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Chess Lesson – April 16th, 2014

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Lesson with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

The Candidates’ chess tournament is underway as of this writing, and it is the most important chess tournament of the year. The winner wins the right to play Magnus Carlsen for the world championship this November, so a lot is at stake.

Two of the favorites – who are also the co-leaders as I write this, after the eighth round – are ex-world champion Viswanathan Anand and top seed Levon Aronian. As it turned out, their first game was in round …

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Chess Puzzle for March 26th, 2014

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Puzzle with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

Greetings again!

After a bit of a hiatus, we resume our series. We left off last time with a little chess puzzle:

Howell-Bitalzadeh Chess Puzzle

White has a very nice way to win here, by creating a battery with his queen and bishop on the b1-h7 diagonal. The only problem is that Black can close this diagonal with .f5, and that gives us the hint we need to win:

17.Nf6+! If Black takes, then 18.Bd3+ Kh8 19.Qe4 forces mate or …

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Chess Puzzle for January 28th, 2014

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Puzzle with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

Before we have a look at a new puzzle, let’s take a look at our chess board from last time:

Starting Position

Last time, we asked if this move was a blunder. Solving this is a two-part question. First, you have to find what looks like a great tactical opportunity for White. Tartakower managed that part.

9. Bxb8 At first glance, this is a winning or at least a very strong move. Black recaptures the bishop, and then White …

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Chess Lesson for January 24th – 2014

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Lesson with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

Many view the tremendous depth of chess opening theory as a curse, and while I probably wouldn’t agree I certainly understand the feeling. There’s a major tournament underway in Holland at the moment, and one game finished in a draw after 35 moves, and the player who had the black pieces had prepared the whole game on his chess set at home. He didn’t have to find a single move on the chess board!

Even your humble author had a blitz …

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Chess Puzzle for January 8th – 2014

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Sorry about the month or so of radio silence – the holiday season was a bit crazy and it was all hands on deck getting all the chess sets to their rightful homes and into waiting hands.

We’re back, and we’ll start with Dennis’ Holiday post. A little late perhaps, but not to bad for a chance to reflect and look back.

Chess Puzzle with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

The Christmas season is upon us, a time of year when we are reminded that it is more blessed …

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Chess Lesson (November 13th, 2013)

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Lesson with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

The World Chess Championship started this past Saturday, November 9, and it is the most eagerly awaited title match in many years. The challenger, 22-year-old Magnus Carlsen of Norway, has captured the imagination of the chess public in a way that no one has since perhaps the young Garry Kasparov, or maybe going even further back to the phenomenon that was Bobby Fischer. Carlsen’s charisma doesn’t come from the kind of dynamic, outspoken personality evidenced by Kasparov or Fischer, and his …

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Chess Puzzle of the Week – November 5th, 2013

For more great chess discussion, see Dennis Monokroussos’ Chess Blog Here!

Chess Puzzle with FIDE Master Dennis Monokroussos

A new World Chess Championship match opens this Thursday (November 7) with play beginning on Saturday (November 9). This contest between world champion Viswanathan Anand and his young challenger, Magnus Carlsen, is one of the most eagerly awaited championship matches in chess history, and I hope all of you will spend some time following the action over the next few weeks. (It will be covered on many websites, including my personal blog.) It will be a clash of generations, styles, and …

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