The Monticelli Trap refers to a move sequence within the Bogo-Indian Defense, which was named after the Italian chess player Mario Monticelli. It originated from the Monticelli versus Ladislav Prokeš game played in Budapest in 1926.
Month: June 2023
Paul Morphy: Learn from one of the best of all time
Paul Morphy (June 22, 1837 – July 10, 1884) is considered one of the greatest chess players of all time. His play was characterized by his aggressive style, his excellent tactical skills, and his ability to quickly assess the strengths and weaknesses of his opponents. In this article, we will show a few of his well-known masterpieces, with a special focus on the tactical strikes.
Learn to play Bertin Gambit: The craziest King’s Gambit variant
Sacrifice three pawns, let the opponent totally devastate your king side, and hide the king behind an enemy pawn. Yes, that’s exactly you will do! On top of it, you will win the game, of course. What is the Bertin Gambit?
Advanced: Bishop vs. knight endgames (with a pawn)
As a general rule, a bishop versus knight (and vice versa) with a pawn on the attacking side is a draw if the defending king is capable of blocking the pawn advance. Let me demonstrate both cases.
Fortress Chess: More difficult way to break through defenses
As you can see, both kings are really well-hidden behind the additional ramparts, so it’s more difficult to get through the defenses, and a successful attack strategy usually includes one or more sacrifices of minor pieces. It is also important to know that the extra pawns can be used as an efficient force to advance to the promotion rank, so a good player must find a suitable attack/defense balance.
Rubinstein Trap: One of the greatest fell into it twice!
If Black is careful, they will only lose a pawn. However, White’s position is active enough to turn this advantage into a victory eventually. And it is likely, especially at non-master level, that the opponent won’t spot the danger, accept the knight sacrifice, and find themselves down a queen.
Strong doubled pawns: Learn to recognize them
In most situations, these pawn structures are usually weak points, and a good player can build the strategy on exploiting them. However, every rule has an exception, and even doubled pawns can represent a strength under specific circumstances.
Learn to play Intermezzo Variation of the Scotch Game
The Intermezzo Variation of the Scotch Game is a fascinating and dynamic opening that offers both players unique challenges and opportunities. It allows Black to steer the game away from well-known lines and potentially gain a psychological advantage, while also posing challenges for both sides.
Pawn and move: One of the most common handicaps
Let’s focus on one of the simplest, but also most popular handicaps, called pawn and move. The player with less experience or skill usually starts with the white pieces, and one of the black pawns, typically the one on f7, is removed from the board.
#13: What can White do to refute Black’s last move?
The material is even, and Black’s knights are getting closer to the white king’s fortress….