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 6, 2025

Here we have an example of Black playing the first moves well and achieving equality, but then he starts to go astray with the usual result. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.c3 d5 4.Qa4 f6 5.Bb5 Nge7 6.exd5 Qxd5 7.0–0 Bd7 8.d4 e4? (the first mistake-best was 8...exd4 9.cxd4 Ne5) 9.Nfd2 Ng6 10.Bc4 Qa5?? (the second mistake-best was 10...Qh5) 11.Qb3 f5 12.Bf7+ Ke7? (three strikes and you’re out-White would still be better after 12...Kd8 13.f3 e3 14.Nc4 Qa6 15.Bxe3, but it would take longer)How did White wrap this up? SEE DIAGRAM

From Chigorin-Gossip NY 1889 13.Nc4 Qa6 14.Bg5+ Kxf7 15.Nd6#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

More Chess Puzzles

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / October 03, 2025

Chess games are not infrequently decided by one player not paying attention to little details that are actually a big deal. This game is an example of that. It starts out calmly enough. 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.c4 c6 4.e3 Bf5 5...Read More

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / October 01, 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....Read More

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 ...