Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Daily Tactic December 31, 2013

This is a famous position from Fischer-Mjagmasuren, Sousse 1967. White to move. Can you visualize white's moves through to the end?

Monday, December 30, 2013

Daily Tactic December 30, 2013

Morphy-Jefferson, New York simul, 1859. This game ends with the mating pattern know as Philidor's Legacy. Morphy sets it up with two Deflection moves. To help learn this pattern and solidify it, practice going over the final moves in your head from move 19. Qa3+ to the end. Once you learn the pattern or if you already know it, go over the game in your head from move 17. e5! onwards to practice your visualization skills.

Deflection is forcing an enemy piece away from some useful position. In this game Morphy deflects the black queen off of the d8-h4 diagonal.

Decoying is attracting an enemy piece to a square useful for you. In this game as part of the final mating pattern, a black rook is decoyed to the f8 square.

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Daily Tactic December 29, 2013

Morphy-Julien, New York simul, 1859. This knight odds game features a double attack and multiple deflections. Morphy's 12. Bg5! and 19. Rd1+ are great examples of deflection and 13. Qxb7+ is a double attack threatening the rook on a8 and mate in three.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

Daily Tactic December 28, 2013

A pretty little study by H. Rinck from 1907. To win, White needs to promote one of the pawns, but how? The first move may be obvious -- save the g-pawn.