ArcaMax

Register for your free account:

Subscribe to any feature and receive your newsletter directly in your inbox.
Easy email subscription management.
Claim your rewards from the Reader Perks section!

White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Oct 1, 2025

The particular line Black chose through move ten is still very popular. On move 11, however, he shuts out his bishop to give a square for his queen, and it starts to go downhill. 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Nbd7 6.Nf3 Be7 7.Nxf6+ Nxf6 8.Bd3 b6 9.0–0 Bb7 10.Qe2 0–0 11.Rad1 c6? 12.Ne5 Qc7 13.Qe3 Nd5 (Better was 13...c5 14.Rfe1 cxd4 15.Qxd4 Nd5 16.Qe4 f5 17.Qh4 Bxg5 18.Qxg5 Nf6, but White is still a little better. Note how White just played good, normal developing moves.)14.Qh3! g6 15.Bh6 Rfe8 16.Rfe1 Bf8 17.c4! Nf6 18.Bf4 Nh5 SEE DIAGRAM

From Sir G.A. Thomas-Varain, Spa 1925 19.Nxg6!! Nxf4 19...fxg6 20.Bxc7 20.Ne7+! Black Resigned as it's mate after 20...Kg7 21.Qxh7+ Kf6 22.Ng8+ Kg5 23.h4+ Kg4 24.Nf6

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

More Chess Puzzles

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 29, 2025

Here are the opening moves of a game that are familiar to most players up to move seven. Then it gets interesting-- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 0–0 6.Bg5 h6 7.h4? hxg5! 8.hxg5 Ng4 9.g6 Nxf2?? (See the ...Read More

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 26, 2025

The Classical French is known as a tough nut to crack, but White does a demolition job on it. The game starts with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 0–0 8.c3 Nd7 9.Bd3 b6 10.h4 h6 11.Qc2 ...Read More

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 24, 2025

Here’s a Stonewall Attack for your enjoyment. 1.d4 d5 2.e3 e6 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Bd6 5.f4 Nc6 6.c3 Ne7 7.Nh3 0–0 8.0–0 Bd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Ng6 11.Nxf6+ gxf6 12.f5 exf5 13.Bxf5 Bxf5 14.Rxf5 Kh8 15.Qh5 Rg8 and now our ...

Black to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 22, 2025

This game has barely gotten underway and White is ahead in development, yet the game is essentially over.

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 19, 2025

This position is from 1841, from a Muzio Gambit, which early in the opening sacrifices a piece for an attack. Here we are in a middle game where White is still a piece down and the queens have been exchanged. Yet there is ...Read More

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / September 18, 2025

A post WWII amateur game. An instructive miniature. Armitage - Reese (C80)UK Army v Navy, 1946. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4 6.Re1 (Better is 6.d4, but this is tricky)6...Nc5 7.Nc3 (Better is 7.Bxc6) 7...Read More