Answer #1

Black’s king is still in the centre and can easily be the subject of white’s attack. But even though black’s king is in a pin, there’s no real way to exploit it, unless white could somehow get the knight into play …

1. d5! (A pawn sac that clears the d4 square for white’s knight. Black is forced to take with the c-pawn which isolates black’s pawn), cxd5 2. Nd4, Kf7 3. Ne6 (the knight invades black’s territory and becomes an immovable thorn in black’s backside), Rhc8 4. Qg4 (threatening g7 and a potential discovered check with the idea of attacking black’s queen).

The game ended with a stunning forced mate in 13 by one of the former world champions of the past – Wilhelm Steinitz  (played in 1895)

Answer #2

It’s black’s turn to move and black has to find some way to create a breakthrough, otherwise, the game will likely end in a draw due to the closed nature of the position.

1…c4+! (another pawn sac that clears the c5 square for the knight to allow it to hit both white’s a- and e- pawns. Also, white was threatening to play Nc4 to prevent this breakthrough in any case) 2. Nxc4, Nc5+ 3. Kc2, Qb8 (there’s no need to take the pawn immediately (it won’t be going any where!) – black defends the d6 pawn to prevent white from creating complications) 4. Nd2, Nxa4 (and black regains the pawn with a clear advantage).

Black was Vlastimil Hort, who is a Czech GM and was one of the strongest players in the 60′s and 70′s. This game was played in 1973.

Answer #3

Before I start, this is one of those positions where strategy and tactics mingle – so your mind needed to be in both worlds for this one. Anyway, back to the answer …

White’s bishop looks like it’s locked in by its own pawns and may be destined to be trumped by black’s knight. But black’s pieces are in a defensive position and aren’t doing much to prevent any possible breakthroughs by white, so…

1. e5! (another pawn sac!), dxe5 (1…fxe5 2. f6, Qxf6 3. Qxg4+, Kf7 4. Be4 and white wins back the pawn on f3 and black’s knight is still very passive)

2. d6! (the whole idea behind white’s combination – to open up the a2-g8 diagonal with decisive effect), c5 (2… cxd6 3. c5! and if black takes the pawn, then white plays Bb3+ and wins. If black doesn’t take the pawn and blocks the diagonal instead with d5, then white takes on b6 with a dangerous passed pawn*)

3. Be4, Qd7 4. Qh6 and black resigned. A possible end could be 4…Nh7 5.Bd5+, Kh8 6. Qg6 (threatening mate on g8), Qd8 7. d7 +- with an unstoppable threat of Qe8.

Another win from one of the great former world champions – Alexander Alekhine (played in 1934)

* – a PASSED PAWN  is a pawn that is not impeded by anything in front of it and there are no enemy pawns in the adjacent files that can stop it.