Position Assessment

White to play

Assess the position above ( White to play) and analyze the critical path. Once again, a critical position , a topic largely brought up to the general chess audiences by IM Dvorestky.
This position comes from a game played by Bacrot with Black.

Quiz Special Anand- Part III

Play like Anand !

Practice chess tactics by solving 3 positions played by Anand against strong chess grandmasters.

Position 11

White to play and win

Anand-Morozevich Calvia(ol) 2004

Position 12:

White to play and win

Anand-Charbonneau Calvia (ol) 2004

Position 13:

White to play and win

Anand-Kasimdzhanov, Leon (rapid) 2005

Solutions coming soon

Anand's tactics explained- Second Exercize

We will explain here move by move a combination played by Anand against Adams in the 2005 Corsica rapid tournament.

Black to play and win !

Adams-Anand 2005
Solution given below





White has threatening pawns in c5 and d5, therefore Black must act fast. Black is containing the white King on the first rank thanks to its rook on a2. Black can counter-attack by threatening checkmate by 1..Rh6.

Position after 1..Rh6!

It followed 2Qd3+ Kg8 3 Qe4. White has defended against the Black threat Rh1.

Position after 3 Qe4. Black to play and win.

It followed 3..Rh1+!. Black is using a geometric motif to win outright.

Position after 3..Rh1+!

It followed 4 Qh1 Ra1+ and black wins the Queen as the King moves anywhere on the second rank.

Superb play by Viswanathan Anand.

Anand's tactics explained - First exercize

We will analyze a combination from the game Reinderman-Anand 1999 next.

Black to play and win

(Reinderman-Anand 1999 )

Solution & Hints given below

How to find the best move:

We notice that the White king is weak and under attack, as all squares around him are controlled by him. At the same time, the white knight is loose on d6 and Black would like to active his rook in h8. Anand managed to created a double attack by playing the elegant 1..Bg3!

Position after 1..Bg3!

Now 2 hg3 hg2+ 3 Kg1 Rh1 #.

and after 2gh3 Bd6! winning the knight, White resigned.

Quiz Special Anand (Part II)

Play like Anand (Part II)

Anand became World Champion in 2007 at the world championship tournament in Mexico. We are presenting in this post another 5 tactical positions with replayable solutions. This is a selection of some of Anand's best games and combinations. Try to emulate him in the following five positions :

6.White to play and win (Anand-Muir 1993)

Puzzle 6 : Solution here

7.White to play and win (Anand-Ivancuk 1996)

Puzzle 7 : Solution here

8. Black to play and win (Ivancuk-Anand 1998)

Puzzle 8 : Solution here

9.Black to play and win ( Topalov-Anand 2006)

Puzzle 9 : Solution here

10. White to play and win (Anand-Topalov 2007)

Puzzle 10 : Solution here


Solutions uner each diagram. Calculate well !

Please note that you can find more brilliancies from Vishy Anand on http://www.chesscafe.com/text/informant61.pdf

Play like World Champion Vishy Anand !

Quiz special Anand

Anand became World Champion in 2007 at the world championship tournament in Mexico.
We will present some of the finest games by Anand, with emphasis to the middlegame aspects, combinations and tactical moves.
Try to emulate him in the following five positions :

1.Black to play and win (Ivancuk-Anand 1988)

Puzzle 1 : Solution here

2.White to play and win (Anand-Illescas 1992)

Puzzle 2 : Solution here

3. White to play and win (Anand-Gelfand 1996)

Puzzle 3 : Solution here

4.Black to play and win ( Karjakin-Anand 2006)

Puzzle 4 : Solution here

5. White to play and win (Anand-Morozevich 2007)

Replay the entire game here, or jump to the 52nd move 52..h2 to see the tactical solution found by Anand :http://www.chessdom.com/wcc-mexico-chess-2007/live/anand-morozevich

Puzzle 5 : Solution here



Solutions uner each diagram. Calculate well !
Happy New Year to everyone !

Please note that you can find more brilliancies from Vishy Anand on http://www.chesscafe.com/text/informant61.pdf

Game from diagram 4 is annotated by Vishy Anand himself (Informator 96/183) on http://www.chesscafe.com/text/informant56.pdf