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\begin{document}

\title{Exeter Chess Club: An ABC of Chess
}
\author{Dr. Dave}
\date{\today}

\maketitle
\tableofcontents
\clearpage

Here's a mental toolkit for the improving chess player.

I think that for each of these elements there are different levels of
understanding e.g. {\em bad Bishop}

{\em 1) I've heard of it!}

{\em 2) I know what it is and could explain it to a junior.}

{\em {\bf 3)    I understand enough to make use of the idea in a game.}}

{\em 4) I never fail to notice the feature in a game, and rarely (if ever)
make a bad choice of plan based on it.}

I suspect we're all OK at (1) but aren't all at (4) yet. (3) is a fair
goal.


{\bf 
Please
see also: 
Opening guidelines, 
Middle game guidelines, and 
Endgame guidelines}.



\section{KLM
of chess tactics
}
\subsection{
K
- knight forks
}
"{\em He jumps so terribly}" - Dick van Geet's tiny son



\board{r*b*k* r}
{ppp ppb }
{ n * *pp}
{* * P *n}
{ * * P B}
{* N * *N}
{PPP* *PP}
{* KR*B*R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Fuller - Sakurai,Haifa [B07], 1976)\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 d6 2.d4 Nf6 3.Nc3 g6 4.Bg5 Nbd7
5.f4 h6 6.Bh4 Bg7 7.e5 Nh5 8.Nh3 d*e5 9.d*e5 Nb6 10.Q*d8+ K*d8\protect\end{chess} 11.0-0-0+ Ke8
}DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  12.Nb5\protect\end{chess} 1-0} The last rank is also vulnerable, making the fork unstoppable.
\subsection{
L
- last rank
}
"{\em Feet of clay..."}



\board{ *r*r*k*}
{*p*q*ppp}
{ * p b *}
{p *P* * }
{ * Q * *}
{* * *N* }
{PP *RPPP}
{* * R K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Adams-Torre):\protect\begin{chess} 18.Qg4 Qb5 19.Qc4 Qd7 20.Qc7 Qb5 21.a4 Q*a4 22.Re4 Qb5
23.Q*b7\protect\end{chess} 1-0} A striking display which has the appearance of a study.
\subsection{
M
- mating pattern
}
"{\em The game is won by the player who has checkmated his opponent's king.}"
- FIDE rules



\board{r*b* rk*}
{p qn*p*p}
{ *pbp*p*}
{* ppN * }
{ * * P *}
{*P* P *R}
{PBPP *PP}
{RN*Q* K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Plachetka - Zinn, Decin [A04] 1974)\protect\begin{chess} 1.Nf3 c5 2.b3 Nf6 3.Bb2 Nc6 4.e3 d5
5.Bb5 e6 6.Ne5 Qc7\protect\end{chess} 7.0-0 Bd6\protect\begin{chess} 8.B*c6+ b*c6 9.f4\protect\end{chess} 0-0\protect\begin{chess} 10.Rf3 Nd7 11.Rh3 g6\protect\end{chess}
}DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  12.Qh5\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
N
- network nobbled (Nterference)
}
"{\em Parting is such sweet sorrow}" - Shakespeare



\board{rnbqk* r}
{pp* ppbp}
{ * * *p*}
{* * P * }
{ * N *n*}
{* N * * }
{PPP* *PP}
{R BQKB*R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Crotto - Hindle,Haifa [B71] 1976)\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 c*d4 4.N*d4 Nf6
5.Nc3 g6 6.f4 Bg7 7.e5 d*e5 8.f*e5 Ng4\protect\end{chess} }DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  9.Bb5+ Bd7? 10.Q*g4\protect\end{chess} ...
1-0}
\subsection{
O
- overloading
}
"{\em The straw that broke the camel's back}" - Proverbial



\board{r* * rk*}
{* *n*ppp}
{pp * * *}
{* * p q }
{P*B*Q* *}
{* * * * }
{ PP* *PP}
{R * *RK }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 17.R*f7 Kh8 18.R*d7\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
P
- pins
}
"{\em The pin is mightier than the sword}" - Reinfeld



\board{ *rk * *}
{p rqn p }
{P*n*p* p}
{* *pPp* }
{BP P P P}
{* R *N* }
{ *R* *P*}
{* Q * K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Alekhine - Nimzovitch,San Remo [C17] 1930)\protect\begin{chess} 30.: Qe8 31.b5\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
Q
- queening
}
"{\em Every Pawn is a potential Queen}" - Mason



\board{r*bqkbnr}
{pp* *ppp}
{ *p*p*n*}
{*B*P* * }
{ * QN* *}
{* * * * }
{PPP* PPP}
{R B K NR}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 Nc6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 d*e4 4.d5 Ne5 5.Qd4 Ng6 6.N*e4 e6? 7.Bb5+ c6\protect\end{chess}
}DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  8.d*c6 Q*d4 9.c*b7+ Kd8 10.b*a8\protect\end{chess}Q 1-0}
\subsection{
R
- retreat
}
"{\em What is immobile must suffer violence}" - Lasker



\board{r* qkbnr}
{* *b*ppp}
{p* p * *}
{*p*Q* * }
{ *p*P* *}
{*B* * * }
{PPP* PPP}
{RNB K *R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.d4 b5 6.Bb3 e*d4 7.N*d4 N*d4 8.Q*d4?
c5 9.Qd5 Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 11.Qd5 c4\protect\end{chess} 0-1} The Noah's Ark trap.
\subsection{
S
- sacrifice at castle gates
}
"{\em Examine moves that smite!}" - Purdy



\board{r* q rk*}
{p p npp }
{ pn*b* p}
{* *pP * }
{ * P B *}
{* PB*N* }
{P*PQ *PP}
{*R* *RK }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Blackburne - Blanchard (London) [C30], 1891)}

{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 e5 2.f4 Bc5 3.Nc3 Nc6 4.Nf3 e*f4\protect\end{chess} ?\protect\begin{chess} 5.d4 Bb4 6.B*f4 d5 7.e5 B*c3+ 8.b*c3
Be6 9.Bd3 h6\protect\end{chess} 10.0-0 Nge7\protect\begin{chess} 11.Rb1 b6 12.Qd2\protect\end{chess} 0-0 }DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 13.B*h6! g*h6
14.Q*h6 Ng6 15.Ng5 Re8 16.R*f7 B*f7 17.Qh7+ Kf8 18.Q*f7\#\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
T
- two for the price of one
}
"{\em All combinations are based on a double attack}" - Fine



\board{r* qk* r}
{p *p*ppp}
{ pbbp* *}
{* * * *n}
{ *P*P* *}
{P N B * }
{ PQ* PPP}
{R * KB*R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Christiansen - Karpov,1993 [E12])\protect\begin{chess} 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3 Ba6 5.Qc2
Bb7 6.Nc3 c5 7.e4 c*d4 8.N*d4 Nc6 9.N*c6 B*c6 10.Bf4 Nh5 11.Be3 Bd6\protect\end{chess}
}DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  12.Qd1\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
U
- undermining (removing the guard) 
}
"{\em For the want of a horse a rider was lost...}" - Franklin.



\board{r*bqr*k*}
{pp* *ppp}
{ * * b *}
{* *p* * }
{ * * * *}
{* NQPN* }
{PP * PPP}
{R * K *R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Legueltel - Studev,Kuortane [D60] 1976)\protect\begin{chess} 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 Be7
5.e3 Nbd7 6.Nf3\protect\end{chess} 0-0\protect\begin{chess} 7.c*d5 e*d5 8.Bd3 Re8 9.Qc2 c5 10.d*c5 N*c5 11.B*f6 N*d3+
12.Q*d3 B*f6\protect\end{chess} }DIAGRAM {\bf\protect\begin{chess} 13.Q*d5?\protect\end{chess}?\protect\begin{chess} 13.: B*c3+\protect\end{chess} 0-1}
\subsection{
U2
- unmasking (discovery)
}
``Behind you!"



\board{rn q rk*}
{pbpp*ppp}
{ p *p* *}
{* * * * }
{ *PPn* *}
{* N *NP }
{PPQ*PPBP}
{R * K *R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.g3 Bb7 5.Bg2 Bb4+ 6.Bd2 B*d2+ 7.Q*d2\protect\end{chess} 0-0\protect\begin{chess} 8.Nc3
Ne4 9.Qc2!\protect\end{chess}} DIAGRAM {\bf\protect\begin{chess} 9.: N*c3 10.Ng5! Ne4 11.B*e4 B*e4 12.Q*e4 Q*g5
13.Q*a8\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
V
- vulnerable f7
}
"{\em The Achilles' Heel of a chess position...}"



\board{rnbqk*nr}
{ppppbppp}
{ * * * *}
{* * p * }
{ *B*P* *}
{* * * * }
{PPPP PPP}
{RNBQK NR}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Paul Roberts - NN [C23] East Devon, 1996)\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 e5 2.Bc4 Be7 3.Qh5\protect\end{chess} ...
1-0}
\subsection{
W
- weakening King's-side
}
"{\em Castles built of sand..."}



\board{ *r*r*k*}
{p pbqppp}
{ p *pn *}
{* * * B }
{ * P * *}
{* *B*Q* }
{PPP* PPP}
{R * R K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Tarrasch - Mieses (3) [C10] (Berlin m.), 1916)\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 d*e4
4.N*e4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Bd3 Be7\protect\end{chess} 7.0-0 Nxe4\protect\begin{chess} 8.B*e4 Nf6 9.Bd3 b6 10.Ne5\protect\end{chess} 0-0\protect\begin{chess}
11.Nc6 Qd6 12.Qf3 Bd7 13.N*e7+ Q*e7 14.Bg5 Rac8 15.Rfe1 Rfe8\protect\end{chess} }DIAGRAM
{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 16.Qh3 Qd6 17.B*f6 g*f6 18.Qh6 f5? 19.Re3 Q*d4 20.c3\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
X
- X-ray (skewer)
}
"{\em Stap me vitals..."}




\board{ * * *q*}
{* * * p }
{ *k* * p}
{R * * *B}
{p* * * *}
{* * * * }
{ *P* *P*}
{* K * * }
$$\showboard$$



{\bf Skewer frenzy in a Rinck study:\protect\begin{chess} 1.Ra8! Qa2! 2. R*a4! Qg8! 3. Ra8 Qh7 4. Bg6!\protect\end{chess}
1-0}
\subsection{
Y
- your move! (defensive play)
}
"{\em A man does not die of threats}" - Proverb



\board{rnb* r k}
{pp* p bp}
{ *pp np*}
{q *P*p* }
{ *P* * *}
{*PN *NP }
{PB *PPBP}
{R *Q*RK }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Robatsch - Jansa,Sochi [A10] 1974)\protect\begin{chess} 1.c4 f5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.g3 g6 4.b3 Bg7 5.Bb2\protect\end{chess}
0-0\protect\begin{chess} 6.Bg2 d6 7.d4 c6\protect\end{chess} 8.0-0 Kh8 [\protect\begin{chess}8.: Qc7\protect\end{chess}]\protect\begin{chess} 9.d5 Qa5 10.Nc3\protect\end{chess} }DIAGRAM
{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 10.: N*d5? 11.c*d5 B*c3 12.Qd2 Q*d5 13.Q*c3+ e5 14.N*e5\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
Z
- Zwischenzug
}
"{\em When you see a good move, stop - there may be a better one}" - Lasker



\board{r*bq rk*}
{pp* ppbp}
{ *np np*}
{* * * * }
{ *PNP* *}
{* N B * }
{PP *BPPP}
{R *Q*RK }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Spassov - Kritiansen, Kringsja [E91], 1976)\protect\begin{chess} 1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7
4.e4 d6 5.d4\protect\end{chess} 0-0\protect\begin{chess} 6.Be2 c5\protect\end{chess} 7.0-0 cxd4\protect\begin{chess} 8.N*d4 Nc6 9.Be3\protect\end{chess}
}DIAGRAM{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 
9.: Ng4 10.B*g4 B*g4\protect\end{chess}}
({\em\protect\begin{chess} 10.Q*g4 N*d4\protect\end{chess}}){\bf\protect\begin{chess}  11.N*c6 Qd7 12.N*e7+ Kh8 13.f3\protect\end{chess}
1-0}




\section{
ABC
of chess strategy
}
\subsection{
A
- activity
}
"{\em The most important feature of the position}" - Stean



\board{r* r *k*}
{* Rb*ppp}
{p* *pn *}
{*p* N * }
{ * PP* *}
{* *BK * }
{P* * PPP}
{*R* * * }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Rubinstein-Schlechter, San Sebastian 1912)}: White's active pieces give him the advantage.
\subsection{
B
- better pieces - bad bishop bishop vs knight, offside piece, coordination
}
"{\em Quality, not quantity}"



\board{ r * k *}
{* rb*pp }
{p* N * p}
{*p*pPP* }
{ PpP *PP}
{P * K * }
{ * * R *}
{* R * * }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf Tarrasch - Noa [c11] Hamburg, 1885}

White's great Knight and Black's dismal Bishop are the key to this position.
{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 38.g5 h5 39.Rcf1 Kg8 40.g6 f6 41.Re2 Bc6 42.Rfe1 Rd8 43.Kf4 f*e5+ 44.R*e5
Kf8 45.Nf7 Re8 46.Ng5 Rce7 47.Nh7+\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
C
- centre and space
}
"{\em I'm the King of the castle...}"



\board{r* q *k*}
{*p* *r*n}
{n* * *pb}
{* PNNp* }
{p*BBP* p}
{P * * p }
{ R * * P}
{* *Q* K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Georgadze-Kupreichik, 1979)}
An extraordinary piece of centralisation: despite the exchange less, and the King's-side attack, White soon won.
\subsection{
D
- development
}
"{\em The early bird catches the King!}"



\board{rn *kb r}
{pp* *ppp}
{ *p* * *}
{* npq * }
{ * * * *}
{* N BQP }
{PPP* * P}
{* KR*B*R}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Spielmann - Flamberg, Mannheim [C29], 1914)\protect\begin{chess} 1.e4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.f4 d5
4.f*e5 N*e4 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Qe2 6.: Nc5\protect\end{chess} ? }{\em [\protect\begin{chess}6.: N*c3\protect\end{chess}]}{\bf\protect\begin{chess}  7.d4 B*f3 8.Q*f3
Qh4+ 9.g3 Q*d4 10.Be3 Q*e5\protect\end{chess} 11.0-0-0 c6 }DIAGRAM 
Black is fighting with only half the army.  {\em Sortez les pieces!}
{\bf\protect\begin{chess} 12. N*d5 c*d5 13.R*d5 Qe6
14.Bc4 Qe4 15.B*c5\protect\end{chess} 1-0}
\subsection{
E
- exchanges
}
"{\em Fair exchange is no robbery}"



\board{r* * rk*}
{* * bppp}
{p* *bn *}
{* *p* * }
{N* * * *}
{* *BB * }
{PP * PPP}
{R * R K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Fischer-Petrosian, seventh match game 1971)\protect\begin{chess} 16. Bc5!\protect\end{chess}}
Not an easy one to spot, but once seen, easy to appreciate: White removes the defender of the dark squares, leaving Black with a crummy light-squared Bishop.
\subsection{
F
- files, ranks, diagonals (lines)
}
"{\em Let a Lord once own the happy lines, How the wit brightens!}" - Pope



\board{ * r *k*}
{p * *rpp}
{ b * P *}
{n pqpP* }
{ p * * *}
{* *B*NR }
{P* Q P P}
{* * * RK}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Anderssen-Zukertort, Barmen 1869)}: the file



\board{r* *k* *}
{*R* *R* }
{p* r *p*}
{* * *p* }
{ PBp n p}
{* * * * }
{P* K *PP}
{* * * * }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Fischer-Petrosian, seventh match game, 1971)}: the rank



\board{ * rrn *}
{*pp nqkp}
{ * *bpp*}
{p N p P }
{ * * * *}
{PP*PP R }
{ BQ*BP P}
{* * * RK}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Fischer-Anderssen, Siegen 1970)}: the diagonal
\subsection{
G
- good and bad pawns
}
"{\em Pawns are the soul of chess}" - Philidor



\board{ *r* *k*}
{*p* *p*p}
{ pn* q *}
{*N*p*p* }
{ * * * *}
{P * Q *P}
{ P * PP*}
{* R * K }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Deep Blue-Kasparov, m1 1996)}: just hideous: every Black Pawn is isolated and most doubled!  Black tried a King's-side hack but it was desparation and he knew it.
\subsection{
H
- holes and weak complexes
}
"{\em Perils of both wind and limb}" - Butler



\board{r* *b*r*}
{* k * * }
{ *p*p*p*}
{p BpK Rp}
{P* * P *}
{*P* * * }
{ *P* *PP}
{* * R * }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Bernstein-Mieses, 1921) - That is, perils of both the dark-square holes and
the backward Pawns on White squares.}
\subsection{
I
- initiative, tempo
}
""{\em Thou shalt not shilly-shally!}" - Nimzo



\board{r*bqk* r}
{pppp*ppp}
{ *nb * *}
{* * * * }
{P* * * *}
{* * *N* }
{ PP* PPP}
{RNBQ*RK }
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Alekhine-Poindle (simul.), 1936)\protect\begin{chess} 9.Ng5!\protect\end{chess}} White plays the one move that stops Black getting on with normal development.
\subsection{
J
- jumping-off points (outposts)
}
"{\em Give me a place to stand, and I will move the Earth}" - Archimedes



\board{r* q rk*}
{* p *ppp}
{p* p * *}
{* * p * }
{PPQnPn *}
{* *P*P* }
{ P * P P}
{RN*B*R*K}
$$\showboard$$


{\bf (Pegaroro-Scheipel)}The Knights are worth a Rook each, I reckon!




This is a list long enough to get you started comfortably.  There are
a few other ideas, like ``coordination", which you may come to later,
and through Nimzovitch we learn about themes like ``overprotection'' and
``prophylaxis".



\end{document}