DaDaPiSkReMa

Someone compared the chess blogosphere to a cult. It's true we praise Caissa, the Goddess of Chess. And sometimes she demands expiation, the sacrifice of countless hours studying tactics and positions from master games.

Oh, and I chant: "DaDaPiSkReMa, DaDaPiSkReMa, DaDaPiSkReMa".

Da	Double Attacks
Da	Discovered Attacks
Pi	Pins
Sk	Skewers
Re	Removing the Guard
Ma	Mating Patterns

There are two basic ways to solve a tactic:

A. Recognizing the idea
B. Calculating

Recognizing the Idea - We often do this automatically. I know when pieces are lined up for a skewer or fork, or there's a potential double bishop sacrifice. But sometimes we look at a position and have no clue.

That's when going through a checklist of tactical motifs may help us find the idea, and the mnemonic DaDaPiSkReMa helps to remember that checklist.

Calculating - The trick is to consider checks, threats, and captures in that order. If there are few forcing moves, sometimes we can skip finding the idea and simply calculate the solution. But in complex positions we usually have to find the idea and then calculate.


Erik e-mailed me and asked me to take up editing tactics for chess.com. I was about to decline, when I realized the role matches my current objectives. I receive dozens of computer-selected key positions from master games every day and have to fully understand them before editing them for clarity and to give the losing side a strong defense.

Anti-Moscow Gambit: 12.f3!?

A recent game in the Semi-Slav / Anti-Moscow 12.f3!? line.

[White "Bacrot"]
[Black "Dreev"]
[Site "Poikovsky"]
[Date "2005.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 h5 12. f3 $5 { White wastes no time tearing open the kingside.} Nbd7 13. fxg4 hxg4 {Black's g-pawn is weak. It seems likely that White can regain the gambited pawn in this line.} (13... Nxe5 14. Bxe5 hxg4 15. O-O {Transposing to the mainline.} (15. Bxg4 {Another option. Since this line gives White more interesting options, Black should probably stick to the text.})) 14. O-O $6 { Doesn't this make White's h-pawn hard to defend?} Nxe5 (14... -- 15. Nxf7 $1 Kxf7 16. e5) 15. Bxe5 Nd7 $1 { Sac'ing the exchange... Dreev has done quite well with this line.} ({ Passive play here has been punished severely...} 15... Be7 16. Qd2 $1 Rxh4 17. Qf4 $1 $16 {Nechaev-Maksimenko, Alushta 1999. White has a devastating attack and is likely to convert.}) 16. Bxh8 Qxh4 17. Bxg4 (17. Be5 $2 Nxe5 $1 18. dxe5 $2 Bc5+ $1 {And mate to follow.}) 17... Qxh8 18. e5 $1 {Well calculcated.} O-O-O $1 $146 (18... Nxe5 $6 19. dxe5 Bc5+ 20. Rf2 Qxe5 21. Qe2 Qxe2 22. Bxe2 Rd8 23. Kf1 Bxf2 24. Kxf2 {A tough endgame in Kasparov-Dreev, Moscow 2004. Although Kasparov won and this line is now frowned on, I doubt many experts or even masters have the technique to convert this position as White.}) 19. Qe2 c5 20. d5 Nxe5 21. dxe6 Nxg4 22. Qxg4 Qd4+ 23. Qxd4 cxd4 24. Nxb5 fxe6 25. Rac1 Bh6 26. Rxc4+ Kb8 27. Re1 Be3+ 28. Rxe3 dxe3 29. Rd4 Rf8 30. Rd1 a6 31. Nc3 Rf2 32. Rd6 e5 33. Re6 Rf5 34. Rg6 Rf2 35. Rg5 Rxb2 36. Rxe5 Rxg2+ 1/2-1/2

It's important to remember 15...Nd7!, as it would be hard to find over the board. Both 18...O-O-O and 18...Nxe5 afford Black good chances.

Anti-Moscow Gambit: 15.Bg3!?

A recent game in the Semi-Slav / Anti-Moscow 15.Bg3!? line.

[White "Sakaev, Konstantin"]
[Black "Borovikov, Vladislav"]
[Site "Halkidiki"]
[Date "2002.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {Semi-Slav} 5. Bg5 h6 {Semi-Slav / Moscow} 6. Bh4 {Semi-Slav / Moscow / Anti-Moscow Gambit} dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 h5 12. O-O Nbd7 13. Qc2 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Bg7 {So far, everything has been according to theory we've seen before...} 15. Bg3 $5 $146 {Sakaev's novelty! White is willing to sacrifice another pawn to play e5 and Ne4 without delay.} b4 $6 {Borovikov's reaction is unfortunate. It has been universally accepted since this game that immediately accepting the gambit is the only way to proceed. And yet his move is logical: (1) After the c3 knight retreats, it won't end up on its desired e4 square, (2) he still gets to take the d-pawn, and (3) Sakaev probably spent more time analyzing the gambit accepted than the gambit declined.} 16. Na4 $8 Qxd4 17. Bxc4 (17. Rad1 $2 Qxe4 $1) 17... c5 $2 {c5 is actually a losing move, because it allows White's bishop onto the a4-e8 diagonal.} (17... Qxe4 $2 18. Bd3 Qd5 19. Nc5 $1 Bc8 20. Rfd1 O-O 21. Bg6 $18) (17... a5 $1 { Giving the queen the a7 retreat square in the case of Rd1 and protecting b4.}) 18. e5 Qe4 $6 {Trying to force the trade of queens seems prudent as White is building up an attack, but this move isn't sound and Sakaev found the refutation.} ({But other moves also lose...} 18... Nd7 19. Rfd1 Qe4 20. Qxe4 Bxe4 21. Bb5 $18) 19. Bb5+ $1 Kf8 20. Qxc5+ $1 {The point. White's checks have avoided the queen trade yet still left the f6 knight en prise. Black's position is lost.} Kg8 21. f3 $1 {(else Qxg2#).} gxf3 22. exf6 { White wins the knight.} Bxf6 23. gxf3 Qg6 24. Kh2 Rc8 {Desperation.} 25. Qe3 Rc2+ 26. Rf2 {Game over.} 1-0

The key is to accept the gambit. After 15...Qxd4! 16.Rfd1 Qc5!N Black went on to win in Grischuck-Svidler, Mexico City 2007 and 15...Qxd4! 16.Rfd1 16...Qb6 has also done well.

Anti-Moscow Gambit: 15.Rad1!?

A recent model game in the Semi-Slav / Anti-Moscow 15.Rad1!? line.

[White "Aronian"]
[Black "Anand"]
[Site "Mexico City"]
[EventDate "2007.09.14"]

{Anand's victory over Aronian shows how dynamic the Semi-Slav can be.} 1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {Semi-Slav} 5. Bg5 h6 {Semi-Slav / Moscow} 6. Bh4 {Semi-Slav / Moscow / Anti-Moscow Gambit} dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 { This is the main move, coaxing Black to advance (overextend?) his pawns.} g4 11. Ne5 h5 12. O-O Nbd7 13. Qc2 Nxe5 14. Bxe5 Bg7 { This game demonstrates model development for both sides.} 15. Rad1 $5 { White prepares for Bg3 by adding a new protector to the d-pawn.} O-O 16. Bg3 { Bg3 threatens e5 (when Black's bishop has no scope) and Ne4 (a centrally posted knight).} Nd7 {Anticipating e5 and planning to meet it with f5.} 17. f3 {Shifting to a new strategy: tear open the kingside where Black just castled.} c5 $5 $146 {In yet another game, this pawn thrust at a key moment is decisive!} 18. dxc5 Qe7 $1 19. Kh1 $2 {Aronian replies passively. This is a good reply to the usual 17...Qb6, but it's not a good reply to 17...c5!?N. Aronian may have played this on autopilot. It's amazing how subtle a mistake can be fatal at the super-GM level.} (19. Bd6 $5 Qxh4 20. fxg4 hxg4 21. Rf4 Nf6 22. Nxb5 Bh6 $13 {White regains the pawn, but this is a tough position to play.}) (19. Rd6 $5 Bxc3 20. Qxc3 Rac8 21. c6 Rxc6 22. Qd4 $14 {looks more promising.}) 19... a6 20. a4 Bc6 21. Nd5 $5 {A tricky sacrifice. An IM commenting on this position called it a blunder, a GM felt these complications were White's best chance to keep his head above water. The rest of this game is not so important theoretically but very complicated and exciting!} (21. fxg4 hxg4 22. Bxg4 Nxc5) 21... exd5 22. exd5 Be5 23. f4 Bg7 24. dxc6 Nxc5 25. Rd5 Ne4 26. Be1 Qe6 27. Rxh5 f5 28. Kh2 Rac8 29. Bb4 Rfe8 30. axb5 axb5 31. Re1 Qf7 32. Rg5 Nxg5 33. fxg5 Rxc6 34. Bf1 Rxe1 35. Bxe1 Re6 36. Bc3 Qc7+ 37. g3 Re3 38. Qg2 Bxc3 39. bxc3 f4 40. Qa8+ Kg7 41. Qa6 fxg3+ 0-1

This game highlights model development in the mainline for both sides.

Anti-Moscow Gambit: 9th Moves

The Anti-Moscow tabiya is the position where games and theory really begin:

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5



Black has an extra pawn. But White is better developed, controls the center, and Black's advanced wing pawns may prove to be over-extended. In this sort of position you either win or lose... rarely do games fizzle out to a draw.

9.Be2 - This is intuitive and the mainline. Before White initiates hostilities, he ensure that his king is able to castle at the first sign of danger.

9.a4? or 9.b3? - An a4 advance is strong in the Slav, but both a4 and b3 are losing in the Semi-Slav. After 9...Bb4!, White must spend time defusing the pin and protecting his a- and e-pawns, which gives Black time to develop.

9.h4 or 9.Qc2 - These transpose to the Be2 mainlines after 9.h4 g4 10.Ne5 h5 11.Be2 Bb7 or 9.Qc2 Bb7 10.Be2 .

9.Ne5!? Δ 10.h4 - Black can no longer answer 10.h4 with 10...g4 without losing a pawn. Black has a couple answers:

Black's simplest answer is the direct 9...h5. In Aronian-Anand, Mexico City 2007 the game went 9...h5 10.h4 g4 11.Be2 Bb7, transposing to the mainline.

Sharper is 9...Bb7!?. Sasikiran-Stefanova, Zafra 2007 went 9...Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Nxg4 Nxg4 12.Qxg4 Qxd4. See annotated game below for details:

[White "Sasikiran, Krishnan"]
[Black "Stefanova, Antoaneta"]
[Site "Zafra"]
[Date "2007.03.22"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {Semi-Slav} 5. Bg5 h6 {Semi-Slav / Moscow} 6. Bh4 {Semi-Slav / Moscow / Anti-Moscow Gambit} dxc4 7. e4 $8 {Threatening e4-e5.} g5 8. Bg3 $8 b5 {This is the Anti-Moscow tabiya. Black is up a pawn, but his flank pawns may prove overextended. Whitei s better developed and enjoys better central control.} 9. Ne5 $5 {A sharp move! In the mainline, Black answers h4 with g4, but now that the knight covers g4, that would hang the g-pawn.} (9. Be2 Bb7 10. h4 g4 11. Ne5 h5 {The mainline.}) 9... Bb7 $5 {Black's reply is also sharp. Antoaneta ignores the threat and goes about her developing her pieces to their usual squares as if Ne5 hadn't been
played.} (9... h5 10. h4 g4 11. Be2 Bb7 {Transposing to the mainline.}) 10. h4 g4 11. Nxg4 Nxg4 12. Qxg4 Qxd4 {After this recapture, Black's still up a pawn.} 13. Rd1 {White forces Black to spend a tempo moving her queen.} Qg7 { Black forces White to spend a tempo moving her queen.} 14. Qf4 Na6 $1 { A critical move, preventing Qc7.} 15. a4 $2 Bb4 $1 {The typical way to punish an a-pawn advance. At this point, Black has a clear advantage.} 16. Be2 { An admission that White should have castled early with 9.Be2. This position is not as benign as it looks. Do you see atactic?} O-O $1 (16... Bxc3+ $2 17. bxc3 Qxc3+ {While this tactical sequence may seem to win a pawn, it's really a clever trick that allows the dangerous penetrations Qd6 or Qxh6.}) 17. O-O Nc5 18. Qe3 Nb3 (18... Bxc3 $1 19. Qxc5 Bxb2) 19. axb5 Bc5 20. Qf4 cxb5 21. Nxb5
Nd4 22. Nxd4 Bxd4 23. Bxc4 e5 24. Qf3 {Sasikiran's played some tremendous moves, going from an opening disadvantage to an advantage in the space of a few moves. The rest of this game is very exciting but probably not so important from an opening theory perspective.} Kh8 25. Rxd4 exd4 26. Qf4 Rae8 27. f3 Bc8 28. Rd1 Be6 29. Bf1 Rc8 30. h5 Qg5 31. Qxg5 hxg5 32. Bd6 Rg8 33. b4 g4 34. f4 g3 35. Bc5 Rg4 36. f5 Bb3 37. Rxd4 a5 38. Rd3 a4 39. Re3 Rd8 40. Be2 Rgg8 41. Kf1 Rd2 42. Rc3 Kh7 43. Ke1 Rc2 44. Rxc2 Bxc2 45. Bc4 Bb3 46. Bxb3 axb3 47. Kd2 Re8 48. Kc3 Rxe4 49. Kxb3 Re2 50. b5 Rxg2 51. b6 Re2 52. b7 Re8 53. Ba7 g2 54. Kc4 f6 55. Kd5 Kh6 56. Kd6 Kxh5 57. Kd7 Rg8 58. Ke6 Kg4 $4 59. Kxf6 Rb8 60. Kg6 Rxb7 61. Bd4 Rd7 62. Bf2 Rd2 63. Ba7 Rd7 64. Be3 Kf3 65. Bc5 Rd5 66. Ba7 Ra5 67. Bg1 Ra1 68. Bc5 g1=Q+ 69. Bxg1 Rxg1+ 70. Kh7 Kg4 71. f6 Rf1 72. Kg7 1/2-1/2

9.e5!? - Forcing 9...Nd5, and now it's White who must be careful. In Utkin-Potyavin, St. Petersburg 2004 after 10.Be2? Bb4 11.Rc1 Qa5 12.O-O Nxc3 13.bxc3 Bxc3 Black had a winning advantage. 10.Nd2! is accurate.

[White "Lajthajm, Borko"]
[Black "Aleksandrov, Aleksej"]
[Site "Budva"]
[Date "2003.??.??"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nc3 e6 {Semi-Slav} 5. Bg5 h6 { Semi-Slav / Moscow} 6. Bh4 {Semi-Slav / Moscow / Anti-Moscow Gambit} dxc4 7. e4 g5 8. Bg3 b5 9. e5 $5 Nd5 10. Nd2 Bb7 11. Be2 Nd7 12. O-O Qb6 { Typical development.} 13. Nde4 c5 $1 {This is a really opportune time for this pawn break. Black can't continue to develop with Bg7 due to Nd6+, and he has no need to castle immediately with O-O-O.} 14. dxc5 Bxc5 15. a4 Nxc3 16. Nxc3 a6 17. axb5 axb5 18. Rxa8+ Bxa8 { All these liquidations should benefit Black, who is still up a pawn.} 19. Bf3 Bc6 $1 {A brilliant call. Bxf3 Qxf3 may liquidate even further, but it also cedes the a8-h1 diagonal to the enemy queen, leaving Black on the defensive for the near future. The rest of this game is probably not theoretically important.} 20. Qe2 Ke7 21. h4 Bd4 22. Bxc6 Qxc6 23. hxg5 hxg5 24. Rd1 Bxc3 25. bxc3 Nc5 26. Qe3 Rh5 27. Qe2 Rh8 28. Qg4 Ne4 29. Rd4 Qa8 $1 (29... Nxc3 30. Qxg5+ Kf8 31. Rd8+ $18) 30. Qf3 f5 (30... b4 $1 31. cxb4 c3 32. Rd1 c2 33. Re1 Rc8) 31. exf6+ Nxf6 32. Bd6+ Kf7 33. Qe2 Rh4 34. Rd1 Qh8 35. f3 Rh1+ 36. Kf2 Rxd1 37. Qxd1 Nd5 38. Bb4 Qh4+ 39. Kg1 Qf4 0-1

An early 9.Be2 is the most flexible move, but 9.e5!? and 9.Ne5!? are also interesting options White could use as a surprise.

Anti-Moscow Gambit: 7th Moves

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4!?



The Anti-Moscow Gambit is a popular way for White to try to obtain an advantage against the Semi-Slav. 6...dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 is now forced, according to my openings books, but what if White deviates on move #7?


♦ 6...dxc4 7.a4?! - In the Slav, this is how White prevents Black from playing ...b5 and consolidating the extra pawn. That doesn't work in the Semi-Slav. 8.Bb4! 9.e3 (or most other moves) 9...b5 and due to the pin on the c3 knight, White can't prevent Black from consolidating the extra pawn.

[White "Arab, Adlane"]
[Black "Aleksandrov, Aleksej"]
[Site "Bled"]
[Date "2002.10.26"]

1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 d5 4. Nc3 Bb4 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e3 b5 8. a4 c6 9. Be2 Nbd7 10. O-O Qb6 11. Qc2 Bb7 12. Rfd1 a6 13. e4 O-O 14. h3 c5 15. dxc5 Qxc5 16. Bg3 e5 17. Nd5 Nxd5 18. exd5 Rae8 19. axb5 axb5 20. Qf5 Bc8 21. d6 Re6 22. Qe4 Rfe8 23. Ra8 Nf6 24. Qc2 Qc6 25. Raa1 Bxd6 26. b3 Ne4 27. bxc4 b4 28. Rd3 Nc3 29. Ra5 Bb7 30. Bf1 Bc7 31. Qb2 0-1

When White castles, 10...Qb6 or 10...a6 are the proper counter-measures. While 10...Bxc3 also protects b5, that wastes the bishop pair.

After 13...O-O we have a position similar to the Semi-Slav : Anti-Moscow mainline except Black's king is tucked safely away behind his pawn wall and his dark-squared bishop is operating on a different diagonal.

Of course, White still had chances. 16.Bg3 threatened Bd6, provoking e5, allowing Nd5, provoking Nxd5, allowing exd5 (a passed pawn). Once the passer was squashed, White's hopes of a victory or draw were more or less extinguished.


♦ 6...dxc4 7.e3?! - After gambiting a pawn, White can't afford to play this slowly. Black doesn't have to weaken his kingside, and if/when White plays e3-e4, he's down a tempo.

[White "Cruz, Filemon"]
[Black "Granda Zuniga, Julio E"]
[Site "Arequipa"]
[Date "2003.12.06"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 dxc4 7. e3 b5 8. Be2 Bb7 9. O-O Be7 10. Ne5 Nbd7 11. Bg3 Nxe5 12. Bxe5 O-O 13. Bf3 Qb6 14. a4 Rad8 15. Qc2 Nd5 16. a5 Qa6 17. Ne4 Nb4 18. Qe2 Nd3 19. Ng3 c5 20. Bxb7 Qxb7 21. Qg4 g6 22. h4 Kh7 23. h5 g5 24. f4 f5 25. Qe2 gxf4 26. Bxf4 Rg8 27. Rf3 cxd4 28. Raf1 Rg4 29. Bxh6 Kxh6 30. exd4 Qd7 31. Rxf5 Rxg3 32. Qd2+ Bg5 0-1

Again, after 12...O-O White has minimal compensation for the pawn. White's seemingly half-hearted attempts to crack open Black's kingside share blame for the loss.


♦ 6...dxc4 7.Bxf6? - Trash. White doesn't save his pawn with 6.Bxf6, then gives up his bishop pair with 7.Bxf6.


♦ 6...dxc4 7.Qa4? - Trash. Now 7...b5! comes with tempo.


♦ 6...dxx4 7.Ne4?! - White's playing in an aggressive manner... but again... no pawns on e4 and g5 mean inadequate compensation for the pawn.

[White "Rogule, Laura"]
[Black "Le Kieu Thien, Kim"]
[Site "Mallorca"]
[Date "2004.10.28"]

1. c4 c6 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 d5 4. d4 dxc4 5. Ne5 e6 6. Bg5 h6 7. Bh4 b5 8. g4 Nbd7 9. Bg2 Bb7 10. Nxc6 Qb6 11. d5 Bc5 12. O-O O-O 13. b4 cxb3 14. Qxb3 Rac8 15. e4 Nxg4 16. Rad1 Bxc6 17. dxc6 Nde5 18. h3 Ng6 19. Bg3 N4e5 20. c7 Qxc7 21. Kh1 a6 22. Ne2 Qb6 23. f4 Nc4 24. f5 Nge5 25. f6 g6 26. Bf4 Be3 27. Bh2 Rfd8 28. Nf4 Rxd1 29. Rxd1 Nd2 30. Qb2 Nec4 31. Qc2 Qd4 32. Ne2 Qxf6 33. e5 Qe7 34. Ng3 Rd8 35. Re1 Qh4 36. Re2 Bf4 37. Be4 Nxe4 38. Nxe4 Bxh2 39. Nf6+ Kg7 40. Kxh2 Nxe5 41. Rf2 Rd3 42. Ne8+ Kh8 0-1

After beginning as a Slav, the game transposed into an Anti-Moscow Gambit. Both sides played some inaccuracies in the opening--perhaps it's neither player's pet line... but after 12.O-O White had an uphill battle for the same reason as in the previous games. White fought back tenaciously and was getting close to a draw until around move 21.

So 7.e4! is White's only real move, not only staking a claim to the center, but also forcing Black to weaken his kingside after either 7...g5 8.Bg3 b5 or 7...b5 8.e5 g5.

Moscow Feeds Tournament Tactics

Moscow - I've been studying the Semi-Slav, Moscow variation. If you follow NIC or Informant, you know the Anti-Moscow is hot.

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 h6 6.Bh4 dxc4 7.e4 g5 8.Bg3 b5 9.Be2 Bb7 10.h4 g4 11.Ne5 h5 12.O-O Nbd7 13.Qc2 Nxe5 14.Bxe5 Bg7 15.Bg3!? White sacrificed a second pawn in Sakaev-Borovikov, Halkidiki tt 2002 (5), and since then, many master-level games have been probing this line. It's very exciting and sharp.

Feeds - RSS can notify you whenever a chess blog has new content.

For example, in the RSS sidebar to the left I can tell temposchlucker, dk-transformation, and sir kaan kara all added new blog content for me to check out. 1. If you want to make this easy for your visitors, in your blogspot settings go to the "Site Feeds" tab and turn them on. 2. Download Sage to do the same thing yourself... it's free! 3. On a few blogs, such as dk-transform's, site feeds don't seem to work even though the owner enabled them. But I found a neat trick! You can still subscribe to them manually by visiting their site and adding "/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss" to the URL. Eg: http://dk-transformation.blogspot.com/feeds/posts/default?alt=rss

Tournament - In the chess.com 1400-1800 correspondence tournament I've won the first eight games and I'm up a piece in my final two games.

I posted a sample game online. Should I be happy? A small part of me says yes, this proves I can play consistently. The rest says no, I've been wasting my time. I need to find strong opponents to play me OTB at tournament time controls. Perhaps I will drop out before round two and go visit one of the local chess clubs.

Tactics - I studied 19 hard tactics from the ChessCafe puzzle book and 64 easy tactics from Predator at the Chessboard.

After taking about 15 minutes/diagram to solve the 12 "Back Rank" puzzles from the ChessCafe Puzzle Book I figured I must be weak at that motif. I went ahead and solved 64 "Back Rank" puzzles from Predator at the Chessboard... almost instantly! I'm not weak at back rank mates, or any other tactical motif. I'm weak at solving positions that combine two or more motifs--combinations. So... I'm convinced that the ChessCafe Puzzle Book is right for me.

That's all for this week. Note the progress in my fitness counter. :)