Schacksnack

Here are the solutions to the three positions that you were given yesterday.

Position 135 – Opening – Play on the wings Black to move Monticelli – Capablanca, Barcelona 1929

This type of position has arisen after the sequence of moves 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2 c5 5.dxc5 bxc5 6.c4 g6 7.b3 Bg7 8.Bb2 0-0 9.0-0 d6 10.Nc3. It is easy for Black to play since he has the possibility of a5-a4. The corresponding idea for White, i.e., e4-e5, is not as easy to achieve. 10…Ne4!! It is easier to carry out a5-a4 after the exchange of knights. If you have the opportunity, study the game Karlsson-Engsner, Rilton Cup 1989, where Karlsson, playing White, won in a similar manner to Capablanca by consistently targeting the weak b-pawn. 11.Qc1 Nxc3 12.Bxc3 Bxc3 13.Qxc3 a5! Black’s long-term plan with the minority attack is to weaken the b3-pawn. 14.Rfd1 Nd7 15.Qe3 Kg7 Black must play actively with the king and not allow White’s dangerous queen sortie to h6. 16.h3 Nf6 17.g4 h6 18.Ne1 Qc7 19.Nd3 Bxg2 20.Kxg2 a4! Black has achieved the first step in his plan. 21.Nf4 Rfb8 22.f3 axb3 The second step of weakening the b-pawn with the exchange has been accomplished. 23.axb3 Rxa1 24.Rxa1 e5! 25.Nd5 Nxd5 26.cxd5 Rb4! White cannot hold either the b3 or d5 pawns so he is lost. 27.Qd3 Qb7 28.Qa6 Qxd5 29.Qc8 Qb7! 30.Qd8 Qb8 31.Qd7 Rb7 32.Qc6 Rxb3 33.Ra6 Rb2 0-1 If you are familiar with this simple plan, you have a significant advantage over a player who is unfamiliar with this approach.

Position 83 – Endgame – The bishop manoeuvre Black to move Ernst – Engqvist, Stockholm 2017

20…Bxh2! Initially, I calculated 20…Rxh2 21.Rxh2 Bxh2 (21…Rf1+ 22.Kc2 Rxa1 23.Rh7) 22.Ke2 Bf4 23.Rh1, but in both variations, it felt like White had good drawing chances despite being down a pawn. Then, I examined the move in the text and immediately associated it with the famous move 24.La7 Karpov played in a renowned game against Unzicker. The idea behind the move was for White to double on the a-file behind the bishop at his own pace. Here, the same concept could be applied since I wanted to keep both rooks, allowing for a king-side attack. So, I played 20…Bxh2! The game continued 21.Ke2 Rfh5, with the rook doubling being the central idea, thus avoiding an exchange while releasing the bind. 22.g4 Rh3 23.Raf1 f6 24.Rf3 R3h4 25.g5 f5 26.Kd3 Bd6. I was starting to run low on time and agreed to exchange one rook. 26…Kd7 would otherwise have been a valid alternative. 27.Rxh4 Rxh4 28.b3 f4 29.Bd2 29.Bf2 Rh5 wouldn’t help White. 29…Kd7 30.c4 c6 31.cxd5 31.c5 leads to a loss after 31…Bc7 32.Be1 Rh8 33.Bd2 Rf8. 31…cxd5 32.b4 Ke6 33.a4 Kf5 34.b5 Kxg5 0-1.

Here follows the inspiration for 20…Bxh2! that I ”borrowed” from Karpov.

Position 82 – Middlegame – The bishop manoeuvre White to move Karpov – Unzicker, Olympiad, Nice 1974

24.Ba7!! A revolutionary idea based on the concept of avoiding exchanges of heavy pieces. Many times in the Spanish Game, White plays on the kingside and Black gets counterplay on the queenside. Through this original move, Black’s counterplay on the queenside disappears. This is also an idea to remember when it comes to how to take control of a line through doubling or tripling. 24…Ne8 25.Bc2 Nc7 26.Rea1 Qe7 27.Bb1 Be8 28.Ne2 White is gradually preparing play on the kingside with f4. Black can’t do much but passively watch. 28…Nd8 29.Nh2 Bg7 30.f4 f6 31.f5 Now White has a territorial advantage, not only in the center but also on the kingside. 31…g5 32.Bc2 Bf7 33.Ng3 Nb7 34.Bd1 h6 35.Bh5 It’s fascinating to see how Karpov exploits the edges of the board with his bishops to achieve his strategic goals. Now Black cannot prevent the exchange of the light-squared bishops. 35…Qe8 36.Qd1 Nd8 37.Ra3 Kf8 38.R1a2 Kg8 39.Ng4 Kf8 40.Ne3 Kg8 41.Bxf7+ Nxf7 42.Qh5 Nd8 43.Qg6 Capablanca’s and Fischer’s method, which involves accepting an exchange when it improves the pawn structure. 43…Kf8 44.Nh5 1-0 A strategic masterpiece by Karpov.

There are 297 more key positions to know, so why not take the opportunity to deepen your chess knowledge!

Thomas Engqvist

Commentators: IM & WGM Irene Sukandar and GM Viswanathan Anand.

A solid method to improve your chess skills is to learn five positions per week. This ”less-is-more” concept was developed in the late 1970s in consultation with Robert Danielsson, who was my coach on a few occasions when I was a teenager. Back then, the idea was for me to learn five positions each week from Ludek Pachman’s ”Mittelspielpraxis im Schach” and ”Endspielpraxis im Schach.” The downside was that for a junior player, it could be difficult to maintain discipline over 12 months if you only met your coach a few times a year. However, 300 Most Important Chess Positions can remedy this and create an excellent and pedagogical structure.

This is an affordable way to receive chess lessons following this concept where the 300 most important positions are presented over the course of a year. By assimilating and revisiting these positions, you will significantly enhance your playing strength proportionally to your rating. Knowing all these key positions will greatly increase your chances of recognizing thematic elements in openings, middlegames (150), and endgames (150). Solving five positions per week allows you to progress at a steady pace.

For each position, you assess the position and try to find the best move or continuation. This can take 5-30 minutes depending on your playing strength and familiarity with chess concepts. If you find it too challenging, you can check the solution and then analyze it. One week later, you review the position to see if you remember the solution and the specific idea to remember. A small sample of what this process looks like is presented below.

”Less is more” is not a lazy approach; it’s based on the principle that it’s better to do too little than too much, as attempting too much may result in accomplishing nothing. This is why it’s better to assimilate the course material in manageable portions. Chess, like food, should be savored slowly and mindfully! Remember that these positions will benefit you throughout your chess-playing life.

Below are three samples for you to familiarize yourself with including an example from my own practice and how I benefited from my own work with the most important positions. The solutions will be provided tomorrow to allow time for thought and assimilation.

Position 135 – Opening – Play on the wings Black to move Monticelli – Capablanca, Barcelona 1929

Position 83 – Endgame – The bishop manoeuvre Black to move Ernst – Engqvist, Stockholm 2017

Position 82 – Middlegame – The bishop manoeuvre White to move Karpov – Unzicker, Olympiad, Nice 1974

Thomas Engqvist

Commentators: IM & WGM Irene Sukandar and GM Viswanathan Anand.

Commentators: IM & WGM Irene Sukandar and GM Viswanathan Anand.

The 2023 FIDE World Cup takes place in Baku, Azerbaijan, and features 309 players, including Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana in the Open section, and Ju Wenjun in the Women’s. The top three qualify for the 2024 FIDE Candidates Tournament.

Commentators: IM & WGM Irene Sukandar and IM Sagar Shah.

Yesterday, a solid method for improving in chess was presented, which involves learning only five positions per week.

Below are the solutions to the three positions that were published yesterday, so you can see how the training concept works in practice and become comfortable with it. You may have already looked at at least one of the positions. If you haven’t had a chance to examine any of them, I suggest you pause at the first one below, but be cautious not to scroll down too quickly, as you might accidentally see the solution just under the diagram. It’s pedagogically correct for you to form your own opinion about the position before checking what actually happened. Take at least 5 minutes and up to about 30 minutes to assess the position, followed by a proposed move or a series of moves. After you’ve done this, you can check the answer key and compare your thoughts with what actually transpired between Bogoljubow and Alekhine in the fourteenth match game of 1929. If your proposed solution went completely awry, try to learn from the game position and review it again in a week to see if you understand the key principle regarding play with opposite-coloured bishops. Don’t forget that ”repetition is the mother of learning,” and this certainly applies to serious chess training. However, your repetition should focus on attempting to comprehend the fundamental idea in the position and how it is executed. Otherwise, the forgetfulness curve will inevitably gradually eliminate what you haven’t grasped and therefore haven’t learned.

Position 86 – Middlegame – The Bishop Manouevre – White to move Bogoljubow – Alekhine, World Championship match 1929 (14)

19. Rad1! At first glance, this position appears to be balanced, but appearances can be deceiving. The reason is the presence of opposite-coloured bishops. This means that the player who seizes the initiative essentially gains an extra piece, as Black’s bishop cannot defend the white squares. 19. Bxb7? is met with 19… Rab8. The natural 19. Rac1 only leads to a rook exchange after 19… Rac8. 19… Rac8 20. Rd3! Rc7 21. b3 b5 22. Rf3 White is the first to exert pressure on f7, as Black’s rook lacks a similar pressure point against f2. 22… Qb6 23. a4 bxa4 24. bxa4 Qb4 25. Qa2 Qb2 26. Qxb2 Bxb2 27. Rb1 Bd4 28. Rb5 Ra7 29. h4 h5?! 30. Rb7! Rxb7 31. Bxb7 Rd8 32. Bd5 Rd7 Black’s rook has managed to trade the passive f8 square for a more active one, but it is still less active compared to the white rook, which has considerably greater mobility. 33. Rb3 Kf8 34. Rb5 Ra7 35. Bb7 Black’s rook is temporarily trapped. 35… Ke7 36. g3 Kd6 37. Kg2 Kc7 38. Bd5 Kd6 39. f4 f6?! 40. Bb3! White prepares Bd1 to exert pressure on the h5 pawn. Black’s …g6 can be met with f5. 40… Ra6 41. Bf7 Rc6 42. Rd5+ Ke7 43. Bxh5 Rc5 44. Rxc5 fxe5 45. Bf3! Kf6 27… Rxd5 28. exd5 and White is practically two pawns up, as the e5 pawn is not practically relevant. 46. Rd6+ Ke7 47. Rg6 Kf8 48. Bh5! Be3 49. Kf3 Rc3 50. Ke2 Bc5 51. Re6! g6 52. Bxg6 Re3+ 53. Kd1 Rxg3 54. h5 Kg7 55. Re5 Bb4 56. Ke2 Ra3 57. Be8 Rh3 58. Bd7 Rc3 59. Re6 Bf8 60. Ra6 Bb4 61. h6+ Kf7 62. Be6+ Kf6 63. Bf5+ Kf7 64. Ra7+ Be7 65. Ra5 Rc2+ 66. Kd3 Rb2 67. h7 Bf6 68. e5 Bg7 69. Ra7+ Kf8 70. e6 Be5 71. e7+ 1-0 A very instructive example that highlights the advantage of opposite-coloured bishops when one has the initiative.

Position 91 – Opening – The Rook Manoeuvre – Black to move
Karpov – Kasparov, World Championship match, Moscow 1985

11…Re8! It is not entirely straightforward to determine how the rooks should be developed in this position. Black wants to expand with …b5 in the near future, making b8 an attractive square. However, if …b5 is met with axb5, then a rook on a8 would be desired. The c-file is semi-open, so it’s natural to develop the rook there. Square d8 also looks useful as it’s generally good to place the rook behind a central pawn. Black can prepare …d5 or …e5 and be ready for White’s e5. Square e8 is also interesting, allowing Black to respond to White’s f5 and prepare …e5. Having the rook on f8 is beneficial when White plays g4-g5, as the break …f6 can be important. In this particular position, it makes sense to place the rook on e8, following the general rule that a rook is often most effective behind advanced pawns. 12.Bf3 Rb8 Black gets out of the long white diagonal and prepares a future …b5. 13.Qd2 Bd7 14.Nb3 b6 15.g4 Bc8 The knight needs room on d7 and the bishop is heading to b7. 16.g5 Nd7 17.Qf2 Bf8 18.Bg2 Bb7 19.Rad1 g6 20.Bc1 Rbc8 The rook no longer has a role on b8. 21.Rd3 Nb4 22.Rh3 Bg7 23.Be3 Re7! 24.Kg1 (Position 92) 24…Rce8!! Black anticipates White’s possible breakthrough with f5 and prepares for this advance with rook doubling on the e-file. It’s an incredibly skillful play by Kasparov. One could even say that Kasparov became world champion due to his ability to play with the rooks. 25.Rd1 25.Qh4 Nf8 doesn’t achieve anything for White. 25…f5! 26.gxf6 26.exf5 exf5 activates both of Black’s rooks. 26…Nxf6 27.Rg3 Rf7! The rook on e8 has lost its purpose, moving to the semi-open f-file. Notice how flexible Kasparov is with the rooks, constantly adapting to the new situation. 28.Bxb6 Qb8 29.Be3 Nh5 30.Rg4 Nf6 31.Rh4? g5! 32.fxg5 Ng4 33.Qd2 Nxe3 34.Qxe3 Nxc2 35.Qb6 Ba8 36.Rxd6? 36.Qxb8 Rxb8 would be a better continuation, even though Black’s position is preferable. 36…Rb7! Black’s kingside rook triumphs and decides the game. With this game, Kasparov secured his world championship title. Karpov didn’t quite keep up with these maneuvers involving the kingside rook!

Position 231 – Rook Endings – Black to move
Kasparov – Short, World Championship match, London 1993

46…Rc5! In the game, Short played the fatal 46…Ke6?? and lost after 47.Ke3 Kd6 48.Kd4 Kd7 49.Kc4 Kc6 50.Kb4 Re5 51.Rc1+ Kb6 52.Rc4 1-0) 47.Ra3 White prevents checks on c3. 47.a5 would have led to a draw after 47…Rc3+ 48.Kg4 Kxe4 49.a6 Rc8 50.a7 Ra8 51.Ra5 Kd4 52.Kf5 Kc4 53.Ke6 Kb4 54.Ra1 Kc5 55.Kd7 Kb6 56.Rb1+ Kc5! (56…Kxa7?? 57.Kc7 and White wins) 57.Rb7 Rh8! and the position is a draw. 47…Rc4! This move can be easily overlooked if you’re not aware of the idea. 48.a5 Rxe4 49.a6 Rf4+! Without this check, Black is lost. 49…Rh4?? 50.Ra5+ followed by a7 wins for White. 50.Kg3 Rf8 51.a7 Ra8 The position is a draw. A possible continuation is 52.Ra6 Kd5 53.Kf4 Kc5 54.Ke5 Kb5 55.Ra1 Kb6 56.Kd6 Rxa7 57.Rb1+ Ka5! Of course, not 57…Ka6?? 58.Kc6 and White wins. 58.Kc5 Rc7+ and Black has escaped the predicament by playing actively with the rook and king.

Thomas Engqvist

A solid method to improve in chess is to learn five positions per week. This ”less-is-more concept” was developed in the late 1970s in consultation with Robert Danielsson, who was my coach at times when I was a teenager. At that time, I was supposed to learn five positions per week from GM Ludek Pachman’s Mittelspielpraxis im Schach and Endspielpraxis im Schach. The downside was that, especially for a junior player, it could be challenging to maintain discipline over 12 months. However, with the help of 300 Most Important Chess Positions, this can be addressed, creating an excellent educational structure.

An affordable opportunity to take chess lessons based on this concept is to acquire the book where the 300 most important positions are presented. By assimilating and revisiting these positions over a year, you will significantly increase your playing strength in proportion to your rating. If you are familiar with all these key positions, you will have significant opportunities in practical chess to recognize the themes in the opening and the middlegame (150), as well as the endgame (150). Five positions per week are what you should focus on according to this time schedule. For example, if you know a specific pawn endgame, it can be equivalent to knowing 50 pawn endgames, but you need to know which key position it is. By learning a crucial idea in one position, you can apply this idea to many other positions. This is essentially the only shortcut available if you want to improve rapidly.

Before each position, you make an assessment and try to find the best move or the best continuation. It can take 5-30 minutes depending on your playing strength and familiarity with chess ideas. If you find it too difficult, you can wait for the solution to come and then play through it. One week later, you repeat the position to see if you remember the solution and the specific idea to memorize. A small sample of how it might look is presented below with three positions from each phase. Solutions will already be published tomorrow, so try to immerse yourself in at least one position to see how the game continued tomorrow. Save the other two positions for two other days following the ”less is more” principle. It is better to do too little than too much since the risk is greater with the latter option that nothing at all is being done.

Position 86 – Middlegame – The Bishop Manouevre – White to move Bogoljubow – Alekhine, World Championship match 1929 (14)

Position 91 – Opening – The Rook Manoeuvre – Black to move
Karpov – Kasparov, World Championship match, Moscow 1985

Position 231 – Rook Endings – Black to move
Kasparov – Short, World Championship match, London 1993

Thomas Engqvist

Hello, all chess enthusiasts! I am an active tournament player and represent one of Sweden’s strongest clubs – Wasa SK. I am a trained educator (adult education teacher) and a highly experienced chess expositor. I am also an active author and have written ten chess books. Some of my most noteworthy coaching achievements at the World Championship level include being part of Stefan Winge’s team, which helped him secure second place in the Correspondence Chess World Championship in 2012. In China, I trained the young Zhu Yi, who achieved second place in the Under 12 World Championship in 2012.

My fundamental chess philosophy is inspired by the renowned Russian/French chess expositor Eugene Znosko-Borovskij (1884-1954), who believed that understanding is more crucial than rote memorization. Additionally, I incorporate ideas from the Chinese chess school, which emphasizes going through played games as a fundamental aspect of the pedagogical approach. It is much easier to progress in chess by actively playing and, together with the instructor, critically analyzing one’s games to discover both weaknesses and strengths. The best method to improve in chess is by finding a balance between gradually eliminating weaknesses and further developing one’s strengths. Communication between teacher and student ideally leads to a clear understanding of how one can progress toward one’s personal goals.

In addition to this, my teaching methods are unique, as each lesson aims to complement chess literature rather than heavily relying on references to it. It is essential for both me and the student that I can convey what I have learned through playing chess and interacting with strong players, not to mention all my private and public teaching hours over the decades. All this cannot be solely learned through printed words. Still, the chess book has not been written that truly expresses a chess player’s innermost thoughts and relevant experiences about chess. The significant advantage of taking private chess lessons is the ability to tailor the lesson to the student’s level and meet his or her specific needs. This can never be fully achieved with a chess book since it is usually written for a broad audience, aiming to appeal to as many target groups as possible. Furthermore, the student always has the opportunity, through his or her own engagement, to ask essential questions, thereby influencing and expediting his or her own developmental process.

For players residing in Stockholm, it is possible to arrange to meet in person, while for others, communication can be conducted via Skype, preferably using the Internet Chess Club (ICC) or a similar platform where it is convenient to move the pieces.

There are six other possibilities to take chess lessons:

1. The first option is to be position-oriented and acquire ”300 Most Important Chess Positions” (Batsford, 2018), which presents the 300 most crucial positions, encompassing the essential positional ideas that players of all levels need to be familiar with. By assimilating and repeating these positions, you will significantly improve your playing strength relative to your rating. Knowing all these key positions will greatly aid your ability to recognize thematic elements in the opening, middlegame, and endgame. For instance, knowing a specific pawn endgame could be equivalent to knowing 50 different pawn endgames, but you need to know which key position it is. This is the only shortcut if you wish to improve rapidly and effectively. If you want concrete examples of this training method, you can read more in the following articles published on Schacksnack: here and here and here and here.
2. The second option is to acquire the book ”300 Most Important Tactical Chess Positions” (Batsford, 2021), which presents the 300 most critical tactical positions. By assimilating and repeating these positions, you will significantly improve your playing strength relative to your rating. Knowing all these tactical key positions will greatly aid your ability to recognize thematic elements in the opening, middlegame, and endgame. If you know a specific combination, opening trap, or attacking plan, you can apply the tactical theme in many other positions, but you must know which key position it is. You will also learn how to create these positions where there is a tactical way to decide the game. Naturally, you will be able to apply this method in your own games. This is the only shortcut if you wish to improve rapidly and effectively. If you want concrete examples of this training method, you can read the following articles published on Schacksnack: part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, and part 5.
3. The third option is to acquire the test book ”300 Most Important Chess Exercises” (Batsford, 2022) to verify whether you have understood the most important positional and tactical ideas in the opening, middlegame, and endgame.
4. The fourth option is to obtain ”Chess Lessons from a Champion Coach” (Batsford, 2023) and assimilate the evolution of chess ideas from the Renaissance’s Ruy Lopez to our days with Magnus Carlsen.
5. The fifth option is to send one or more games via email to thomasengqvist@protonmail.com to receive feedback with the help of written comments. This could result in approximately two A4 pages per game, packed with pedagogical comments. You can see examples of this training method here and here.
6. The sixth option, which is free of charge, is to register on Thomas Engqvist’s channel and access my videos and video courses on YouTube. More information about this training concept can be found by clicking here.

Everyone is welcome to take chess lessons or receive assistance with preparations, regardless of level, from a rating of 1000 up to 3000. If you are interested in improving your game with a training program through live chess lessons, online lessons, or via email, or if you have any questions, feel free to write to thomasengqvist@protonmail.com for more detailed information.

Chess greetings:

Thomas Engqvist