CHAPTER 10:

SIMPLE COMBINATIONS

We'll start with a definition:

A COMBINATION is a sequence of forcing moves, often involving a temporary sacrifice of material, leading to an improved position (for example, checkmate or gain of material).

You've already seen quite a few combinations. In Chapter 5 you learned about mating combinations. You've also seen combinations in the chapters about opening traps, as well as in the games you've played through in Masters of the Universe and elsewhere.

In this chapter you'll learn more about how to look for and use these ideas in your own games.

The first type of position we'll look at involves playing a SACRIFICE in order to follow up with a DOUBLE ATTACK (FORK or PIN, for example) which will win back the sacrificed material with interest.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-trr+k+(
7zplwq-vlpzpp'
6-zp-+-+-+&
5+-sn-+L+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-zP-wQNsN-#
2PzP-+-+PzP"
1tR-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 151
Black to move

Our first example, Diagram 151, involved what might be a new idea to you. It's Black's move. Stop here and decide what move you could play before reading on.

Nine-year-old Richard Cannon had the Black pieces in this position in the 1987 London Under 12 Championship. How did he go about finding the winning move? The first thing you might notice is the Black Rook on e8 in line with the White Queen on e3. Can the Bishop move and attack something else at the same time? Well, Bd6 or Bh4 (which might tempt White into the blunder Nxh4) would attack the Knight on g3 a second time, threatening to win a pawn. White could defend with Qf2, when a capture on g3 would give Black a slight advantage, but perhaps there's something better.

In fact, Richard was looking at another idea and saw that the White King and Queen were on the same diagonal. If that stupid Knight wasn't in the way, Bc5 would win the Queen. Can the Knight move out of the way and attack something at the same time? The Knight has seven possible moves (count them!) and the most forcing one is Nb3, attacking the Rook on a1. Now if White takes the Knight, Bc5 PINS and wins the White Queen (it's a DOUBLE ATTACK as well as a PIN so Nd4 is no defence). So the best White can do is to play a move to save his Queen, when Black wins Rook for Knight. We'll call this idea of moving a piece away so that another piece can occupy its square, or to open a line of attack for another piece a CLEARANCE. Perhaps you realised that Nb3 is really another sort of DOUBLE ATTACK, threatening Nxa1 and Bc5. You might also have noticed that Black has another strong move, Nd3. Qd2 defends against both Nxb2 and Bc5 but then Ne1 attacks both the Queen and the g-pawn and wins a pawn as Qxe1 is met by Bc5+ (AMBUSH!). Did you see all that? If so, congratulations. If not, have a go at the next position. You might find it a bit easier.

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-+k+(
7+-+q+-zp-'
6p+pvl-tr-zp&
5+-+pzp-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPPwQ-zPPzP"
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 152
White to move

Diagram 152 comes from a game in the 1989 Richmond Junior Chess Club Under 9 Championship. White missed an opportunity to gain an advantage in this position. Can you do better? Stop and choose your move before reading on.

The signpost here is the undefended Rook on a8. As you know, queens are very good at FORKING undefended pieces. Here, a KNIGHT SACRIFICE does the job. Nxd5 looks at first like it loses a Knight for two pawns, but a closer look reveals that when the Queen takes back she FORKS King and Rook. So, Nxd5 is the move, winning at least a pawn.

But there's more to the position than this. Take the black pieces after Nxd5 and decide what you would do to try to limit your losses. The first point is that cxd5 is no good: White will end up with Rook and two Pawns against Bishop, which is a winning advantage. The second thing to notice is that Nxd5, as well as capturing a pawn, is also a KNIGHT FORK. (You can FORK a square as well as a piece, remember.) The threats are Nxf6+ and Nb6, FORKING Queen and Rook on a8. So, is Black doomed to lose a Rook or has he got a way out? Yes, there is an escape. He can counter-attack with Rg6. Now if White plays Nb6, Black has Qh3 (EXPLOITING THE PIN), threatening mate on g2. White has to defend with g3 or f3, giving Black time to move the Rook on a8.

There is still another point of interest in this position. After Rg6, instead of Nb6 White can defend g2 with Ne3. Black might still be tempted to set a trap with Qh3, hoping that White will move his Knight away and allow Qxg2#. But Black would find that he was the one who had fallen into a trap. Why? We've now reached Diagram 153. White to play and win material. Again choose your move before reading on.

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-+k+(
7+-+-+-zp-'
6p+pvl-+rzp&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-sN-+q#
2PzPPwQ-zPPzP"
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 153
White to move

The answer is Qxd6 (DECOY!), winning a Bishop. If Rxd6, gxh3 because the Rook no longer wins the g-pawn, or if Qxe3, White plays Qxg6. The best Black can to is to salvage a pawn from the wreckage with either Qxg2+ or Qxh2+ before taking the Queen.

Before we say goodbye to this position go back for a minute to Diagram 152. Now move the Black Pawn from e5 to e6 to reach Diagram 154, where Black blundered with e5.

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-+k+(
7+-+q+-zp-'
6p+pvlptr-zp&
5+-+p+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-sN-+-+-#
2PzPPwQ-zPPzP"
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 154
Black to move

How could he have avoided the blunder? Perhaps his thought processes should have gone something like this. "A move I'd like to play is e5. Are there any possible problems here? If I advance the e-pawn my d-pawn will only be defended once. White can get two pawns for a Knight by taking on d5. What happens then? OUCH! He's got a FORK at the end. I must try something else. Maybe I should move the undefended Rook on a8 to somewhere like f8 and then think about e5 next move."

This sort of position is NOT exceptional. Ideas like these are hidden within almost every position, especially those positions where pawn exchanges have led to open lines in the centre. (This is one reason why we don't recommend you to play the Giuoco Pianissimo too often.) You need to look out for them all the time. Here are some signposts to look out for to help you find them.

1. Undefended pieces can be FORKED, most often by the Queen.

2. Pieces on the same line can be PINNED or SKEWERED.

3. Pieces two knight's moves away from each other can be FORKED by a knight.

Perhaps the most common way of sacrificing to set up a double attack is the DECOY. You sacrifice to force an enemy piece to go TO or AWAY FROM a particular square so that you can carry out your double attack. (Some books use the word DECOY only for forcing a piece to a square, and DEFLECTION for forcing a piece away from a square. We find it simpler to use DECOY for both ideas.)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-+-+(
7+-+-+pmk-'
6-+-+-+-+&
5+-+-zp-+-%
4pzp-wqPsn-+$
3+-+-+P+-#
2PzP-+L+-+"
1+-wQ-+K+-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 155
Black to move

Diagram 155 is a typical example. Black to play and win. Place your bets before reading on.

This is a position from a master game (Tolush-Simagin USSR 1952). There doesn't seem to be anything very obvious here: after Nh3 White's King can run away via e1. But a closed look reveals something interesting. If you go through the routine of looking at EVERY FORCING MOVE you'll find Qg1+! It looks crazy but it's the right move! White has no choice but to take - Kxg1 - when White's Royal Family are two knight's moves apart. Nxe2+ FORKS King and Queen, leaving Black a knight ahead with an easy win.

Another type of position shows the same idea in reverse. You start with a DOUBLE ATTACK which is also a DECOY. If your opponent takes the decoy something very nasty happens to him, like mate, for instance. If he doesn't he loses material to the FORK, PIN or whatever.

XABCDEFGH
8-+l+-+-mk(
7+-zp-wq-zpp'
6-zpP+-+-+&
5zp-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-tr-+$
3zP-wQ-+L+P#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1+-+R+-mK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 156
White to move

Diagram 156 (Szabo-Ban Budapest 1947) is a typical example. It's White to play. Can you find not one but two winning moves?

You should notice that Black's BACK RANK is weak. If his Queen wasn't on the board Rd8+ would lead to mate. Can you DECOY the Queen? The more spectacular winning move is Qe5!. This FORKS the Black Queen and the Rook on f4. If Black accepts the sacrifice with Qxe5 White plays Rd8+ and mates two moves later after Black puts a couple of pieces in the way. Black can try moving his Rook to defend the Queen with Rf7, but White just exchanges queens and follows with Rd8+, mating. Or Black can move his Queen to defend the Rook with, for instance, Qf8. What happens then? Yes, White just takes the Rook - Qxf4- with another DECOY: again Black's mated by Rd8+ if he takes the Queen. The other winning move, which works in exactly the same way, is Qe3.

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+-mkr+(
7+-+-+p+-'
6p+-+p+-zp&
5zP-wqlzP-zP-%
4-+-sN-+Q+$
3+-vLL+-+-#
2-+-+-zPP+"
1+-tR-+-mK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 157
White to move

Now try Diagram 157 (Szilagyi-Van Steenis Budapest 1949). White plays Bb4 to PIN the Queen against the King (Qxc1+ is illegal, of course). Black has nothing better than to accept the proffered Bishop with Qxb4 when he finds he's walked straight into an AMBUSH - Nxe6+ with a DISCOVERED ATTACK on the Queen. The Black Queen was DECOYED onto an undefended square in line with her opposite number.

XABCDEFGH
8-+r+rsn-mk(
7+-wq-+-zpp'
6pzp-vl-+-sN&
5+-+l+-+-%
4-+-+-+Q+$
3+-+L+-+-#
2PvL-+-+PzP"
1+-+R+R+K!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 158
White to move

Our final example before going onto the quiz is Diagram 158 (Najdorf-Matanovic, Mar del Plata 1961). This position features another new idea - INTERFERENCE. Again there are two answers. The move played in the game was Nf7+, INTERFERING with the Black Queen's defence of the mate threat on g7, so forcing Black to give up his Queen with Qxf7 to prevent immediate mate. But an even better move was Rf7, with the same idea of INTERFERENCE, when Black cannot prevent mate on g7.

You'll notice that in all there positions the winning move is either:

1. A CHECK,

2 A CAPTURE, or

3. A THREAT.

What you should try to do in your games is this:

a) Look at every CHECK, CAPTURE and THREAT, even if it looks foolish.

b) Try to calculate all possible sequences of CHECKS, CAPTURES and THREATS as far ahead as you can.

Yes, in some complicated positions you'll find this very difficult, or even impossible to start with. It all takes practice; you'll find it comes easier once you start to do it regularly in your games. At the same time perhaps you'll realise why masters sometimes take an hour or more over their moves.

QUIZ

In the quiz for this chapter you have to solve ten positions similar to those you've just been studying. To make it easy for you this time round you'll get a clue to help you find the answer. You shouldn't find it difficult to score 8 out of 10, which will qualify you to progress to the next chapter.

Q1.
XABCDEFGH
8r+l+-tr-mk(
7zpp+-+Rzpp'
6-+p+-+-+&
5+-wq-+p+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+L+-+-+-#
2P+-+QzPPzP"
1+R+-+-mK-!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
FORK-DECOY-MATE
Q2.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-tr-wq-mk(
7zp-+-+-vl-'
6-tr-+-zp-zp&
5+pzpLzpQzpP%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-zP-+-zP-#
2PzP-tR-zPK+"
1+-+R+-+-!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
AMBUSH + MATE THREAT
Q3.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-trk+(
7+-+Q+N+p'
6-+-+nzPp+&
5+pzp-+-+-%
4-+-+q+-+$
3+-zP-+-+P#
2-+-+-+P+"
1+-+-+R+K!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
FORK + MATE THREAT-DECOY-MATE
Q4.
XABCDEFGH
8-wq-+n+k+(
7+r+-+pvlp'
6Q+-+-+p+&
5+-+Nzp-+-%
4P+-zpP+-+$
3+-+-+-+P#
2-zP-vL-zPP+"
1+-tR-+-mK-!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
FORK-DECOY-FORK (EXPLOITING PIN)
Q5.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-tr-+k+(
7zp-+-+pzpp'
6-zp-+p+-+&
5+-+-+-wq-%
4-+-zPPsn-+$
3+-+-+P+-#
2P+-wQ-+P+"
1+-vLR+-+K!
xabcdefgh
Black to play.
SKEWER-DECOY-MATE
Q6.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-tr-+-mk(
7zp-+-vL-zpp'
6-zp-+-+-+&
5+-+-+-+-%
4-+-+-+-+$
3+-+-zp-+P#
2PzPQ+-+P+"
1+-+-mKLwq-!
xabcdefgh
Black to play.
DOUBLE DECOY-MATE
Q7.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+r+-+(
7+p+-+-zpk'
6-+l+-zpq+&
5+-+-+-+p%
4-+-vL-zP-+$
3+-+-+-+P#
2-+-+RwQP+"
1+-+-+-+K!
xabcdefgh
Black to play.
DECOY-PIN-EXPLOIT PIN
Q8.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-tr-+(
7+-wq-zp-mk-'
6p+-+Q+p+&
5+pzp-+nsN-%
4-+-vl-+-+$
3+P+-+-+-#
2P+-+-+PzP"
1+-tR-+R+K!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
CLEARANCE-FORK
Q9.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-tr-tr-mk(
7+-sn-wQp+p'
6-wq-+psNpzP&
5zp-+-zP-+-%
4-zppzp-+-+$
3+-+P+-zP-#
2PzP-+-zPl+"
1tR-+-tR-mK-!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
INTERFERENCE+CLEARANCE- FORK+MATE THREAT
Q10.
XABCDEFGH
8-+-+-+k+(
7+-+-+r+p'
6p+-sN-+-+&
5snpzpP+-wq-%
4-+P+-+-+$
3+P+-sN-+-#
2PwQ-+-+-zP"
1+-+-+-+K!
xabcdefgh
White to play.
CHECK-DECOY-FORK

ACTIVITIES

In this chapter we'll give you some advice on what to do if you are Black and your opponent opens with some move other than e4.

a) 1. d4

The move you are most likely to meet. In master chess it's almost as popular as e4. Black's two most usual replies are d5 and Nf6, both of which prevent White from occupying the centre with e4.

We recommend you to play 1... d5 in reply to d4, when your opponent will probably play 2. c4, the QUEEN'S GAMBIT. There are two variations you might try with Black here:

1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 Nf6
4. Bg5 Nbd7

setting the trap which you'll read about in the next chapter (see if you can work out what happens if White tries to win a pawn here). If your opponent avoids the trap you can head for the CAMBRIDGE SPRINGS DEFENCE where you follow up with c6, Qa5, Bb4 and Ne4 to attack the PINNED Knight on c3.

The other line you might try is called the TARRASCH DEFENCE, after Dr Siegbert Tarrasch, a famous German player who was one of the best in the world in the 1890s.

1. d4 d5
2. c4 e6
3. Nc3 c5

You can also play c5 against 3. Nf3. This opens the position up and gives you an active game.
b) 1. c4

The English Opening, named in honour of Howard Staunton, the Englishman who was unofficial World Champion between 1843 and 1851. If you play 1... e5 it's a reversed Sicilian Defence.

Another good plan for Black is to play 1... e6, followed by 2... d5 when it's a Queen's Gambit if White plays d4. The other idea of this move is shown in, for example, 1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. Nf3?!! d4, driving the Knight to a silly square.
c) 1. Nf3

This is the RÉTI OPENING, named after Richard Réti, a famous player and writer of the 1920s. Again, you can try to reach a Queen's Gambit position by playing moves like d5, e6, Nf6 and c5.
d) 1. f4

BIRD'S OPENING, honouring Henry Bird, a 19th century English player, who favoured this move. You can either play d5 and develop solidly, or, if you're feeling adventurous, try the FROM GAMBIT. This goes 1. f4 e5 2. fxe5 (or White can offer a gambit himself with 2. e4, which we'll look at in Chapter 16) 2... d6 3. exd6 Bxd6, when Black's already threatening mate in 3 starting with Qh4+.
e) 1. .g3

This might become various openings, for instance a KING'S INDIAN ATTACK. White pretends he's Black and plays the KING'S INDIAN DEFENCE, PIRC DEFENCE or MODERN DEFENCE with an extra move. Simple development against both this and 1. b3 should give you an equal game.
f) 1. b3

The NIMZO-LARSEN ATTACK, named after Aron Nimzowitsch (as in the NIMZO-INDIAN DEFENCE) and Bent Larsen, a very strong Danish Grandmaster who revived the move in the late 1960s.

Other moves are less common. If you follow the basic principles of development you shouldn't go far wrong.

Masters of the Universe 10

In the last chapter we left off our story with the Russian Boris Spassky holding the title of World Champion. His conqueror in 1972 was one of the most famous and strongest players of all time, the American Bobby Fischer.

Robert James Fischer was born in Chicago in 1943 but his family later moved to New York. When he was six, he and his sister bought a chess set and taught themselves to play. When he was on holiday he found a chess book and played through all the games in it. He joined the local chess club and took lessons with the Club President.

Over the next few years Bobby played and read as much as he could and rapidly developed into a strong player. At 13 he was already one of the top players in the USA, and by 15 a World Championship candidate and one of the best in the world.

In 1967 he was clearly the number one player, but it was not until 1972 that he was able to challenge for the World Championship. In a match which made headlines all over the world he won with seven wins, eleven draws and three losses (one by default) to become the first and, up to now, the only post-war World Champion not to come from the former Soviet Union.

Fischer's career was always controversial. Several times he withdrew from events because he did not like the conditions, and on a couple of occasions gave up chess for a time, once accusing the Russians of cheating. Between 1972 and 1992 he played no serious chess, thinking perhaps that having proved himself the best in the world there was nothing else to do. In 1992 he came out of retirement to play another match against Boris Spassky, this time in Yugoslavia. Again he won, with ten wins, five losses and fifteen draws.

Our first example of his play is taken from the 1960 Chess Olympics. His opponent is a master from Chile.

White: René Letelier Black: Bobby Fischer
Leipzig 1960
Opening: King's Indian Defence

1. d4 Nf6
2. c4 g6
3. Nc3 Bg7

This is the KING'S INDIAN DEFENCE. Black encourages White to form a big pawn centre, planning to attack on the black squares with either e5 or c5, supported by the FIANCHETTOED BISHOP on g7.


4. e4 0-0

Black usually plays d6 first but it doesn't really matter. The most popular moves for White here are Nc3 and f3. White decides to take advantage of Black's move order but it doesn't turn out too well.

5. e5?! Ne8
6. f4 d6
7. Be3 c5! (Diagram 159)

XABCDEFGH
8rsnlwqntrk+(
7zpp+-zppvlp'
6-+-zp-+p+&
5+-zp-zP-+-%
4-+PzP-zP-+$
3+-sN-vL-+-#
2PzP-+-+PzP"
1tR-+QmKLsNR!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 159
White to move

Black plays to break up White's centre at the cost of a pawn.

8. dxc5 Nc6

He can't capture either pawn because of the PIN on the d-file.

9. cxd6 exd6
10. Ne4 Bf5
11. Ng3?

A better chance, according to Fischer, was 11. Nxd6, when he would have played 11... Nxd6 12. Qxd6 Qxd6 13. exd6 Bxb2 14. Rd1 Nb4 15. Kf2 Nxa2 16. Ne2 a5 when Black is better but White may have chances of a draw.

11... Be6
12. Nf3 Qc7
13. Qb1 dxe5
14. f5 e4!

The move that White overlooked. If 15. Qxe4 gxf5 16. Nxf5? Qa5+ (QUEEN FORK!). So he takes the Bishop.

15. fxe6 exf3
16. gxf3 f5!

The e-pawn won't run away - it's strayed too far into enemy territory. Meanwhile Bobby threatens f4 (PAWN FORK!)

17. f4 Nf6
18. Be2 Rfe8
19. Kf2 Rxe6
20. Re1 Rae8

21. Bf3 (Diagram 160)

XABCDEFGH
8-+-+r+k+(
7zppwq-+-vlp'
6-+n+rsnp+&
5+-+-+p+-%
4-+P+-zP-+$
3+-+-vLLsN-#
2PzP-+-mK-zP"
1tRQ+-tR-+-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 160
Black to move

Can you see what's going to happen? If not, play on another two moves and try again.

21... Rxe3
22. Rxe3 Rxe3
23. Kxe3

Seen it yet?

23... Qxf4+

KERPOW!!! If 24. Kxf4, Bh6 is mate! Shell-shocked, White resigned. He might have played on with 24. Kf2 Ng4+ 25. Kg2 Ne3+ 26. Kf2 Nd4 27. Qh1 Ng4+ 28. Kf1 Nxf3 and Black wins.

In 1963/4 Fischer won the US Championship with an incredible score of 11/11. One of his wins went like this.

White: Bobby Fischer Black: Pal Benko
New York 1963/4
Opening: Pirc Defence

1. e4 g6
2. d4 Bg7
3. Nc3 d6
4. f4 Nf6

The PIRC DEFENCE is named after a Yugoslavian Grandmaster and pronounced PEERTS rather than PERK. It's a cousin of the King's Indian Defence, the difference being that White doesn't play c4. It starts more often with the moves 1. e4 d6 2. d4 Nf6 followed by g6 and Bg7. If Black starts with g6 and Bg7 but doesn't play an early Nf6 it's called the MODERN DEFENCE.

5. Nf3 0-0
6. Bd3 Bg4?!

When this game was played the Pirc Defence was a new opening and the best moves had not yet been discovered. It's now thought that both Nc6 and Na6 are better than Benko's choice.

7. h3 Bxf3
8. Qxf3 Nc6
9. Be3 e5
10. dxe5 dxe5

11. f5 (Diagram 161)
XABCDEFGH
8r+-wq-trk+(
7zppzp-+pvlp'
6-+n+-snp+&
5+-+-zpP+-%
4-+-+P+-+$
3+-sNLvLQ+P#
2PzPP+-+P+"
1tR-+-mK-+R!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 161
Black to move

White's attacking chances give him the advantage.

11... gxf5
12. Qxf5 Nd4

Sacrificing a pawn, which Fischer decides not to accept. If 13. Qxe5, Ng4 is unclear.

13. Qf2 Ne8
14. 0-0 Nd6
15. Qg3 Kh8
16. Qg4 c6
17. Qh5

Bobby intends to deliver mate on h7. The threat is Bxd4 followed by e5, unmasking the Bishop on d3.

17... Qe8?

Missing White's 19th move. He could have defended with either c5 or Ne6.

18. Bxd4 exd4 (Diagram 162)

XABCDEFGH
8r+-+qtr-mk(
7zpp+-+pvlp'
6-+psn-+-+&
5+-+-+-+Q%
4-+-zpP+-+$
3+-sNL+-+P#
2PzPP+-+P+"
1tR-+-+RmK-!
xabcdefgh
Diagram 162
White to move

Can you find Fischer's winning move? Benko is ready to answer a5 with f5, offering the exchange of queens.

19. Rf6!!

The idea is to prevent f5 by DECOYING the Bishop to f6. Indeed, after either 19... Bxf6 or dxc3, White plays 20. e5 and Black cannot avoid mate.

19... Kg8
20. e5 h6
21. Ne2!

But not the immediate Rxd6, when Qxe5 exchanges Queens and regains the piece as d6 and c3 are both attacked.

Now there is no defence. If the Knight moves, Qf5 followed by Qh7#. If 21... Bxf6, 22. Qxh6, again mating on h7. And on anything else simply Rxd6 wins the Knight. So Black resigns.

LESSONS FROM CHAPTER 10

1. TRY TO THINK ABOUT PUTTING FORCING MOVES (CHECKS, CAPTURES AND THREATS) TOGETHER, IN COMBINATION, RATHER THAN JUST LOOKING AT ONE MOVE AT A TIME.

2. LOOK FOR SIGNPOSTS POINTING TOWARDS COMBINATIONS - UNDEFENDED PIECES, FORKABLE PIECES, YOUR PIECES IN LINE WITH YOUR OPPONENT'S PIECES.

3. BEFORE YOU PLAY EACH MOVE LOOK TO SEE IF YOUR CHOSEN MOVE ALLOWS YOUR OPPONENT ANY COMBINATIONS.

4. TRY TO PLAY OPENINGS LEADING TO OPEN POSITIONS WHERE YOU'LL HAVE MORE CHANCE TO FIND COMBINATIONS IN YOUR OWN GAMES.