Queen always starts life on a square of her own color she will, from Black’s point of view, stand on the right-hand center square.

And notice, too, that as a result King faces King and Queen faces Queen across the board.

Your board is now set up for the start of a game. For a picture of how it should look, see page 13.

Using the symbols for board and men, the starting position looks like this:

Everything is ready. But the action can’t begin (un­less you care to make it poker, using the pieces for chips) until you learn how the pieces move, how they capture, how powerful each is and what each one’s weakness may be.

How the Pieces Move and CaptureTHE ROOK

Clear your board of all pieces. Now take a White Rook and put it in the following position on the board:

The Rook moves in straight lines, along the ranks and files, as indicated by the arrows in the diagram. As long as his path is unobstructed there is nothing to stop him except the edge of the board. Any enemy piece within his range can be captured. The piece that is captured is removed from the board and the capturing piece takes its place. To illustrate the Rook’s powers of capturing, let’s add some pieces to the board.

The Rook can capture the Black Oueen, who is22

within his range on a file. The Black pawn lies along the Rook’s rank, but it cannot be captured because the White Bishop blocks the way. The Rook cannot jump over any piece, his own or the enemy’s. Thus, the Black Bishop is safe. But the Black Knight may be cap­tured. Note that word “may." Capture is not compulsory.

If the Rook were to capture the Queen, the board would look like this:

Notice that the Black Queen has disappeared from the board and the White Rook has taken her place.

Clear your board again and put a Rook down on any square. Now count the number of squares swept by the Rook’s lines of fire along ranks and files. Not counting the square on which he stands, the Rook commands 14 squares. Now change the Rook’s posi­tion. He still commands 14 squares.

This is one of the Rook’s great powers; he always commands 14 squares, no matter where he stands. Of course, if he is blocked by his own men his great range of fire does him no good. And this is his big weakness; he can be all-too easily hemmed in by his own allies. He needs open lines along which to exert his strength.

THE BISHOP

Clear your board again and, this time, put a White 23

Bishop on it as shown below:

The Bishop, as you see, moves along diagonals and is confined to squares of one color. It can command as many as 13 squares, but as few as 7 (try putting the Bishop where the lower left-hand arrowhead is in the diagram; you will see that the Bishop’s range has been cut down to 7 squares). Like the Rook, it can capture any enemy piece that stands in its line of fire. And, like the Rook, it cannot jump over any pieces.

Let’s add a few pieces to the board to see how the Bishop captures:

Two Black pieces can be captured—the Bishop and the Pawn. The Rook is safe because the Black Pawn blocks him from the Bishop’s line of fire; the Knight is

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immune because one of the Bishop’s own Pawns ob­structs it. The Black Queen is out of the Bishop’s range.

Once more, let’s see what the board would look like if a capture were made. The White Bishop captures the Black Bishop. The board then looks like this:

The Black Bishop is gone and the White Bishop has taken its place. Notice that the Bishop is still in a posi­tion to capture the Black Pawn.

THE QUEEN

This is, as you already know, your most powerful fight­ing unit. What makes her so strong? Look at the way she moves.

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She moves along the ranks and files as well as along the diagonals—combining the powers of Rook and Bishop. She commands a total of 27 squares in this position. And any enemy pieces that stumble into her far-sweeping line of fire can be captured. Let’s take a look at how the Queen captures.

The Queen can capture either of the Black Knights; one lies in her range along a diagonal, the other on a rank. She can capture the Bishop, which is in her line of fire on a file. And she can capture one of the Black Rooks along a diagonal. The Black Pawn is saved be­cause the Black Knight blocks the way. The second Black Rook is safe because the Queen’s own Pawn stands in the way. (The Queen, despite her mighty power, cannot jump over pieces.)of v/omen) is her strength. She is so valuable that she can easily be harried by lesser pieces. No player would want to give up his Queen in return for a Bishop or a Rook. So, when the Queen is attacked by a lesser piece that is protected she cannot afford to capture the at­tacker. She must beat an ignoble retreat.

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THE KNIGHT

The Knight is known in German as der Springer—the jumper or vaulter. This is because the Knight, unlike other pieces, has the power to jump over his own and enemy pieces. He does not jump in the sense that a checker piece does; that is, he does not capture what he jumps over. He captures the piece that occupies the square on which he lands. He is a great one for oper­ating in close quarters; he can literally leap into the middle'of things and, if the going gets too rough, leap right out again. Let’s examine the way the Knight moves:

(a) (c) (d)

rank or file, then one square along a diagonal. This gives him eight ways to move: right and up (a); right and down (b); left and down (c); left and up (d); up and right (e); up and left (f); down and right (g), and down and left (h):

In the following position the Knight can capture any of the Black pieces by moving to the square occupied by that piece:

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Notice that in the preceding diagram the Knight has a choice of eight different captures, corresponding to the eight squares to which he can move. When the Knight captures he, too, replaces the captured piece.

THE PAWN

The Pawn is the foot-soldier of the chess army. Like any soldier, he plods slowly along while the cavalry and artillery charge ahead on wheels and the generals move overhead in jets. He is limited to moving straight ahead (not being allowed to retreat), except when he encounters the enemy. And, except for his first move, he can travel only one square at a time.

On his first move—and then only—he is permitted the option of moving two squares forward. In the fol­lowing diagram, for example, the White King’s Pawn, on his first move, can go to either A or B.

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The Pawn, unlike the other pieces, does not capture the same way he moves. Though he moves straight ahead, he captures diagonally. In the following dia­gram, then, the White pawn can capture either the Black Rook or the Black Pawn. It would, of course, take the place of whichever piece it captured.

Though the Pawn’s lot seems a weary one, the end of its journey can mean glory. If it reaches its last rank —the one on which the enemy’s principal pieces stood at the start of the game—it becomes a Knight, a Bishop, a Rook or even a Queen. For this reason games are often decided by the loss of a single Pawn. And for this reason, too, the “lowly” Pawn has the power to throw the generals of the opposing army into confusion.

THE KING

We have saved the King for last because he is, after all, the heart and soul of chess. You can lose every other piece you have and still play on (for a while, anyhow). You cannot lose your King. (He cannot, in fact, be captured, but more about that later.)

The King can move in any direction, along a rank, file or diagonal, forward or backward. But he can

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move omy one square at a time, except under special circumstances, which we will discuss soon. He can capture any piece within his range. But—and this is a big “but”—he cannot move into the line of fire of any enemy piece.

In the following diagram the King can move to any of the squares numbered 1 to 8. If an enemy piece oc­cupied one of those squares the King could capture it and take its place—provided that in doing so he did not move into the range of any enemy piece.

Now, keeping the White King in the same position, let’s add some Black pieces to the board.

Now the King cannot move to square 1 because he would be moving into a position where the Black Pawn

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or Black Rook could capture him. That square is con­trolled by the Rook and Pawn and the King cannot move to a square controlled by the enemy. Square 2 is controlled by the Black Knight. Squares 3, 4 and 5 are controlled by the Black Queen. Squares 5, 6, 7 and 8 are controlled by the Black Rook.

Is the King immobilized? No—he can capture the Black Rook. If he did so, the board would look like this:

The King has replaced the Rook and he is not in the line of fire of any Black pieces.

Putting the King in CheckA king under attack by an enemy piece is said to be “in check.” If the King is attacked everything must be subordinated to the job of getting the King out of check; no moves, can be made by the attacked King’s side until the King’s safety is attended to. There are three ways in which the King can be gotten out of check. These are:

1. By moving the King to a square not controlled by a hostile piece.

2. By placing one of the King’s men between the at­tacking piece and the King, thus blocking the

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hostile’s piece’s line of fire.

3. By capturing the attacking piece.

Let’s examine those three ways.

In the diagram above the Black King is attacked by the White Bishop. Can he or one of his men capture the Bishop? No. Can a Black piece be moved between the Bishop and the King to shield the King? No. But the King is not doomed. He can move to a square that is not under attack—the squares marked with X’s. He cannot, of course, move to the back rank because that rank is in the White Queen’s line of fire. And moving along the diagonal to the square marked with a cross is futile (as well as illegal) because that square is controlled by the attacking White Bishop.

Here is another position.

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The White King is attacked by one of the Black Rooks. The possible escape squares are occupied by the King’s own men—he cannot flee to them. The squares marked with X’s are controlled by the second Black Rook. And there is no White piece capable of placing itself between the attacking Rook and the King. But White’s Bishop can save its King by capturing the attacking Rook.

And a third example.

The King is attacked by the Black Rook. The two escape squares are occupied, one by the White Bishop, one by the White Pawn. There is no way to capture the Rook. But the King can be saved by interposing— by moving a man between himself and the attacking piece. The Pawn, of course, able to move forward only, is of no use. But the Bishop can be moved to the square marked X, shielding the King from the Rook.

When the King is attacked by a Pawn or a Knight there can be no interposing, of course. In the case of such an attack the King can be saved only through the capture of the attacking piece or by moving out of the attacking piece’s range.

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Long Live the King

When the King is attacked and it is impossible to get him out of check the game is over. The King has been “checkmated” and his side has lost. (The word “check­mate,” like the word Rook, comes from the Persian. It is derived from “Shah Mat,” which means “the King is dead.”)

In the following position, for example, the White King is attacked by the Black Queen. He cannot move to another point on the bottom rank because that en­tire rank is swept by the Black Queen’s line of fire. He cannot flee diagonally to the possible escape squares on the rank above because those squares are occupied by his own Pawns. And he cannot move to the White square directly above him because he would still be in check—this time by the Black Bishop. There is no way to interpose a White piece between the King and the attacking Queen. And the Queen cannot be captured.

Thus the King has no way out of check. He has not been captured—that is, he has not been removed from the board—but he has no way to avoid capture on Black’s theoretical next move. The move remains the­oretical because the game ends at this uoint.

34

The Special Powers

The last moves to be considered are the “special cir­cumstance” powers referred to briefly earlier. One of those special powers involves Pawns, the other involves the King and Rooks. First, the Pawn’s specialty.

PAWN CAPTURES EN PASSANT

A Pawn, you remember, has the option, on his first move only, of going forward two squares instead of one. And Pawns, remember, capture on a diagonal in­stead of capturing the way they move. With this in mind, look at the following diagram:

White Pawn is standing on home base, on the rank just in front of the principal White pieces. If the White Pawn moves forward one square on his first move the position will be as it is in box (b); the Black Pawn would then be able to capture it and the result would be (c). If, however, the White Pawn moves two squares on his first move the position will be as it is in (d) and the Black Pawn will have been deprived of a possible capture.

The Black Pawn (as any Pawn in similar circum­stances), however, has a special prerogative. He can treat the White Pawn as though it had moved only one square forward and he will then be able to capture it. The result, of course, is the same (e) as when the

35

White Pawn actually moved only one square and was captured (c).

This power is called capturing en passant (French: in passing). The power, however, must be exercised by the capturing side on its very next move following the two-squares-forward Pawn move. If the capture is not made then the pawn positions as shown in (d) stand and the privilege of capturing that Pawn en passant (abbreviation, e.p.) has been forfeited.

CASTLING

The special-circumstance power involving King and Rooks is called castling. When a player makes this move, he castles (remember? we said the casual play­er’s use of this word could be confusing).

Because the King’s safety is of prime concern it can be dangerous to leave him in the middle of the board on or near his original square. Once the pieces start moving into action a King in the center can be easily exposed to attack. He must be moved to a safer spot (to the security of his “castle”). Basically, the castling move is made as shown below:

The King is moved two squares toward his Rook and the Rook goes to the square over which the King

36

passed to get to his new position. The combination King-Rook move is counted as one move (it is the only time in the game a player is permitted to move two nieces at once). The diagram above shows the King castling on his own side of the board. He can also castle on the Queen’s side, as follows:

Once again the King has moved two squares toward a Rook (this time toward the Queen Rook) and the Rook has moved to the square through which the King passed. This is called Queen-side castling, or castling long. King-side castling is also called castling short.

It may have occurred to you that castling is a great way to get out of check. Alas, you’ll have to forget it (unless, like some players, you make your own rules to suit your convenience); it is illegal to castle when the King is in check. There are some other provisos, too. You cannot castle if:

1. The King or the Rook has been moved before. (If only the King Rook has been moved it is still legal to castle on the Queen’s side with the Queen Rook. Likewise, if only the Queen Rook has been moved it is legal to castle on the King side.)

2. One or more squares between the King and Rook are occupied by pieces of either color. (If a

37

square between the King and Queen Rook is oc­cupied it is legal to castle King-side.)

3. The King, in castling, has to pass through a square controlled by an enemy man. (Naturally he could not castle if the square he ended on was under attack; he would then be moving into check which, remember, is illegal.)

Let’s examine castling more closely. Look at this

position:

In the preceding diagram the White King can not castle on his Queen’s side because the squares between him and the Queen Rook are not clear; the White Knight occupies its home square. He cannot castle King- side, either, because in doing so he would have to pass through a square which is in the Black Queen’s line of fire. Thus the White King, in this position, cannot castle.

The Black King cannot castle King-side because his own Bishop is in the way. But there is nothing to stop him from castling long.

38

NOTATIONThe basic principles of descriptive notation—the

system most commonly used, despite its drawbacks— were known and used as far back as the Tenth Cen­tury. It was only in the last hundred years, however, that abbreviations came to be used and standardized. And abbreviations are the keystones of notation. Let’s see how it works.

Set up your pieces for the start of a game. Notice that, because King faces King and Queen faces Queen, an imaginary line can be drawn down the center of the board, separating the King and his pieces from the Queen and her forces. Reading across the bottom rank from the Queen’s side to the King’s we have the follow­ing lineup:

Queen Rook (abbreviated QR), Queen Knight (QN), Queen Bishop (QB), Queen (Q), King (K), King Bishop (KB), King Knight (KN) and King Rook (KR).

The Pawns are named for the pieces that stand be­hind them. Thus, reading along the second rank, again from the Queen’s side to the King’s, we have the Queen Rook Pawn (QRP), Queen Knight Pawn (QNP), Queen Bishop Pawn (QBP), Queen Pawn (QP), King Pawn (KP), King Bishop Pawn (KBP), King Knight Pawn (KNP) and King Rook Pawn (KRP).

The files, too, are named for the pieces that initially occupy them. White’s extreme right-hand file, then, is

39

the King Rook (KR) file. This is also Black’s KR file, though it is, of course, on Black’s extreme left-hand side. White’s extreme left-hand file is the QR file; it is also Black’s QR file, though Black—again—sees it as his extreme right-hand file.

The files, as you see, have the same names from both the Black and White points of view. The ranks, however, do not. White’s first rank is Black’s eighth and vice-versa. Suppose, for example, that you want to describe the following squares:

We know that square A lies on the Queen Bishop file for both White and Black. From White’s point of view (by custom, White is always at the bottom of a printed diagram) the square is four ranks from the bottom. For White, then, square A is Queen Bishop 4 (abbreviated QB4). From Black’s point of view, how­ever, it is five ranks from the bottom (to see thismore clearly, turn the diagram around). And thus square A is Black’s Queen Bishop 5, or QB5.

Square B is on the King file for both White and Black. Looked at from White’s side, it is three ranks from the bottom, making it K3. Looked at from Black’s side, it is six rows up, making it K6.

40

Square C is on White’s last, or eighth, rank and therefore is White’s KR8. But it is on Black’s first rank, making it Black’s KR1.

You see, then, that every square on the board has two designations, one for White and one for Black. The board, with each square given its two designations, looks like this:

BLACK

LBO QR8

LN© ON8

18© QB8

I© Q8

L>l K8

1BX KB8

INX KN8

Hi

KR8

IW> ZN© ta© ZD tX tax INX taxQR7 QN7 QB7 Q7 !|® KB7 KN7 KR7

SB© £N© £8© C© EX CBX ENX taxQR6 QN6 QB6 06 K6 KB6 KN6 KR6

no 9ND 98© 9© 9X 98X 9NX taxQR5 QN5 QB5 Q5 lO KB5 KN5 KR5

SB© SN© SB© Mi SX sax SNX saxQR4 QN4 QB4 04 K4 KB4 KN4 KR4

9m© 9N© 98© 9© 9M 9ax 9NX 9axOR3 QN3 QB3 Q3 m KB3 KN3 KR3

ZB© ZN© ZB© Z© zx zax ZNX zaxQR2 ON2 QB2 02 K2 KB2 KN2 KR2MH 8N© MH 8© SX sax SNX saxOR! QN1 OBI QI KI KB1 KN! KR1

WHITE

The bottom figure in each square is the White desig­nation; the top figure (which should be looked at “up­side-down,” from Black’s point of view) is Black’s. This is one of the principal drawbacks of descriptive notation.

41

You now know the symbols for the pieces and for the squares. There remain only a few more basic abbrevi­ations, the most important of which are the following:

The symbol — means “is moved to.” Thus P—K4 means “Pawn is moved to the square King 4” or, more simply. Pawn to King 4.

The symbol X means “captures.” Thus BxN means “Bishop captures Knight.”

The symbol 0-0 means castles King side.The symbol 0-0-0 means castles Queen side.The abbreviation ch means “check.”The abbreviation NxP ch, therefore, would mean

“Knight captures Pawn and gives check.”The double designation for each square is not, alas,

the only weakness of the descriptive notation system. Because each side has eight pawns, two Knights, two Bishops and two Rooks, a move can be, if the notation is not done carefully, ambiguous or misleading. In the following diagram, for example, the move B—N5 for White can be interpreted two ways: it can mean QB to KN5 or KB to QN5.

If we want to make the move clear, we must specify which Bishop is doing the moving. If we want to move the King Bishoo to QN5 we would notate the move as

42

B—QN5 or as KB—N5. It is not necessary to write KB—QN5 because once we specify either the piece or the square to which it goes we have made the move clear. We want clarity, not complexity.

Now look at the following diagram.

The only difference between this position and the one in the previous diagram is that now Black’s QP is at Q3 instead of Q2, his KP is at K4 instead of K3 and his KB is at KB1 instead of at K2. But what a differ­ence! Now if we see B—N5 for White it can mean only one thing: Bishop to King Knight 5.

Why? Because Bishop to Queen Knight 5 would check the Black King and the move would be written B—N5 ch. The abbreviation ch—or the lack of it— makes the move clear. Only the QB can move to N5 without giving check.

Sometimes, as you see, moves can be written quite simply. An even better example is the move P—K4. At first thought you might be tempted to ask “which Pawn moves to K4?” But set up your board for the start of a game and notice: only one Pawn—the KP—can move to K4. Therefore it’s not necessary to spell out the whole move. P—K4 speaks for itself.

Now set up your board in the following position:

43

Suppose you, as Black, want to move a Knight to KB5. You cannot write N—B5 or even N—KB5, be­cause both Knights are in a position to move to KB5. You must specify which Knight is to make the move. One Knight is at KN3, the other at Q4. To clarify your move you must specify which of the two Knights makes the move. If you move the Knight from KN3 to KB5 you notate it as N/3—B5; if you move the Knight at Queen 4 the move becomes N/4—B5. Notice that you don’t have to specify King B5, because it would be impossible to move either Knight to Queen B5. Again, the object is to keep it as simple as possible.

Let’s alter the positions again, to the following:

44

Now if you, as Black, want to move a Knight to K4, you must be even more specific than in' the previous example. Last time, you got away with N/3 or N/4 as identifications. This time both Knights are on the third rank; therefore N/3 could be either one. The Knight that moves must now be identified either fully (as N/N3) or by his file (as N/N). Moving the Knight at N3 to K4, then, would be written as N/N3—K4 or as N/N—K4. Moving the Knight at QB3 to K4 would bd written as N/B3—K4 or N/B—K4.

In the following diagram both Black Knights are in a position to capture a White Bishop. If, therefore, we wrote NxB for Black, the move would be ambiguous.

Which Knight? And which Bishop? Here, again, clarifi­cation is needed.

If Black captures a Bishop with his Knight at KN3 the move is written as N/KN3XB. (Notice that N/N3XB will not do because both Knights are at N3 —one at KN3, one at QN3.) If the capture is made with the Knight at QN3 the move is written N/QN3XB.

Sometimes the piece that is captured, instead of the capturing piece, needs further identification. Look at the following diagram.

45

Playing Black, you capture a Pawn with a Knight. In writing the move, you must make clear which Knight captures which Pawn. The Knight at QN3 can capture the Pawn at QR5 or the one at QB5; the Knight at KN3 can capture the Pawn at K4 or the one at KR5. Thus, if the Knight at QN3 captures the Pawn at QR5 the move is written as NxQRP or NXP/QR5 (Notice—you don’t have to specify which Knight makes the capture; only one of the Knights can capture the Queen Rook Pawn. You do, however, have to specify that the captured pawn is the QR Pawn; if you wrote simply NxRP it could mean NxKRP, too.)

The object of descriptive notation, then, is to make each move as clear as possible with as few complica­tions as possible. For a while—until you get used to the system—this may seem like trying to make Aris­totle look as easy as McGuffey’s Reader. With a little practice, though, you’ll find that descriptive notation, despite its drawbacks, is really quite capable of doing its job.

Before notating a move, consider:

(a) Are there two similar pieces that can make the same move?

(b) Are there two similar pieces that can be cap­tured by one piece?

46

(c) Are there two pieces that could possibly be con­fused with each ofther?

If the answer to any of those questions is yes you will have to notate the move with care to avoid am­biguity.

The Algebraic System.Now that you know how descriptive notation works you can take a look at a system that’s a lot more ef­ficient and many times simpler. This is the algebraic system, and you are likely to encounter it only in records of international chess tournaments—maybe. It is as understandable to a Russian or a Greek as it is to an American or an Englishman. And, like many really good things, it is having a hard time becoming accepted. For this reason—and this reason only—this book uses descriptive notation. We could become cru­saders for the algebraic system, but where would that leave you? Almost any chess book or periodical you pick up will be written in descriptive notation.

Under algebraic notation the ranks of a chessboard are numbered from 1 to 8, as they are in descriptive notation, but the files are designated by letters, a to h. The board looks like this:

abcdefgh47

Thus any square is designated by a combination letter-number. White’s QN5, for example, is b5. Black’s QN4 is b5, too. A move is recorded simply as a start­ing square and a finishing square—the square from which the piece moves and die square on which it lands. Thus, in the following diagram, the White move N/QN3—Q4 is written as b3—d4. No further clarifica­tion is needed.

The opening move P—K4 is written simply d4 (no ambiguity here—there is only one piece on the board that can move to K4 at the start of a game). Even captures are designated in this simple way.

If you think algebraic notation is the answer to the chessplayer’s prayers you are free to use it. You are also free to try to convince other chess players, book and magazine publishers and authors to try to use it And good luck to you.

48

IDEAS ABOUT THE END GAME

1. King and Pawn v King

(a) A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE

The smallest material advantage you can have is one Pawn more than your opponent. If this is reduced in the end game to a contest of King and Pawn v King, the chances of winning depend on whether the Pawn can be promoted.

In diagram 60 the winning method is made quite clear:

i

6

5

4

3

2

s

abcdefgh(i) White to play

(ii) Black to play

(i) With White to move, the player with the Pawn wins by

1 d7-d8 = Q or R#

(ii) With Black to move, the win is also quite simple to bring about.

1 ... Kb8-a8

2 d7-d8 = Q or R#

In diagram 61 the problem of promoting the Pawn requires a little more thought. ..Firstly the white King must gain control of the queening square c8.

49

61

(i) White to play(ii) Black to play

1 ... Kc8-d8; 2 Kc6-b7!

(i) With White to move the following method wins:

1 Kc6-d6 Kc8-d82 c5-c6 Kd8-c83 c6-c7 Kc8-b74 Kd6-d7 K moves5 c7-c8 = Q

and wins

(ii) With Black to move the method is even more simple:

The white King now controlsall the squares on the Pawn’s route to the queening square, i.e. c6, c7 and c8. 2 ... Kd8-d7; 3 c5-c6+, Kd7-d8; 4 c6-c7+, Kd8-d7; 5 c7-c8 = Q+ and wins.

Similarly after 1__Kc8-b8; 2 Kc6-d7, Kb8-b7; 3c5-c6+,Kb7-b8; 4 c6-c7+, Kb8-b7; 5 c7-c8 = Q 4- and wins.

(b) THE SPECIAL CASE OF THE ROOK’S PAWN

An interesting fact is that a Rook’s Pawn cannot be promoted if the defending King occupies the%ieening square. A Rook’s

Pawn is one on either file a or h.

62 Thus in diagram 62 after:1 ... Ka8-b82 Ka6-b6 Kb8-a83 a5-a6 Ka8-b84 a6-a7 Kb8-a85 Kb6-a6 Stalemate! Draw.

or5 Kb6-a5, Kb8xa7

b5 or c6 and drawsA similar result arises if

White plays first.

50

In the position in diagram 63 the draw is arrived at by pre­venting the white King from clearing file a for the Pawn’s path.

Thus after:

1 Ka8-a7 Kc8-c72 Ka7-a8 Kc7-c8,

etc.or

1 a6-a7 Kc8-c7!Stalemate.

Similar results are brought about with Black to move first.

(c) LEARNING TO COUNT

The position in diagram 64 illustrates a frequent end game situation, where the problem of promoting the Pawn is a matter of counting the number of moves to the queening square. In such a situation there are a number of reliable ways of deciding if a Pawn may queen safely, and the following method is recommended.

The Pawn may reach the queening square a8 in three moves: a6, a7 and a8. The black King would take four moves, e.g. one possible route would be: d6, c7, b7 and a8

(i) Thus after White plays:

1 a5-a6 Ke5-d62 a6-a7 Kd6-c73 a7-a8 = Q

The black King would still be on c7.

51

64

(i) White to play(ii) Black to play

From such a series of moves, and with no other pieces con­cerned, the following counting method can be suggested:

With a Pawn to move, it queens safely if it succeeds in reaching the queening square in fewer moves than the opposing King.

(ii) Now consider the same position in diagram 64, but with Black to move. After 1 ... Ke5-d6 it would be the Pawn’s turn to move, and now the rule applies as before. The Pawn still needs only three moves to reach the queening square, but the black King only three moves as well.

Since the Pawn is not able to queen in fewer moves it is lost.

1 ... Ke5-d6 * 3 a6-a7 Kc7-b7

2 a5-a6 Kd6-c7 4 a7-a8=Q+ Kb7xa8

2. King and Two Pawns v King

(a) WIDELY SEPARATED PAWNS

In diagram 65 a position is shown in which White wins because the black King cannot divide its attention successfully between the two white Pawns. Black would draw if there was no white Pawn on e4. Check this with the counting method.

However, in the position shown White wins by:

1 a4-a5 Kd4xe4

and the white Pawn requires a further three moves to queen, while the black King needs four moves to reach a8. The counting method confirms that the Pawn queens safely.

52

65

abcdefghWhite to play

Alternatively, Black may try a different defence.

1 a4-a5 Kd4-c5 .2 a5-a6 Kc5-b63 e4-e5! Kb6xa6

In which case the Pawn on e5 queens without being cap­tured. By-the counting method the Pawn has three moves from e5 to e8, whilst the black King on square a6 requires four moves, and thus fails to stop the Pawn.

Note that after 1 a4-a5, Kd4-c5; 2 a5-a6, Kc5-b6 White would make a mistake to play 3 a6~a7 ? for after 3 ... Kb6 X a7 the remaining Pawn is now only on square e4, and requires four moves to queen. The opposing King captures it in the same number of moves.

The key move then was 3 e4-e5 which stretched the black King’s attention beyond the limit.

What is White’s winning method in position in diagram 66 ?

If66

White to play

1 a4-a5 e6xf5+2 Ke4xf5 Kd7-c73 a5-a6 Kc7-b6And Black draws.

Similarly Black draws if :

1 Ke4-e5 e6xf52 a4-a5 Kd7-<7,

etc.Also if

1 f5xe6+ Kd7xe62 a4-a5 or

Ke4~d4

53

And Black has time to move his King across to a8, reaching a drawn position similar to diagram 62.

White’s winning method is to rely on a similar situation to that shown in the previous example—diagram 65, and to play:

1 f5-f6!

Black is now unable to attend to both queening threats from the white Pawns on a4 and f6.

If the black King is moved across to capture the Pawn on. file f, he goes out of range of the Pawn on a4. Similarly if he attends to the Pawn on a4 first, the other Pawn queens safely.

Widely separated Pawns can stretch the defending King's efforts beyond the limit.

(b) SELF-SUPPORTING PAWNS

In the position in diagram 67 the two white Pawns appear to be at the mercy of the black King. Yet if the Pawns stand firm, and wait for the white King to move across, at least one of the Pawns will queen.

For if

1 ... Ke6xe5?

This allows White’s other Pawn to escape to the queen­ing square.

2 d6-d7 Ke5-e63 d7-d8 = Q

Black may instead just re­main on guard moving back­wards and forwards on d7 and e6. In this case White will bring his King across in order to shepherd the Pawns to the 8th rank.

54

68

abcdef ghWhite to play

For example, in diagram 68 the white King has reached the Pawns.

1 Kf4-g5 Ke6-d72 Kg5-f6

And now the black King has no adequate defence. One possible winning variation for White would be:

2 ... Kd7-e83 e5-e6 Ke8-d84 Kf6-f7 Kd8-c85 e6-e7And queens next move.

When two Pawns are on neighbouring files, one supporting the other, the supporting Pawn cannot be captured safely by the enemy King.

3. King and Two Pawns v King and Pawn

(a) WITH ONE OF THE TWO PAWNS A ‘PASSED’ PAWN

You will remember that a passed Pawn is one which on route to its queening square is not blocked by an enemy Pawn on its file, nor has to cross a square attackedl>y an enemy Pawn on an adjoining file.

In diagram 69 is a similar position to that shown in diagram 68, but with Black having a Pawn blocking White’s supporting Pawn. As illustrated in the previous example, White’s strength lies in this supporting Pawn on d4. Black’s difficulty is that he can only defend his Pawn with his King from two squares— c6 and e6—and White is aj>le to prevent him from using these defensive squares.

(i) With White to move, Black has no time to occupy e6, and can only defend his Pawn from c6. White’s task is quite straightforward.

55

(i) White to play(ii) Black to play

1 Ke3-f4 Kc6-d72 Kf4-e5

Attacking Black’s Pawn.

2 ... Kd7-c63 Ke5-e6

Still attacking the Pawn, and now Black’s King has to move away from its defence.

After

3 ... Kc6-c7or b7

4 Ke6xd5

And White should have no difficulty in promoting one of his Pawns.

(ii) In diagram 69 with Black to move, the winning method is a little longer, as in this case Black has time to occupy square e6 with his King. For the time being this denies White entry on to this square.

(b) WITH NEITHER PAWN PASSED

1 ... Kc6-d72 Ke3-f4 Kd7-e6

But White can force Black’sKing away.

3 Kf4-g5! Ke6-e74 Kg5-f5 Ke7-d7

5 Kf5-e5 Kd7-c6

The same position as that reached in (i) above.

6 Ke5-e6

And White wins as before.

In the position in diagram 70, White’s extra Pawn is not a passed Pawn. White has to play most carefully to avoid a draw.

56

Here are three of these drawing possibilities:

70

abcdefghWhite to play

(i) If1 f5-f62 f6xg73 Ke6-f5

Kf8-g8Kg8xg7

To defend the remaining Pawn. But Black has theopposition, and with White’s King not in front of his Pawn a draw results.

3 ...4 Kf5-f65 g6-g7 +

Kg7-g8Kg8-f8Kf8-g8

And next move White must give stalemate by 6 Kf6-g6, or give up his Pawn.

(ii) If

1 f5-f6 Kf8-g8

And then

2 Ke6-e7 g7xf63 Ke7xf6 Kg8-f8

Reaching the same position as that after Black’s 4th move in variation (i) above. Thus Black manages to draw.

(iii) If

1 f5-f6 Kf8-g8

And then

2 f6-f7+ Kg8-f83 Ke6-d6 or

d7

gives stalemate, and White’s only other choice is to move back to rank 5 on to square d5, e5 or f5. This allows Black to move out with ... Kf8-e7, and draw by moving back and forth from e7 to f8.

Black must not reply to 1 f5-f6 with 1 ... g7xg6; for 2 Ke6xf6, Kf8-g8; 3 g6-g7, Kg8-h7; 4 Kf6-f7 and wins.

White’s winning method requires three steps, to be achieved, in the following order:

Step 1 Move the white King to a square ready to occupy square f7.

57

Step 2 Dislodge Black’s blocking Pawn with the move f5-f6.

Step 3 Occupy square f7 with the white King.

White is then in a position to escort his remaining Pawn home to its queening square, with mate to follow.

Here are the moves—starting from diagram 70:

1 Ke6-d7 Kf8-g82 Kd7-e7 Kg8-h8

Step 1 achieved. Not too hasty here though, for 3 Ke7- f7 stalemates the black King.

3 f5-f6 g7xf6

4 Ke7-f7

Step 3 completes the win­ning method. Although the alternative 4 Ke7xf6 also wins, the variation that follows is quicker, and therefore more efficient.

Step 2 achieved. For if instead 3 ... Kh8-g8; 4 f6-f7+, Kg8-h8; 5 f7-f8 = Q#!

4. Rook and Pawn v Rook

4 ... f6-f55 g6-g7+ Kh8-h76 g7-g8 = Q+ Kh7-h67 Qg8-g6#

(a) WITH SUPPORTING ROOK BEHIND THE PAWN

Diagram 71 illustrates the best situation for shepherding a passed Pawn—with a supporting Rook behind it. The Pawn may safely advance to its queening square.

71

abcdefgh White to play

1 h7-h8 = Q Ra8xh82 Rhlxh8

And an easy win for White;King and Rook v King.

58

The position illustrated in diagram 72 is slightly more difficult, showing a black Rook blocking the way of the Pawn. By attacking the black Rook with the white,King, and driving it away, the Pawn will queen.

72

abcdefghWhite to play

(b) WITH SUPPORTING ROOK

1 Kf6-g7 Rh8-a82 b7-h8 = Q

And a simple win follows.

IN FRONT OF THE PAWN

Diagram 73 illustrates another situation, but with the sup­porting Rook in front of the Pawn. To move the white Rook away would allow Black to capture the Pawn with his Rook.

But White has a neat idea!

73

abcdefghWhite to play

For after:

1 Rh8-a8! Rh2xh72 Ra8-a7+ Kc7-b63 Ra7xh7

And wins!

Note that this winning method would not be possible if the black King was on b7, i.e. in contact with square a8.

59

The method relied on the following facts—the black King was not in contact with square a8, it was separated from L white Pawn and occupied a square on the same rank as the white Pawn.

But in diagram 74 the move 1 Rh8-a8 does not work, for after 1 ... Rh2 x h7 there is no check of the black King, compelling it to move and exposing the black Rook to capture.

Yet there is another winning method for White.

74

abcdefghWhite to play

1 Rh8-c8+!

The check delays Black just that one move necessary to prevent him from capturing the Pawn with his Rook. Thus after:

1 ... Kc6-d72 h7-h8 = Q

And after 2 ... Rh2 x h8; 3 Rc8xh8, White wins easily.

There are very many different situations with Rooks and Pawns in the end game, requiring a special plan to deal with each one of them. As your experience grows you will be able to examine and understand more difficult positions.

5. Bishop and Pawn v Bishop(a) WITH THE DEFENDING KING IN FRONT OF THE

PAWN

Diagram 75 illustrates the ideal situation for the defending side to bring about a draw. The defending black King is occupy­ing a square of opposite colour to that used by the opposing Bishop, and also this King stands in front of the Pawn.

Thus the white Bishop, operating solely on white squares, is unable to give check to the defending King; All that Black needs to do is move his Bishop to a safe square each move, leaving his King on d8, from which it cannot be shifted.

60

75

For example:1 Bg4-f5 Ba4-b32 Kc5-b6 Bb3-c4

or d5And so on! Black draws.

(b) WITH THE DEFENDING KING UNABLE TO OCCUPY A

SQUARE IN FRONT OF THE PAWN

In diagram 76 it is clear the black King has no chance of occupying square d8 in front of the white Pawn. However, playing 1 d6-d7 does not win for White, because Black can always give up his Bishop for the Pawn and draw. King and Bishop is not a sufficient force with which to mate a lone King. Thus Black could reply 1 ... Ba4 x d7 and draw.

Therefore White’s aim must be to prevent the black Bishop from attacking square d7.

Thus the move:

1 Bg4-d7

immediately compels Black to move his Bishop away, for 1 ... Ba4xd7; 2 Kc7xd7 loses for Black.

1 ... Ba4~dl

Now WTiite blocks his own Pawn’s advance, and Black has placed his Bishop so that

61

he retains the choice of two diagonals, both of which give control of square d7—either diagonal a4/e8 or h3/c8.

2 Bd7-c6Compelling Black to cover

d7by2 ... Bdl-g43 Bc6-b7!Now Black must still retain

his Bishop on diagonal h3/c8, because of the constant threat

of White’s Pawn advance d6- d7. For example:

3 ... Bg4-h34 Bb7-c8!

The white Bishop has found a safe square, other than in front of its own Pawn, in order to drive the defending black Bishop away.

Now Black cannot prevent d6-d7, and so White wins.

In diagram 77 the difference here is that the white Bishop can occupy square f3, and from there immediately contest control of square d7 from c6 instead of c8, as in the previous example.

Thus play continues:

1 Bg4-f3 Ba4-b5or e8

(or Black could make any King move.)

2 Bf3-c6

And wins.

These are fairly simple ideas about Bishop endings. You will meet many different kinds as you go on playing.

6. Knight and Pawn v Knight

As in the examples of Bishop and Pawn v Bishop the defending side can always take any opportunity of giving up the minor piece for the Pawn.

62

Look at diagram 78. As King and Knight v King is not a mating force, then clearly 1 d7-d8 = Q is met by 1 ... Nf7 x d8 and a draw results.

The black Knight controls the queening square from f7, and also has e6 as an alternative.

78

White to play

For now White prevents the or f7.

Thus after:

1 Nc6-e5!

Not 1 ... Nf7xe5?; 2 d7-d8 = Q and wins.

1 ... Nf7-g5

And now if 2 d7-d8 = Q, Ng5-e6+, forking King and Queen, achieving a draw.

But White wins by

2 Kc7-d6!

black Knight from using e6

2 ... Ng5-e4+3 Kd6-c6 or

e7

and wins, for whatever Black does, the Pawn queens safely.

7. Queen v Pawn

In diagram 79 the white Queen is assisted by its King in attempting to capture the black Pawn, which has only the lone black King to protect it.

63

79 1 Kb6-c5Threatening Qd7 x d4+.1 ... d4~d32 Kc5-c4A similar threat, but now

the Pawn cannot advance with­out losing contact with the protecting black King.

2 ... Ke4-e33 Qd7xd3+And wins.

With the Pawn one move from its queening square and its King supporting it, there are possibilities of a draw. This is possible if the Pawn is on file a, c, f or h. But on all other files the side with the Queen should win.

The method for winning is to drive the supporting King on to the queening square, thus allowing time to move the attacking King towards the area, to assist the Queen.

Diagram 80 illustrates the method.

80

abcdefg'hWhite to play

1 Qd4-e4+ Ke2-f22 Qe4-d3

Threatening to capture the Pawn.

2 ... Kf2-el3 Qd3-e3+!

Forcing the black King in front of his Pawn, for if 3 ... Kel-fl ; 4Qe3xd2.

3 ... Kel-dl

4 Kb5-c4, Kd 1 -c2. Black again prepares to queen the Pawn;5 Qe3-c3+, Kc2-dl or else the Pawn is lost; 6 Kc4-d3, Kdl-el; 7 Qc3xd2+ and wins.

64

8. The Values of the ChessmenNow that you have seen all the chessmen in action in end

game battles, you are probably beginning to have some idea of the different strengths of the various pieces. Quite often in the book you will come across moves where pieces are exchanged— that is, White captures a piece, and Black replies by capturing one of White’s pieces.

Usually a player will not wish to give up a piece in exchange for one that is not so valuable. Sometimes, however, he may do so, and if he does this is known as a sacrifice; A sacrifice should only be made if you'expect to get something of equal or more value in return. For example, you might quite happily sacrifice your Queen, if you knew that this forced a position in which you could checkmate your opponent a move or so afterwards.

To give you an idea of the value of the chessmen in most ordinary circumstances, here is a table of their worth:

Queen 9, Rook 5, Bishop 3, Knight 3, Pawn 1

The King is not listed because he is never exchanged off the board. Queens and Rooks are known as major pieces, Knights and Bishops as minor pieces. Remember that these values are only a guide, and that the value of your pieces depends upon their changing usefulness during the game. In play, a piece of great value when strongly placed is of little or no value when poorly placed. Moreover, your entire force is completely without value if your opponent is able to force checkmate next move!

9. Further End Game SituationsHere are some other kinds of end game positions that are

frequently met. Notice how in several of them the existence of a supported passed Pawn is vitally important. Also these

65

positions show that great care is necessary in counting or work­ing out the number of moves required to succeed in a plan.

Where examples are taken from actual games played, we give the place and date together with the players’ names.

Bognor Regis 1964

D. V. Mardlf.

abcdefghD. Parr

Black to play

abcdefghWhite to play

1 ... Rf3-f4Resigns

Because if the white Rook moves away, then 2 ... Rf4 x c4+ and the white Pawn on h4 is also lost.

Also if 2 Rg4xf4, e5xf4 and then the Pawn on h4 falls. The white King becomes tied down to preventing the passed Pawn on file f from queening. White is compelled to make weakening moves with his Pawns, some of which will be captured.

Practise this position with an opponent to see what happens.

Possible continuation in position following resignation in Tai v Botwinnik, Moscow 1961 (8th game of World Championship match).

1 Rc2-c8+' . Rd8xc82 Ral-a8+! Kb8xa83 d7 x c8 Ka8-a7

= Q+

And to add insult to injury!

4 Qc8-c5 +

Forking King and Rook, and so the black Rook falls.

66

Leningrad 1963 Moscow 1963

I. Zacharov L. Szabo

abcdefgh E. Geller ,

White to play

abcdefghP. Ke res

White to play

1 Nc4-e5! Resigns .

The power of a passed Pawn supported by a Rook behind it, is well shown here.

With this Knight move, White threatened 2 Ne5-d7, and to win material.

For example, the game may have continued:

1 ... Bd8^72 Ne5-d7 Rb8-d83b7-b8 = Q Bc7xb84 Rb3xb8 Rd8x b85 Nd7xb8

A clear 'kon ending forWhite, with the extra piece.

1 Qa5-c3+ Qh7-g72 Re6xg6! Resigns

For Black cannot prevent both Queens and Rooks being exchanged, and would then face no less than five Pawns with only a Bishop—a certain loss for Black.

The game may have con­tinued:

2 ... Qg7xc33 Rg6xg8-F Kh8xg84 b2xc3

And White wins.

67

J. M. Aitken

Enschede 1963

J. Penrose White to play

1 Ra4-a6+ Ke6-e72 Ra6-c6 ResignsFor White must win the

black Pawn on c5, and White’s Pawn majority is enough to win.

Moscow 1964

D. Bronstein

abcdefghA. Suetin

Black to play

1 ... Nc2-e3!Threatening ... g3-g2, and

also preventing the white King advancing via c4.

2 Kc3-d3 g3~g23 Be4xg2 Ne3 x g24 Kd3-e4 Kc7-d6

Black defends e5.

5 a3-a4 Ng2-f4

The Knight attacks h5.

6 a4-a5 b6xa57 b4xa5 Nf4xh58 a5-a6 Nh5-f6+9 Ke4-f5 Nf6-d5

10 a6-a7 Nd5-b6Resigns

One of Black’s Pawns would eventually queen. This ending illustrates further the power of the passed Pawn. White had to give up his Bishop, and Black’s win was then just a matter of careful counting of moves.

Ilford 1963

R. Persitz

a bcdefgh R. A. Fuller Black to play

1 ... Bc6-g2

68

Driving away one of White’s pieces defending g5.

Resigns

White’s position was hope­less. The game might have continued:

2 Nh3-f2 Bg3-h43 Nf2-d3

There is no better move.

3 ... Bh4xg54 Bd8xg5 Kf5xg5

And Black would win easily with the two Pawns.

Enschede 1963

L. Popov

abcdefgh J. Penrose

White to play

By a series of checks, Black’s King has been forced out into an exposed position in the centre of the board.

1 Ral-cl+ Kc4-b3

If 1 ... Kc4-d3; 2 Rcl- c3+, Kd3-d2; 3 Qe5-e3+, Kd2-dl; 4Rc3-cl#.

2 Qe5-c3+ Kb3-a23 b2-b4 Resigns

Black is faced with the mate threat 4 Rcl-al!

A. W. Bowen

Paignton 1963

P. N. Wallis White to play

Two black Pawns one move from queening, but White has trapped the black King in a mating net.

1 Rdl-d5+ Ke5-f42 Rd5-f5+ Kf4-g43 Kgl-h2! Resigns

For if 3 ... b2-bl = Q;4 f2-f3+, Kg4xh4; and White follows up with Rf5- h5#.

Or if 3 ... Kg4xh4; 4 f2-f3, followed by Rf5-h5#.

69

Bath 1963

M. J. Franklin

abcdefghO. M. HindleWhite to play

Saving an almost lost game by perpetual check!

1 Ne4xf6+ Kg8-f8Not 1 .... Kg8-h8; 2

R.d7-h7#.2 Re7-d7Drawn—for Black has either

the choice of useless checks with his Rook, or allowing the perpetual check.

For example:2 ... Rb2xb33 Nf6-h7+ Kf8-e8

or g84 Nh7-f6+ Ke8 or

g8-f8and so on.

Quiz on the End Game

We invite you to try to finish off each game, by searching for the best methods, and suggesting the first few moves.

Our advice is to set up each position on a chessboard, and try out your ideas before looking up t*' solutions, which are to be found on pages 193 and 194.

Carlsbad 1907

S. Tartakover

Quiz 1

The fact that White has an outside passed Pawn on file h, as opposed to Black’s central passed Pawn, decides this game.

If you were White, what would be your next move, and what general plan would you have in mind with which to follow it up ?

70

Quiz 2

Folkestone 1933

E. Andersen

abcdefghA. A. Alekhine

White to play

Hastings 1963

M. Tal

Quiz 3

abcdefghO. M. Hindle Black to play

Careful counting is needed to solve this one.

What would you play if you were White, and can you suggest a winning method?

Black has a passed Pawnon e3.

How can you use this fact to gain material, and thus an easy win?

Quiz 4

abcdefghWhite to play

This position comes from a possible series of moves arising after the finish of a game Tal v Botwinnik (the 2nd game of the World Champion­ship match, Moscow 1961).

The white Pawn on a7 decides the situation.

Can you force Black to give up material in face of the queening threat ?

71'

Quiz 5 Havana 1963

V. Korchnoi

Quiz 6 Leipzig 1960

W. Lombardy

L. Pachman White to play

abcdefgh M. Filip

White to play

An exposed black King provides possibilities of neat combinations for White.

Black resigned after White’s next move.

Can you find this move, and the reason for the resignation ?

The black King is ex­posed, with White controlling nearby ranks and files. All the signs are that there is a possibility of a mating net.

Can you find combinations that end in the black King being mated ?

Quiz 7Hastings 1964

M. Bely

abc defgh N. Littlewood White to play

White can break open Black’s defence by a neat offered sacrifice.

Can you find it ?

72

Quiz 8

White to play

Quiz 9

abcdefghBlack to play

If Black can givfe up his Knight for the white Pawn, he must draw.

How does White prevent this, and force his Pawn home to queen ?

White’s Pawn has one square to go to queen. But does this matter to Black?

Can you find a method of mating the white King?

[Solutions to this quiz are on pages 193 -194.]

White is hopelessly down on material. But can he save the game, and by what means ?

73

TACTICAL DEVICES

In battle a larger army usually defeats a smaller one, unless the smaller force enjoys some special advantage. One good winning plan, therefore, is to try to reduce the size of your opponent’s force by capturing his pieces, without giving up so many of your own. This is what we call winning material.

For example, a common way of forcing a capture is by the use of double attack or fork. In double attack two or more pieces are attacked at the same time. If one of the two attacked pieces is made safe, the other may be captured.

The following are the tactical devices most frequently used to win material.

Basic Patterns

Knight Fork

Two or more pieces are attacked at the same time.

A piece is attacked on a line from which it cannot move without exposing another piece to attack, behind it.

74

abcdefgh Skewer

abcdefghDiscovered Check

An attack along a line where the piece nearer the attacker is compelled to move.

An attack on the King is uncovered.

abcdefghDiscovered Attack

abcdefghDouble Check

One piece, in moving, un­masks the attack of another.

One piece unmasks another, both giving check.

75

The following four half diagrams show different kinds of double attack.

Queen Fork

abc defghRook Fork

Bishop Fork

abcdefgh

Pawn Fork

The following positions from games show a number of these winning methods in action. Each particular tactical device is explained in greater detail.

1. Tactical Positions

Knight fork: an attack on two or more pieces at the same time.

abcdefghBlack to play

1 ... Qe6xd5 +2 Qd2xd5

Black has given up hir Queen for White’s Rook- why?

76

abcdefgh

2 ... Nf5-e3+

Black’s Knight forks White’s King and Queen. See diagram 126.

3 K any square Ne3xd5

Black has ended up a whole Rook ahead.

Pin: an attack along a line on a piece which cannot move without exposing another piece to attack.

a second time. See diagram 128.

2 ...

This pins Black’s Knight against its King.

1 ... Kh8-g7

Protecting the Knight.

K any square

3 g5xf6White wins the Knight.

77

Skewer: an attack upon two pieces on the same line where the piece nearest the attacker is compelled to move, leaving the other to be taken.

abcdefghWhite to play

1 Bdl-c2+ Kf5-e5

The black King has been forced on to the same diagonal as the black Queen. If it had moved to f6 the effect would have been the same.

Now comes the skewer.

2 Bd2-c3+

See diagram 130.After the black King moves

out of check, there follows:

3 Bc3xh8

Discovered attack: an attack made by uncovering the attack­ing action of a Queen, Rook or Bishop. •

abcdefghWhite to play

1 h4-h5+

This is not a check just for the sake of checking. The idea is to drive the black King to either h6 or g7, in either case being exposed to attack by another piece.

1 ... Kg6^7

78

abcdefgh

2 Nd4-f5+

In checking the black King, White has uncovered an attack against the black Queen.

See diagram 132.After the King moves out of

check, there follows:

3 Rdlxd8

Discovered check: an attack made by uncovering the check­ing action of a Queen, Rook or Bishop.

abcdefghWhite to play

abcdefgh-

The Bishop on f4 can move, discovering check, but all Black’s pieces are on white squares. The Bishop operates on black squares. One enemy piece can be forced on to a black square.

1 a3-a4 Nb5-a7

2 Bf4-b8 +

Discovering check on the black King by the Rook on f2. See diagram 134. 2 Bf4-e3-|- would also do equally well.

2 ... K anysquare

3 Bb8xa7

The Knight moves to the only safe square.

79

Double check: a form of discovered check, in which the uncovering piece gives check as well as the piece which is unmasked.

Black to playabcdefgh

In double check the attacked King must move—you cannot capture two checking pieces in one move, nor block checks coming from two different directions at once.

1 ... f5-f4+

2 ... Ng4-f2#

Double checkmate!The Bishop on d7 and the

Knight on f2 work together. Since the white King cannot move from this double check, it is mate.

See diagram 136.2 Kg3-h3

The white King has now been forced on to the diagonal commanded by the black Bishop on d7.

2. Winning Attacks in the Middle Game

We are now ready to look at some actual games in which victory was achieved by the use of tactical or checkmate threats.

80

CHECKMATE IN

ONE MOVE

SIMPLE CASES

Answers

8 B ■ IM 8 ■ ■ ■ B7 ■ ■ B±B± 7 BSB B ■6 65 1 H M M 5 H B ■ ■4 43 ■ ■ ■ >4 3 B ■ ■ B2 ■ ■ B 2 B ■ ■ ■1 m ■ 8 ■ 1

abcdefgh abcdefgh

i 2

8 1 ■ ■ B 8 ■ ■ Be®7 B ■ ■ Bi 7 ■ ■ B1B16 ■ ■ O ■ 6 ■ ■ ■ ■5 5 ■ ■ ■ ■4 ■ ■ ■ ■ 4 ■ B ■ ■3 M ■ ■ ■ 3 ■ O ■ ■2 ■ ■ ■ ■ 2 -■ ■ ■ ■1 ■ ■ ■ 3 1 ■ ■ ■ »

abcdefgh abcdefgh

3 4

1: Re8mate

2: Ra8 mate

3: Rg8mate

4:Qxg7mate

SIMPLE CASES

abcde fgh abcdefgh

abcdefgh

5

Answers5: Nf7 mate

6: Bg7 mate

7: b7 mate

8: Rxb8 mate

83

SIMPLE CASES

abcdefgh abcdefgh

o 10

8 7 6 54 3 2 1

11 12

Answers

9: Rd4 mate

10: Nh6 mate

11: h7 mate

12: Be5 mate 84

SIMPLE CASES

abcdefgh

13

abcdefgh

14

abcdefgh

1516

Answers

13: Qf7 mate

14: Qc8mate

15: Qcbmate

16: Qh7 mate

85

SIMPLE CASES

a be de f g h

20

Answers

17: Nf7mate

18: Qf7 mate or Qe8 mate

19: Rai mate

20: Rf7 mate86

SIMPLE CASES

abcdefgh abcdefgh

21 22

Answers21: Qe7 mate

22: Ra8 mate

23: Nb7 or Nc6 mate .

24: g5 mate

87

PAWN PROMOTION

27 28

Answers

25: c8Qmate

26: c8N mate

27: d8Qord8Rmate

28: g8Q or g8Rmate88

PAWN PROMOTION

abcdefgh

29

abcdefgh

30

abcdefgh

Answers

29: d8Q or d8Bmate

30: c8N mate (if cxb8Q+ Black piays Kxb8)

31: b8Qmate

32: dxe8Qmate89

PIN

abcdefgh abcdefgh

33

35 36

Answers33: Ng6mate

34: d6mate

35: Qxh7mate

36: RxeSmate90

PIN

abcdefgh abcdefgh

3837

abcdefgh

39

abcdefgh

40

Answers

37: Rxd6 mate

38: Nb6 or Nc7 mate

39: Rd8 mate

40: Nxf7mate91

PIN

abcdefgh

41

abcdefgh

42

abcdefgh abcde fgh

43 44

Answers41: Rh5 mate

42: Rd4mate

43: Qa6mate

44: Re8mate

PIN

87654321

abcdefgh

46

8 7 6 54 3 2 1

45

abcdefgh

47 48

Answers45: Rxa6mate

46: Rd8 mate

47: Ng6 mate or Rxf7 mate

48: Ne6mate93

MISCELLANEOUS

a be d e f g h

49

abede fgh

50

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh

51

abcdefgh

52

Answers

49: Qe5 mate

50: Rxh7mate

51: Re6mate

52: Bh7mate94

MISCELLANEOUS

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefghS3

abodefgh

55

54

abcdefgh

56

Answers53: Rh6mate

54: Bf7 mate

55: QxdS mate

56; Bxf6mate95

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

8 7 6 54 3 2 1

5857

59 60

Answers

57: Qh5 mate

58: Nf7 mate

59: Re8 mate

60: Ne7mate96

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

61

abcdefgh

63

Answers61: Rh3 mate

62: g3 mate

63: Bh6 mate

64: Ba6 mate

97

MISCELLANEOUS

abcde f g h abcdefgh

6665

abcdefghabcdefgh

67 68

Answers

65: Nf4mate

66: Qf7 mate

67: Qh3 mate

68: Ng3 mate98

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

7069

abcdefgh abcdefgh

71 72

Answers69: Qg5 mate

70: Ng3 mate

71: g4mate

72: Qg4mate99

MISCELLANEOUS

abcde fgh

73

abcdefgh

abcdefgh

75

Answers

73: Qxh6 mate

74: Bf6mate

75: Ra3 mate

76: Qg6mate

100

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

7877

abcdefgh

79

abcdefgh

80

77: Qxh7mateAnswers

78: Ng6 mate

79: Bg6 mate

80: Re8mate101

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

8281

83 84

Answers81: Ng7 mate

82: Bb5 mate

83: Bg7 mate

84: Rg3 mate102

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

85

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh

86

abcdefgh

87

85: Rh3 mate Answers

86: Rgl mate or Rg3 mate

87: Qg7 mate

88: Nxg6mate103

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

9089

abcde fgh abcdefgh

91 92

Answers89: Rxf7 mate

90: Rxh8mate

91: Nb3 mate

92: Re8 mate104

MISCELLANEOUS

876543 21

abcde fgh

8 7 6 5 43 2 1

abcdefgh

87654321

93

abcdefgh

95

87654321

94

abcdefgh

96

Answers

93: Re8 mate

94: Bxg4mate

95: Bxg7mate

96: Bxg6 mate105

DISCOVERED AND DOUBLE CHECK

abcdefgh abcde fgh

9897

abcde fgh

99

abcdefgh

100

.Answers97: Ng5 mate

98: Rd8 mate

99: £7 mate

100: Bxf6mate106

DISCOVERED AND DOUBLE CHECK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

101

abcdefgh

103

102

Answers101: Bf8 mate

102: Rf8 or Rg6 mate

103: Nxg3 mate

104: Ne6 mate107

DISCOVERED AND DOUBLE CHECK

abcdefgh

IOS

107

abcdefgh

108

105: Be5 mate

106: Ng6mate

107: g8Nmate

Answers

108: -Ba5 mate108

DISCOVERED AND DOUBLE CHECK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

109

abcdefgh

no

112in

Answers109: Bg5 mate

110: dxe7 mate

111: RfBmate

112: Rh6mate109

DISCOVERED AND DOUBLE CHECK

113 IK

abcdefgh

115

abcdefgh

116

Answers

113: g8Qorg8Rmate

114: Bd7mate

115: hxg8Q or hxg8R mate

116: Bf6mate110

CHECKMATE IN

TWO MOVES

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

117

abcdefgh

118

abcdefgh abcde fgh

119 120

Answers117: 1 Re8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

118: 1 Qe8+ Bxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

119: 1 Rf8+ Rxf8 2 Qxf8 mate

120: 1 Rxe8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate112

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

121

abcdefgh

122

abcdefgh abcdefgh

123 124

Answers

121: 1 Qxf8+ Rxf8 2 Rxf8 mate or I Rxf8+ Rxf8 2 Qxf8 mate

122: 1 Qe8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate not 1 Rxd8+? Qxd8!

.123: 1 Qg8+ Rxg8 2 hxg8Q or hxg8Rmate (double check!)

J24: 1 Qxe8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

BACK ROW

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh

8 7 65 4 32

125

abcdefgh

127

Answers

125: 1 Bxd4+ Rxd4 2 Rf8 mate

126: 1 Re8+ Bf8 2 either RxfB mate

127: 1 Ra8+ Bxa8 2 Qc8 mate

128: 1 Rd8+ Bf8 2 Rxf8 mate114

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

129

abcdefgh

130

8 7 6 5 4 3 21

abcdefgh abcdefgh

131 132

Answers

129: 1 Rb7+ followed by Ra8 mate

130: 1 Rxe8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

131: 1 Rg3+ followed by Rc8 mate

132: 1 Be4+ followed by Rd8 mate

115

BACK ROW

abcde fgh

133

abcde fgh

134

abcde fgh

135

Answers

133: 1 f6+ followed by Rd8 mate

134: 1 e6+ followed by h8Q or h8R mate

135: 1 Bd5+Kf8 2 Rc8 mate

136: 1 Ng5+ Kg8 2 Rc8 mate116

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

137

abcdefgh

138

abcdefgh

139

a'bcdefgh

140

Answers

137: 1 Nxd6+ or Nf6+ (double checks!) followed by Re8 mate

138: 1 Rc8+ Rxc8 2 Qxc8 mate

139; 1 Bh5+ Kf8 or Kg8 2 Re8 mate

140: 1 Qxf8+ Kxf8 2 Rb8 mate (2 Rd8+?? Rxd8) or 1 Rg7+ Kh8 2 Qx f8 mate. 1 Qc4+? RdS!

117

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcde fgh

141 142

143

Answers

141: 1 Bd5+ Kh8 2 RfB mate

142: 1 Bf6+Kg8 2 Rh8 mate

143: 1 Bd5+ Kh8 or Kh7 2 Rhl matei

144: 1 Rh8+! Kxh8 2 Rf8 mate. It is easy to stalemate Black in this position. 1 Rhgl! or Kh2 or Kh3 all force the same mate.

118

BACK ROW

abcde f g h abcdefgh

145 146

a b c d e f g h abcdefgh

‘ 147 148

Answers

145: 1 g6+ Kg8 or Kh8 2 Re8 mate

146: 1 Bg5+ Kf8 2 Re8 mate

147: 1 Rxb8+ Rxb8 2 Rxb8 mate

148: 1 Nb7+Ke8 2 Rc8 mate

119

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcdefgh

150149

abcdefgh

151 152

Answers

149: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 Rhl mate

150: 1 Rxh7+ Kxh7 2 Rhl mate

151: 1 Be6+Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate

152: 1 Qd8+! Kxd8 2 Rf8 mate120

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

153

155 156

Answers

153: 1 Nf6+ Kh8 2 Rxg8 mate

154: 1 Qh7+ Rxh7 2 Rxh7 mate

155: 1 Qxh7+Kxh7 2 Rh3 mate

156: 1 Rh3+ Kg8 2 Rh8 mate

121

BACK ROW

abcde fgh abcdefgh

157 158

abcdefgh abcdefgh

159 160

Answers

157: 1 Qf8+ Rxf8 2 Rxf8 mate

158: 1 Qxh7+ Kxh7 2 Rh5 mate

159: 1 Qxe8+ Kxe8 2 Rd8 mate

160: 1 Qc8+ Bxc8 2 Rxc8 mate or 1 Qc8+ Be8 2 Qxe8 mate122

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcdefgh

161 162

abcdefgh abcdefgh

163 164

Answers

161: 1 Nxc7+ Rxc7 2 Rd8 mate

162: 1 Bxh7+ Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate

163: 1 Rh4+ Kg8 2 Rh8 mate

164: 1 Re8+ Nxe8 2 Rf8 mate

123

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcdefgh

165 166

abcdefgh abcdefgh

167 168

Answers

165: 1 Rxf8+ Kxf8 2 Re8 mate

166: 1 Qd8+ Bxd8 2 Re8 mate

167: 1 Qxh7+Kxh7 2 Rh3 mate

168: 1 Nc5+ Ke8 2 Rf8 mate124

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

169

abcdefgh

170

abcdefgh abcdefgh

171 172

Answers

169: 1 Qf8+Rxf8 2 Rxf8 mate

170: 1 Rxf8+ Qxf8 2 Qxf8 mate

171: 1 Rxd8+ Rxd8 2 Qxd8 mate or 1 Qxd8+ Rxd8 2 Rxd8 mate

172: 1 Qb8+ Kxb8 2 Rxd8 mate125

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

173

abcdefgh

174

abcdefgh abcdefgh

175 176

Answers

173: 1 Rg8+ Rxg8 2 Rxg8 mate

174: 1 Qxh7+Kxh7 2 Rh3 mate

175: 1 Rg7+Kf8 2 Rh8 mate

176: 1 fxg7+Kg8 2 Rf8 mate126

BACK ROW

8 7 6 54 3 2

abcdefgh abcdefgh

177 178

abcdefgh

179 180

Answers*

177: 1 Qxf7+ Rxf7 2 Re8 mate or 1 Qxf7+ Kh8 2 Qxf8 mate

178: 1 Rxh7+ Kxh7 2 Qh5 mate

179: 1 Qxh7+ Kxh7 2 Rh4 mate

180: 1 Qxh7+ Rxh7 2 Rg8 mate

127

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcdefgh

181

87654321

182

abcdefgh abcdefgh

183 184

Answers

181: 1 Bh6+ Bg7 2 Qh8 mate or 1 Bh6+ Qg7 2 Qxh8 mate

182: 1 Rxh6+ Kxh6 2 Qh8 mate

183: 1 Rxg8+ Rxg8 2 Nh7 mate or 1 Nh7+ Rxh7 2 Rxg8 mate

184: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 Qh3 mate128

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

185

abcdefgh

186

abcdefgh abcdefgh

187 188

Answers

185: 1 Rh5+ gxh5 2 Qxh5 mate

186: 1 Qa8+ Rxa8 2 Rxa8 mate

187: 1 Rxf8+ Kxf8 2 Qd8 mate

188: 1 Qg5+ l£f? 2 Qg8 mate or 1 Qxh7+! Kf8 2 Qg8 mate or 1 Qxh7+! Kxf6 2 Qh6 mate!

129

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

189

abcdefgh

190

abcdefgh

191 192

Answers

189: 1 Bd5+Kh8 or Kh7 2 Rh2 mate

190: 1 Rh8+ Bxh8 2 Qxh8 mate

191: 1 Qxh7+ Kxh7 2 Rh4 mate

192: 1 Qxh6+ Kxh6 2 Rh8 mate or 1 Rh8+ Kxh8 2 Qxh6 mate

130

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

193

abcdefgh

194

195

Answers193: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 Rhl mate

194: 1 Qh5+ Kxh5 2 Rh7 mate

195: 1 Qe8+ Rg8 2 Qxg8 or Rxg8 mate

196: 1 Qf8+ Kh7 2 Qg7 mate or 1 Qf8+ Bxf8 2 Rh8 mate

131

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

197

abcdefgh abcdefgh

199 200

Answers

197: 1 Ng5+ Kg8 or Kh8 2 Rd8 mate

198: 1 Nh6+ Kf8 2 Rg8 mate

199: 1 Rc8+ Rb7 2 Rf7 mate

200: 1 Rb7+ Kc8 2 Ra8 mate

132

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

201

abcdefgh

202

203 204

Answers

201: 1 Be6+ Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate

202: 1 Rh8+ Kxh8 2 Qxf8 mate

203: 1 Qxf7+ Kh8 2 Qxf8 mate or 1 Qxf7+ Rxf7 2 Rd8 mate

204: 1 Rxh7+ Rxh7 2 Qf8 mate133

BACK ROW

abcdefgh abcdefgh

205 206

abcdefgh

207 208

Answers

205: 1 Qxf8+ Kxf8 2 Ra8 or Rb8 mate

206: 1 Qe8+ Bf8 2 Qxf8 mate

207: 1 Bc5+ followed by Re8 mate

208: 1 Bh6+ Kg8 2 Rxe8 mate134

BACK ROW

a b c de f g h abcdefgh

209 210

abcdefgh

211

abcdefgh

212

Answers

209: 1 Qg8+ Kxg8 2 Re8 mate

210: 1 Qe8+? Kh7 2 Rhl+ Rh5+H but 1 Rhl+! Kg8 2 Qe8 mate!

211: 1 Ng6+Kg8 2 Rxf8 mate

212: 1 Be6+Kf8 2 Rh8 mate135

BACK ROW

abcde fgh

213

abcdefgh

214

87 6 543 2 1

abcdefgh abcdefgh

215 216

Answers

213: 1 Rg8+ Rxg8 2 Rxg8 mate

214: i Rg8+Bf8 2 Rxf8 mate

215: 1 Re8+ Bxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

216: 1 Qa8+ Qc8 2 Qxc8 mate

136

BACK ROW

abcdefgh

217

abcdefgh

218

abcdefgh

219

abcdefgh

220

Answers

217: 1 Qe7+ Kc8 2 Qe8 mate

218: 1 Bxc6+ followed by Re8 mate

219: 1 Rxf8+ Rxf8 2 Rxf8 mate

* 220: 1 Qg8+ Rxg8 2 hxg8Q mate137

BACK ROW

abcde fgh abcde fgh

222221

abcdefgh abcdefgh

223 224

Answers

221: 1 Rh8+ Bxh8 2 Rxh8 mate

222: 1 Qh8+Rxh8 2 Rxh8 mate

223: 1 hxg6+ (double check!) Kg8 2 Rh8 mate

224: 1 Qc4+ Kh8 2 Qc8 mate138

QUEEN

8 7 6 5 4 3 21

8 7 6 5 43 2 1

abcdefgh abcdefgh

87654321

225 226

abcdefgh

227

abcdefgh

228

Answers

225: 1 Qh7+ Kf8 2 Qxf7 mate

226: 1 Ne7+ Kh8 2 Qxf8 mate

227: 1 Qd3+ Ke6 2 Qd7 mate

228: 1 Nfe7+ Rxe7 2 Qf8 mate or 1 Qg7+ Rxg7 2 Nh6 mate139

QUEEN

abcdefgh abcdefgh

229

abcaefgh

231

230

Answers229: 1 Ne6+Ke8 2 Qd8 mate

230: 1 Bxe6+ followed by Qxh7 mate or 1 Bxh7+ Kh8 2 Nf7 mate

231: 1 Qxg6 followed by either Qxg7 or Qh7 mate

232: 1 Qh7+ Kf7 2 Qxg7 mate

140

QUEEN

abcdefgh abcdefgh

233 234

abcdefgh

235

abcdefgh

236

Answers

233: 1 Rg8+ Kxg8 2 Qg7 or Qh8 mate

234: 1 Qxh5+ Nh6 2 Qxh6 mate

235: 1 Rf7+ Kg8 2 Qe8 mate

236: 1 Rxg8+ Kxg8 2 Qe8 mate141

ROOK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

237 238

abcdefgh abcdefgh

239 240

Answers

237: 1 Re8+ Rxe8 2 Rxe8 mate

238: 1 Rxli7+ Kg8 2 Rdg7 mate

239: 1 hxg6+ (double check!) Kg7 2 Rh7 mate

240: 1 Ne7+ Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate142

ROOK

abc.de fgh abcdefgh

241

abcdefgh

243

242

Answers

241: 1 Bh7+ Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate

242: 1 Qxh6+ Qxh6 2 Rxg8 mate or 1 Qxh6+ Qh7 2 Qxh7 or Rxg8 mate

243: 1 Bh6+ Kg8 2 Re8 mate

244: 1 Bf6+Kg8 2 Rd8 mate

143

ROOK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

245 246

abcdefgh

247

abcdefgh

248

Answers

245: 1 Be5+ Bg7 2 Rf8 mate or 1 Be5+ Rg7 2 Rxf8 mate

246: 1 Nd7+Ke8 2 Rg8 mate

247: 1 Rxf7+ Bg7 2 either Rxg7 mate

248: 1 Nf6+ Bxf6 or Kf8 2 Re8 mate144

ROOK

abcdefgh

249

abcde fgh abcdefgh

251 252

Answers

249: 1 Qh8+ Nxh8 2 Rxh8 mate

250: 1 Qxg8+ Kxg8 2 Rf8 mate

251: 1 Qxa5+ Kb8 2 Rd8 mate

252: 1 Qxf7+ Rxf7 2 Rd8 mate or 1 Qxf7+ Kh8 2 Qxf8 mate 145

ROOK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

253 254

abcdefgh

255 256

Answers

253: 1 Rc8+ Kb7 or Ka7 2 Rlc7 mate

254: 1 Qxh7+ Kxh7 2 Rh3 mate

255: 1 Rxg8+ Kxg8 2 Rh8 mate

256: 1 Ba6+ Ka7 or Ka8 2 Bc8 mate

146

ROOK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

257 258

abcdefgh abcdefgh

259 260

Answers

257: 1 Rf8+ Rg8 2 either Rxg8 mate

258: 1 Rh8+ Kg5 2 Rh5 mate

259: 1 Rh8+ Kf7 2 Rf8 mate

260: 1 Qxf8+! Qxf8 2 Rxh7 mate147

ROOK

a b c d e f g h abcdefgh

262261

abcdefgh

263

abcdefgh

264

Answers

261: 1 Ra7+ Kc8 2 Rc7 mate

262: 1 Qxg7+ Rxg7 2 Rxg7 mate

263: 1 hxg6+ Kg7 2 Rxh7 mate

264: 1 Rxh7+Kg8 2 Rdg7 mate148

ROOK

abcdefgh abcdefgh

267 268

Answers

8 ■ If 8 ■1« ■ s7 ■ ■ H Kt 7 ■ ■ ■!■6 tn 6 tB ■ ■!■5 5 a s4 4 9,.

3 3 t id M ®,2 mi nn it 2 MB ■ ■1 ■ ■ «?■ 1 ■W « ■§

abcdefgh abcdefgh

265 266

8 ill fl ill M 8 ■ ■ ■ ■7 ■ ■ ■ ■! 7 ■ ■ ■ ■■6 ■ ■ MSB 6 ■ ■ ■ ■5 K ■ ■ ■ 5 ■ 11 ,■ ■4 Hl^ ® 8 X <0 4 ■ ii bib3 iB ■ fi s 3 ■ ■ ■ ■2 Im 9/,. 94y39k 2 o o •*»1 9,, '9,. 9 9. 1 9 9,

265: 1 Bf8+ Kh8 2 Bh6 mate

266: 1 Qf6+ Kf8 or Ke8 2 Rh8 mate

267: 1 Nf5+ Kh5 2 Rg5 mate

268: 1 Rhl+ Bh2 2 Rxh2 mate149

BISHOP

abcdefgh abcdefgh

269 270

abcdefgh a b c d e f g h

271 272

Answers

269: 1 Nf7+Kd7 2 Bb5 mate

270: 1 Rd8+ Rg8 2 c4 mate

271: 1 Bf6+ Kf8 2 Nh7 mate or 1 Bf6+ Kg6 2 Bf7 mate

272: 1 0xe6+ fxe6 2 Bg6 mate150

BISHOP

abcdefgh

273

abcdefgh

275 276

Answers

273: 1 Bf5+Kc7 2 Bd8 mate

274: 1 h6+ Kxh6 2 Bf8 mate

275: 1 Rf8+ Kg7 2 Bh6 mate

276: 1 Bc5+ Ke8 2 Bg6 mate

151

BISHOP

abcdefgh abcdefgh

277 278

abcdefgh

279

abcdefgh

280

Answers

277: 1 Ne4+Kh4 2 Bf6 or Bg3 mate

278: 1 Kf8 Allowed by Bc3 mate

279: 1 g4+Kh4 2 Bel mate

280: 1 Qxf7+ Rxf7 2 Bxf7 mate or 1 Bxf7+ Rxf7 2 Qxf7 mate152

BISHOP

abcdefgh abcdefgh

281 282

abcdefgh

283

abcdefgh

284

Answers281:1 Bf4+ Kd7 2 Be6 mate

282: 1 Qxg4+ Kxg4 2 Be2 mate

283: 1 Qxc6+ bxc6 2 Ba6 mate

284: 1 Bd5+ Ne6 2 Bxe6 mate or 1 Bd5+ Bxd5 2 Rf8 mate

- 153

KNIGHT

abcde fgh

285

abcdefgh

286

287 288

Answers

285: 1 Rf8+Rxf8 2 Ng7 mate

286: 1 Rdxd8+ Qxd8 2 Ne7 mate

287: 1 Qg8+ Rxg8 2 Nf7 mate

288: 1 Rxh6+ Kg8 2 Ne7 mate154

KNIGHT

abcdefgh

289

abcdefgh

290

abcdefgh abcdefgh

291 292

Answers

289: 1 Nfh6+ Nxh6 2 Nxh6 mate but not 1 Ngh6+? Kh7 2 Ne7+ Bxc2

290: 1 Qe7+Kg8 2 Nh6 mate

291: 1 Nh6+ Kf8 2 Nh7 mate

292: 1 Qh8+ Bxh8 2 Nh.7 mate or 1 Ne6+ fxe6 2 Qxg7 mate155

KNIGHT

abcdefgh

293

abcdefgh

294

abcdefgh

295 296

Answers

293: 1 Rxf7+ Nxf7 2 Ng6 mate

294: 1 Qxh7+ Qxh7 2 Nf7 mate

295: 1 either Ne6+ Nxe6 2 Nxe6 mate

296: 1 Ng7+Kf4 2 Ne2 mate

PAWN

abcdefgh

297

abcdefgh

298

abcdefgh

299

abcdefgh

300

At ng wcrs

297: 1 Bf7+Kg4 2 h3 mate

298: 1 Rxh7+Kg5 2 h4 mate

299: 1 Nh4+ Ke6 2 d5 mate

300: 1 d5+ cxd5 2 cxd5 mate

157

PAWN

abcde fgh abcdefgh

301

8 7 6 5 4 3 21

302

abcdefgh abcdefgh

303 304

Answers

301: 1 Bf7+ Nxf7 2 exf7 mate

302: 1 Qf7+ Rxf7 2 exf7 mate

303: 1 Qg6+! Nxg6 2 fxg6 mate

304: 1 Bd5+ Nxd5 2 exd5 mate158

PAWN

abcdefgh

305

abcdefgh

306

abcdefgh

307

abcdefgh

308

Answers

305: 1 Rh8! b6 2 axb6 mate or 1 Rh8! b5 2 axb6 en passant, mate

306: 1 Qxc3+ Nxc3 2 b4 mate

307: 1 Bc7+ Ka7 2 b6 mate

308: 1 a3+ Ka4 2 b3 mate159

THE CASTLED KING!

abcdefgh abcdefgh

309 310

abcdefgh

311

abcdefgh

312

Answers

309: 1 Rh8+ Kxh8 2 Qh7 mate or 1 Rh8+ Qxh8 2 Qf7 mate

310: 1 Bxa6 and mate next move by either Qc7 or Qd8 depending upon Black’s move

311: 1 Rxg7+ Kxg7 or Kh8 2 Qxh7 mate

312:1 Rg7+ Kxg7 2 Qh7 mate160

THE CASTLED KING

87654321

abcdefgh

314 '■

abcdefgh

316

Answers

313: 1 Nxh7+ Nxh7 2 Ng6 mate

314: 1 Nxa7+ Kd7 2 Bb5 mate

315: 1 Qf8+Rxf8 2 Rxf8 mate

316: 1 Rb8+ Nxb8 2 Qb7 mate or 1 Rxc7+ and Qb7 mate

161

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

317

abcdefgh

87 6 543 2 1

318

319

abcdefgh

320

Answers

317: 1 Rxh6+ gxh6 2 Qf7 mate!

318: 1 Rxf7+ Kxf7 2 Qg7 mate

319: 1 Rxb6+ Ka7 2 Qb7 mate or 1 Rxc7+ Kb8 2 Qb7 mate

320: 1 Qh7+ Kf8 2 Qg8 mate or 1 Qh7+ Kxf6 2 Qxh6 mate 162

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

321

abcdefgh

322

abcdefgh abcdefgh

323 324

Answers

321: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 Qh3 mate

322: 1 Nd6+ either Nxd6 2 Qxb8 mate or 1 Nd6+ Qxd6 2 Qb7 mate

323: 1 Rh8+ Kxh8 2 Qh7 mate

324: i Qf8+ Bg8 2 Qxf6 mate163

THE CASTLED KING

87654321

abcdefgh abcdefgh

325 326

abcdefgh

327

abcde fgh

328

Answers

325: 1 Re7+ KfB or Kf6 2 Qxg7 mate

326: 1 Qh6! and Qg7 mate next move *

327: 1 Nf8+ (double :heck!) Kh8 or Kg8 2 Qh7 mate

328: 1 Rxd8+ Kxg7 2 Qg5 mate164

THE CASTLED KING

87654321

7 6 5 43 2

abcdefgh abcdefgh

329 330

abcdefgh abcdefgh

331 332

Answers

329: 1 Nf5+ exf5 2 Bc5 mate (double check!)

330: 1 Rh8+Nxh8 2 Rxh8 mate

331: 1 Re8+ Nxe8 2 QfB mate

332: 1 Qxf7+ Kh8 2 Qxf8 mate or 1 Qxf7+ Rxf7 2 Rd8 mate

165

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

333

abcdefgh

334

abcdefgh abcdefgh

335 336

Answers

333: 1 Rxh5+ gxh5 2 Qf6 mate or 1 Qf4+ g5 2 Qf6 mate

334: 1 Rf8+Kxf8 2 Qf7 mate

'33i 1 Qxf6+ either Rxf6 2 Rxh7inate

336: 1 Rxh7+Kxh7 2 Qh5 mate

166

THE CASTLED KING

87654

21

abcdefgh abcdefgh

337 338

abcdefgh

339

abcdefgh

340

Answers

337: 1 Rg7+ Kh8 or Kf8 2 Rg8 mate

338: 1 Bc6+ Kf8 2 Re8 mate

339: 1 Bd6+ Ke8 2 Rf8 mate

340: 1 Nd6+ Kd8 2 Qe8 mate167

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

341

abcdefgh

342

87654321

abcdefgh

343

abcdefgh

344

Answers

341: 1 Rhfl+ Kg8 2 Ne7 or Nf6 mate

342: 1 Nf6+Kd8 2 Qe8 mate

343: 1 Bg5+! Kxf7 2 Nd6 mate

344: 1 Rxh6+ Kxh6 2 Qg6 mate or 1 Rg8+ Rf5 2 Bxf5 or Qg6 mate

168

THE CASTLED KING

87654321

abcdefgh

345 346

87654321

abcdefgh

347

Answers

345: 1 Nhg6+ Kg8 2 Rh8 mate

346: 1 Rg5+! Rf7 2 Qxf7 mate or 1 Rg5+! Rxb3 or Bd5 2 Bxh7 mate or1 Bxh7+ Qxh7 2 Rg5 mate! (double check)

347: 1 Nb5+ Ka8 2 Ra7 mate

348: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 hxg3 mate!

169

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

349

abcde fgh abcdefgh

351 352

Answers

349: 1 Nd7+Ka8 2 Nc7 mate

350: 1 Rh5+! Kg7 2 Rxg6!! mate

351: 1 Bxe6+ followed by Qf7 mate

352: 1 Rd6+ Rxd6 2 Ne6 mate

170

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

353

abcdefgh

354

abcdefgh abcdefgh

355 356

Answers

353: 1 Nf8+Kh8 2 Qh7 mate

354: 1 Re7+Kh8 2 Rh7 mate

355: 1 Re5+ Kd6 2 c5 mate!

356: 1 Nf5+! Ke8 2 Nxg7 mate

171

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

357

abcdefgh

358

87654321

abcdefgh

359

abcdefgh

360

Answers

357: 1 Nf6+ Kh8 2 Nf7 or Ng6 mate or 1 Nf6+ Kf8 2 Ng6 mate or 1 Ne7+ and Ng6 mate (which works even without the second white

,knight)

358: 1 Nf5+ Kg8 2 Nh6 mate! or 2 Ne7 mate

359: 1 Ng5+ hxg5 2 hxg6 mate

360: 1 Nxe6+ Kh7 or f4 2 Qxg7 mate or 1 Nxe6+ g5 2 hxg6 en passant mate! 1T,

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

361

abcdefgh

363

Answers

361: 1 Nf6+ KfB 2 Qe8 mate oi z Rd8 mate

362: 1 Bb5+ Kf7 2 Be8 mate or 1 Bb5+ Kd8 2 Re8 mate

363: 1 Qg7+!! Bxg7 2 Nf6 mate

364: 1 Rxg7+ Kh8 2 Rxh7 or Rg8 mate or 1 Rxf8+ Kxf8 2 Qf7 mate

173

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

365

abcdefgh

366

abcdefgh abcdefgh

367 368

Answers

365: 1 Nxd7+!! Qe7 2 Qxe7 mate or 1 Nxd7+!! Ne6 or Ne4 or Nxe2 2 Nf6mate!!

366: 1 hxg5+Kg8 or Kg6 2 Ne7 mate!!

367: 1 Qxc7+ Kxc7 2 Rc5 mate

368: 1 Rg7+Kh8 2 Rg8 mate174

THE CASTLED KING

abcdefgh

369

abcdefgh

abcdefgh

370

371

abcdefgh

372

Answers

369: 1 Rb4+Ka5 2 Bc7 mate

370: 1 Nf7+ Kg8 2 Nh6 mate

371: 1 Bf6+ Kxf6 or Kh6 2 Qg5 mate

372: 1 Rg4+ Kh6 or Kh8'2 Nxf7 mate

175

QUEEN SACRIFICES

abcdefgh abcdefgh

373 374

abcdefgh

375

abcdefgh

376

Answers

373: 1 Qg8+ Nxg8 2 Nf7 mate

374: 1 Qh7+Kxh7 2 Bf7 mate

375: 1 Qe7+! Rxe7 2 Nf6 mate

376: 1 Qf7+! Nxf7 2 Ne6 mate

176

QUEEN SACRIFICES

abcdefgh a bcde fgh

378377

abcdefgh a*b c d e f g h

379 380

Answers

377: 1 Qh6+Kxh6 2 Rh8 mate

378: 1 Qxc6+! Bxc6 2 Nxe6 mate

379: 1 Qc8+! Rxc8 2 Nd7 mate

380: 1 Qxc6+ bxc6 2 Ba6 mate

177

MISCELLANEOUS

87654321

87654321

abcdefgh abcde fgh

381 382

8 7 65 4 32 1

8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

abcdefgh abcdefgh

383 384

Answers

381: 1 Qf7+!! Kxf7 2 Rd8 mate!

382: 1 Nh5+ Ke8 2 Nxf6 mate or 1 Nh5+ Kg8 2 Qg5 mate

383: 1 Nd7+Bxd7 2 Rd5 mate

384: 1 Rxh7+Kxh7 2 Rhl mate

178

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

385

abcdefgh abcdefgh

387 388

Answers

385: 1 Rf5+gxf5 2 Rg5 mate

386: 1 a7+ Kc8 2 a8Q or a8R mate

387: 1 Qf8+ Nxf8 2 Ng7 mate

388: 1 Ng6+ fxg6 2 Qe6 mate

179

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

389

abcdefgh

390

abcdefgh

392

Answers

389: 1 Bc5+ Qxc5 2 Qd7 mate

390: 1 h4+ Kg4 2 Rg6 mate

391: 1 Bb8! followed by Nc7 mate or if 1 ...b5 2 Nxc5 mate

392: 1 Ra5+ bxa5 2 b5 mate

180

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

394393

abcdefgh abcdefgh

395 396

Answers

393: 1 Nc4+Ke7 2 Re8 mate

394: 1 Ng6+ hxg6 2 Rhl mate

395: 1 Nd5+Ke6 2 Nef4 mate

396: 1 Rf6+ Kxe5 2 Bf4 mate

181

MISCELLANEOUS

87654321

abcdefgh

397

abcdefgh

398

abcde fgh

399

abcde fgh

400

Answers

397: 1 Rh8+ Kf7 2 Be8 mate

398: 1 Bxg6+ Kxg6 2 Qh5 mate

399: 1 Bf4+ gxf4 2 gxf4 mate

400: 1 Qe4+!! Kxe4 2 Nc3 mate or 1 Nc3+ Ne3 2 Qe4 mate

182

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

401

abcdefgh

402

abcdefgh

403

abcdefgh

404

Answers

401: 1 f5+ Kf7 2 Nd6 mate

402: 1 Nf7+ Kd7 2 Be6 mate

403: 1 Rxg8+ Kxg8 2 Re8 mate

404: 1 Reb7+ Kc5 2 Ra5 mate183

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

405

abcdefgh

406

abcde fgh

407

abcdefgh

408

Answers

405: 1 Bxe7+ Rxe7 2 Rg6 mate or 1 Rg6* Nxg6 2 Rf7 mate or 1 Rxe7 followed by either Rf7 mate or Rg6 mate or Nd7 mate depending upon Black’s move.

406: 1 either Rf6+ Bxf6 2 Rxf6 mate

407: 1 Ne7+Kh8 2 Rxf8 mate

408: 1 Rxh6+ Kxh6 2 Rh3 mate

184

MISCELLANEOUS

abcde fgh

409 410

abcdefgh abcdefgh

412

Answers

409: 1 Nxf6+ Rxf6 2 Re8 mate

410: 1 Rh4+ Nxh4 2 g4 mate but not 1 Rg5+?? Nxg5+!

411: 1 Bg7+Kg8 2Nf6mate

412: 1 Bxf7+ Kf8 2 Ng6 mate185

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

413 414

abode f abcdefghg h

415

Answers

413: 1 Nd6 a8Q 2 Nf7 mate

414: 1 Re8+ Nxe8 2 Bh7 mate or l...Rf8 2 Rxf8 or gxf8Q or gxf8R mate!

415: 1 Nf5+ Kxh5 2 Rh2 mate or 1 Ng8+ Kxh5 2 Rh2 mate

416: 1 Bh3+ Kf4 2 Nfl or Ne4 mate!186

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh abcdefgh

417 418

abcdefgh abcdefgh

419 420

Answers

417: 1 Nf7+Kg7 2 Bh6mate

418: Bc3+ Kh7 2 Bg6 mate

419: 1 Qf4+ Kh5 2 Qg5 mate or 1 Qf4+ Kh3 2 Qg3 or NgS mate

420: 1 Nf5+ Ke8 2 Nxg7 mate187

MISCELLANEOUS

abcdefgh

421

abcdefgh

422

abcdefgh

423 424

Answers

421: 1 Kc7+! Ka7 2 b6 mate

422: 1 Qxg7+ Bxg7 2 Nf6 mate

423: 1 Ne6! g6 2 hxg6 mate or 1 Ne6! g5 2 hxg6 en passant, mate

424: 1 Kf8! followed by 2 Rh5 mate188

A DICTIONARY OF CHESS TERMS

Active A piece is said to be active when it is well positioned. Algebraic notation A system of notation for recording games,

as used throughout this book.Back row The first rank of either side of the board.Checkmate The position when a King cannot escape from

check.Combination When a series of moves are made, compelling an

opponent to move in a particular way.Defend To protect, guard or support a piece against an

attack.Deflection A situation where a piece is forced away from its

required task.Descriptive notation A system of notation for recording games

—see Appendix.Development The action of bringing pieces on to squares

where they are more active.Diagonals The slanting rows of squares, as shown on page 14

in diagrams 3 and 4. The longest diagonals are al-h8 (eight black squares) and hl-a8 (eight white squares), whilst the shortest are of two squares.

Discovered Attack A position in which one piece has been moved to uncover an attack by a Queen, Rook of Bishop.

Discovered check A position in which one piece has been moved to uncover check by another piece.

Double attack Two pieces attacked at the same time.Double check A position in which a King is in check from two

pieces at once.Doubled Pawns Pawns of the same colour standing on the same

file.

189

En passant A special kind of Pawn capturing move.En prise A piece is said to be enprise when it is being attacked. Escape square A square to which an attacked1 piece may go. Exchange A series of moves in which each side captures pieces. Exposed piece One which is unable to find shelter. A term

often referred to a King, i.e. an exposed King.Files Lines of squares running directly from one player’s side

of the board to the other, as shown in diagram 1 on page 13.Flight square An alternative term for escape square.Forced move No other move possible.Fork A particular type of double attack.Gambit An opening where a piece (usually a Pawn) is given

up, with the idea of gaining an advantage in development.Guard A piece which defends another, or a particular square. Half open file A file on which there stands a Pawn (or Pawns)

of only one colour.Illegal move A move that is not allowed: one that breaks the

rules of the game.Interpose To move a piece in between an attacked piece and

its attacker.Isolated Pawn One which has no Pawn of the same colour on

either of the adjoining files.J’adoube ‘I adjust.’ Spoken by players when they wish to

make it clear that they are merely standing a piece correctly on its square, and not making a move.

Lines Ranks, files or diagonals.Major piece Queen or Rook.Master National chess title awarded to selected players who

have achieved a particularly high standard of chess in com­petitive play at an advanced level. The title of International Master is awarded by the International Chess Federation— ‘Federation Internationale des Fchecs’ (F.I.D.fi.)—who also award the highest title of all, that of Grandmaster.

Minor piece Bishop or Knight.Mobile Able to move freely.Open file A file on which there are no Pawns.

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Opening The first few moves of a game.Overworked piece A piece which is performing two 01 more

defensive roles at the same time.Passed Pawn A Pawn which has no opponent’s Pawn in front

of it, on its own file; and which in moving to the queening square does not have to pass an opponent’s Pawn on either of the two adjoining files.

Passive Not performing any useful function: non-active.Perpetual check A situation where check can be repeated nonstop.Pin A piece is pinned when it cannot move without exposing

another piece to attack.Promotion When a Pawn, reaching the edge rank, is replaced

by another piece of its own colour. This may be any piece except a King, but such promotion is usually to a Queen (queening). When a Pawn becomes a Rook, Knight or Bishop, this is called under-promotion.

Queening Promoting a Pawn to a Queen.Ranks Rows of squares which run from left to right, from the

point of view of a player facing the board, as shown in diagram 1 on page 13.

Sacrifice Giving up a piece in order to gain some kind of advantage.

Simultaneous display An event in which one player plays a number of opponents at the same time, where the principal player makes a move on each board in turn.

Skewer An attack upon two pieces on the same line, where the piece nearest the attacker is compelled to move, leaving the other piece to be taken.

Smothered mate A checkmate by a Knight, where all the escape squares of the King are occupied by other pieces.

Stalemate A drawn position where a player is not in check, but is unable to move any piece.

: Tempo Time taken to move pieces into required positions. A manoeuvre that need take only one move but is performed in two moves is said to lose a tempo. To force your opponent to make such time-wasting moves gains tempo for you.

191

Trapped No escape.Under-promotion Promoting a Pawn to a Rook, Knight or

Bishop.Win (or winning) A position said to be a win, or where one

side has winning chances, means that although no immediate checkmate is threatened, the side with the win will even­tually checkmate or force the resignation of his opponent.

Wing The right or left-hand side of the board.Winning the exchange Gaining advantage in material as the

result of an exchange of pieces. Generally this refers to capturing Rook for Knight or Bishop.

! A good move.? A bad move.

192

Solutions(Of quiz page no. 70 to page no. 73)

1. 1 h5-h6, Kf6-g6; 2h6 h7, Resigns because after 2 . . . Kg6Xh7; 3 Kg4-f5, and the white King marches across and swallows up the black Pawns on a5 and b6, with an easy win.

2. 1 Kb5-c4, Resigns. The game may have continued 1.. . f6 f5. White’s plan would be to take advantage of the Queen side Pawn majority of 2 v 1. Thus 2 a4 a5, b6Xa5 3 b4 x a5, Ke5 d6; or else the white Pawn on file a queens, 4a5-a6, Kd6-c6, 5 Kc4xd4, and while the black King is having to deal with the passed Pawn on a6, the white King captures the deserted black Pawns, with an easy win.

3. 1 . . . Be5 c3 1 and after 2 Bdl b6, e3 e2; 3 Bb6-f2, e2-el — Q; 4 Bf2 X el, Bc3 x el; and Black will win, with a Bishop to the good.

4. 1 Bb3-a4 : and wins. For if 1 . . . Nb6 x a4; 2 a7 a8 Q ! and whatever else Black plays, he cannot prevent Ba4-c6, forcing the loss of the black Knight when the Pawn on a7 queens. With a Bishop advantage, White would win the ending easily.

193

5. 1 Ra7 X b7 ! Resigns. For if 1 . . . Qc7 X b7; 2Qg8--f7+, Kd7-c8; to save the black Queen. Then 3 Nf5-d6+ follows, and the black Queen is lost. The black move 1 . . . Re2xf2+ followed by 2 Kh2Xh3 only .puts off White’s combination for one move.

6. 1 Qf4 c7, Resigns. For White threatened Qc7-e7#. If1 . . . Bf5-d7; 2Qc7-d8 + , Kf6 f5; 3 Rg2~g5 + , Rh5xg5; 4Rg7 g5 + , Kf5 c6; 5 Qd8-e7#. If 1 . . . Qd5 c6;2 Qc7-d8+, Qe6e7;3 Qd8xe7#. If 1 . . . Qd5-d7;2 Qc7-e5#-

7. 1 Re5xh5+ winning a Pawn, and after 1 . . . Kh8-g7; 2 Qe4 f4 threatens both the Rook on d6 and a check on h6, forcing the black King into the open. 2 Qe4-e5 + provides an alternative sustained attack. Capturing the white Rook on the first move lost the game quickly for Black. ]Re5' h5-L, g6xh5; 2 Qe4-e5+, Resigns for mate follows, for example, 2 . . . f7-f6; 3 Qe5 x h5# or 2 . . . Kh8 h7; 3 Qe5-g7#.

8. 1 Ba2 d5 I preventing the black Knight from moving without loss. 1 . . . Ke8-f8; 2 Ke6d7; Kf8-g7; 3 e5 e6,

. Kg7-f8; e6-e74- and queens net move.

9. 1 . . . Kc4 b5: 2 a7-a8-Q, Kb5-b6 !; 3 Qa8a5r, Kb6 a5; 4 Kb8 a8, Ka5 a6 or b6; 5 Ka8rb8, Q mates. If 3 Qa8-c6 X (a last desperate fling), not 3 .. . Qd7 X c6 ? stalemate; but 3 . . ■ Kba x c6, etc.

10. !Bg4xe6+!If the black King does not capture the Bishop, then it will capture Black’s Queen, with a certain draw. But after 1 . . . Kf7 Xe6; 2Nb7-c5+. If the King moves, the black Queen is lost, and the game would be a draw. If 2 . . . Na4 X c5 this is a draw by stalemate !

194

Be a master of endgame technique, its principles and applications. Never miss a chance to force checkmate on your opponent.

This book brings together all the information regarding basics of endgame in a unique, effective and simplest possible way. It has been profusely illustrated (more than 400 diagrams) and the text as well as the examples have been arranged according to type and in order of complexity. The reader knowing almost nothing about the game can progress step by step to quite an advanced standard. At the same time the expert player can use this book as a constant companion for revision and widen their scope.

An important addition to the existing chess literature, this book will go a long way to help you to progress on the road to chess mastery and chess-championship

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