The Magic of Chess Tactics: A Training Book for Advanced Players

By Karsten Müller

Chess is 99% tactics. So to be a good chess player, you have to spend a lot of your training time on tactics. Although basic tactics are explained in a number good books, complicated tactics – the kind that separate tournament winners from the pack – require intuition, imagination and precision. The Magic of Chess Tactics helps you develop these qualities. Aimed primarily at aspiring chess players from club to master level who seriously want to improve their chess understanding, The Magic of Chess Tactics provides examples selected for both their entertainment and instructional value – as well as detailed explanations and exercises. Claus Dieter Meyer, chess author and FIDE Master, is a well-known analyst and professional chess trainer. Karsten Müller is an International Grandmaster and co-author, along with Frank Lamprecht, of the highly acclaimed “Secrets of Pawn Endings” and “Fundamental Chess Endings.” "I have come to realise that there are basically two types of chess tactics. First, simple kinds of combinations you need to know when you start to play chess. I still believe they are the basis of everything. Things that computers see in a half-second. But the book is not about them. For those simple tactics, old Koblentz books are more than enough. This book is about *complicated* chess tactics, the kind you sometimes need hours of analysis just to discover the truth of the position. It's hard to see and calculate perfectly on the board; one needs intuition, imagination and precision. "It's not easy to develop these qualities but I believe that the present book, full of examples and high quality analyses, will help you achieve that objective. Welcome to the magical world of tactics!" –From the Foreword by Alexei Shirov

• Language: English
• Publisher: Russell Enterprises, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 7, 2017
• ISBN: 9781941270851

Karsten Müller

International Grandmaster Karsten Müller is recognized as one of the world’s top endgame experts. He is the author of many books on endgames and chess tactics. He is the author of over a dozen chess books published by Russell Enterprises.

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Code System

Photo Credits

ChessBase: Vlastimil Babula (11) and Alexei Shirov (165)

Edward Winter Collection: Wilhelm Steinitz (35), Mikhail Tal (63), Rudolf Spielmann (76), A.A.Lilienthal (86), Bobby Fischer (92), Anthony Miles (131) and Tigran Petrosian (153)

C.D. Meyer: Zbynek Hracek (99), Rainer Knaak (142), Alexander Khalifman (160), Loek van Wely (183), Jan Timman (204), Sven Joachim (237), Gerlef Meins (241), the caricatures (page 8) by an unknown artist on the Moscow Arbat and by Alfred Hermsdörfer (210, 227).

Claus Dieter Meyer

Es irrt der Mensch, solang er strebt.

(Man will err while yet he strives.)

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, Faust I (1808)

About the Authors

Claus Dieter Meyer was born August 1, 1946 in Bremen, Germany. Formerly an insurance broker by trade, then a chess-journalist and FIDE-Master (1983), he is now well known in Germany as analyst and chess trainer. C.D. Meyer is the author of Im Spiegel der Analyse (1987) and Die Jahrhundert-Meisterschaft im Schach (2001, with Robert Hübner and others) and has also translated several chess books into German from English. He is the official chess trainer of SV Werder Bremen and long-time captain of Werder’s Bundesliga chess team.

Karsten Müller was born November 23, 1970 in Hamburg, Germany. He earned the grandmaster title in 1998 and is the co-author with Frank Lamprecht of the highly acclaimed Secrets of Pawn Endings (2000) and Fundamental Chess Endings (2001). His popular column Endgame Corner has appeared at www.ChessCafe.com since January 2001.

Middlegame Tactics

Before we delve into the jungle of speculative sacrifices, deep defensive resources and attacks, we would like to remind the reader of some more basic tactical notions first:

A1) Tactical Motifs

We start with the most important tactical weapon, which occurs in almost every game:

A1A) Pin and Cross Pin

In Secrets of Spectacular Chess, Levitt and Friedgood introduced a theory of chess aesthetics with Paradox, Depth, Geometry and Flow as the four main ingredients. We want to explore a special motif of geometry: the cross pin. A piece is pinned if it is between the king (or, say, the queen) and a less valuable piece of the opponent (such as a bishop). In the first case it is pinned absolutely, because it is not allowed to move away from the line or diagonal. In the second case it is pinned relatively, because if it moves away, a more valuable piece will be attacked. Nevertheless, it is sometimes possible to move out of a relative pin with advantage, as the next example shows:

Relative Pin

Horwitz – Bledow

Berlin 1837

Black to move (-+)

The knight f6 is pinned, but

1…Nxe4!! 2.Bxe7 Bxf2+ 3.Kf1 Ng3# mates.

On the other hand a pin can be a deadly weapon, as the following two examples illustrate:

Threat and Parade

Shagalovich – Levin

Minsk 1997

White to move increases his pressure.

The basis of a tactical operation is a threat. In this case the pin of the bishop at e7 and the missing link between the black rooks may be exploited by increasing the pressure on the weakness at e7.

1.Rd3!

With the deadly threats Bc5 and Rde3. The defender has to realize the crisis immediately and should try to solve his problems in the best possible way.

1…Kf8?

I The following alternatives also lose:

A) 1…Rd5? 2.Rde3 Rxd4 3.Rxe7+ Kd8 4.Rxb7+- Kc8 5.Ree7

B) 1…Rd7?

Ba) 2.Rde3+-

Ba1) 2…Kf8 3.Bc5 (3.Rxe7)

Ba2) 2…Kd8 3.Bb6+ Ke8 4.Bc5

Ba3) 2…Rxd4 3.Rxe7+ transposes to 1…Rd5?

Bb) 2.Bc5 Rc7 3.Rde3+-

C) ) 2…Rxd4 3.Rxe7+ Kd8 4.Ra7+-.

II The only correct move is 1…Rd6! with the idea of bolstering the defense with …Re6:

A) 2.Bc5? Re6 3. Red1 f6

B) 2.Rb3? Rxd4 (2…b5?! 3.Rbe3 Re6) 3.Rxb7 Rd7 4.Rb8+ Rd8 5.Rb7 Rd7 6.Rb8+=

C) .

2.Bc5!+- 1–0

2.Rde3? would be weak due to 2…Rxd4 3.Rxe7 Rd1+! 4.Rxd1 Kxe7.

2.Bc5! combines a double attack with a deadly pin. It threatens 3.Rxd8# as well as the simple capture of the bishop by 3.Bxe7+ or 3.Rxe7. Black is overloaded. For example, 2…Re8 (2…Rxd3 is refuted by the zwischenzug 3.Bxe7+ Ke8 4.cxd3, winning a piece) 3.Rxe7+-.

A simple yet instructive example.

Overloading

J. Asendorf (2297) – P. Wiebe

Hamburg (German Amateurs-Ch) 2002

White to move (+-)

(Position after 24…Bd6-e7?)

25.Qd7!

With pressure on e7 and e8, this move exploits the pin on the e-file convincingly.

25.Qc7 is not so strong:

I 25…Qf6 26.a3! (threat axb4+-) 26…Bd6 (26…bxa3? 27.Bc3 Qd6 28.Rxe7 Qxc7 29.Rxc7 Rxe1+ 30.Bxe1 axb2 31.Rb7+-; 26…Qd6? 27.Rxe7+-) 27.Rxe8+ Rxe8 28.Rxe8+ Kxe8 29.Qxa5 Qxb2 (29…bxa3? 30.Bg5+- axb2 31.Qb5+) 30.Qb5+ plus Bxb4±

II 25…Bd6 26.Qxa5! Reb8 27.Qd5±

25…Qf6

I 25…Rad8 26.Rxe7! Rxd7 (26…Rxe7 27.Qxd8+ Re8 28.Rxe8#) 27.Rxe8#

II 25…Qd6 26.Rxe7+-

26.Bf4!+-

A further pin along the diagonal a3-f8, here threatening Rxe7, is also a central idea of White’s final attack.

26…g5

26…Rad8 27.Rxe7! Qxe7 28.Rxe7 Rxd7 29.Rxd7+-

27.Rxe7!

Again this capture demonstrates that Black’s pieces are overloaded.

27…Red8

27…Rxe7 28.Bd6 Rae8 29.Bxe7+ (29.Rxe7) 29…Rxe7 30.Qd8+ Kg7 31.Qxe7

28.Bxg5 (28.Be5) 28…Qxg5 29.Rxf7+ Kg8 30.Qe6 1–0

Sometimes there are several pins at work and it is easy to mix things up:

Vlastimil Babula

A Composition of Pins

M. Solleveld (2427) – V. Babula (2566)

German Bundesliga 2002

Black to move (–+)

(Position after 23.Rf1-f2)

23…e5!

seems to exploit the pin on the d-file in a decisive way, but White has a pin himself:

24.Qe3

I 24.Rd2 exd4 25.Rxd4 Bd5-+

II 24.Qe4 Qd5!-+ (24…Qe6? 25.Ra5!)

III 24.Bg5 f6-+

24…Qe6

powerfully unpinning the e-pawn

25.b7 exd4 26.Qxe6+ fxe6 27.Bf4 dxc3+ 28.Ke1

Now Black is prepared for the final assault, whereas 28.Kc1 Bc5-+ poses no problems.

28…Bc5 29.Rb1

29.b8Q Rxb8 30.Bxb8 Bxf2+ 31.Kxf2 allows the beautiful 31…0-0+! 32.Bf4 e5-+ with a deadly pin.

29…Bb5!

.

30.Rf3

If 30.Rd1 then 30…Rxd1+! 31.Kxd1 Kd7 32.Rf3 Bd6.

30…0-0 31.Rxc3 Bd4 32.Rc7 e5 and White threw in the towel - 0–1.

A cross-pin arises when one piece is pinned in two directions. The following examples will illustrate this:

Three-Cross Pins

(I) Szabo – Langeweg

Kecskemet 1964

White to move (+-)

1.Qg7!!

The bishop on e5 shields the queen on c7 and protects the rook on h8. That proves to be too much responsibility for the bishop, as the rook on b8 is trapped.

1…Bxg7 2.Bxc7 Bd4 3.Bxb8+-

and White converted his advantage to a full point.

(II) Bogatyriev –Sagoryanski

Moscow 1947

Black to move (-+)

1…Qd4!!-+

wins immediately. (In the game, Black played 1…Ra7? and the result was a draw.) Note that with the white queen on e2 this second pin would not be possible and White would be able to hold the position.

(III) Bannik – Cherepkov

USSR 1961

Black to move (-+)

1…Re2!!-+

pins and wins the queen as 2.Qxc5 Rgxg2+ 3.Kh1 Rh2+ 4.Kg1 Reg2# mates.

Exercises:

E1.1

Pidorich – Chernusov

Tjumen 1981

White to move (+-)

E1.2

Borngässer – Weiner

correspondence 1976

White to move (+-)

E1.3

Donner – Hübner

Büsum 1968

Black to move (-+)

E1.4

D. Roos (2420) – K. Müller (2505)

German Bundesliga 1997

Black to move (-+)

Several examples are taken from Neistadt’s book, which presents a lot of combinations in a nice way.

Solutions:

E1.1: 1.Rc7!! Bxc7 (1…Qxc7 2.Bxd5+ Kh8 3.Bxa8+-) 2.Qe4!! 1-0

E1.2: 1.Qh3!! (1.De3 wins as well, but is not as convincing as 1.Qh3) 1…Rfg7 2.Qc8+ Kh7 3.fxg7 Rxg7 4.Qh3+, and Black resigned in view of 4…Qxh3 5.Rxg7+ Kh8 6.Rg8+ Kh7 7.R1g7+ Kh6 8.Rh8+ +-.

E1.3: 1…Rxc5 2.Qxc5 Rc8!!, and Donner resigned, e.g. 3.Qxb6 Rxc1+ -+ or 3.b4 Rxc5 4.bxc5 Qb2 -+.

E1.4: 27…Bxd3+?! (The cross pin 27…Qb5!! wins on the spot.) 28.Qxd3 Ra3 29.Be5 Bxe5 [29…Qa4 30.Bxf6 (30.Rb1 Bxe5 31.dxe5 Nf4 32.Qc2 Qb5+ 33.Kg1 Ne2+ 34.Kh1 Nc3-+) 30…Rxb3 31.Qf5 Qa6+ 32.Kg1 gxf6-+] 30.Rxe5 Nxd4 31.Qxd4 Rxb3 32.g3 [I 32.Rxd5 Rb1+ 33.Ke2 Qe6+ 34.Re5 Qa6+ 35.Kd2 Qa2+ 36.Ke3 Re1+ 37.Kf3 Rxe5 38.Qxe5 Qb3+-+; II 32.Qxd5 Rb1+ 33.Ke2 Qg4+-+; III After 32.g4!? (Roos) it is not so easy to prove a win. For example: 32…Qb5+ 33.Kg2 Rd3 34.Qf4 Rd1 35.Re7 Qf1+ 36.Kg3 Qd3+ 37.Kg2.] 32…Qh3+ 33.Ke2 Qg2 34.Rxd5? ) 34…Qf3+ 35.Ke1? (35.Kd2 Rb2+ 36.Kc1 (36.Qxb2 Qxd5+ 37.Ke2 Qxc5-+) 36…Rxf2 37.Rd8+ Kh7 38.Qd3+ Qxd3 39.Rxd3 Rf5-+) 35…Rb1+ 0-1 due to 36.Kd2 Rd1+-+.

We end this section with a very complicated example:

Comedy of Errors

(Pins and Cross-Pins)

G. Fahnenschmidt – L. Gutman

German Bundesliga 1987

Black to move (-+)

(Position after Rd2-f2)

The turbulent finale of the Bundesliga game between Grandmaster Lev Gutman (Koblenz) and Dr. Gerhard Fahnenschmidt (Sindelfingen) was a real comedy of errors played amid time trouble. With piece sacrifices to open the enemy king position, Black hoped to get support from Caissa, the goddess of chess. Meanwhile he is down a rook and a bishop with only one pawn (on h3) as material compensation. But that pawn is quite a nuisance:

1…Rxf3?

1…h2+ 2.Kf1 (2.Kh1 Qxf2-+) 2…Qh3!-+ with the first pin, but the simple 2…Qh4!-+ is possible as well.

2.Rc2?

I 2.Re2?/Rd2? transposes after 2…hxg2! (2…Bc5+?) 3.Rxg2 to the game.

II 2.Qf1? h2+ 3.Kh1 Rxf2-+

III An original way to draw was

2.Qb2!/Qe1! Rxf2 3.Qxf2 Bc5 (3…Qxf2+ 4.Kxf2 Bc5+ 5.Kg3 Bxa7 6.Bc6 Kxh8 7.Bxb5=) 4.Ra8+ Kh7 5.Bd4 Bxd4

Analysis

White is only apparently overloaded: 6.Rh8+ (The only way out, luring the king onto the a1–h8 diagonal in order to get rid of the bishop on d4 with check) 6…Kxh8 7.Qxd4+ and now both players have to be careful not to end up in a lost pawn ending:

A) 7…Kh7 8.Qf2 (For 8.Qd5 see line B) 8…h2+ (With 8…Qxf2+?? 9.Kxf2 hxg2 10.a4+- Black would have blundered badly) 9.Kf1 Qd3+ 10.Qe2 Qb1+ 11.Qe1 Qxa2 12.Qh4+ should be drawn.

B) 7…Kg8 8.Qd8+ Kh7 9.Qd5 (9.Qa8??/Qd2?? b4-+) is more or less equal:

Ba) 9…Qe3+ 10.Kh2 hxg2 11.Qxf7+ Kh6 12.Kxg2= (12.Qf8+=)

Bb) 9…hxg2 10.Qxf7+ Kh6 11.Qf8+=

2…hxg2!

2…Bc5+? 3.Bd4 Bxd4+ 4.Qxd4 Qe1+ 5.Kh2 Qg3+ 6.Kg1 Qe1+=, perpetual check.

3.Rxg2 Bc5+

4.Kh1?

Dr. Fahnenschmidt makes the last mistake. But what about the absolutely necessary 4.Bd4 ? After the devilish cross pin 4…Qe5!! (4…Rf1+? 5.Kxf1) it is extremely complicated. The attentive reader will explore the situation together with us. Black plays for a win despite being a rook down!

Analysis

5.Ra8+ (For 5.Rd7 Rf4 6.Rd8+ see IIA)

I 5…Kg7 seems less precise. Some variations may lead to II, but here is an independent example: 6.Rg4!? f6 (6…Rd3? 7.Rd8 Rd2 8.Rd5 Bxd4+ 9.Qxd4 Rxd4 10.Rxg6+ followed by 11.Rxe5=) 7.Rd8!? and extreme complications have arisen. White is still offering strong resistance. Two plausible continuations are 7…Qh5 (idea …Rh3) and 7…Rd3.

II 5…Kh7!

A) . We will see this rook ending, which favors Black, repeatedly.

B) After 6.Rg4 Rh3!, 7.Rh8+ is the only playable move, equivalent to a desperate appeasement policy, but Black reaches a very favorable rook ending in any case:

Ba)

Bb) as above.

C) 6.Rh2+ Kg7

Ca)

Cb) 7.Rh4

Cb1) 7…f6? 8.Rah8! Bxd4+ (8…g5 9.R4h7+=) 9.Kh1 (9.Qxd4?? Qg3+/Qe1+ followed by mate) 9…f5 10.Qc1! Rh3+ 11.Rxh3 Qe4+ 12.Kh2 Qe2+=, perpetual check Cb2) 7…Rf6!!

Analysis

Cb21)

Cb22)

Cc) 7.Rd8 Rf4! 8.Rd2 Rh4! (8…Rg4+? 9.Kf1) Now Black threatens to exchange the bishops and make way for his queen to reach g3.

Analysis

.

4…Qh3+ 0–1

White is mated after 5.Rh2 Rf1+ 6.Qxf1 Qxf1#.

A1B) Knight Moves

The knight seems to be the most difficult piece to master. It moves in a non-linear way, can jump and can attack eight of the opponent’s men without being subjected to attack itself (from the center it controls eight squares, from the corner only two). This potential to fork other pieces makes it a dangerous warrior when it comes to tactics. In an attack it teams up well with the queen, as we will see in section A3. In defense it is a good friend of the king. (Thus the saying With a knight on f8 Black will never get mated, when he has castled kingside.) Let’s show some examples:

D. Ruzele (2475) – R. Hübner (2575)

Elista (ol) 1998

A knight is especially strong if it has an outpost and can take part in an attack against the enemy king.

Black to move (-+)

The German Grandmaster played

57…Nb5? missing 57…a4! 58.Rxb4+ Ka5 59.Rc4 a3!-+ 58.a4 Nc3 59.Rg4

and White managed to survive.

V. Ivanchuk (2730) – J. Isaev (2440)

Elista (ol) 1998

White to move (+-)

Another attribute of the knight is its ability to fork enemy pieces. Vasily Ivanchuk made use of it and won very quickly:

29.g4! Rf4 30.Ng5+ Kg8 (30…Kf6 31.Nce4+ or Ne6) 31.Rxg7+ Kxg7 32.Ne6+ 1-0

Two exercises conclude this section:

E2.1

A. Morozevich (2625) –

L. Valenzuela (2405)

Elista (ol) 1998

White to move (+-)

E2.2

V. Topalov (2700) –

Peng Xiaomin (2550)

Elista (ol) 1998

White to move (+-)

Solutions:

E2.1: 39.Nf5+ Kh7 40.Kf3! Rxd4 (40…Re8 41.Rh2+ Kg8 42.Nxe7+ Rxe7 43.Rxd5) 41.Rh2+ 1-0 (41…Kg8 42.Nxe7+ Kg7 43.Nf5+ Kg8 44.Nxd4+-).

E2.2: 37.Nxg6! [Also 37.fxg6+!, e.g. Kxe6 38.Rf6+ Kd7 39. Qg4+ Kc7 (39…Ke8 40.Qe6+ Be7 - 40…Qe7 41.Qc6+ - 41.Rf8+ Kxf8 42.Qf7#) 40.Qf4+ Kd7 41.Qf5+ Kc7 42.Rf7+ Kb6 43.Rxb7+ Kxb7 44.gxh7+-.] 37…Bg7 (37…b1Q 38.Nh8#) 38.Qe3 (38.Re7+ Qxe7 39.Nxe7+- is sufficient) 38…Bf6 (38…b1Q 39.Re7++-; 38…Ra7 39.Ne5+ Bxe5 40.Qxe5+-) 39.Rxf6+ Kxf6 40.Qe6+ Kg7 (40…Kg5 41.h4+ Kh6 42.Ne7++-; 41…Kh5 42.Qe3!+-; 41…Kg4 42.Qe2+ Kg3 43. Qf3#) 41.f6+ Kh6 42.Ne7 1-0 (42…b1Q 43.Qe3+ Kh5 44.Qf3+ Kh6 45.Qf4+ Kh5 46.Qg4+ Kh6 47.Qh4#).

A1C) Trapped Pieces, Loose Pieces Drop Off

The term loose pieces drop off was coined by John Nunn in Secrets of Practical Chess and reminds you that unguarded pieces are in danger of being attacked and captured. This does not mean, of course, that you should place your men only on protected squares – such a strategy is in most cases doomed to fail. Instead, you should always watch out for possibilities to attack unguarded enemy pieces, and be alert to potential attacks on your own unguarded pieces.

A common and extraordinarily dangerous weapon used to exploit loose pieces is the double attack:

J. Gustafsson (2506) – R. Seger (2399)

German Bundesliga 2001

Black to move (-+)

White loses surprisingly quickly due to his loose bishop on a3 and knight on e2: 26…Rd3! 27.Nc3 Rc8 0–1

The situation with trapped pieces is similar. Watch out for pieces that do not have enough scope and maneuvering space.

Poisoned Exchange

M. Cleven – S. Ericsson

Hamburg (SVE-GER, girls under 16) 1999

White to move (+-)

(Position after 9…Qa5?)

With this unsuspecting queen sortie, Black overlooked the shot after 10.axb4! Qxa1, namely 11.Nd2!!+- trapping the intruder. The locked-in queen could only be saved by sacrificing a piece, and White won convincingly (1-0/30). Note that 11.Nc5? is mistaken because of 11…Nd4 12.e3 d6 with an unclear position.

Shock in the Morning

W. Beckemeyer (2374) – C.D. Meyer (2313)

German Bundesliga 2000

Black to move

(Position after 15.Nc4-e3!)

Rather absent around 9:15 a.m. on a Sunday, Black acted here as if he was a member of the Scandinavian suicide club…

15…Qa2??

Played without thinking because this was a firm part of Black’s plan.

I 15…Qb5 16.Qxb5 cxb5 17.d5 Rfe8 18.Nxf5 (18.Rhe1±) 18…exf5±

II 15…Qe4? 16.f3 Qf4 17.g3 Qh6 18.h4+- with a murderous attack

16.Kd2!+-

Shocking! Suddenly Black woke up and looked more closely at the position, as his queen is trapped (17.Ra1). Despite long analysis the position didn’t get any better, and it was time to throw in the towel - 1–0. ) 16…Nc5 17.dxc5 (17.f3 Rad8 18.Ra1 Nb3+ 19.cxb3 Qxb3 20.Nxf5 exf5 21.Rad1) 17…Rad8+ 18.Ke1 etc.

On the Side

S. Joachim (2445) – T. Polak (2485)

German Bundesliga II 1999

White to move (±)

(Position after 22…Rd8-d7?)

23.Be5! Qa5

Here the queen moves to the far side of the board, allowing White to direct his forces decisively to the kingside. The refutation of the following alternative deserves attention: 23…Bxe5 (23…Rdd8/Red8 24.c4 along with 25.Bxg7 or 25.Nf6+) 24.dxe5 Qxe5 (24…Qxe4 25.Rxe4 Bxe4 is clearly advantageous for White) 25.Qb5!!+- (25…Qxb5 26.Nf6+ Kf8 27.Bxb5).

24.Bb5! Bc6 (24…Nc6 25.Nd6+-) 25.Bxg7 Kxg7 26.c4!+-

White keeps the queen locked in at a5 and opens the gates to the royal chamber. Kindly note the x-rays of the queen on b2!

26…Bxb5 27.d5+ e5 28.Qxe5+ Kf8 29.Nf6 Rdd8 30.Nxh7+ Kg8 31.Nf6+ Kf8 32.Nxe8 Rxe8 33.cxb5 Qxb5 34.Rac1 1–0

Exercises

E3.1

K. Müller – M. Lindinger

Hamburg (International Ch) 1999

White to move (+-)

E3.2

N. Michaelsen (2439) – E. Bacrot (2592)

German Bundesliga 2000

Black to move (-+)

Solutions: