I won my first FICS game today. They say your losses teach you more than your wins, but this win tells me I really need to hone my basic tactics--CT-ART can wait a few weeks!

I need a (or more than one) combinational position on the theme "attack along the h-line" as in this extract. White:Kc1 Qd3 Rd1,h1 Bf2 Ne2,g5 Pa2,b2,c4,d5,e4,h4 Black:Kg8 Qe7 Ra8,f8 Bg7 Nc7,f6 Pa7,b7,c5,d6,h6 (One hour game) Black played 20... h6 with the thought that white plays Nf3 and then black retakes on e4."Of course" white played 21.e5 instead. I just recently saw the theme in another...

Here are some puzzles in short Pirc games: B07 (misc) http://www.wtharvey.com/b07.html B08 (Classical) http://www.wtharvey.com/b08.html B09 (Austrian Attack) http://www.wtharvey.com/b09.html What's the best move?

I played in some tournaments over the weekend. The TD told me that he submitted them online and the USCF took his money. But the USCF has not rated them yet. Why is that the case?

Here's the opening of a slow OTB game that was played a few days ago in the UK: 1 Nc3 d5 2 d4 Nf6 3 Bg5 Nbd7 4 Nf3 Ne4 5 Nxe4 dxe4 6 Nd2 h6 7 Be3 Nf6 8 c4 Bf5 9 Qb3 Qc8 10 h3 e6 11 g4 Bg6 12 Bg2 Be7 13 O-O-O O-O Does White or Black stand better after this opening? Why? Some writers in rec.games.chess.* (particularly Ray Gordon)

There is a sacrifice that involves Bxh7+ Kxh7, Ng5+. I think its names somthing like The Greco Sacrifice but I dont really know. I cant find my notes that have the analysis for the positions after black plays Kg6. Can anyone give me a little analysis for the next 3 or 4 moves, or even a game or two that has this sacrifice? I come across the opportunity to use this combination every now and then,...

He analyes and understands chess like a GM. Maybe Ray is really Bobby Fischer in disguise. Just check out this post: http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess.analysis/tree/browse_frm/thread/243ce56b24a73fdd/f81751f11be42b3b?rnum=21&_done=%2Fgroup%2Frec.games.chess.analysis%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fthread%2F243ce56b24a73fdd%2F03e5e58b4c702e88%3F#doc_799e10cf03262982 and you can tell me.

Here are 10 traps and zaps in short Albin Counter Gambits: http://www.wtharvey.com/d08.html What's the best move?

Correspondence game PGN below. An unfamiliar opening for me, but I thought I was playing a somewhat sound game (up two pawns) as black up until move 15 ... Qf7. For some reason I hadn't anticipated the followon to Nxf6. All the other options had me still up a bit after the trades. Care to point out any significant blunders up to that point (my h6 move stands out in my head as a time waster,...

There's very good book, even cheap, with a complete(!) opening repertoire for Black AND White. A repertoire with moves recommended and used by many grandmasters (for example M. Adams) ... IM Larry Kaufman, The Chess Advantage in Black and White (McKay Chess Library / Random House 2004).

It's only four points over the last peak, but it confirmed that peak, and I'm "testing the all-time high" as they say in the stock market. I'm getting better at figuring out where to put my pieces during the game, and at holding positional advantages, pluis I'm dusting off the weaker players much more easily. Now if I can only keep training another six years or so I might get somewhere.

In "Chess Openings for Black, Explained", GM Alburt, GM Dzindzichashvili, and IM Perelshteyn suggest that Black play 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Qe7 as an "offbeat but sound" alternative to their main recommendation of the Sicilian Accelerated Dragon. The authors write that "there is no way to refute this opening", referring to 1 e4 e5 2 Nf3 Qe7, and imply that GM Kupreichik has advocated it. According to...

Hi, I played two games with my friend Pat Online and won one while loose other. The game have been recorded on the computer. Anyone can play with others as well as with Computer. http://www.softtanks.com/chessgame/Chess.html The Chess game Played by computer has improved a lot and it playes nice moves with Normal Level

Hello, I'm looking for easy learning the Colle system. If somedy can give me a link to a good internet site , thanks ! Another question : I'm looking also for a system for blacks which look like the colle system for whites. Thanks

You wouldn't believe the advantage this gives those players who have figured out how to do this, LEGALLY. I'm not talking about freestyle or online tournaments either, but regular, OTB matches under the auspices of FIDE or USCF. You only think you're playing a chessplayer, but these days you just might find yourself paired against...THE BORG! Pay attention, folks: this is PERFECTLY LEGAL and...

Look at the top players against the top computers: they can't compete. What this means is that even our "Super GMs" are quite beatable. If Hydra and Fritz can do it, so can a human. We just aren't as good at chess as we like to think. -- "Google maintains the USENET." -- The Honorable R. Barclay Surrick, Eastern District of PA Judge From Parker v. Google, E.D.Pa. #04-cv-3918

Here are some chess puzzles taken from strong players in March tournaments. It's White to move and win except where noted. a) http://wtharvey.com/d2006a.png Levon Aronian vs Loek Van Wely, Monte Carlo, 2006 8/4Nb1p/pkn3p1/1pp1n1P1/4B3/1PPN4/P2K1P2/8 w - - 0 1 b) http://wtharvey.com/d2006b.png Peter Nielsen vs Veselin Topalov, Monte Carlo, 2006

Discover how simple & fun it is to master the art of face painting. Kids will glow with excitement when you start painting faces at a birthday party or charity event. http://facepaintxpqf.blogspot.com/

Several opening books suggest that White gets an advantage in this (rare) Sicilian Four Knights gambit: 1. e4 c5, 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cd4 4. Nd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6.Be2 Bb4 7.0-0 Bc3 8.bc3 Ne4 9.Bd3 Nc3 10.Qg4. After the (forced?) 10....Qf6 11.Nc6 dc6 12. Bg5 Qe5 13.Re1, Black has the funny move 13...h5. It's not clear that White has much here (or even earlier.)

I played a carokann where white played 2. f4. It looked bad to me, like white was aiming for the advanced variation but with a different mover order. Is this a sound move or can it be easily refuted?