The fifth round at the 8th Tal Chess Memorial is the last time World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand meet across the board before the 2013 World Chess Championship. Not just Moscow, most of the chess world had an exciting Tuesday as the Challenger beat the World Champion who played a passive game. Carlsen played a rare variation in the Nimzo-Indian and said: I thought I’d play a line that he hasn’t faced in a long time and I thought that hopefully he wouldn’t be too prepared for that. For a full report on the round, read Chess Blog.
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We’re pleased to announce upgrades to the popular PC chess software Chess King. Check out the new Chess King 2 with Houdini 2, and also Chess King 3 Max and Chess King 3 Pro with Houdini 3/Pro, to give you a range of options that will teach the beginner, help the club player to improve, and will satisfy the Grandmaster with its maximum power.

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With all those improvements, Chess King 2 is now even more affordable, with the complete program Chess King 2 at only $39.95, and very affordable versions of Chess King with the top-of-the-line Houdini 3 and Houdini 3 Pro. Compatible with all versions of Windows, including Windows 8, and in 5 languages, English, French,German, Spanish, and Russian. See below for more info and get your copy or upgrade in our shop. Email us if questions.

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A nice game from former British Chess Champion Michael Adams: White plays and win, or better still, checkmates in two! Figure it out. It’s easy.
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A tricky position from a simul played by Ryder in Leipzig in 1899. But, the master was up to the challenge and spotted the checkmate in two. Can you?
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Spot a strong move for White from the game Dubinjetski – Danowski, Switzerland, 1984. How can White win?
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One super-strong chess tactic can turn a game upside down. The position on the left offers White a beautiful chance to win a game that apparently looks equal. How should White play?
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Raise your spirits with this mid-week chess puzzle. All White needs to do is checkmate in two. Hint: Is the Knight on the rim really dim? (Thanks to Chess King reader Alexis Cochran from New Zealand for sending us this puzzle. You too can send us your favourite chess puzzle.)
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Here’s a regular N+B checkmate motif. White can checkmate in three. Can you solve both the two methods to do this? Improve your chess with Chess King!
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Time to sit down for coffee with Chess King. It’s just about the beginning of the week. Let’s find out how chess-alert are you. Here’s a neat position from the game Shurawlew – Semenjuk, Variante, 1976. White comes up with a nice to idea to win. Can you see how?
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Back-rank weakness is a potential landmine for your opponent. You have to remain alert to such opportunities. Belov – Osachuk, Soviet Union, 1965. How does White win?
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Here’s a cool endgame position from the game Wlodzimierz Schmidt – Heinz Liebert, Polanica Zdroj, 1967. White has a nice winning line here, and a winning line that if you miss, you would end up hating yourself for the rest of the tournament! So, how did White win?
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Yes, this position came up in a tournament chess game: Frank Teed – Eugene Delmar, New York, 1896. It’s so easy that you could solve it blindfold. Ask a friend to call out the situation to you. Or, you could solve it by yourself in the middle of a very sleepy Sunday. Have fun and train world-class with Chess King.
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Here’s a position from the game of a very talented yet, possibly, the most unpredictable (playing strength-wise) Grandmaster of our times – Vassily Ivanchuk. This game was played in New York in 1988 against Bozidar Ivanovic. White to play and win.
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Finding a checkmate in two on the board during a chess game in a top tournament is a delight in itself. Here is a checkmate that came GM Almira Skripchenko’s way against Ralph Zimmer in Bad Mondorf, 1991. Can you see what White played?
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Here’s a fast and quick chess puzzle. The position is from the game M Calzetta – K White in Gibraltar, 2005. White to play and win.
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A cool checkmate in two from the game Bent Larsen – Zoltan Ribli played in Ribli, Riga, 1979.
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A sure way to improve your chess is to study how World Chess Champions play. It’s a bonus when another World Chess Champion explains it all to you. So, sit back and let the 12th Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk show you how Vishy Anand went for a win in Monaco. This puzzle is brought to you by www.chesskillertips.com – the #1 chess podcast website which is FREE.
LEVEL: Intermediate
CATEGORY: Middle Game
From the game Anand – Van Wely, Monaco 2007.
White plays and wins.
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Here is another position from classical chess games. This chess puzzle comes to you from the game Johannes Zukertort – Adolf Anderssen. The place was Breslau and the year was 1865. Can you figure out how White won? It’s way too easy.
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Here’s a neat chess position from the game Mikhail Tal – Pal Benko played in Bled, 1959. All White did was checkmate in two! Do you know how?
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An English opening with White with the reversed Hedgehog structure. Already after 8.b3 Caruana was unhappy with this opening and that is why he decided to exchange the light-squared Bishops. Morozevich might have felt Black’s discomfort as he immediately replied with aggressive-looking 11.h4. But Caruana kept his cool and calmly exchanged another pair of pieces to reduce the attacking potential. White gave up on the aggression as he castled Kingside and the play became slower and more positional.
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