Chapter 6 - Brilliant Combinations And Sacrifices

We all enjoy playing over brilliant combinations. They give us thrills that cannot be equalled by any other aspect of the game. It would give us even greater pleasure to make such brilliant plays in our own games. But many of us feel that these combinations are a matter of inspiration, and hence the exclusive property of the masters and other first-rate players,

Actually, this is not so, for brilliant play can be studied and mastered, just like any other aspect of chess. The important thing to remember is that these strokes of brilliancy are made possible by definite patterns and themes of tactical play. Once you have become familiar enough with these themes to use them in your own games, you are equipped to play brilliant chess.

In this chapter you have a chance to study a great many examples of the four themes that are most frequently encountered in actual play. The diagrams and solutions will do more than add to your knowledge. They will also delight you by showing you some of the most beautiful moves ever played on the chessboard.

The pin is by far the most frequently used tactical theme. In Diagram 91 Black's Queen is "pinned"—it cannot move off the diagonal leading to the Black King. Hence White can exploit the helplessness of Black's Queen by a very brilliant move.

The next most common theme is the Knight fork. Actually, this is a special case of the double attack, but it is particularly effective and particularly dreaded (especially by inexperienced players). It turns up in Diagram 104, and involves a simultaneous attack by a Knight on two or more enemy units. The task in Diagram 104 is to move the White Knight in such a way that it will fork Black's Queen and Rook.

If you are unfamiliar with this theme, the chances are that you will never see the simple yet subtle move that makes the Knight fork possible. On the other hand, if you are familiar with the theme, you will see in a flash what is the necessary preliminary move.
Discovered attack is one of the most common, as well as one of the most potent, combination themes. It is well illustrated in Diagram 109, where White makes a discovered attack on the hostile Bishop and at the same time unleashes a mating threat on another part of the board. The simultaneous nature of the attack makes it very difficult to parry. (Note, by the way, that the word "discovered" as used here really means "uncovered.")

Another frequently used and powerful technique is the double attack. This type of attack—simultaneous attack by a single unit on two hostile units—is the very essence of chess. This attack is economical and profitable. It appeals to the player who knows how to get the maximum effect from his pieces.

A good example of this technique is Diagram 113 in which White attacks the advanced Black Bishop a second time and also threatens mate. Black cannot parry both threats; consequently he loses his Bishop.

Once you have familiarized yourself with these themes your play will be enormously strengthened. For these themes are more than concepts; they are weapons. Using these weapons has a cumulative value: the more often you use them, the more skillful you become in applying them. Thus every present success in using them promises a future, even more successful, use of them in your games to come.

White Moves First

Solutions

91 PIN

White exploits the pin on Black's Queen by:

1 R—Ql!          QxQ
2 RxRch!          K any
3 PxQ  . . . .

White has won a Rook.

92 PIN

White profits by the position of his Rook on the open King Bishop file:

1 BxN! QxB
2 QxQ PxQ
3 BxB  . . . .

And Black cannot retake.

93 PIN

White cuts off the protection of Black's pinned Bishop by Black's Queen:

1 N—K6!

Black has no satisfactory defense to tike threat of 2 QxB mate.

94 PIN
 
White exploits his opponent's vulnerabl the Queen file:

1 P—B4!         N—K2

If 1 . . . NxP;2RxN.

2 P—B5

White wins a piece.
 
set-up on

White Moves First

Solutions

95 PIN

White undermines Black's advanced Black Knight by:

1 P—KN4!      B—N3
2 NxB

Now that the Knight's protection is gone, White wins a piece.

96 PIN

Double attack reinforces White's pin:

1 N—Q7!        NxN
2 QxBch          R—B2

Forced, otherwise Black loses the Knight.

3 QxRch          QxQ
4 BxQch          . . . .

White has won the Exchange.

97 PIN
How does White meet the mate threat?

1 RxPch!          KxR

White answers 1 ... QxR with the same move.

2 R—Nl

White wins the Queen.

98 KNIGHT FORK

1 N—Q6ch      BxN
2 NxBch          K any
3 NxBP

White wins a Pawn and the Exchange.

White Moves First

Solutions

99 KNIGHT FORK

1 N—B7ch!     K—K2

Or 1 ... RxN, losing the Exchange.

2 RxR  RxR
3 RxR  KxR
4 N—K6ch

White wins the Bishop.

100 KNIGHT FORK

White combines a fork and a pin:

1 RxRch RxR
2 RxRch QxR
3 NxPch . . . .

Winning the Queen.

101 KNIGHT FORK

1 N—Q6

Threatens NxBch and also N—B5ch.
1 . . . .  B—Q2
2 R—K7ch      K—B3
3 RxB  K—K3
4 R—Q8          K—K2
5 N—B5ch      . . . .

White remains a piece ahead as a result of this fork.

102 KNIGHT FORK

1 NxQP           BxN
2 N—Q7ch

White wins the Queen. (Another way is 1 N—Q7ch, BxN; 2 NxP winning the Queen because of the threatened 3 Q—R8 mate.)

solutions

103 KNIGHT FORK

1 Q—R8ch!     K—R2
2 N—B3          . . . .

White made room for the Knight fork, which wins the Exchange.

104 KNIGHT FORK

1 N—R6ch      K—Rl
2 QxB! . . . .

The subtle preparation for a Knight fork.

2 ....     QxQ
3 NxPch! . . . .

This fork cannot be answered by 3 ... RxN, because of 4 R—Q8ch forcing mate.

3 ....     K—Nl
4 NxQ . . . .

White has won a piece.

105 KNIGHT FORK

1 N—Q5!!       QxBP
2 RxNPch!       KxR
3 Q—N4ch      K—Bl

Or 3 . . . K—R1;4N—B7 mate.

4 N—K7ch

The Knight fork wins Black's Queen.

106 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 Q—N4

Threatening mate and indirectly menacing Black's Queen.

1 ....     P—N3

Or 1 ... P—B3 with the same result.

2 N—R6ch

Winning Black's Queen.

Solutions

107 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 P—Q6!         BxB
2 PxB   R—Kl
3 KxB  PxN
4 PxP   RxP
5 P—N6!         . . . .

White's far advanced Pawn assures him an easy win.

108 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 NxB!

White leaves his Queen open to attack, yet he must win at least a piece. For example: 1 ... RxQ; 2 Nx Qch and 3 RxR.

Or 1 ... RxN; 2QxR, etc.

109 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 N—N5!

Threatens mate.

1 . . . . QxN
2 BxB  . . . .

White wins the Exchange.

110 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 NxN!            QxQ

If 1 ... QxN/B3; 2 Q—N7 mate.

2 NxNch          K—Rl
3 N—B7 mate

Solutions

111 DISCOVERED ATTACK
1
N—B8!!          RxN

If 1 ... QxQ; 2 R—N8mate.

If 1 ... QxN; 2 R—N8ch forces mate.

2 R—N8ch!     RxR
3 QxQch          R—N2
4 QxR mate

112 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 NxP  PxN
2 Q_N5ch

White wins a Pawn.

113 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 Q—K4

This wins a piece, as Black must guard against the threat of QxRP mate.

114 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 R—K8ch      RxR
2 PxR/Qch       KxQ
3 R—K3ch!

Black loses a piece however he plays. Thus, if 3 ... B—K2 or 3 ... R—K2 or 3 ... K—Q2; 4 BxPch winning the Knight.

And if 3 ... K—Bl or 3 ... K—Ql; 4 BxP wins the Knight because of the
threatened 5 R—K8 mate.

Solutions

115 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 B—K6!

Black is lost.

For example: 1 ... QBxB; 2 Q—B8cli forcing mate. Or 1 ... RxR; 2 Q—K8 mate. Or 1 ... PxB; 2 Q—R8ch forcing mate.

116 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 BxB  RxB

Or 1 ... NxB;2RxN! etc.

2 RxR  NxR
3 Q—N5ch                 

White wins a piece.

117 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 Q—B3ch      K moves
2 Q—Kl

White wins the Rook or the Bishop.

118 DOUBLE ATTACK

Apparently Black is just on the point of winning the Exchange. However—

1 Q-Q4 This wins the Knight because of the mate threat.

Black Moves First

Solutions

119 PIN

Black wins because of his pin on the White Knight.

1 ....     NxP!
2 PxN  RxPch!
3 QxR  RxN mate

120 PIN

It would be pointless to play 1 ... PxN? because of 2 QxNch. Therefore:

1....      Q—K2!

(1 ... R—K3 also wins, for if 2 Q—KB2, Q— K2; 3N—Q2, R—K7.)

White's Knight is lost, for if 2 N—N3, PxNch.

121 PIN

1 . . . .              QxPch!

2 QxQ RxR
White has nothing better than 3 QxB, leaving him the Exchange and a Pawn down.

122 KNIGHT FORK

1 ....     R—Q7!
2 QxR

On other Queen moves, such as 2 Q—Bl or 2 Q—

B3, Black plays 2 ... QxKP threatening mate. This forces 3 QxR, after which Black wins as in the text.

2 N—B6ch

Black forks King and Queen.

Solutions

123 KNIGHT FORK

1 ....     QxR!
2 RxQ  N—Q6ch
3 K any            NxQ

Black has won a Rook, and stands to win more material.

124 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 ....     N—B2

Black wins a piece, as he attacks the Bishop and Knight.

125 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 ....     RxKP!
2 QxR  Q—B6ch

And mate next move.

126 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 ....     NxP!

This wins a Pawn, for if 2 PxN, BxB. Or if 2 BxB, N—Q6ch.

Black Moves First

Solutions

127 DISCOVERED ATTACK

1 ....     NxN
2 QxN N—N5ch!
Followed by 3 ... BxQ and wins.

128 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 . . . .  B—B3

Attacking Knight and Rook, and therefore winning at least a piece.

129 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 ....     P—Q6!
2 RxP   RxR
3 QxR  P—K5
4 BxN  PxB!

Winning a piece.

130 DOUBLE ATTACK

1 ....     QxQ
2 RxQ  B—N5
3 R/Q2—Ql     R—B7

Black wins a piece.

Are You Ready To Move Onto The Next Lesson? Click Here...