Chess.com recently added a new fun feature called puzzle rush. You get 5 minutes to solve as many puzzles as you can, the puzzles get harder and you're out after three mistakes. It starts out with basic back rank mates and free pieces and then there's more blood on the board.

I spent one longer session on puzzle rush and it was fun. So far the best I could do is 30 puzzles. GMs and IMs run into the low 40s. I think it will get very competitive as players discover this new feature.

Solving puzzles is very important for your chess improvement so give it a try. If you beat my best score of 30 puzzles, leave me a message. 

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Sometimes when I reach a winning position I switch the board around and I let my students finish me off. It's frightening to see how much pleasure they derive from seeing coach Vas go down in flames. But it's good training because in tournaments players often fail to bring the full point home.

White to play

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Almost anything wins here because White is up a Queen. (Black got his Queen trapped earlier.) 
So, full marks for seeing and playing 1.Qxf5!!+ gxf5 2. gxh6 +- One mark for bravery and one for seeing that the White pawn will Queen. And it took him seconds, not a long think. I love it.

This is a position from my training game with one of the best 3rd graders in BC.

​Black to move.

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My young opponent quickly found 1. ...Rh1+  2. Kxh1 b1=Q+ 3. Kh2 Qxc8 4.Qxc8 and coach Vas eventually outplayed his young opponent. End of story? Not so fast.

​What else can Black play?

1. ...Qxc8! and now 2. Qxc8 loses to b1=Q so, White has to play 2. Qxf7+ and he escapes with a draw because the Black King can't hide on the b-file, allowing Qxb2+ and picking up the rook on a1.

Homework:
Play it out and see if you can get away from checks by the White Queen.

It's about to get very exciting for chess players as the World Chess Championship starts in London, England on November 9, 2018.

The current title holder and #1 in the World GM Magnus Carlsen is taking on #2 American GM Fabiano Caruana. Check out this link and follow the games on the chess server of your choice.

If you're new to chess, you can always take a few lessons so you can enjoy the match more. Please contact chess coach NCM Vas Sladek, text 604-562-3736.

White to move. In the game he played 1.Qxg5 Nxg5 and eventually lost. What did he miss? 

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I lost to my opponent as Black in an earlier round of the team4545 chess league played on ICC. I knew he'd prepare for my usual Trompowsky so I played what is for me a new idea against the Dutch. The book doesn't recommend taking on g4 and now we have proof. So sit back and enjoy! My opponent had 41 minutes left on the clock when he resigned.

PGN of NCM Vas Sladek vs laurenpar
Go to replay.

[Event "Team 45 45 League T78"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2018.10.20"]
[Round "5"]
[White "Sloggi"]
[Black "laurenpar"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1971"]
[BlackElo "1867"]
[Opening "Queen's pawn"]
[ECO "A40"]
[Time "23:51:27"]
[TimeControl "2700+45"]

1. d4 {0:45:45} e6 {0:45:45} 2. Nf3 {0:46:16} f5 {0:46:25} 3. h3 {0:39:16}
Nf6 {0:46:26} 4. g4 {0:39:58} fxg4?! {0:45:46} 5. hxg4 {0:40:41} Nxg4
{0:46:28} 6. Qd3 {0:41:23} Nf6 {0:43:53} 7. Bg5 {0:42:05} Nc6 {0:43:01} 8.
Rxh7 {0:39:52} Rxh7 {0:42:02} 9. Qg6+ {0:40:33} Ke7 {0:42:45} 10. Qxh7
{0:41:14} Ke8 {0:42:20} 11. Qg6+ {0:39:18} Ke7 {0:43:02} 12. e4 {0:39:55}
Qe8 {0:42:38} 13. Qh7 {0:40:34} Kf7 {0:42:01} 14. Bxf6 {0:37:38} Kxf6
{0:42:37} 15. e5+ {0:38:20} Ke7 {0:41:25} 16. Qh4+ {0:38:50} Kf7 {0:41:31}
17. Ng5+ {0:39:19} Ke7 {0:42:00} 18. Bh3 {0:39:34} {Black resigns} 1-0

Check out the position below from the recent 2018 BC Closed championship. It's Black to move and there is only one obvious target for Black to hit. It's situation critical because White is about to bomb the g7 square. So, find the correct move for Black and calculate it out. Is Black winning or is his g7 square about to explode? 

Sacrificing to force mate is an important idea to know about. The rook sacrifice draws the king closer and there is no escape. The example below is from the recent 2018 BC Closed championship.

White to move


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Easy stuff: 1.Rh8+ Kxh8 2. Qh4+ Kg8 3. Qh7+ Kf8 4. Qh8 mate.

I am a great fan of ICC's random blitz pairing function. The system pairs you with an opponent and the higher your rating, the higher your chance of playing against FIDE titled players. For example, tonight I beat a US NM David Koval who played simul games against famous world champions and GMs. Then I beat the famous US FM Asa Hoffmann who knew Fischer well. Not bad for one brief after work session.

Give it a try and see who you get. In the game below I played White against IM Ulrich Schulze and it was my move. It's easy to see how I knocked him out. No hints.

White to move.

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This game was 2 1 bullet and I didn't see much late at night, tired as I was. Black unleashed a mating combination and I went down hard. Can you humble coach Vas? Find the winning move and calculate all of the mates.

Black to move!!


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