Teaching Kids - Pin - Part 2

Before proceeding, I recommend you to go through part -1.

Following to discussion on part-1, let's move on getting benefits out of pin. Basically there are four ways to get benefited from Pin.

1. Increase nos of attack on pinned piece.



Knight on c6 is pinned so you can simply win the piece by playing pawn d4 to d5. This method works very well with absolute pin though you can do the same with relative pin too. But with relative pin, pinned piece is not completely paralyzed.

2. Illusion



In this position if there is a no pawn h7, black can be checkmated with Rh8#. But you can break the defence with 1. Qxg6!! as 1... fxg6 is not possible due to the Pin (Bishop on b3 is pinning the f7 pawn). Therefore pawn on f7 is defending g6 is only illusion.

3. Changing pinned piece



Here 1. f6 (increasing nos of attack on pinned piece is not the proper one because of 1...g6. But it is often good idea to change the pinned piece in order to break the defence. In this case
1. Bxg7!! - Bxg7
2. f6 wins the queen otherwise it is checkmate.

4. Gaining a tempo



White is pawn plus but exchanging everything wouldn't solve the issue, for example
1. Bxf6 - Rxf6
2. Rxf6 - Kxf6
3. b5 - Ke6
4. b6 - Kd6
5. b7 - Kc7 = and Black king is in time to catch the pawn.

But what happned if white is a tempo ahead in the same position (Pawn is on b5 instead of b4). Obvious white can win the game by swap off all pieces. White can win this position with
1. Rxf6!! - Rxf6 (Now rook is pinned therefore white is able to gain a move with b4)
2. b4 -  Kf7
3. Bxf6 - Kxf6
4. b6 - Ke6
5. b7 - Kd7
6. b8=Q wins the game.


We will discuss a classical game on next article in order to explain "if & but" of pin.
  

Teaching Pin to Kids

Pinning and winning.

In chess, a pin is a situation brought on by an attacking piece in which a defending piece cannot move without exposing a more valuable defending piece on its other side to capture by the attacking piece.
Source: Wikipedia

Looks complicated, let me explain it with the help of following example

On your right hand side
- Black Rook is the attacker
- White Bishop is defender (Defending king by blocking/interposing)
- White King is the more valuable piece than Bishop.

Therefore Bishop has lost its mobility called PIN. This is called absolute pin as bishop move would be ill-legal move.

While on your left hand side
- Black Rook is the attacker
- White Bishop is defender (Defending queen by blocking/interposing)
- White Queen is the more valuable piece than Bishop.

But here Bishop has some mobility as moving bishop is not ill-legal but not advisable. It is called relative pin.

Pin is possible against square too. Here is an example...

 Here queen on d2 can't move because of checkmate threat on d8.

On next article we will look at getting benefits out of the pin with the help of classical games.

Annotated Chess Game In French Defence : Sergey Karjakin vs Magnus Carlsen

Previous annotated games in French Defence
Kasparov vs Nikolic
Bojan Vuckovic (2615) vs Alexander Grischuk
Fabiano Caruana - Magnus Carlsen, Grand Slam 2012
Peter Svidler vs Ivanchuk, Candidates 2013
Aron Nimzowitsch Against Jose Raul Capablanca
Bronstein, David vs Uhlmann, Wolfgang

Opening Tricks And Traps, Part - 7 - Pirc Defence

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Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2
Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 3

Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 4

Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 5

Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 6

PIRC Defence

1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Bf5 4. Nh4 Bg6 5. Nxg6 hxg6 6. e4 Nbd7 7. Bc4 e5 8.O-O

See the diagram (^) White is having two bishop advantage and nice center but he must be very careful about black's activity on h file

8....c6 9. a4 exd4
(9... Nxe4 10. Nxe4 d5) 

10. Qxd4 Ng4 11. h3 Nde5 ? 12. hxg4 ?? 

See the diagram(^) Now white cannot avoid checkmate, but instead of 12. Be2 and white is having better game 
(12. Be2 Qh4 13. f4 Qg3 14. Bxg4 Nxg4 15. hxg4) 

12... Nf3+ !! is killing one

13. gxf3 Qh4 

0-1

Annotated Chess Game In French Defence : Bronstein, David vs Uhlmann, Wolfgang

Previous annotated games in French Defence
Kasparov vs Nikolic
Bojan Vuckovic (2615) vs Alexander Grischuk
Fabiano Caruana - Magnus Carlsen, Grand Slam 2012
Peter Svidler vs Ivanchuk, Candidates 2013
Aron Nimzowitsch Against Jose Raul Capablanca

Opening Tricks And Traps, Part - 6

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Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2
Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 3

Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 4
Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 5

Queen vs Minor Pieces Fortress Part 2, Bishop and Knight

Previous : Queen vs Minor Pieces Fortress Part 1 - Two Bishops

Bishop and Knight alone can not hold the position against queen except one position, which can be arranged on two corner of the board, depending upon which colour bishop you have.

Bishop and Knight fortress

As you can see that white king can not enter into the squares marked with green colour. Therefore Bishop can not be captured so position remains draw. Moreover, white is not able to force black into zugzwang. Please note that attacker positions (here white's King and Queen) are irrelevant once defender gets the given position.

Originally position was studied by Max A.K.S. Karstedt in 1903 who has also discovered some other possibilities in Philidor position even but not popular because they are complicated.

Karstedt Position - 1903

1. Qf5 Kh8 2. Ke7 Kg8 3. Qc2 Kh8 4. Qc8+ Kh7 5. Qa8 Ng6+ 6. Ke6 Ne5 7. Qh1+ Kg8 and position remains the same.However here are some moves which are played by computer (F-13) with no result. 8. Qd5 Kh7 9. Kf5 Kh8 10. Qa8+ Kh7 11. Qb7 Kg8 12. Qe7 Kh7 13. Qe6 Bh8 14. Ke4 Bg7 15. Kd5 Bh8 16. Kd6 Bg7 17.Qd5 Kh8 18. Qe4 Kg8 19. Ke6 Kh8 20. Kd5 Kg8 21. Qf5 Bh8 22. Qc8+ Kh7 23. Qd8 Ng6

Opening Tricks And Traps, Part - 5

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Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2
Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 3

Opening Tricks and Traps Part - 4

Kings Indian Defence

Annotated Chess Game In French Defence : Aron Nimzowitsch Against Jose Raul Capablanca

Previous annotated games in French Defence
Kasparov vs Nikolic
Bojan Vuckovic (2615) vs Alexander Grischuk
Fabiano Caruana - Magnus Carlsen, Grand Slam 2012
Peter Svidler vs Ivanchuk, Candidates 2013

Queen vs Minor Pieces Fortress Part 1

In this article we will see different fortress positions for minor pieces (usually Defender Side) against Queen in pawn less endgame.

Queen vs. Two Bishops

Bishop must be arrange in a way so that stronger side king can not attack them. You can set up the fortress in 4 corners.

Giambattista Lolli has given following position in his book Osservazioni teorico-pratiche sopra il giuoco degli scacchi (English: Theoretical-practical views on the game of chess), published 1763 in Bologna. Which has been used in almost every chess endgame book to describe fortress against queen for two bishops.

Two Bishop Fortress

1.Qd7+ Kg8 2.Qe6+ Kg7 3.Qd6 Bf7 4.Kf5

and again with 4.... Bg6+ 5.Kf4 and Black again gets Lolli Position. and there is no another way to win this game for white. You can your self analyse the position or can take help of computer in case you have any doubts. 5...Kf7 6.Qd7+ Kf8 =:=

In the next part we will  see fortress for two knights.

Annotated Chess Game In French Defence : Kasparov vs Nikolic

Opening Tricks And Traps, Part - 4

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Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2
Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 3

(10) Gruenfeld Defence

(11) Gruenfeld Defence

(12) Gruenfeld Defence

Chess Endgame : Queen vs. Rook Part - 2 Winning Method

Continued....
Previous : Queen vs. Rook Part - 1

In part 1, we already discussed fortress in this part we will discuss winning method for stronger side.

Philidor studied this position in 1977 and therefore called 'Philidor Position' where stronger side (here white) wins with either side to move.

White to Move

Black to Move

With black to move it is comparatively easy for stronger side. Why ? because you have already same position which we get above on move no. 3.

Opening Tricks and Traps, Part 3

Previous : 

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2

(7) French Defence
 (8) French Defence
  (9) French Defence

Annotated Game in French Defence of Leading french expert Alexander Grischuk

......continued

Previous annotated games in French Defence
1. Fabiano Caruana - Magnus Carlsen, Grand Slam 2012
2. Peter Svidler vs Ivanchuk, Candidates 2013

This game is for french lovers who just love later counter attacks possibilities in french defence.

Annotated Game : Bojan Vuckovic (2615) vs Alexander Grischuk

Chess Endgame : Queen vs. Rook Part - 1 Fortress

In Practice it has been observed that Queen vs Rook endgame is difficult though it was believed to be quite easy to force win.

Muller in his book 'Fundamental Chess Endings'

"The Appearance of Computer databases in 1978 caused the ending to be seen in new light.While they confirmed that the queen should win from all normal starting positions, they also showed that it was quite difficult to win if the defender played precisely."

In the first part, we will see fortress position where defender gets draw by force with the help of perpetual checks and stalemate tricks.

Fortress position

As you can see in the diagram, with black to move ; draw can be achieved by 

1... Rg7+ 
2. Kf5 Rf7+ 
3. Kg6 Rg7+ 
4. Kf6 Perpetual checks (4. Kh6 Rh7+ 5. Kxh7 Stalemate trick works) 
4... Rg6+ Again Stalemate tricks works well for defender

1/2 - 1/2

In part 2 we will see winning method for stronger side.

Annotated Chess Game In French Defence, Between Svidler and Ivanchuk from Candidates 2013

I choose this game played in recent and the most toughest tournament in the candidates history ever (Candidates 2013) where Ivanchuk had missed some equalizing chances in his kind of position (Tactical). After penultimate 26....0-0-0, Svidler controlled the game and went on win. 

Before presenting you annotated game, let me give you the list of some good books on french defence.

The Flexible French: Strategic Explanations & Surprise Weapons for Dynamic Players
French Defence by Gligoric 
Play the French, 4th (Everyman Chess)

Annotated game : Peter Svidler vs Ivanchuk, Candidates 2013

Opening Tricks and Traps, Part 2

Previous : Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 1

(4) Caro Kann Defence

(5) Catalan

(6) Four Knight's Game

Next

Endgame : Active King

In the opening and middlegame stage king requires protection but as soon as game reaches to last phase, king activation has significant effect over the result of chess game. For better endgame result you should activate or centralize your king as soon as possible as there are less chances of mating attack due to few materials left on the board where you can use your king as an extra piece.

Mikhail Shereshevsky has devoted a separate chapter on 'Centralization of king' in his book endgame strategy where he gave general rules to ameliorate your chess endgame.

“The great mobility of the King forms one of the chief characteristics of all endgame strategy. In the middlegame the King is a mere 'super', in the endgame on the other hand it is one of the 'principals'. We must therefore develop him, bring him nearer to the fighting line.” - Aron Nimzowitsch

An experienced chess player is mostly playing with an extra piece in endgame compare to novice. Let's go through some examples which supports this thumb rule.

Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2

Opening Tricks and Traps, Part 1

Here you will find traps which has some practical chances to fall into. I have not included traps or tricks which are easily available on wiki pages and youtube. In every part we will deal with three tricks/traps.

I prefer not to play traps but study it for saving yourselves.


(1) Bishop Opening

(2) Budapest Defence

(3) Caro-Kann Defence

Next : Opening Tricks And Traps Part - 2