1-99 Flashcards
Black to Move
10…Bb4+ unleashes a Double Discovered Check. After either 11. Kf1 or Kd1 Black mates with 11…Re1#.
White to move
25.Nxd5 Rxd5 26.Qxd5 cxd5 27.Rxc7 Rxc7 28.Rxc7 wins a piece for White, taking advantage of the pinned c pawn and the battery of Rooks on the c file.
Black to move
10…Nf3# is a smothered mate often seen in the trappy Blackburne Shilling Gambit variation of the Italian game.
Black to move
13…Re8 pins the White Queen to the King. 14.Be4 f5 wins the Bishop.
White to move
27.Qe8+!! leads to checkmate after 27…Rxe8 28.Rxe8+ Kg7 29.Bf8+ Kg8 (or Kh8) 30. Bh6#
Black to move
30…Rxc4 discovers an attack on the White Bishop on b6. After 31.bxc4 Bxb6 Black has two Bishops for the Rook. If 31.Bxd8 Rd4+ 32.Ke2 Rxd8
White to move
26.Qxd5 wins the under defended pawn that was defended once, and attacked twice, and also attacks the undefended Rook on a8. If Black recaptures with 26…Qxd5 White forks the King and Rook with 27.Bxd5
White to move
25.Nd7 forks the two Rooks. If 25…Qxd7 26.Bxe5+ causes a lot of problems for Black, who has to give up their Queen to get out of check with either 26…Qg7 or 26…dxe5 (the d pawn is now pinned to the Black Queen). White either wins the exchange (Knight for Rook), or more.
Black to move
23…Qxc1+!! a nice X-ray 24.Rxc1 Rxc1+ 25.Qf1 Rxf1+ which wins a rook for Black.
Black to move
49…Bc7 blocks the attack from the Rook on c8 on the runaway c pawn, and clears a path so that pawn can advance.
White to move
24.Rc3 puts the Queen between a rock and a hard place. The only safe square for the Queen is g5, but this allows for 25.Rg1 pinning and winning the Queen.
Black to move
47…Rc3+ forces a trade of Rooks, leading Black to an easily won endgame.
White to move
19.Rxg6+ gets the Rook away from the f pawn that is attacking it, and wins a pawn due to the fact that the f pawn is pinned by the Bishop. The f pawn being pinned to the Black King by White’s light square Bishop is a pattern that comes up frequently and is good to memorize. 19.Rd6 forking the Queen and Bishop is also a good move.
Black to move
20…Nxg3!! takes a piece, while uncovering a discovered attack on the hanging White Queen on c2. White took the bait, 21.Qxg6 and was mated with the beautiful 21…Nfe2#. White has no way to save his Queen, and stop the mate threat.
Black to move
36…Rh3+ leads to mate 37.Kg1 Rh1#
White to move
52.Be5+ forks the King and Rook
Black to move
7…Nd3 was a winning move that was missed in the game. It attacks and will win the e5 pawn. If this pawn moves forward with e6, then Nc5+ forks the King and Pawn. If the pawn does nothing, Black just takes it. The e pawn is won either way.
Black to move
11…Bg4#
White to move
25.Qh6+ sets up a good mating pattern to know. 25…Kg8 26.Be6#
Black to move
18…e4, which was missed in the game, blocks the Bishop’s defense of the Knight on f5, and attacks it at the same time. White cannot save both, and will soon lose a piece.
White to move
16.Bf5 skewers the Black Queen and Rook.
White to move
41.Rd8+ sets up 41…Kh7 42.Qe4+ forking the King and Knight, if 42…Nf5 43.Rd5 forking the pinned Knight and the Queen. Black will lose the Knight.
Black to move
41…Nd4+ forks the King and Queen. White blundered with 41.e4?? on the previous move allowing this fork.
White to move
10.Qc6+ deflects the Black Queen from her protection of the Rook on a8. 10…Qd7 is the only way to get out of check, but allows 11.Qxa8+ which wins the Rook.
White to move
13.Ne5+ unpins itself from the White Queen, and forks the King and Bishop.
White to move
17.Qg7# checkmating on Black’s weak dark squares.
Black to move
22…Nxe4 wins a pawn that is hanging, centralizes the Knight, which was hanging, and double attacks the Queen on f2 and pawn on c3. Nothing tricky about this one.
White to move
12.Bg5 pins the Knight to the Queen. Black cannot add a second defender to this piece.
Black to move
11…Ne2# is an example of Anastasia’s mate.
White to move
48.Qh5+ skewers the King and Queen. Black cannot get out of check and still protect the Queen.
Black to move
13…Qh2# is a typical mating pattern in the Fishing Pole attack variation of the Ruy Lopez.
Black to move
16…Na3# is a cute checkmate.
Black to move
38…Ng3 threatens the Queen on e2 and a deadly “hook mate” pattern with Rf1+. For example if White moves the Queen with 39.Qd3 - now black has a mate with 39…Rf1+ 40.Kh2 Rh1#.
Black to move
17…Ng4 creates a discovered attack on the White Queen, which cannot move and still defend both the Bishop on e3 and the Knight on a4. If 18.e5 blocking the attack from the Bishop 18…Nxe3 19.Qxe3 Rxa4 and Black is up a piece, taking advantage of the overloaded Queen.
If 18.Qxb6, which was played in the game, 18…Qc2 traps the White Knight.
White to move
32.Nb8!! adding a third attacker to the pinned Black Rook on d7 in an unusual manner. After 32…Kxb8 33.Rxd7 White has won a Rook for a Knight.
Black to move
12…Rh1+ Is a typical crazy position from the Fishing Pole attack. Black has given up a piece for the attack, and continues the “sac, sac, mate” with 12…Rh1+ 13.Kxh1 Qh4+ 14.Kg1 g3 15.Nd6+ Kf8 16.Qh5 Qxh5 17.Re1 Qh2+ 18.Kf1 Qh1#.
This variation is long, because White has some checks, and gives up his Queen to delay mate, but the pattern is a good one to know.
Black to move
16…Qh7 creates a battery that cannot be stopped, only delayed.
White to move
5.Qxf7# is a good old fashioned Scholar’s Mate.
White to move
16.Bc5 attacks the Knight on b4 and sets up a discovered check with Nxc8 on the next move. Black cannot stop both threats at the same time.
Black to move
Black infiltrates the dark squares with 22…Qf2+ Kh1 23.Qh2#.
Black to move
28…Rc1+ leads to a simple back rank mate after 29.Rd1 Rxd1# where the Black Bishop helps cover the h2 escape square.
White to move
26.Bg5 pins and wins the Rook to the Queen.
White to move
29.Re8+ White has two attractive looking checks here, but 29.Re8+ is better. If 29…Rf8 30.Qe6+ followed by 31.Rxf8#. If 29…Kf7 30.Qd7#.
Black to move
25…Rxd5 keeps it simple, and trades down into a winning endgame. Material is even, but White’s pawns are such an isolated and doubled mess, that Black will have no trouble winning.
White to move
29.Qx35 wins a rook. The d6 pawn is pinned.
White to move
18.Nxf7# Is a nice smothered mate (and forks the King and Queen for extra style points).
White to move
13.Rxh7!! is a beautiful move that attacks the Rook on h8, and removes the defender of the g6 pawn. If 13…Rxh7 14.Qg6+ picks up a second pawn, forks the King and Rook, and forms a dangerous mating net around the Black King.
Black to move
32…a5# is a cute mate with an assassin pawn.
Black to move
36…d2 Pushes the pawn and White will have no way to stop it from becoming a Queen. If 37.Rxe2 Rc1+!! gets a new Queen.
Black to move
17…c4 is a discovered attack, which attacks the Bishop on e3 and the Queen on b3 at the same time.
White to move
16.Nxe6 deflects the Queen away from defending the b7 pawn, which would allow White to win the Rook on a8. For example, 16.Nxe6 Qxe6 17.Bxb7 Nbc6 18.Bxa8.
White to move
40.Rxg6!! White clears the way to protect his passed pawn on g7. If 40…Qxg6 41.Rg3 Black Queen moves, and then White Queens a pawn with 42. g8=Q+
White to move
22.Rxe4+ sets up an absolute pin. After 22…Bxe4 23.Re1 White will win the Bishop with 24.f3.
White to move
9.Qxc6+ forks the Knight and King and “LPDO” - Loose Pieces Drop Off.
Black to move
41…g5+ and mate after 42.Rxg5 fxg5#.
White to move
9.Qf7+ and a pretty mate the next move after 9…Qxf7 10.exf7.
White to move
10.Nf6# the Knight delivers smothered mate.
Black to move
25…f3 threatens the Queen on e2 and double attacks the vulnerable pawn on g2. If 26.Qxf3 Qxf3 and the g pawn cannot recapture because it is pinned.
Black to move
5…Bxb5 wins a piece. If 6.Nxb5 Qe5+ forks the Knight and King.
White to move
On the previous move Black played 10…Be6 to develop his bishop, stop the threat of Qxf7# and attack White’s Queen. The move 11.Bxc6+ buys time for White, and wins a piece, removing the defender of the Bishop on b4, 11…bxc6 12.Qxb4.
White to move
38.Qf4+ is a close range fork of King and Knight
Black to move
7…Nxb5 After 8.Bxb5 Qa5+ wins a piece. This is a very valuable tactical pattern to know.
Black to move
32…Bg4 forks the two White Rooks.
White to move
15.Nd7+ is a nice discount double check that leads to mate after 15…Ka8 (only move) 16.Nb6++ axb6 (only move) 17.Qa4#
Black to move
36…Nb4+ Forks King and Rook.
Black to move
18…Qd6 threatens mate on h2 and the Knight on c5. White cannot defend both threats
Black to move
22…Qg4 puts White in position to infiltrate the light squares. No need for anything crazy here.
White to move
32.Re3 forks the Queen and Knight.
Black to move
Black has a cute mate in 3 with 46…Be6+ 47.g4 fxg3+ en passant! 48.Kxg3 h4#
Black to move
16…Ne2+ Discovered attack on the White Queen. 17.Bxe2 Qxa4
Black to move
11…Nxf2 deflects the White King and forks the White Rook and Queen. If 12.Kxf2 then 12…d3+ discovers an attack on the King by the Bishop, winning back the sacrificed piece, 13.Kf1 Qxg3 14.Qf3 Qxf3+ 15.gxf3 dxc2 and Black is up a piece and a pawn.
White to move
39.b4 prevents Black from doing the “Every Russian Schoolboy knows” endgame trick with three pawns facing each other. If instead White would play 39.Kxe6 Black can get a passed pawn with 39…b4 (Although White is still winning).
Black to move
11…Ng4 threatens mate on h2 and discovers an attack on the Bishop on g5 at the same time.
White to move
27.Nh6# Is a nice mate with Knight and Queen working well together.
White to move
38.Bxg7+ and mate after 38…Rxg7 39.Qxg7#
Black to move
26…Rdxf2 grabs the f pawn that was attacked 3 times and only defended once, and is threatening lots of dangerous double and discovered checks. Note that 29…Rfxf2 doesn’t work, because the Rook on d2 is under attack, and Black has nothing after 29…Rfxf2 30.Rxd2 Rxd2+ 31.Kh1.
White to move
11.Qh8+ Kf7 12.Ne5# is a nice mate with Knight and Queen working together.
Black to move
15…Bf8 removes the defender of the Knight, which is also pinned to the Rook. Neither piece can move and defend the other.
Black to move
17…Ne2+ 18.Kh1 Qxh2+!! 19.Kxh2 Rh4#
Black to move
27…Rf7+ gets the Black King out of check, and also puts the White King in a discovered check at the same time, winning the White Queen on the next move.
Black to move
27…Qd4+ forks the White King and Rook on a1.
White to move
42.Qh8+ Rh7 43.Qxf6+ Kh5 44.Qg5#
White to move
15.Nh5 adds another attacker to pinned Knight on f6, and clears the path for the Rook on g1 which indirectly pins the g7 pawn to the King.
White to move
10.Bxh6 picks up a pawn, while discovering an attack on the Black Queen. These types of tactics come up often when White castles Queenside.
White to move
40.Kd2 cuts off all the squares for the Black King. When the King has no squares, any check will be mate. Cutting off squares is often better than giving check, and just chasing the King around. After Kd2 White is threatening Rd6#.
White to move
43.Nd3+ discovers an attack on Black’s last remaining piece, the Knight on h5. When your oppenent won’t resign, little tactics like this can save you time and energy to help end the game quickly.
Black to move
21…Rd8. The White Queen is trapped, with no safe squares.
White to move
White mates after 31.Qe8+ Rg8 32.Qxg8#.
White to move
20.Nxd6 is a simple move that gets the Knight out of trouble (it was hanging on f5), wins a pawn that was under defended, forks the Rook and Bishop, and offers a discovered attack from the Rook on the Queen if it moves ont the next turn.
White to move
11.Nb5 attacks the Queen on c7, with a discovered attack on the Knight on e4. If 11…Qc6 to defend the Knight, 12.Qxe4 Qxe4 13.Nd6+ wins a piece.
Black to move
17…Qb2 threatens the Rook on c1 and Knight on d2. White has no way to meet both threats.
White to move
25.Qc2 forks the Rook and Knight.
Black to move
18…Qxc1+!! 19.Nxc1 Rd1#.
Black to move
8…c5 is the Noah’s Ark trap. The Black Queen will have to move, and …c4 will trap the light square Bishop. This is a great trap to know.
If 9.Qd5 hitting the Rook 9…Be6 10.Qc6+ Bd7 and White can’t stall 11…c4 any more.
White to move
9.Bxf7+! Deflects the Black King from protection of the Black Queen. 9…Kxf7 10.Qxd8 and White is up a Queen for a Bishop. This type of tactic often comes up in the Sicilian Defense, when Black has a pawn on d6 and a Knight on f6, and White can play e5. If Black responds to e5 with dxe5, which is a normal looking response, then this tactic can often be used.
White to move
24. Qxf4!! If 24…exf4 25.Rxg7+ and White windmills 25…Kh8 26.Rg5+ winning the Black Queen. White wins a piece.
White to move
14.Ng5 adds another attacker and creates an unstoppable mating net against the Black King. If 14…Ndf6 15.Qg8+ Nxg8 16.Nf7# and against anything else White plays 15.Qxh7#.
Black to move
37…Rf4+ followed by 38.Kh5 Rh4# (or 38…Qh4#) ends the King Hunt.
Black to move
21…Qxd3 is nothing fancy - it wins a piece that was under defended.
If 22.Nxe5 then 22…Qxc2 23.Rxc2 Rxe5
If 22.Qxd3 then 22…Nxd3 forking the two White Rooks.
