Continuing the trend of a return to 'normality', almost all of the August clinic games were played over-the-board. As always there was a lot of variety but it was good to see some excellent results for the strategic themes and openings I recommend.

Here's an example,  the following position arising after White's 28th move in a game of M. B.. Black to play continued with a plan that I use to show the value of pawn levers, the minority attack (see diagram).

Black continued with 28... b4!, which leaves White with serious weaknesses regardless of what he does. The game continued 29.axb4 axb4 30.Rac1 Ra2 31.cxb4 Rxc1 32.Rxc1 Rxb2 33.Rd1 Rxb4 34.g3 Kf6! 35.Kg2 Kf5 36.f3 Rb2+ 37.Kg1 g5 38.hxg5 hxg5 39.Rd3 f6 40.Kf1 e5 41.dxe5 Kxe5 42.Kg1 d4 43.Ra3 Kd5 44.Ra5+ Kc4 45.Ra6 d3 0-1.

Although this is a standard plan, being able to implement it with confidence is important, much more so than the rote memorization of opening moves.

Nigel Davies

The July clinic featured over the board games, which was a pleasant change after the the previous 16 months. Online chess is a poor substitute for the real thing, and not least because engine use is far more widespread that anyone wants to admit. Those who are caught are just the visible part of the iceberg and those who are named suffer humiliation and potential career damage.

The first four games were endgames, something that is encouraged here because it good endgame play is such a fundamental skill. The fifth game was a nice win by M. B. who successfully exploited the weaknesses in his opponent's kingside (see diagram).

White to play commenced his attack with 21.Ng4!, threatening a fork on f6. The game proceeded with the moves 21...Rf8 22.Qe5! Qb7 23.Nf6+ Kh8 24.Nd7+ ( 24.Rd7 Qb6 25.Nd5+ was crushing, but the move played is quite enough) 24...Kg8 25.Nxf8 Rxf8 26.Qxc5 1-0

Nigel Davies

The June's endgame clinic is now out and can be accessed here by full members. The endgame is one of the most important aspects of the game for those who want to improve, which is why I give it so much attention here at Tiger Chess. Not only do endgames help players to save losing positions and win drawn ones, they also benefit other aspects of our game such as calculation technique and positional play. It's no accident that several World Champions have highlighted their importance to those who want to improve.

One of the examples given was a great example of how a bishop can dominate a knight in the endgame. After 46 moves the following position had been reached:

At first it seems as if the position must be good for White due to his active king and outside passed pawn, yet due to the poor position of his knight the best he has is 47.gxf5 exf5 48.Kd5 Bb6 followed by ...g4 with a draw. In the game he tried for more with 47.f3?, but after 47...fxg4 48.fxg4 e5 found that his knight was completely boxed in. The final moves were 49.Kd5 Ka7 50.Ke4 Kxa6 51.Kf5 Kb5 52.Kg6 e4 53.Kxh6 Be3 54.Kg6 Kc4 55.Kf6 Kd5 56.Nxg5 Bxg5+ 57.Kxg5 e3 58.Kf4 e2 59.Kf5 and White resigned (0-1). Tragic but also very instructive.

Nigel Davies