no. 327
White to play. This is from Kasimdzhanov–Kramnik, Tromsø Olympiad 2014. How did White blast through? Answers to me at The…
Two’s a crowd
The British Championship, which finished in Aberystwyth last week, has been shared by international master Jonathan Hawkins and the defending…
no. 326
White to play. This is from Perez Ponsa–Frick, Tromso Olympiad 2014. How did White blast through? Answers to me at…
Treasure Island
As I write, young Jonathan Hawkins has stormed into the lead in the British Championship in Aberystwyth with the tremendous…
no. 325
White to play. This position is from Rogers-Milos, Manila Olympiad 1992. White is a mass of material down but the…
Witsch craft
The ever reliable Steve Giddins has just published a new book on that great strategist Aron Nimzowitsch. This is the…
no. 324
White to play. This is from Storey–Jarmany, -British Championship, Aberystwyth 2014. White’s position is overwhelming but what is the quickest…
Final flame
I am very sorry to report the death of International Master Andrew Whiteley, a friend of mine for half a…
No. 323
Black to play. This is from Litsberger-Whiteley, Harrachov 1967. This position also emanated from the Dragon Variation. What was Black’s…
Attack
This was the watchword of Grandmaster Dragoljub Velimirovic, one of the leading players of the former Yugoslavia. I first encountered…
No. 322
White to play. This position is from Velimirovic-Gipslis, Havana 1971. How did White conclude? Answers to me at The Spectator…
Tiger tiger
Petrosian Move by Move is a new book published by Everyman Chess written by the Swedish international master Thomas Engqvist.…
No. 321
White to play. This position is from Petrosian–Rossetto, Portoroz 1958. What is White’s most efficient continuation? Answers to me at…
Blitzkrieg
Chess, unlike football, appears to confer little or no home advantage. In a recent article for Kensington & Chelsea Today,…
No. 320
White to play. This position is a variation from Mamedov-Carlsen, World Blitz 2014. Here White played 1 hxg5 and Carlsen…
Hat trick
For the second year running, 24-year-old Sergei Karjakin has won the Norway International, on both occasions ahead of Magnus Carlsen. The…
No. 319
Black to play. This is a variation from Svidler-Carlsen, Norway Chess 2014. Failing to win this game cost Carlsen first…
Vlad the Impaler
As I write, the former world champion Vladimir Kramnik is leading in the Norway tournament in Stavanger. The line-up is…
No. 318
White to play. This is a variation from Karjakin-Grischuk, Norway 2014. What key move allows White to deal with the…
On the brink
The last great tournament to have been completed before the outbreak of war in 1914 was St Petersburg, which saw…
No. 317
Black to play. This position is from Mieses-Alekhine, Mannheim 1914. Can you spot Black’s subtle winning move in this endgame?…
Close run
Although world champion Magnus Carlsen clearly secured first place in the Gashimov Memorial tournament, he did not have things all…
No. 316
Black to play. This position is a variation from Mamedov-Motylev, Gashimov ‘B’ Group 2014. How does Black conclude his kingside…
Iron nerves
The game that clinched Magnus Carlsen’s victory in the Gashimov Memorial came, fittingly, in a last-round cliffhanger against his closest…
No. 315
White to play. This position is from Wojtaszek-Safarli, Gashimov ‘B’ Group 2014. The white pieces are very active and the…
