ArcaMax

The Classical French is known as a tough nut to crack, but White does a demolition job on it. The game starts with 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4 5.Nxe4 Be7 6.Bxf6 Bxf6 7.Nf3 0–0 8.c3 Nd7 9.Bd3 b6 10.h4 h6 11.Qc2 Bb7 12.0–0–0 Rc8 13.Kb1 Qe7 14.g4 g5? 15.hxg5 hxg5 and now we reach our diagram. How do you continue the attack?

Here’s a Stonewall Attack for your enjoyment. 1.d4 d5 2.e3 e6 3.Bd3 Nf6 4.Nd2 Bd6 5.f4 Nc6 6.c3 Ne7 7.Nh3 0–0 8.0–0 Bd7 9.e4 dxe4 10.Nxe4 Ng6 11.Nxf6+ gxf6 12.f5 exf5 13.Bxf5 Bxf5 14.Rxf5 Kh8 15.Qh5 Rg8 and now our diagram.

This game has barely gotten underway and White is ahead in development, yet the game is essentially over.

This position is from 1841, from a Muzio Gambit, which early in the opening sacrifices a piece for an attack. Here we are in a middle game where White is still a piece down and the queens have been exchanged. Yet there is still a mating attack. Have at it!

A post WWII amateur game. An instructive miniature. Armitage - Reese (C80)UK Army v Navy, 1946. 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0–0 Nxe4 6.Re1 (Better is 6.d4, but this is tricky)6...Nc5 7.Nc3 (Better is 7.Bxc6) 7...Nxa4 8.Nxe5 Be7 9.Nd5 0–0? (Now would be a good time to bring the knight back so it can go to e6 to block the e-file. 9....

This is a win with one decisive move at the outset that is best.

This requires calculation. Be careful!