Ron Stanley

You have the right plan, but Black can answer b4 with ...h5! and White cannot force a passed pawn on the kingside.

Pawn endgames are tricky. What 1 move does White have here that forces a win, and if Black had the move, what is the 1 move that secures at least a draw and gives Black the advantage? #chesspunks #chess

Congratulations! I plan to start the Yusupov books in about 60 days and am glad to see someone working through them is getting good results.

1.Qxh4+,Bxh4 2.Bg7+,Kh5 3.g4# - very pretty!

Here's the final position.

In a game today, I checkmated my opponent in a way I've never seen before, by playing Ne6+,Bf8 Rxf8#. Does anyone know the name of this mating pattern? #Chesspunks #chess

We must stop the mate on f7, so 23...Qh5. (...Ng4 fails to h4 after this). We aren't threatening ...Qxh6 due to Nxf7#, so we must protect f7 TWICE, (...Qh5 and then ...Ra7), and then we do threaten ...Qxh6. White has nothing better than 23.Nxf7+,Qxf7 24.Bg6,Qg8 25.Bxe8,Qxe8. Black is winning. 😀

Also, there were actually a lot of wild lines in the game. See my next Bluesky post - that was what could happen if I played ...Bd8 after his Nf5 move.

Gus took me out of book early. I have an improvement ready if he repeats the line!

I had to evaluate this forcing variation, 12 ply deep (yikes!), during my classical game last night. It was very fuzzy in my mind, but I thought Black was getting killed after 21.Qd3, so I didn't allow this variation. Was I right, or is Black OK, or better than OK? #Chesspunks #chess

This was a fun draw trying the French in a classical game for the first time. #Chesspunks #chess

I spent 3 hours watching IM Yuriy Krykun's videos (www.chessable.com/the-unexplor...) on the French yesterday and just played my first French game today. I think I like this opening. It was a 2+1 bullet game, but I had 93% accuracy according to lichess. #chesspunks #chess

98% accuracy in a blitz game with 0 inaccuracies, 0 mistakes, and 0 blunders? I am always confused when this happens after I look at my classical games! 😜 #chesspunks #chess

check on e1, check on c5, mate on f1 - I feel proud because I looked at all the available checks three moves in a row!

Played a positionally dominating G/60 + 30 tonight, only to blunder on move 30 against my buddy rated 200 points higher. I love this game, but it is tough sometimes! 😜 #Chess #chesspunks

How does Black finish things off here? #chesspunks #chess

That is the next course I plan to get! I have recently retired - finally time to actually get better at chess - and I'm concentrating on calculation and visualization. Thank you for the content you are creating. I'll check out your YouTube channel as well.

Yes, exactly. BTW, your course videos are the best part - hearing the PROCESS you can go through to find the right move. I surprised my coach today in our lesson by finding solutions to about 6 "interference" motif positions where CCT would not work. I think I'm getting a little better :-)

Ha ha! Well, however you got there was a fine route.

I am working through the wonderful @chessable.com course "Fundamental Chess Calculation" by @drcanchess.bsky.social , and in this position (Fischer v. Benko, 1963), I found the right continuation for White. Can you find the winning move for White? If so, HOW did you find it? #chesspunks #chess

Here is the full game.

And does that mean win or draw for White?

Which pawn does White promote?

From my classical game last night. If Black plays 52...Qxc5, White can play 53.Qd4+,Qxd4 54.Kxd4. Is this a win for White, or can Black draw? #chess #chesspunks

Thank you!

Can you list what site this map is from? Thank you.

Thanks for posting that. I'm in AVL and happy to see some containment and "under control" status on the Freedom Fire.

From the top of Reynolds Mountain at 9pm.

HCC Spring 2025 Tournament The Hemmingford Chess Club announces its Spring 2025 classical tournament starting the week of March 17th. Please join us !

What a good idea Ron! Funnily enough we just happen to have just such a tournament starting this week 😁 Details here for anyone interested: lichess.org/@/Hemmingfor...

I Don't Like Chess Tournaments It doesn't have to be this way!

For those of us wishing for the mythical wood-panelled club room, a drink, a cigar and a serious opponent: zwischenzug.substack.com/p/i-dont-lik...

#chesspunks #chess