Chess lessons
Famous chess games
Famous games, move by move. 7 lessons, 2 of them free.
Beginner · 10 min · Free
Morphy brings out his pieces fast and mates a king left in the middle.
- Black’s king is still in the middle, and his rook and bishop never moved.
- The queen gives check and is given up: the knight has to take her.
- Then the rook mates, guarded by the bishop: the opera mate.
In a game: When the enemy king is stuck in the middle, open lines and attack it with every piece.
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Beginner · 10 min · Free
Anderssen gives up a bishop, both rooks and his queen, and wins.
- A knight takes with check, and the king has only one square.
- Next the queen gives check where a knight can take her.
- If Black takes her, the bishop mates, helped by both knights.
In a game: When your pieces are near the enemy king, ask if an attack is worth more than material.
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Intermediate · 10 min · Pro
Anderssen ignores a threat of mate, because his own mate comes first.
- A rook takes the knight with check, and Black takes back.
- Next the queen is given up with check, and the king takes her.
- The bishop’s check uncovers the rook behind it: double check, then mate.
In a game: When your opponent threatens mate, look first for checks that mate sooner.
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Intermediate · 8 min · Pro
A queen sacrifice pulls the king out, and it is hunted down to mate.
- The queen takes a pawn with check, and the king must take her.
- The knight takes with check and opens the line for its bishop: double check.
- The king is dragged out and chased across the board to mate.
In a game: When your queen and a bishop aim at the pawn by the castled king, look for a sacrifice.
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Beginner · 9 min · Pro
In these famous traps, one careless opening move leads to mate.
- Black has just taken White’s queen, but it is a trap.
- The bishop takes with check, and the king has only one square.
- Then the knight gives checkmate, even though White has no queen.
In a game: Before you grab a piece in the opening, check that it does not let your king be mated.
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Advanced · 12 min · Pro
Young Fischer gives up his queen for an attack that wins the game.
- White’s bishop attacks Fischer’s queen.
- Instead of saving her, Fischer attacks the other bishop.
- If White takes her, this knight and a bishop give check after check.
In a game: When your queen is attacked, look for a stronger move before you save her.
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Advanced · 12 min · Pro
Kasparov offers both rooks and chases the king across the board.
- Kasparov gives up a rook for a pawn, and Black takes it.
- Then the other rook checks here and is offered too.
- The king runs, and the queen and pawns chase it across the board.
In a game: When the enemy king has few defenders, look for sacrifices that drag it out.
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