ArcaMax

Chess Tricks, Part II Black went Nh5 to threaten to take the bishop, but White had a trick up his sleeve.

I was looking through my first chess book (The Game of Chess by Golombek)and found a section on “tricks.” We’ll do some tricks this week. Here, Black surprised White in what seemed like a stable position.

OK, suitable for a weekend puzzle, this is a long sequence with a central theme of attacking along the diagonal from a2-g8. See if you can work it out all the way to mate at the end.

A finish from former world champ Anand.

Won by Vorotnikov in 1974.

Here’s a game I played on the Internet Chess Club this morning. I played an opening system I mentioned in my Openings for Amateurs books and have played hundreds of games with this line. It started out like this: ptamburro(a) - guest [C41] ICC Internet Chess Club, 2024 (10 minute game). 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 exd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Be7 6.g3 Bd7...

This game was won by Dennis Waterman in 1974 out California way in a tournament at the legendary Mechanics Institute in San Francisco.

A neat endgame win by Ivanchuk.

No more castling problems, but I was intrigued with G.F. Anderson’s work with the April 15th puzzle. Here’s one he did with C.C. Palmer. A mate in two.

In continuing our theme, here’s a mate in two.

If you did Friday’s puzzle, you have a hint on today’s solution. But don’t forget to do your income tax first! It’s a mate in four.

Many of you will recognize this Sam Loyd classic. I’m having it do an encore bow so as to give you a hint as to next week’s puzzles.

A dazzling display by a minister during the Major Open of the British Championship in 1929.

A very minimalist position with a charming key. It’s a mate in two.

A great Friday challenge for you! It’s a mating attack, which needs forcing moves. The toughest defense makes you go eight moves.

White’s the exchange down and his queen is attacked, so it is necessary to come up with something—quickly!

It is Black’s move, and White is threatening a mate in one. How should Black stop White from winning?

This position is won so many different ways. Gligoric picked a very imaginative way.

This position is from a wonderful out-of-print tactics book called Tactical Chess Training by GM Leonid Shamkovich and Jan R. Cartier.

White has just played 1.Nf4, attacking the Black d5 pawn. How should Black respond?