Thinkers’ Chess Academy WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

Volume 2 From Tactics to Strategy — Winning Knowledge!

by Thomas Luther

www.thinkerspublishing.com Managing Editor Romain Edouard

Consulting Editor Daniël Vanheirzeele

Proofreading Jamie Horton

Graphic Artist Philippe Tonnard

Cover design Mieke Mertens

Typesetting i-Press ‹www.i-press.pl›

Th inkers’ Chess Academy with Grandmaster Th omas Luther. Volume 2: From Tactics to Strategy — Winning Knowledge! Copyright © 2020 Th omas Luther

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the publisher.

ISBN 978-94-9251-089-1 D/2020/13730/28

All sales or enquiries should be directed to Th inkers Publishing, 9850 Landegem, Belgium. e-mail: [email protected] website: www.thinkerspublishing.com TABLE OF CONTENTS

KEY TO SYMBOLS 5

DEAR READER! 7

CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND FROM PLAYERS OF ALL CATEGORIES 9 Solutions for 50 Mixed Combinations 22

CHAPTER 2. DEFLECTION, DIVERSION OR DISTRACTION 35 Defl ection — Part 1 41 Solutions for Defl ection — Part 1 45 Defl ection — Part 2 49 Solutions for Defl ection — Part 2 58

CHAPTER 3. TRAPPED PIECES 67 Trapped Pieces — Part 1 72 Solutions for Trapped Pieces — Part 1 76 Trapped Pieces — Part 2 81 Solutions for Trapped Pieces — Part 2 90

CHAPTER 4. THE THIRD RESULT: DRAW 99 Stalemate — Part 1 103 Solutions for Stalemate — Part 1 107 Stalemate — Part 2 108 Solutions for Stalemate — Part 2 113

CHAPTER 5. CHESS STRATEGY 119 Weak squares 121

CHAPTER 6. 40 COMBINATIONS 127 Solutions for Checkmate in four moves 138 4 THINKERS’ CHESS ACADEMY WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

CHAPTER 7. INVADING THE OPPONENT’S CAMP OPEN FILES AND THE 7TH RANK 151 Rook(s) on the 7th (2nd) Rank 159 Solutions for Rook(s) on the 7th (2nd) Rank 165

CHAPTER 8. ATTACK ON THE BACK RANK 173 Attack on the back rank! — Part 1 177 Solutions for Attack on the back rank! — Part 1 181 Attack on the back rank! — Part 2 186 Solutions for Attack on the back rank! — Part 2 195

CHAPTER 9. HOW TO ANALYZE YOUR GAMES 205

CHAPTER 10. DRAW — PART II 211 Perpetual check & move repetition — Part 1 215 Solutions for Perpetual check & move repetition — Part 1 219 Perpetual check & move repetition — Part 2 224 Solutions for Perpetual check & move repetition — Part 2 233

CHAPTER 11. PAWN STRUCTURE 245

CHAPTER 12. X-RAY ATTACK 255 X-ray attack! 257 Solutions for X-ray attack! 261

CHAPTER 13. MISCELLANEOUS 267 How to open fi les and break pawn structures 268 Th e minority attack 270 Pawn breakthrough 271 50 checkmates in 5+ moves 276 Solutions for 50 checkmates in 5+ moves 289

PLAY BLINDFOLD CHESS! 311 KEY TO SYMBOLS

! a good move ?a weak move !! an excellent move ?? a blunder !? an interesting move ?! a dubious move  only move =equality  unclear position  with compensation for the sacrifi ced material  White stands slightly better  Black stands slightly better  White has a serious advantage  Black has a serious advantage +– White has a decisive advantage –+ Black has a decisive advantage  with an attack  with initiative  with counterplay  with the idea of  better is  worse is Nnovelty +check #mate

DEAR READER!

Th is is the second book of the Th inkers’ Chess Academy series. In the fi rst book we started at a beginner’s level with checkmates in 1, 2 or 3 moves and the most common tactical motifs. If you have already worked with the fi rst book you will now be much more experienced and ready for some more diffi cult lessons.

We will start with 50 combinations to refresh our memory of the motifs from the fi rst book. Th e chess friends who have not read the fi rst book can treat it as a kind of self test. If you cannot solve many of the examples it may be better to go back and work through the fi rst book again. It’s not a good idea to leave basic knowledge out. It will certainly hinder your pro- gress if you do so.

In this book we will not only show you more tactical motifs, but we will also give you an introduction to the basics of chess strategy. You’ll learn the most important elements of strategy which will help you to fi nd better plans and to understand positions better.

At the end of the book a chapter with 50 checkmates of 5+ moves will show you techniques of how to attack or hunt the opponent’s king and also how to improve your calculation skills and your imagination at the chessboard.

Now enough of the prologue, let’s go to work and learn lots about chess tactics and strategy!

Have a lot of fun while studying chess and enjoy your improvement!

Yours, Th omas Luther Grandmaster and FIDE senior trainer

CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS

FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD AND FROM PLAYERS OF ALL CATEGORIES

Th e tactical motifs here are oft en Th e positions below are taken from hidden behind a preparatory move games played during the writing of or an exchange. But that should not this book. deceive you. Aft er working through Volume 1 you are now able to sniff You’ll probably solve some combi- out every common motif and put it nations made by masters or even into action! grandmasters, whereupon you can rightly be proud! Th e motif will appear within two to four moves, but its complete execu- Don’t be upset if you miss some tion may need some more moves. solutions — it’s perfectly normal.

1. [ 2. [  John M. Burke (2563)  T. Thiel (2271)  S. Arun Prasad (2501)  O. Hoyer (1821) Cherry Blossom Classic Bodensee Open Dulles USA 2019 Bregenz AUT 2019

8 r+-+k+-tr 8 r+l+kvl-tr 7 +-zpq+-zpp 7 zppzpn+p+p 6 p+n+pzp-+ 6 -+-+-+p+ 5 +p+l+-+- 5 +N+nzp-+- 4 -+-zP-+-+ 4 -+-+q+-+ 3 +-+L+NwQ- 3 +-zP-+NvL- 2 PzPP+-zPPzP 2 PzP-+LzPPzP 1 +-mKRtR-+- 1 tR-+QmK-+R abcdefgh abcdefgh 10 THINKERS’ CHESS ACADEMY WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

3. [ 4. [  J. Herrera Reyes (2366)  A. Kosteniuk (2546)  A. Rasmussen (2552)  A. Zatonskih (2424) 8tʰ Llucmajor Open chess.com Llucmajor ESP 2019 Women’s Speed Championship 2019

8 -+ktr-+-tr 8 r+-wq-+k+ 7 +lzpnwq-vlp 7 +l+-+pzpp 6 -zp-+-+p+ 6 -zp-+-+n+ 5 zp-+nzppsN- 5 zp-zpPtR-+N 4 -+N+-+-zP 4 -+PwQ-+-+ 3 zPP+PzPL+- 3 +-+-+-+- 2 -vLQ+-zPP+ 2 PzPL+-zPPzP 1 tR-+-mK-+R 1 +-+-+-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh

5. [ 6. [  I. Nepomniachtchi (2773)  A. Krstulovic (2368)  A. Grischuk (2772)  K. Geher (2113) Moscow FIDE Grand Prix Laszlo Barczay Mem. 2019 Zalakaros HUN 2019

8 -+-tR-+-+ 8 -+ltr-+-+ 7 +-zp-tr-+k 7 zpp+-trqvlk 6 -zpP+q+-zp 6 -+pzp-snpzp 5 +P+-+pzp- 5 +-sn-+p+- 4 -wQ-vL-+-+ 4 -+PsN-+-+ 3 +n+P+-+P 3 vLPsN-zPPzP- 2 -+-+-zPP+ 2 P+QtR-+LzP 1 +-+-+-mK- 1 +-+-tR-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS 11

7. [ 8. [  C. Blanco (2342)  M. Devereaux (2342)  J. Torrado Macias (1878)  M. Jacobsen (2319) XXXI Dos Hermanas Rapid Fredericia IM Dos Hermanas ESP 2019 DEN 2019

8 -+-trr+k+ 8 -+-+-+k+ 7 +nwq-+pvlp 7 +p+q+p+r 6 p+-+psnp+ 6 -trp+pvL-zp 5 +pzP-+-+- 5 zp-+nzP-+- 4 -zP-+-+-+ 4 Pvl-zP-sNP+ 3 +-sN-+Q+P 3 +-+Q+-+R 2 PvLL+-zPP+ 2 -zP-+-zPK+ 1 +-tRR+-mK- 1 tR-+-+-+- abcdefgh abcdefgh

9. [ 10. [  B. Thorfi nnsson (2451)  M. Oganian (2415)  S. Bergsson (2124)  I. Martinovici (2367) Icelandic Open Sochi GM Akureyri ISL 2019 RUS 2019

8 -tR-+-+-+ 8 rsn-+k+-tr 7 +-+-+pvlk 7 +pwq-+pzpp 6 l+-zp-+-zp 6 p+pvlpsn-+ 5 zp-+N+P+- 5 +-+-sN-+l 4 -+-wqr+Q+ 4 P+LzPPvL-+ 3 +-+p+-+- 3 +QsN-+-+- 2 P+-zP-+P+ 2 -zP-+-zPPzP 1 +-+-+R+K 1 tR-+-mK-+R abcdefgh abcdefgh 12 THINKERS’ CHESS ACADEMY WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

11. [ 12. [  Liu Guanchu (2425)  A. Vaisser (2494)  M. Swicarz (2331)  M. Leconte (2246) 18tʰ Marienbad GMA2 TCh-FRA Top 12 Marianske Lazne CZE 2019 Brest FRA 2019

8 -tr-+-+-tr 8 -+Rvl-trk+ 7 +-+-wq-vlp 7 zp-+-+pzp- 6 psNn+k+p+ 6 -+-zp-+-+ 5 +-+-zp-+- 5 +P+Nzpnwqp 4 -+-zpN+-+ 4 -zP-+Q+-+ 3 +-+-+Q+- 3 zP-+-zPP+- 2 PzPP+-zPPzP 2 -+-+-vLPzP 1 +-mKR+-+R 1 +-+-+K+- abcdefgh abcdefgh

13. [ 14. [  G. Kjartansson (2454)  Vasquez Schroeder (2476)  I. Sokolov (2593)  Karthik, Sai Ch (1963) Icelandic Open 12tʰ KIIT Cat A Open Akureyri ISL 2019 Bhubaneswar IND 2019

8 rsn-+-trk+ 8 -+-wq-snk+ 7 zpp+-wqpzpp 7 tRltr-+-zpp 6 -+-+-sn-+ 6 -+-vl-tr-+ 5 +-+-zp-+- 5 +-zpPzp-+- 4 -+Pzp-+-+ 4 -zpL+Pzp-+ 3 +-+L+Q+P 3 +Q+-+N+- 2 P+-+-zPP+ 2 -zP-vL-zPPzP 1 tR-vL-+RmK- 1 +-tR-+-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS 13

15. [ 16. [  B. Ogunshola (2184)  R. Ruck (2522)  S. A. Jones (2128)  C. Daly (2278) 2ⁿd 4NCL Spring Bank Irish International Open Basingstoke ENG 2019 Dublin IRL 2019

8 -tr-+-+kt+ 8 -+-trr+-+ 7 zp-zp-+pzp- 7 zp-wq-+-mk- 6 -zp-+-+-+ 6 -zplzpp+p+ 5 +-vl-+P+- 5 +-+-zp-wQp 4 -+-+P+-+ 4 -zPP+P+-zP 3 +L+-+QzP- 3 +-sN-+-zP- 2 Pwq-+-zPK+ 2 P+-tR-zP-+ 1 +-+-+-+R 1 +-+R+-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh

17. [ 18. [  C. Hofmann (1951)  J. Santos Latasa (2587)  F. Pikatz (1707)  J. Arizmendi Martinez (2511) 11tʰ Rheinland-Pfalz Open 8tʰ Llucmajor Open Weilerbach GER 2019 Llucmajor ESP 2019

8 -+-+n+-+ 8 r+-+ltrk+ 7 tr-+q+rzpk 7 zp-+-+-zpp 6 lzp-zp-+Rzp 6 -+-+pwqn+ 5 zp-zpPzpP+n 5 +-zpp+-+Q 4 P+P+P+-vL 4 -+-+-+-+ 3 +-zP-+-+- 3 +-zPL+N+- 2 -+LsN-+QmK 2 PzP-+-zPPzP 1 +-+-+-tR- 1 tR-+-tR-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh 14 THINKERS’ CHESS ACADEMY WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

19. [ 20. [  M. Carlsen (2861)  D. Laylo (2433)  Wei Yi (2736)  A. Bai (2074) Cote d’Ivoire Blitz 18tʰ Asian Continental Abidjan CIV 2019 Xingtai CHN 2019

8 -+-wqr+-mk 8 r+-tr-snk+ 7 +p+-trpzpp 7 +-+-vlq+- 6 p+-+p+-+ 6 -+-+-+p+ 5 zP-sNptRn+- 5 zpp+pzPp+L 4 -zP-zP-wQ-+ 4 -+pzP-zP-+ 3 +-zP-+-+- 3 +-+-vL-+Q 2 -+-+RzPPzP 2 PzP-+-+-zP 1 +-+-+-mK- 1 +-tR-+-tRK abcdefgh abcdefgh

21. [ 22. [  I. Ke (2332)  S. Yudin (2507)  R. Wu (2184)  M. Mamatov (2223) Ch-USA Cadet World Blitz San Jose USA 2019 St Petersburg RUS 2018

8 r+-+-trk+ 8 -+-+q+-tr 7 +pwq-+pzpp 7 +-+-mkptr- 6 -+-+l+-+ 6 -zp-+ptR-+ 5 zp-vl-+-+- 5 zp-+pzP-+- 4 -+n+N+-+ 4 -+-zP-wQ-+ 3 zP-+-zP-zP- 3 +-+-+-+P 2 -zPQ+-zPLzP 2 PzP-+-tRP+ 1 tR-+-+RmK- 1 +-+-+-+K abcdefgh abcdefgh CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS 15

23. [ 24. [  L. Brito (2298)  V. Murzin (2418)  M. Baeta (1903)  R. Yanchenko (2478) 14tʰ American Continental 72ⁿd Ch-RUS Sao Paulo BRA 2019 Yaroslavl RUS 2019

8 -+-+-+-tr 8 r+-wq-mk-tr 7 zppvlq+kzpp 7 zp-+-+pzpp 6 -+-sn-zp-+ 6 nzp-+p+-+ 5 +-+-zp-+- 5 +-zppzPn+- 4 -wQ-+-+-+ 4 -+-zP-sN-+ 3 +-tR-zP-+- 3 zP-zP-+Q+- 2 PzPP+-zPPzP 2 -+P+-zPPzP 1 +-mKR+-+- 1 tR-vL-mK-+R abcdefgh abcdefgh

25. [ 26. [  A. Neiksans (2566)  J. Colas (2304)  B. Jacobson (2486)  A. Shabalov (2528) St Louis Summer C 28tʰ Chicago Open Saint Louis USA 2019 USA 2019

8 -vl-trr+k+ 8 -+-+ltr-mk 7 zp-+-+pzpp 7 +p+-+-+- 6 -zp-wq-+-+ 6 -+-zp-+-zp 5 +-+n+-+- 5 zp-zpN+n+- 4 -+-+-zP-+ 4 -+P+L+-zP 3 +-+-vL-zP- 3 zP-+PmK-+- 2 PzP-wQ-+LzP 2 -+-+-+-+ 1 +-tR-tR-mK- 1 +-+-+-tR- abcdefgh abcdefgh 16 THINKERS’ CHESS ACADEMY WITH GRANDMASTER THOMAS LUTHER

27. [ 28. [  A. Bivol (2391)  D. Sharma (2295)  O. Matveeva (2189)  A. Gabrielian (2499) 72ⁿd Ch-RUS Women World Rapid Yaroslavl RUS 2019 St Petersburg RUS 2018

8 -+r+-tr-+ 8 Rvl-+r+k+ 7 zpp+q+-mkp 7 +P+n+p+- 6 -+-zp-+p+ 6 -+-+-+p+ 5 +P+-zpnsN- 5 +-+-vL-+p 4 P+-+-+-+ 4 -+P+-+-+ 3 +-tRP+-zP- 3 +-+-+-+P 2 -+-wQ-zPlzP 2 -+-+-zPK+ 1 +-tR-+-mK- 1 +-+-+-+- abcdefgh abcdefgh

29. [ 30. [  F. Urkedal (2566)  G. Vazquez (2497)  K. Stokke (2336)  L. Torres Rosas (2320) Ch-NOR 28tʰ Chicago Open Larvik 2019 USA 2019

8 -trr+-+k+ 8 r+l+-mk-tr 7 zp-+-+p+p 7 +pwq-+pzpp 6 -+psnpvLp+ 6 p+-+-sn-+ 5 wq-+-+-+- 5 +-+-+p+- 4 -+P+-zPPwQ 4 -+-wQ-+-+ 3 vlP+-+-+P 3 +-+-+-+- 2 -+-+-+L+ 2 PzPP+-zPPvl 1 tR-+-+R+K 1 tR-vL-tRL+K abcdefgh abcdefgh CHAPTER 1. 50 MIXED COMBINATIONS 17

31. [ 32. [  L. van Foreest (2521)  O. Husbands (2289)  J. Werle (2555)  D. Kelley (2066) Ch-NED 47tʰ Annual World Open Amsterdam 2019 Philadelphia USA 2019

8 -+-+rtrk+ 8 r+l+-trk+ 7 +p+-+pzp- 7 +-wqnvlp+p 6 p+n+-+-wq 6 pzp-zpp+p+ 5 +-+P+-+Q 5 +-+-zP-+- 4 -+-vLLzP-+ 4 -+-sN-zP-+ 3 +-+-+-zP- 3 +-sNR+-+- 2 PzP-+-+K+ 2 PzPPvLQ+PzP 1 +-+-+-+R 1 +-+-tR-+K abcdefgh abcdefgh

33. [ 34. [  P. Garcia Cardenas (2443)  S. Shankland (2717)  D. Ikejiri (2004)  D. Rensch (2402) 14tʰ American Continental Mechanics Institute Rapid Sao Paulo BRA 2019 San Francisco USA 2019

8 r+l+r+k+ 8 -+r+rsnk+ 7 zpp+-+pzp- 7 +lzp-+-zpp 6 -+p+nsn-zp 6 pzpN+qzp-+ 5 +-wq-+N+- 5 +-+pzP-+- 4 -+-+PzPP+ 4 -+-+nzP-+ 3 +P+-+-+P 3 vLP+-zP-zP- 2 PvL-+-+L+ 2 P+Q+-+LzP 1 +-wQRtR-mK- 1 +-tRR+-mK- abcdefgh abcdefgh