Sep-26-09 Adams vs Kasimdzhanov, 2004
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Rama: Discounting concrete variations, the position after 41. ... Ne4, 42. Rc6 Nxc3, 43. bxc3 ..., seems perfectly even as the white Rook lies in front of the pawn. Instead black conducts a general advance. He uses white squares c4 and e4 for the N, while the R uses the b7-c6-a6 complex, ...
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| | Sep-26-09 Gelfand vs Akopian, 2009
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Rama: Looks like Akopian had a terrible tournament, 0 for 13 with 3 losses. Here his 17. ... Nxc5, commits him to Q-side action leading to 19. ... Na4, which needlessly ruins his own Q-side. 17. ... Bxc5, might've been better. The B could find a home on b6, supporting a future ... Nd5, since
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| | Sep-03-08 Opocensky vs Alekhine, 1925
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Rama: Here the objective plane became permanently located otherwise than at the extremity of the strategic front, obviously, so 25. ... Re8! wins instantly.
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| | Aug-30-08 Gunsberg vs Chigorin, 1890 
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Rama: The f4 square beckoned me, too. 35. ... Rxg4+, 36. fxg4 Qf4, with unstoppable threats, many similar to the game's. I felt the check was more forcing than Rxf3. What am I missing?
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| | Aug-24-08 Speelman vs M Stangl, 1994
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Rama: I saw the Q-trap but missed the fact that c2 was open after 24. exf6 ..., etc., which is how I began the combination: 24. exf6 Nxf6, 25. Rxd8+ Rxd8, 26. Bxf6 gxf6, thinking the Bishop cannot leave the diagonal but of course it can because of c2. So yeah, Rook-takes is better.
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| | Aug-23-08 J Manion vs Akopian, 1994
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Rama: LOL! With the thing correctly labeled Black To Play, I saw the N-sac on g3 resulting utlimately in white's Qd2, but there is where I stopped because nothing obvious came to me. I had been searching for a way for black to get in Nc4 which opens a diagonal and has threats of its own -- ...
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| | Aug-18-08 C Elison vs Nimzowitsch, 1915
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Rama: Nimzovitch with the 2 B's -- different.
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| | Aug-09-08 Smirin vs B Alterman, 1995
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Rama: Today's quote: "These are not pieces, they are men!" In full, the quote points toward geting value for your sacrifice. So we look for a worthy sacrifice. 23. Bxc5 ..., opens lines and seems to expose the King to further checks. But here I lost the thread and did not find 24. Rac1! I ...
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| | Aug-08-08 Geller vs Keres, 1973
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Rama: I always look first at the quote of the day, "The Pin is mightier than the sword." Aha! Look for pins today. Behold, two black Knights are pinned. How to exploit? The usual idea is to attack the defenders, and 20. Nd6 ..., came to me right away. I saw this would cost white the Bg5 but ...
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| | Jul-30-08 J Kourek vs P Chrz, 1994
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Rama: Note the quote by Fine on today's front page: "Discovered check is the dive-bomber of the chessboard." I was thinking of dive bombers and found Qxf2 right away!
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