Ulster Chess Chronicle

2. Weird positions often call for unusual moves.

3. An unusual opening can be an effective one-off surprise weapon but it is not a good idea to adopt such off beat lines regularly.

4. In a direct attack on the king, what matters is not the overall material balance, but how many pieces each side has in the area.

5. Don't be in a hurry to cash in your trumps. Doing so may simplify the opponent's decisions and improve the co-ordination of his pieces.

6. Greed is SOMETIMES a good idea! It is important to evaluate which of the enemy pieces are the most dangerous and to eliminate them.

7. A badly exposed enemy king can compensate for an enormous material deficit; even if there is no mate, a perpetual check can save the day.

8. Exchange sacrifices for positional compensation occur surprisingly often and you should always bear them in mind.

9. If you need a particular minor piece for your attack, it may be worth more than a rook on the other side of the board.

10. A queen can prove surprisingly feeble when facing a collection of smaller pieces that are well co-ordinated.

11. Delaying one's own development in order to disrupt the opponent's position is a very risky and committal strategy. Once started on this path you must continue to its logical conclusion, and be prepared to sacrifice.

12.Technique is important. Often brilliant games are spoilt by inaccurate play in the endgame.

13. Offside pieces should be brought back into play as quickly as possible.

14. It can be well worth sacrificing a pawn to gain firm control of a really important square.

15. If you have been hit by a surprising move, try to put some of the pressure back on to the opponent by giving him some difficult decisions, possibly by returning sacrificed material to regain the initiative.

16. Don't let the opponent dissuade you from attacking just because he has sacrificed. If your position is better you still have the right to attack.

17. Be careful about entering a line in which your opponent is already an expert.

18. Meet an offensive on the wing by an attack in the centre! This is one of the "golden rules" of chess and its importance cannot be overstated.

19. If all else fails, fall back on stubborn defence, rather than lashing out in desperation.

20. Just as one poorly placed piece can make a whole position bad, so one really well-placed piece can make a whole position work.

21. Be prepared to return sacrificed material before you get strangled.

22. Taking Queens off can be a help to a defender solidly holding on with just one weakness.

23. When it is only a defensive wall that is stopping you breaking into a position, look for ways to sacrifice material in order to make inroads.

24. Opening preparation should be an integral part of chess.

25. It is normally a good idea to castle early but bare in mind it is not compulsory. In certain circumstances leaving the king in the centre may be the best plan.

26. A piece permanently locked out of play is as good as lost.

27. If you have opted for activity rather than structure, don't be afraid to accept structural horrors in order to hurl your pieces toward the enemy King.

28. The defender should not assume an unnecessarily passive frame of mind and should be on the lookout for counterattacking possibilities.

29. Bold, imaginative play, posing the opponent all sorts of problems is likely to be rewarded.

30. A far-advanced passed pawn, well supported, is an immensely powerful weapon.

31. Even in the midst of an all-out attack, it's worth giving a thought to bolstering your defences.

32. Even if your main plan is a direct attack, it is good to keep other options open as long as possible to stop counter-attacks.

33. Try to analyse forcing sequences right to the end, as there may be a "sting in the tail."

34. When a game becomes a straight race always look for the quickest possible way to bring the key pieces into the attack even if this means sacrificing.

35. Two bishops aiming at a King along adjacent diagonals are very powerful.

36. A pawn majority, unless it is crippled, can generate a passed pawn.

37. A surprise move has an undoubted psychological effect. If you are on the receiving end, the number one priority is to stay calm.

38. Even very strong players tend to go wrong when subjected to an unrelenting attack.

39. Knowing when to exchange and when not to is a vital part of the game.

40. Pawn weaknesses can cost you the game, but if you accept them, be sure you have enough activity to compensate.

41. If the pawn position is in your favour, keep it that way to stamp out possible pawn breaks for your opponent.

42. Sometimes an attack will not work using pieces alone. Pawns are often needed as additional attacking units.

43. If your opponent has a fianchettoed bishop exerting pressure on a long diagonal, it is often advisable to exchange it, or failing that restrict it by means of a suitable pawn chain.

44. Be very wary of "going for the win" as Black. Your chances of doing so are best if you adopt a measured approach and at least equalise first.

45. In the endgame, the more pawns remain on the board, the more winning chances there are.

46. Defence demands just as much creativity as attack.

47. When mopping up after a successful attack, don't get obsessed with trying to force mate - just concentrate on finding an efficient way to win.

48. Broken pawns in front of a castled King spells danger.

49. Outrageous-looking moves do sometimes work, but not very often.

50. Knights are not very good at stopping passed pawns in the endgame, especially ones near the edge of the board. Even if they are able to block the pawn, they are tied down to this function and cannot influence events elsewhere.

51. In a cramped position it is normally useful to seek to ease the congestion by exchanges.

52. Any line of play that drags the enemy King up the board deserves careful analysis.

53.When fianchettoing your King's Bishop, always be very wary about exchanging this piece later on, as trading it will undoubtedly lead to a weakening of the kingside.

54. Once you are committed to a sacrificial attack there is no turning back.

55. Don't automatically recapture material if doing so distracts you from your attack.

56. Sometimes it is more important to create counterplay than it is to avoid weaknesses. Wounds need not be fatal, but suffocation normally is.

57. In a difficult position it is far more important to activate pieces than to grab pawns.

58. Massive King hunts often involve one silent but deadly move.

59. Study the classics, but don't let the ideas from them cloud your thinking in completely different positions.

60. To consolidate an advantage, subduing enemy counter-play is more important than grabbing extra material.

61. A new move in the opening is not necessarily a good move.

62. The elimination of defensive pieces is often the key to a successful attack.

63. "Playing to win" is often a less effective way of getting the desired result than simply "playing good chess."

64. Be flexible. Just because a bishop is active on one diagonal doesn't mean that another diagonal might not be even better.

65. The power of the two bishops increases as the position opens up. If you have two bishops against a bishop and knight (or two knights) then look for pawn thrusts to open lines.

66. Timid opening play by White often gives black the opportunity to seize the initiative.

67. Don't be intimidated because your opponent knows a lot about an opening. If you play sensible moves you should get a reasonable position.

68. Advantages do not increase of their own accord; purposeful play is necessary to increase an advantage.

69. A knight firmly entrenched in the middle of the opposing position is often a decisive advantage.

70. If your opponent is building up an attack, it is essential to take defensive measures in good time.

71. Believe in your own abilities and have the confidence to face up to challenges.

72. If the defender has no active plan, then the attacker can afford to take his time and bring all his reserves into play.

73. If the opponent allows you to win a centre pawn, take it unless there is a very good reason not to.

74. And remember the first rule in chess: Never ever castle! (Just kidding)

White needs to exchange Knights if he is to make progress.

Black has been content to resort to passive defence, confident that White cannot break through.

35.Be2 Kg7 36.Ra3 Kf7 37.g3 Rfe8 38.Bf3 Kf8 39.Rc3 Kf7 40.Be2 Kf8 41.Ra1 Kf7 42.b5 axb5

If Black recaptures with the c-pawn instead, White will attempt a breakthrough by pushing his c-pawn. One illustration of this, admittedly not forced, is 42...cxb5 43.b4 Rd8 44.Rac1 Ke8 45.c6 bxc6 46.Rxc6 Bb7 47.Rc7 Rxc7 48.Rxc7 Bc8 49.Bd3 (also possible is 49.Rg7 attacking the Kingside pawns) 49... Kf8 50.Ka7 Re8 51.Kb8 Bd7+ 52.Kb7 Rd8 53.Kxa6 Ra8+ 54.Ra7 Rxa7+ 55.Kxa7 Ke7 56. Kb6 and White obtains a decisive passed pawn. The capture with the a-pawn, however allows White to make use of a now fully open a-file.

If Black plays 48...Kf7 White can then liquidate into a winning ending with 49. Rxc8 Rxc8 50.Rxc8 Rxc8 51.Kxb7 Rd8 52.Kxc6 Ke7 53.Kb7 Rd7+ 54.Kb6 Kd8 55.Bxb5 when the Bishop and two pawns are too strong for the Rook.

White has regained his pawn, but is Black not safe in his fortress?

No. The walls come tumbling down.

Black must give up his Bishop to stop the c-pawn queening and then White will snap up the pawn on b5.