Chapter 13, Expanding the Position, features exercises in which a number of White pieces move up the board in concert, and usually with tempo, in order to create or convert an advantage. This chapter contains 32 exercises ranging from 7 to 11 ply. Below are four of them.

363. 7 Ply. White is up a pawn and can rearrange his pieces on c4 and f1. Visualize the position after the moves 21 Nd6 [1] Bxd6 22 Bc4+ Be6 23 Rf1 Qxf1+ [2] 24 Bxf1. What is the material balance? [1] This move frees c4 for the Bishop, while White’s next move frees f1 for the Rook. [2] 23...Qe5 loses to 24 Qe8+ Kh7 25 Bd3+ Bf5 26 Bxf5, when Black has to give up his Queen to avoid mate.

364. 7 Ply. White is down a pawn. Visualize the position after the moves 26 Bf4 Qa5 [1] 27 Bb3 [2] Qd8 [3] 28 Bd6+ Qxd6 29 cxd6. What is the material balance? [1] 26...Qd8 27 Bb3 doesn't change anything. [2] Black is in a mating net and resigned here. [3] 27...Nd5 cuts off the a2-g8 diagonal, but also loses to 28 Bd6+, for example, a) 28...Kf7 29 Qe7+ Kg6 30 Rg1+, followed by either 31 Qe5 or 31 Qg5, mate, or b) 28...Kg8 29 Re8+ Kf7 30 Rf8+ Kg6 31 Bc2+ Bf5 32 Bxf5, mate.

366. 7 Ply. White is down the exchange but has a winning position. How does White mate in one after the moves 29 Qd4 [1] Ra8 30 Rg4 Qf6 [2] 31 Rg8+ [3] Ke7? [1] White unpins his Rook, while at the same time attacking Black’s Rook on a7. [2] 30...Qe7 allows 31 Rg8, mate, while 30...Qd8 allows 31 Qg7+ Ke8 32 Qf7, mate. [3] Black resigned here.

369. 9 Ply. Capablanca wins this symmetrical position. Visualize the position after the moves 12 Bxf6 Bxf3 [1] 13 Ne7+ Kh8 14 Bxg7+ Kxg7. How does White mate in two here? [1] a) 12...gxf6 loses the Queen to 13 Nxf6+, while b) 12...Nxf3+ 13 gxf3 Bh3 loses to 14 Qg5 g6 15 Qh6.

Click the "Next" button below to see sample exercises from Chapter 16.

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