I am harping on this idea of <FORCING MOVES> because I saw that NEW IN CHESS is going to publish a tactics puzzle book on this idea in March 2008. This book is called <"Forcing Chess Moves"> by the American Master Charles Hertan; details are available at http://www.newinchess.com/Shop/Prod....

<Our Price: $ 28.95

Publisher: New In Chess, 2008
Edition: Paperback medium
ISBN: 978-90-5691-243-7
Pages: 360
Language: English

Summary:
This is a radically different approach, aimed at finding the winning move more consistently. The basis is simple: always analyze the most forcing moves first.

The failure to consider key options is often due to ‘human bias'. In achieving chess mastery, the single most important task is to overcome that human bias (and staleness) by studying forcing sequences first.

This book teaches how to develop an eye for the TYPES of forcing moves you tend to overlook, and how to use ‘COMPUTER EYES' to improve your tactical vision!

On the Author:
Charles Hertan is an American Master of Chess, and has been teaching chess for 28 years.

- a really new method in finding strong chess moves - endorsed by former US Champion Joel Benjamin
- helps to develop precision in move calculation - improves ‘board sight' of casual players
- completely new training material (no rehash of same old ‘classic' examples) - written by an experienced chess coach
- timeless training instruction, does not outdate - ideal for club and internet chess players>

---

Van Wely vs Carlsen, 2008

<syracrophy: <Eyal> In the analysis at http://www.chessdom.com/corus-chess..., it appears that 39.Rh8+!! wins.>

click for larger view

Yes, 39 ♖b8-h8+!! is a great example of the need to <EVALUATE FORCING MOVES LIKE A COMPUTER>.

39 ♖b8-h8+!! goes right into my Game Collection: Evaluate forcing moves like a computer. I bet you Van Wely did not even -consider- this move in his time pressure. If he had, he would have easily seen that, yes it gives up a rook, but it also forces the queens off of the board and then the connected White c- and d-passed pawns march on to victory.

<After 39...Bxh8 <39...Kxh8 40.Qe8+> 40.Qe7 exchanging the queens and winning the final position>

click for larger view

---

Petrosian vs Polugaevsky, 1963

White to play: 32 ?

click for larger view

How does White (Petrosian) win from this position in just four(!) more moves? Simple: <PETROSIAN EVALUATES HIS FORCING MOVES LIKE A COMPUTER>.

He analyzes the <FORCED CHECKING SEQUENCE> 32 ♖d1x♖d8+ ♔e8x♖d8 33 ♕f4-b8+ ♕c5-c8 34 ♕b8x♕c8+ ♔d8x♕c8, which is shown below.

click for larger view

What does Petrosian see? He sees that these <FORCING MOVES> have dragged the Black e8-king away from the advanced and -very- dangerous White f6-pawn.

The result of this <FORCING PLAY>? Petrosian now has an instant win with 35 ♗b3xe6+!, as I discussed above.

click for larger view

Note how simple the win was to find by simply looking at -the- most <FORCING> line of play! :-)