Test Your Tactics:
Play through the moves given in each of the following until you come to the end of the sequence. Next, make a list of up to three plausible candidate moves for each position. Give the strongest move first and - if you are unsure of your choice - add a second and maybe a third alternative move.
The fewer moves you choose for each position - the higher your potential score - but the greater the risk of scoring less or nothing at all. All positions are based upon real game variations from players of various standards.
Make your list in an A - B - C style such as: A = Ne3; B = Rf4; C = Qxd6
If you want to go for a shorter list then either; A = Ne3; B = Rf4
or, if very confident, then simply:one move A = Ne3
See how to score your results here. The solutions are given in next month's blog..
[Event "POSITION 1"]
[Site "?"]
[Date ""]
[Round "?"]
[White "Andriasian"]
[Black "Raykhman"]
[Result ""]
[WhiteELO "?"]
[BlackELO "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1k2r/2b2ppp/p1N1p3/1pn3Q1/8/qBN5/P1P3PP/1R3R1K b KQkq - 0 1"]
1... Nxb3
[Event "POSITION 2"]
[Site "?"]
[Date ""]
[Round "?"]
[White "Lowther"]
[Black "Hosford"]
[Result ""]
[WhiteELO "?"]
[BlackELO "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2k1rbnr/pppq4/2n2p2/3p2P1/3P1Bb1/2P2NPp/PP2BP2/RN1Q1RK1 b KQkq - 0 1"]
%Orient=B
1... h2+ 2. Kh1
[Event "POSITION 3"]
[Site "?"]
[Date ""]
[Round "?"]
[White ""]
[Black ""]
[Result ""]
[WhiteELO "?"]
[BlackELO "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2kr1r2/1p1bq2p/p1n1p1p1/2nR1P2/2B2Q2/2N2N2/PPP3PP/1K2R3 w KQkq - 0 1"]
1. g4 b5
[Event "POSITION 4"]
[Site "?"]
[Date ""]
[Round "?"]
[White "Howell"]
[Black "Nielsen"]
[Result ""]
[WhiteELO "?"]
[BlackELO "?"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1k2r/1pp1n1bp/p1p3p1/4PpQ1/3q4/3N4/PPPP1PPP/RNB2RK1 b KQkq - 0 1"]
1... c5