These are just a few of the many famous chess blunders that have occurred throughout the history of the game. Even the best players in the world can make mistakes, and it is important to learn from them and continue to improve. Chess is a game of strategy and skill, and every move counts.
Endgame Strategy
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Beginner: Checkmate with a rook
Unlike an endgame with a queen, the rook cannot force the black king to get to the corner just by itself, and needs the own king’s help from the very start. Besides that, the basic winning strategy is basically the same – to control key squares and cut off the opposing king’s escape routes.
Tactical Tips
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Boden’s Mate: Peruvian Immortal and more
Boden’s Mate is characterized by a king being mated by two bishops on criss-crossing diagonals, with possible flight squares blocked by friendly pieces. Samuel Boden, for whom the mate is named, administered an early example of it in the friendly game Schulder–Boden, London 1853.
Puzzles
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#1: White to move and win
I would like to use this new category to present the most interesting situations from…
Variants
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Knight Relay Chess: Turn your army into a knight-powered cavalry
Any piece, except for the king, that is defended by a friendly knight has the power, in addition to its normal abilities, to move like an orthodox knight. The piece loses the additional power as soon as it is no longer defended by a friendly knight.
Tricks And Traps
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Alapin Gambit: The pawn is mightier than the bishop’s sword
Opening a file for a rook is a crucial tactic that players often use to gain control of the board and create an advantage over their opponents. Black sacrifices a bishop to unleash a devastating attack on the h-file.
Curiosities
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Why would anyone underpromote a pawn? Watch and learn
This is among a minority of positions where king and pawn can win against a king and rook, and one of the most famous examples of underpromotion in chess. It is also a rare example of a player being famous for a single move.
Endgame Strategy
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Beginner: Checkmate with a queen
The basic strategy for winning with a queen and king against a lone king is to use the queen to control key squares and cut off the opposing king’s escape routes. This allows the king to move in and check the opposing king, forcing it to move to a square where it can be captured.
Tactical Tips
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Cross-Check: The counter-offensive is the best defense
In chess, a cross-check is a tactic in which a check is played in response to a check, especially when the original check is blocked by a piece that itself either delivers check or reveals a discovered check from another piece.
Opening Theory
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Learn to play Traxler Counterattack: Not for the faint-hearted
Overall, the game Reinisch vs Karel Traxler is a brilliant example of attacking chess, and has inspired many players to try the Traxler Counterattack in their own games.