The solution to this puzzle is very nice indeed, congratulations if you found it!

White to Move

the beautiful combination is

  1. Kh4 ( with the threat of Qf8 mate)  Qxd4+
  2. g4     Qb4
  3. Qf8+  Qxf8
  4. g5 Mate

The Thanet Early Summer Swiss produced some really exciting chess this week, too much for just a simple game, so I have a puzzle for you as well.

This position was reached in the excellent game between Damma17 and Knightclubber, both played well with Damma17 (White) eventually coming out on top. In the diagrammed position White played Nc3 and had a strong position after Queens were traded.

Can you find another option?

White to Play

I have chosen, immodestly, the battle between myself and pm5 as Game of the Week. You nearly always get an exciting game with the Najdorf variation of the Sicilian and this game, I hope, is no exception.

 White:  TreforHo       Black:  pm5

Here is a fascinating position, it comes from a variation ( Not played ) in a game between  two fantastic players: Alexander Morozevich and Levon Aronian

The actual game ended in a draw, but can you find a win for White here?

White to Move

We have two exciting games this week – the first is from the Thanet Early Summer Swiss and was played last night. Although it has the spectacle and all out attacking so reminiscent of 19th Century coffee house chess played by the likes of Paul Morphy

As you would expect from a player named Child-of-Skaro the game ends with an extermination!

 White:  Child-of-Skaro       Black:  Markvonlip

In game two we see a very nice win from Ian Nepomniachtchi, ‘Nepo’ has just won the Candidates and will play Magnus Carlsen for the World Championship later this year.

This game, played a month ago, gives an idea of Nepomniachtchi’s style

 White:  Ian Nepomniachtchi       Black:  Alan Pichot