Mastering the Bishop's Opening (C23-C24): A Comprehensive Guide

Control the Center
 The Power of the Bishop's Opening

 

Tired of the Ruy Lopez?
 Looking for a solid yet surprising opening for White?

  The Bishop's Opening (1. e4 e5 2. Bc4)
 offers a unique path to control the center and launch powerful attacks! 

  The Bishop's Opening is not as popular as some other openings, but it can be a good choice for players who want to control the center of the board and play for a solid, positional advantage.

The Bishop's Opening can lead to closed, positional positions, and is a good choice for players who prefer a more measured, strategic approach to the game.

 Black has a number of options for responding to the Bishop's Opening

• Ruy Lopez with 2...Nc6
• Two Knights Defense with 2...Nf6
• Berlin Defense with 2...Nf6 3. d3

This comprehensive guide equips you with everything you need to master this opening, from free articles to video lessons! Become a Bishop's Opening expert and confuse your opponent's today!

Bishop's Opening Wikipedia Page

C23 Sub-variants:

Bishop's opening

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4

Bishop's opening, Philidor counter-attack

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6

Bishop's opening, Lisitsyn variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 c6 3. d4 d5 4. exd5 cxd5 5. Bb5+ Bd7 6. Bxd7+ Nxd7 7. dxe5 Nxe5 8. Ne2

Bishop's opening, Calabrese counter-gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 f5

Bishop's opening, Calabrese counter-gambit, Jaenisch variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 f5 3. d3

Bishop's opening, Classical variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5

Bishop's opening, Lopez gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. Qe2 Nc6 4. c3 Nf6 5. f4

Bishop's opening, Philidor variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3

Bishop's opening, Pratt variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. exf6 dxc4 7. Qh5 O-O

Bishop's opening, Lewis counter-gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 d5

Bishop's opening, del Rio variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Qg5

Bishop's opening, Lewis gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. d4

Bishop's opening, Wing gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4

Bishop's opening, MacDonnell double gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. f4

Bishop's opening, Four pawns' gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. b4 Bxb4 4. f4 exf4 5. Nf3 Be7 6. d4 Bh4+ 7. g3 fxg3 8. O-O gxh2+ 9. Kh1

C24 Sub-variants:

Bishop's opening, Berlin defence

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6

Bishop's opening, Greco gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. f4

Bishop's opening, Ponziani gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4

Bishop's opening, Urusov gambit

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3

Bishop's opening, Urusov gambit, Panov variation

1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nf3 d5 5. exd5 Bb4+ 6. c3 Qe7

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BOOKS (Free)

Short & Sweet: Bishop's Opening - FREE Chessable Course -  21 Trainable Variations w/ 1hr & 18 Min of Video (IM Miodrag Perunovic)

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Bishops Opening Chess ARTICLES

Overall Strategy & Concepts:

• The Bishop’s Opening – How to Play It as White and Black - Chessable Blog Opening Guide, Detailed overview of the opening w/ some traps and Lines
  
  
• Bishop’s Opening: Complete Guide - ChessWorld - Opening Guide w/ 2 Annotated Games and embedded 30 Min Video from GM Damien Lemos
  
  
• Bishop’s Opening (Simple and Powerful)  - Remote Chess Academy  (Article w/ 22 Min Video and  3 Very Detailed Annotated games in Lichess Study Format)
  

Specific Variations & Gambits:

• The Jerome Gambit Blog ( All about this one Gambit over 2000 posts???) 
  1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.Bxf7+ ...and related lines 
  (risky/Non risky lines, tactics & psychology for fast, exciting play)
  
  
• The Urusov Gambit - Huge Simplify Chess Page (Explaining every Move)

Learning from the Masters:

• Magnus Carlsen’s Bishop’s Opening - Blog Articles 2018 -  Game analysis of a Carlson game vs. Caruana, Historical Context and a 22Min Embeeded Video from GM Daniel King about the Game.
  
  
• Openings for Tactical Players: the Bishop's Opening. - GM Gregory Serper -  Analysis and Puzzles from 4 Famous Games.

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GAMES DATABASES

Level up your Bishop's Opening repertoire with thousands of games at your disposal! Here are some of the best online databases to explore and analyze Bishop's Opening games (C23-C24):

365Chess.com 

• C23: Bishop's opening 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 - 16,000 Games ( Broken into  15 sub-varients)
  
  
• C24: Bishop's opening, Berlin defence 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 - 11,000 Games (Broken into 5 Sub-Varients)

Chessgames.com 

• Bishop's Opening (C23-C24) - 2243 games 
• C24 Urusov-Gambit  - 51 Game Collection

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Bishop's Opening LiChess Studies

Take your Bishop's Opening knowledge to the next level with interactive LiChess studies! These studies allow you to explore variations move-by-move, test your understanding, and solidify key concepts.

Comprehensive Studies:

• The Bishop Opening - 20 Chapter Study  - Real nice study of belin and Classical w/ other sidelines
  
  
• Opening Studies (Bishop's Opening) - 8 Chapter Study  (All Annotated Games) Each game a different Variation.

Focusing on Specific Variations:

• Bishop's opening  - 10 Chapter Study  (583 hearts) - Mainly the Gambits
  
  
• Bishop's Openings for Beginners  - 12 Chapter Study - Nice list of the different gambit openings.
  
  
• Urusov gambit - Huge In-depth Study with 55 Chapters - Deep dive into the Different variations of the Gambit down to lines at Move 7 with Model games at the end of the study.

LiStudy (Lichess Move Order trainer)

Bishop's Opening - 2 Studies Here you Can Practice.

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Bishop's Opening Chess Video Lessons

Playlists

• Bishops Opening (5 Video Playlist) IM Miodrag Perunovic (Over 2.5 Hrs) - A thorough exploration of the Bishop's Opening by an experienced chess instructor. (Great for intermediate and advanced players)
  
  
• Bishop's Opening - Ideas, Traps, and Everything!  - 23 Video playlist - GM Igor Smirnov - An in-depth course by a Grandmaster, covering strategic concepts, tactical opportunities, and common pitfalls. (Excellent for all levels)
  
  

Bishop's Opening (Sneaky Good Attack) - 20 Min 

Opening Basics #19: Bishop's opening - 18 Min

The Modern Bishop's Opening | White's Response against the Two Knights Defense | IM Alex Astaneh - 33 Min

How to play against the bishops opening - 14 Min

Urusov Gambit - Deep Dives

The Unbeatable Urusov Gambit - Chess Openings Explained - 49 Min (St Louis CC Lesson) - Jonathan Schrantz - A detailed explanation of the gambit's potential and Black's challenges.

Chess Opening: Urusov Gambit - 17 Min

Diving Deep into Urusov Gambit Theory - 13 Min

The Urusov Gambit | Attacking Gambit in the Bishop's Opening IM Andrey Ostrovskiy - 12 Min

Chess Openings: Smash 'em with The Urusov Gambit!! - 44 min IM Miodrag Perunovic - In-depth analysis of the Urusov Gambit. Discusses various responses to the gambit, highlighting the importance of development and initiative in chess.

Human Defeats Stockfish with Urusov Gambit - 11 min Johnathan Schrantz

Dirty Chess Tricks 14 (Urusov Gambit Declined) - 14 Min
Dirty Chess Tricks 15 (Urusov Gambit Accepted) - 27 Min

The Original URUSOV GAMBIT Surprised a Future World Champion | Chess History Explained - 17 Min

Smothered Mate and an Urusov Gambit | Viewers' Choice - GM Yasser Seirawan - 50 Min

Chess Tips: How To Play The Dangerous Urusov Gambit?  - 67 Min Maurice Bishop

Alterman GGuide The Urusov Gambit part1 - 34 Min 
Alterman GGuide The Urusov Gambit part2 - 33 min

Ponziani Gambit

• Win Fast with The Bishops Opening! Ponziani Gambit!! - 17 Min IM Miodrag Perunovic
  
  

Greco Gambit

• Chess Opening Tricks to WIN Fast | Greco Gambit Traps, Moves, Strategies & Ideas - 7 Min
  
  
• GRECO GAMBIT OPENING!!! CARLSEN vs SOCKO -  7 Min

4 Pawns Gambit

• Chess Openings: Learn to Play the Four Pawns Gambit! - 6 Min
  
  
• Human Beats Stockfish with FOUR PAWNS GAMBIT - 13 Min

Lewis Gambit

• PREVIEW: Gambit Guide - Bishop's Opening, Lewis Gambit - 4 Min
  
  
• Dirty Chess Tricks 13 (Lewis Gambit) - 18 Min
  
  
• What is the Lewis Gambit? | Harrison Keyser Plays The People!  -  3 min
  
  

Calabrese Counter Gambit

Calabrese Counter Gambit against Bishop's Opening - 21 Min - It counters the bishop's opening with 2...f5, as we also do against the Italian or Spanish. It's a rarely-seen but effective response for the aggressive player.

Bishops Opening Chess Traps

Elevate your tactical awareness with videos exploring common traps and winning opportunities in the Bishop's Opening. (Great for all levels)

• 5 Best Chess Opening Traps in the Bishop’s Opening - 11 Min GM Igor Smirnov
  
  
• 4 Quick Checkmates In The Bishop’s Opening - 11 Min GM Igor Smirnov
  
  
• Top 5 Traps to WIN Fast in the Bishop's Opening - 16 Min GM Igor Smirnov
  
  
• Episode 2 of High Probability Traps! Chess Traps to WIN Fast: Bishops Opening Tricks and Ideas - 12 Min - NM Nelson Lopez - I will show you all the traps for white in this Bishop's Opening variation. I will also show you the best chess tactics and ideas that white should be aware of and how to counter blacks best opening plans to gain an advantage in the opening.

Game Videos (W/Analysis)

Bishop's Opening  - 10 Video Playlist  - kingscrusher  (Famous games)
Bishop's Opening - 16 Video Playlist - agadmantor

Amazing BULLETPROOF Approach in Bishops Opening!! - 11 min - IM Miodrag Perunovic - Guy beats IM in 15 Moves in Classical with Bishop's opening. (New - 6/5/2024)

Magnus Carlsen strikes with the Bishop’s Opening! - 22 Min

Chess Tips: Play The Bishops Opening Like Kasparov!! 2...Nc6 - 36 Min  IM Miodrag Perunovic 

Finally Had Chance to Play Bishops Opening in Real Tournament! All Wins!!  - 16 Min  - IM Miodrag Perunovic

Dubov plays the Urusov Gambit, or Dubusov? || Dubov vs Giri - 13 Min

"In order to avoid playing the opening theory,
 you need to study A LOT of opening theory." - Peter Svidler

Unlock Sharp Chess! Learn the Exciting Albin Countergambit D08 - D09

 

Unleash the Fury!
Explore the Exciting Albin Countergambit

Seeking an aggressive edge in the Queen's Gambit?

This aggressive approach can be quite effective if played correctly, but it also carries some risks. Black has several ways to respond to the gambit, and navigating these variations requires a good understanding of the opening's strategic themes.

 The Albin Countergambit (1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5) throws tradition out the window, sacrificing a pawn for rapid development and a ferocious kingside attack.  This gambit sacrifices a pawn for rapid development and a ferocious kingside attack, perfect for players who enjoy imbalanced positions and tactical battles. However, wielding this double-edged sword effectively requires a good understanding of its strategic themes and potential pitfalls. 

• Sharp Weapon: Counter the Queen's Gambit with an aggressive pawn sacrifice!
• Dynamic & Unbalanced: Enjoy imbalanced positions and tactical battles? The Albin Countergambit is for you!
• Rapid Development: Get your pieces out quickly and launch a kingside attack!
  
  

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Albin Counter Gambit Articles

• Openings for Tactical Players: Albin Countergambit - (by GM GSerper Blog) - This article delves into the tactical possibilities of the Albin Countergambit, showcasing both classic and modern lines for aggressive players.
  
  
• The Albin Counter Gambit: Morozevich-Mengarini Variation - (Annotated Games) - Explore three highly annotated games featuring Alexander Morozevich, a renowned Albin Countergambit player. Witness his mastery of the opening in action! (Archived page)
  
  
• Albin Counter-Gambit -by GM Magesh and GM Arun  - Gain insights from Grandmasters Magesh and Arun as they dissect five annotated games, ranging from the play of the old masters to the modern approach of Morozevich.
  
  
• Albin Counter-Gambit Continued... - by GM Magesh and GM Arun - This article takes a unique perspective, exploring how White can effectively counter the Albin Countergambit itself! Analyze two annotated games featuring strategic responses to the gambit.
  
  
• Wikipedia Page On the Albin  -  This comprehensive Wikipedia entry provides a general history of the Albin Countergambit, outlining its main variations and offering a solid foundation for further exploration.

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Albin LiChess Studies

New to Lichess studies? These interactive tools allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move, perfect for testing your understanding and deepening your knowledge of the Albin Countergambit.

• 14 High level games Annotated Albin Counter Gambit  -15 Chapter Study - This in-depth study by a strong player features 14 annotated games, some with detailed analysis, providing valuable insights into practical play.
  
  
• Albin Counter-Gambit - 11 Chapter Study -  Explore 8 annotated games in this comprehensive study, gaining valuable strategic and tactical ideas for the Albin Countergambit.
  
  
• Opening - Albin Countergambit - 7 Chapter Study - Delve into two main opening lines for Black against the Albin Countergambit. Additionally, analyze five games played by the renowned Albin Countergambit expert, Alexander Morozevich.
  
  
• How to beat the Albin - 6 chapter Study - Thinking of playing White? This study equips you with strategic guidance by analyzing all of White's common 4th moves against the Albin Countergambit.
  
  
• Against D4. Albin countergambit Part 1 - 23 Chapter Interactive Study - This extensive, well-structured study by a strong player provides model games and explores how Black can effectively counter various White lines after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5.
  
  
• Albin Traps - Small Study - Sharpen your tactical awareness with this study exploring potential pitfalls for both White and Black in the Albin Countergambit.

Deepen Your Chess Knowledge with LiChess Studies!

The interactive Albin Countergambit studies showcased here are just a taste of what LiChess studies offer. Take your chess learning to the next level! This page provides a comprehensive overview of what studies are, how they work, and how you can leverage them to improve your chess: Study chess, the lichess way

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Chess Puzzles 

Sharpen your tactical vision in the Albin Countergambit with these puzzles!

wtharvy.com

QGD, Albin Counter Gambit (ECO D08).   - 9 Chess Puzzles 

LiChess Opening Puzzles

Albin Counter Gambit - 2768 Puzzles - Dive into a massive collection of 2768 Albin Countergambit puzzles, perfect for players of all skill levels. Hone your tactical skills and identify winning opportunities in various Albin Countergambit scenarios.

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Games Databases

Delve into real chess battles featuring the Albin Countergambit to see how top players handle the opening in practice!

Chessgames.com

Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin Counter Gambit (D08) - 660 Games 
QGD: Albin Countergambit-Black wins - 18 games (Collection)

365Chess.com Database

D08: Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin counter-gambit 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e5 - 3500 Games (Broken into 7 Subvariations)

D09: Queen's Gambit Declined, Albin counter-gambit, 5.g3 - 1200 Games

ChessTempo.com

Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin Counter (D08) - 1152 Games
Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin , Modern Line (D08) - 509 Games
Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin , Normal Line (D08) - 1615 games

Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin , Fianchetto Variation (D09) - 841 Games
Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin , Fianchetto Variation Be6 Line(D09) - 402 games
Queen's Gambit Refused, Albin , Fianchetto Variation Bg4 Line(D09) - 374 Games

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Albin Counter Gambit Video Lessons

Playlist

• Albin Counter Gambit Theory  - 8 Video Playlist - Jozorov's Chess Channel

CRUSH The Queen's Gambit in 6 Moves: THE ALBIN - 24 Min IM Rosman - Theory w/ 3 Games analyzed

The Albin Counter-Gambit · Chess Openings - 25 Min (Hanging Pawns) - Comprehensive guide to the Albin Counter-Gambit, . Explains the opening’s history, key ideas, and main lines, emphasizing its usefulness for developing tactical skills and dynamic play. He also discusses various responses and strategies for both black and white

Queen's Gambit Part 3: Albin-Counter, Baltic & Chigorin - 45 Min GM Finegold

How to Win in Blitz Chess with The Albin Counter-Gambit!! - 33 Min

Tremendous pressure with The Albin Gambit! - IM Andrew Martin - 25 Min

Albin Counter Gambit with IM Milovan Ratkovic - Exclusive Preview - 25 Min

Crush The Queen's Gambit - An Aggressive Countergambit  -  14 Min - NM Nelson Lopez - in-depth analysis of the Albin Counter Gambit,  It discusses various traps, such as the Lasker Trap, and explores different lines and responses that can arise from this gambit.

Master the Brutal Albin Counter-Gambit - Chess Opening Guide  - 30 Min

Playing Against Albin

• Annoying Openings: How to Beat the Albin Counter Gambit - 16 Min - Chessdawg - easy to remember repertoire to challenge the Albin Counter Gambit.
• How to Easily Defeat The Albin Counter Gambit!! - 20 Min - IM Miodrag Perunovic - a comprehensive guide on how to counter the Albin Counter Gambit in chess. It discusses various strategies, including specific moves and responses to common tactics employed by opponents using this gambit.
  
  
• Crush Albin Counter-Gambit - 33 Min - The Chessworld - a comprehensive guide on how to counter the Albin Counter-Gambit in chess, focusing on strategies from a white player’s perspective.
  
  
• Chess Openings: Who's afraid of the Albin's Countergambit? - 25 Min  - Chessexplained - strategies for white players to counter this gambit, emphasizing the importance of being prepared due to its potential as a practical weapon for black players. The presenter outlines two main approaches for white
  
  
• A Completely Pointless Refutation of the Albin Countergambit - 22 Min - Johnathan Schrantz - a very rare sacrificial line against the Albin Countergambit that some have described as the d4 version of the Nakhmanson Gambit.

Albin Counter Gambit Traps

• Chess Traps #3: Lasker Trap - Albin Counter Gambit - 4 Min
  
  
• Albin Counter Gambit Trick! 22000 fooled and counting! Queen's Gambit opening trap | Beginner traps - 4 Min - NM Nelson Lopez
  
  
• Trap Tuesday - Albin Counter Gambit - 34 Min - In-depth analysis of the Albin Counter Gambit, a chess opening strategy for black against d4. It discusses various traps, particularly the Lasker Trap, and explores different lines and responses that can arise from this gambit. 
  
  
• 4 Best Chess Opening Traps Against The Queen’s Gambit (The Albin + Refutation) -14 Min GM Smirnov - You will learn the practical traps you can use in this opening variation. You will also learn how to refute the Albin Countergambit if you are playing 1.d4 as White.

Albin Counter Gambit Game Videos (w/analysis)

Playlist

• Albin Counter Gambit - Chess Opening - Playlist of 96 Videos - Kingscrusher (All Albin Games Played)

The Albin Counter-Gambit: Morozevich Destroys 💥 Gelfand With This Weapon! - 22 Min GM Alderman

The Albin Counter Gambit according to Alexander Morozevich (career results) - 77 Mins

Longer Chess Games #44 - The Albin Counter Gambit in Action! - 40 Min -Ginger GM

Palm Beach Chess

• Spicy Albin Counter Gambit Live Exploration - 15 Min - 
• Albin Countergambit & Origin - Openings Explorations - 14 Min -
• Albin Countergambit Blitz and Analysis - 12 Min 

Holy Gambit Grail #11: Albin Countergambit   - 12 Min  - Johnathan Schrantz

Standard Chess #96: IM Bartholomew vs. IM Anatoly Sidorov (Albin Countergambit) - 35 Min  - IM John Bartholomew
Blitz Chess #158: IM Bartholomew vs. GM Zablotsky (Albin Counter-Gambit) - 15 Min - IM Bartholomew

PGN Files

470 Games - From Univ. Pitt Archive

“I don’t believe in psychology. I believe in good moves.” – Bobby Fischer

Chess Tactics Books

From Beginner to Brilliant:
Free Chess Tactics Books & Courses to Supercharge Your Skills

       Chess tactics are the secret weapons that separate good chess players from great ones.

This repository is your one-stop shop for absolutely FREE resources to hone your tactical skills!

Whether you're a complete newcomer or a seasoned player looking to sharpen your edge, this guide has something for everyone.

We'll explore free downloadable chess tactic books, online courses packed with puzzles, and even hidden gems from the internet archive.

 

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FREE PDF Downloads

Chess Tactics Art - 538 Pages of Chess Tactics Knowledge - This massive resource delves deep into the world of chess tactics, offering a wealth of knowledge for players of all levels.

Course In Chess Tactics - 195 Page PDF - Structured and engaging, this PDF provides a step-by-step approach to mastering tactics, making it ideal for beginners and intermediate players.
 
Tactics in the Chess Opening - 97 Page PDF - Learn how to exploit tactical opportunities that arise from common chess openings with this focused guide.

Chess Tactics and Combinations - 84 page PDF - This comprehensive PDF dives deep into the world of tactical motifs and combinations. With 84 pages of content, it offers a valuable resource for players looking to identify and exploit tactical opportunities in their games. (Target audience: Beginner to Intermediate)

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 Free Chessable Tactics Courses

Take your tactics training to the next level with these interactive courses on Chessable! Chessable's unique spaced repetition system ensures long-term knowledge retention, making it a powerful tool for sharpening your tactical skills.

Free Chessable Tacics Courses -  Latest Post With List 3/9/2023  (Includes List of all the Tournament Tactics Courses)

Basic Checkmate Patterns - 34 paterns to Learn

Everyone's First Chess Workbook: Free Lesson - 42 fork Problems to train

Typical Tactical Tricks: 500 Ways To Win! - 500 tactics problems from Beginner to Intermediate

Bishops on the Attack -202 Tactics involving Bishops
Queen on the Attack - 225 Tactics involving the Queen
Pawns on the Attack - 200 tactics Involving Pawns
Rooks on the Attack - 200 Tactics involving the Rook
Knights on the Attack - 200 knight Tactics

Cool & Forcing Combinations - 45 Forcing Combinations Lesson

Basic Chess Patterns - 50 Tactical Patterns to learn from Combinations to Mating

Tactics Madness - 55 Tactics from user submitted games
 
Train Anytime, Anywhere! Access all these courses for free and utilize Chessable's Movetrainer feature for spaced repetition practice (like the Woodpecker Method). Run up to 5 courses simultaneously for Free and sharpen your tactics to your heart's content!

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 Chess Books on the Internet Archive

Unearth hidden gems! The Internet Archive offers a vast collection of free chess books, including classics and lesser-known treasures. Whether you're a beginner seeking foundational knowledge or a seasoned player looking for a specific tactic, you might find the perfect resource here.

How To Calculate Chess Tactics- 178 Pages 
 
Mastering Chess Tactics - 97 Page
 
A Course in Chess Tactics - 193 Page 
 
Coffeehouse Chess Tactics: An astonishing trip into the world of competitive chess - 136 Page
 
Chess Tactics - Volume 2 - 151 Pages (Beginning Text Russian - Most of book just Diagrams)
 
Chess Tactics for Advanced Players by Yuri Averbakh - 327 Page
 
Chess Visualization Course - Book 1: General Tactics by Ian Anderson - 328 Page
 
The Chess Combination from Philidor to Karpov - Learn Tactics from the Great Champions by Raymond Keene - 91 Pages
 
Chess Tactics for Champions - A Step-by-Step Guide to Using Tactics and Combinations the Polgar Way - Judit Polgar 360 Pages
 
Chess Exam and Training Guide: Tactics - Rate Yourself and Learn How to Improve! by Igor Khmelnitsky - 209 Pages
 
Chess Puzzles Book Compilation (Spanish) - 238 Page
 
1001 Winning Chess Sacrifices And Combinations - 1115 Pages (One on each page)
 
A Modern Guide To Checkmating Patterns Vladmir Barsky - 1104 Pages

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Tip: Explore the specific tactics or openings you're interested in on the blog sidebar! You might find free PDFs ranging from 4 to 50 pages directly linked on those pages. These resources offer focused dives into that particular topic.

Removing Defender - Chess Tactic

 "Removing the Defender" (Removing The Guard) Chess Resources

Unlock Hidden Attacks

Forget brute force attacks! The "Removing the Defender" tactic, also known as "Removing the Guard," is a sneaky chess weapon that lets you exploit weaknesses and snag valuable pieces.

 Imagine a heavily guarded treasure chest – by eliminating the guard (the defender), you open up a path to capture the riches within (the valuable piece). This tactic doesn't rely on overpowering your opponent, but rather exploiting their defenses for a material advantage.

Mastering it will sharpen your tactical vision like a laser, leading to more wins and improved overall chess skills.


Undermining (chess) Wikipedia Page

Undermining (also known as removal of the guard, or removing the defender) is a chess tactic in which a defensive piece is captured, leaving one of the opponent's pieces undefended or under-defended.

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BOOKS (FREE)

Chess Tactics and Combinations - 84 page PDF - Really Nice PDF Created By the Exeter Chess Club on tactics.

Internet Archive

• Mastering Chess Tactics - 192 Page PDF - (Page 117-118 Removing the Defender)
  
  
• A Course In Chess Tactics - 193 page PDF - (Chapter 5 "Removing the Defender")

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Removing the Defender Chess Articles

Removing The Defender - Chess.com Article - with Explanations, Examples , Famous Games w/ Remove the defender Tactic and puzzles to test you knowledge at the end.

How to Identify and Remove a Defender in Tactical Combinations - ChessFox -Nice In-depth Article (Teaches two ways to remove defenders w/ multiple examples of each)

Removing The Defender: What It Is and How To Do It - Chess journal Article - Teaches Capture, Distract, Block or Interfering.

Removing the Defender - IM Mateusz Bobula - Blog Post - 4 Puzzles w/ 6 Min Embedded Video Lesson by Him.

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LiChess Studies

• Removing the Defender -  Interactive Study with 50 Chapters (50 Examples)
• Remove the Defender - Interactive (9 Examples)

New to Lichess studies? These interactive tools allow you to explore chess concepts and variations move-by-move, perfect for testing your understanding and deepening your knowledge.

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Games Databases

Chessgames.com

15 OTB Exercises - From Historic Games 

Deflection/Undermining Tactics-- OTB Examples - 21 games

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Tactics & Puzzles

Capture The Defender Lichess Tactics - 30,000 + Puzzle Tactics Under this Heading

Chess Tactical Motifs - Removing the Guard Exercises - 5 Exercises to Practice

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Remove The Defender Chess Video Lessons

Chess Kid Series

• Remove the Defender 1 - 4 Min - introduces the idea of "Removing the Defender", but first the Hamster reviews Attackers, Defenders, and Taking Pieces for Free.
• Remove the Defender 2: Destroy the Defender - 4 Min - Destroy all Defenders, and then devour the undefended pieces left behind.
• Remove the Defender 3: The Overworked Piece - 3 Min - One of the most common "Remove the Defender" tactics happens when you can identify that one defender is "overloaded" or "overworked" with too many defensive jobs.
• Remove the Defender 4: Deflection - 5 Min - PinkHamster ramps up the difficulty this week and shares a position from his own recent game to illustrate the idea of Deflection.

Chess Tactics: 2 Removing the Defender  - 4 Min Video 

Chess Tactics: Removing the Defender - 6 Min - IM David Pruiss - presents the important "Removing the Defender" tactic, and all of its different facets. (New - 5/30/24)

Chess Tactic: How to Remove the Defender!! (win a piece!)  - 3 Min 

Remove the Defender! - Chess Middlegame Strategies Tutorial - 13 Min - Jozerv's Chess Channel - chess tutorial videos with the subject of removing defenders to gain great attacking possiblities.

Removing the Defender | Chess Beginner Tactics 13 Min - IM Astraneh - What is removing the defender? Removing the defender is a chess tactic in which a defensive piece is captured/ removed, leaving one of the opponent’s pieces or squares undefended or under-defended. Video below