There is no shortage of chess drama going in the professional scene right now. Accusations of cheating and discussions of fairness hog all of the headlines. With that in mind I chose to highlight something that shows the lighter side…
This game took place at the recent 2022 New Jersey Open. It was a very exciting game that helped get the tournament off to a good start for me. It was not a perfect game but there were a lot…
This year marks the 50th year anniversary of perhaps the most famous World Championship match ever played. The match ignited a new wave of chess interest in the United States and with the Cold Wartaking place it had the whole…
Most chess games are won or lost due to one player being more tactically alert than their opponent. A great device to have in your tactical toolbox is the idea of Deflection. Deflection is knocking away a defensive piece from…
In this chess lesson we analyze a game where Morphy plays Duke Karl and Count Isouard in the Opera in Paris and demolishes the philidor defense. The game ends in one of Morphy's most famous miniatures and a truly magnificent…
One of the most common questions I get is, "can you show me how to do the bishop and knight checkmate?" It's definitely a tricky mate and it has even fooled some grandmasters who weren't able to pull it off.…
Chess Lesson and Video: Sometimes in chess a win is the only result that matters to you. In today's game I was in a must win situation in the final round of the New Jersey State Championship. In order to…
Chess Lesson and Video: Chessplayers are famous for being prophylactic thinkers. One of the most common phrases you'll hear when looking for advice is the question "what is your opponent doing?" Usually when players recognize what their opponent is up…
A lot of attention is paid to the tricks, traps, and intricacies of the Open Games starting with 1. e4 but not today! In this lesson you will see some of the most valuable tricks and traps that can be…
Chess feels difficult no matter who you are. One of the things that can make things easier to understand is breaking down a position into smaller bits. A wise thing to pay attention to is the idea of pawn weaknesses.…