ArcaMax

This is a win with one decisive move at the outset that is best.

Today is a special presentation in that there's no mate in 3 or 4 puzzle. This is a middle game puzzle that challenges you to find a plan. It comes from my book, Openings for Amateurs--Next Steps in the chapter on various Isolated Queen Pawn attacks. If you want to be better than average, it's a concept you have to learn. You're going to be ...

Here is another classic position emphasizing the power of doubled rooks on the h-file. The first question probably is “That’s a great attacking position. How do I get there?” Here’s how Kurt Richter did it in 1930: Richter,Kurt Paul - Abramavicius,Leonhard [C13] Olympiad–1930 Hamburg

1.d4 d5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Bg5 e6 4.e4 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6...

Since we started this column in 2006, there have been 2700 puzzles put up here. It was always my hope that they would be either instructional or entertaining or challenging or all three. However, the encompassing desire was that they would make the reader a better player who could take the lessons learned and their concepts into one’s own ...

The material in “points” may be equal, but the position isn’t as White has the move.

This is a great puzzle with the rook vs. bishop struggle. The key first move may surprise you.