Last time out, I showed you a finish to a 5-minute game I played. From the same game, I had an earlier opportunity to play a much better move. After 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.Bc4 Nxe4 4.Nc3 (The Boden-Kieseritsky Gambit)Nxc3 5....Read More

From a 5-minute game I played yesterday. With a few minutes or seconds left on the clock in any 5-minute game, it becomes important to recognize quickly mating patterns. In this position, the importance of the pin on the ...Read More

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? (...Read More

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

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

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