Last week puzzle was from the game Vilela – Spiridonov (Varna 1977) where Black won with just one, rather surprising move.

1… Nf6! wins a piece by creating two threats: opening the d-file and closing the long diagonal. After 2. Rxd8+ Nxd8 the twin threats of Qe1+ and Kxg7 will be decisive.

Congratulations to all who solved this correctly.

Another puzzle from Charles Hertan’s Forcing Chess Moves.

A simple question: Black to move (Vilela – Spiridonov Varna 1977). What would you play?

You don’t have to look very far ahead in this one so everyone has the opportunity to find the correct solution.

Last week’s position was from Gelfand – Adams (Wijk aan Zee 2002). Mickey won by calculating 1… Rxf2! 2. Rxf2 Nf4! 3. Qg3 Bxf2+ 4. Kxf2 Nxd3+ 5. Kf1 Nxb2 with an extra pawn and a winning advantage.

If you played this as well as England’s number one, well done!

My review of the 4th edition of Forcing Chess Moves, by Charles Hertan, was published last week. This book is crammed full of great tactics puzzles.

From the chapter entitled Brute Force Combinations, how did England No. 1 Mickey Adams bring home the full point with Black against Boris Gelfand (Wijk aan Zee 2002)?

In last week’s puzzle (Warmerdam – Leenhouts lichess.org 2020) White mated his opponent with 1. Bg6+ hxg6 2. Qxg6+ Ke7 3. Bc5+ Ke6 4. Nd4+! exd4 21. Rae1#.

Congratulations to Chris Baker, and to anyone else who found the solution.

Maxim Notkin’s tactics column in the current issue of New in Chess has a particularly good selection. Here’s another from the same source.

It’s White to play in Warmerdam – Leenhouts (lichess.org 2020). Over to you.

And, while you’re visiting lichess, don’t forget to join our team if you’re not already a member and take part in our regular Thursday evening tournaments.

Last week’s puzzle (Pasti – Budisavljevic Paracin 2020): 1… Qxd2!, with a fork or a skewer to follow, is a nice way to reach a winning ending, but even better was 1… Nc4! 2. Nxc4 Bxf4!! 3. Kxf4 Qf2#.

Congratulations to David Okike, Kings Head star and top RJCC coach, who was the first to provide me with the correct answer.

A puzzle taken from the latest issue of New in Chess.

How did Black score a quick knockout in Pasti – Budisavljevic (Paracin 2020)?

Do get in touch if you think you’ve found the solution. It’s good to know that this blog is being read!

There was a discussion about a particular opening variation on Twitter the other day: Black plays Qe7 and Bb6 in the Giuoco Piano. This reminded me that, many years ago, I’d played a thematic game on the white side of that line, so I decided to dig it out.

This was R James – L Szeri Richmond 2 v Willesden (London League) 1978. I was, uncharacteristically, you might think, tempted to sacrifice: 15. Nxg5 hxg5 16. Bxg5 with ideas of Qf3 and Ne3-d5 to follow, and I later won the game. But we both missed 16… Qf8 breaking the pin because of 17. Bxf6 Qh6+ 18. Ne3 Qxf6 19. Nd5 Qh6+ 20. Kb1 Kd8, when White probably doesn’t have enough compensation.

So, to answer last week’s question, I should have just continued quietly with 15. Bg3, with a clear advantage.

Congratulations to everyone who spotted the Qf8 defence and, as a result, chose Bg3.

A similar question to last week.

It often happens that you play Bg5 to pin an enemy knight on f6. Your opponent, not liking the pin, tries to drive it back with h6 and g5. You then have a choice: do you prefer a quiet retreat to g3 or do you boldly sacrifice a piece for two pawns? And, if so, do you sacrifice your bishop or your knight?

In this game White, having played a thematic pawn sacrifice (d6) in the opening, is now faced with precisely this decision.

What would you advise?