Alonso Zapata:

Carlsen : Karjakin
New York (play-off - 4) 2016
Follow the Checks XIIIIIIIIY
9-+-+-+k+0
9+-+-vlpzp-0
There is a popular adage in the chess clubs
of my country that says: "Give check- maybe 9-zp-zp-+-+0
it'll be a checkmate!" 9+-+-+R+P0
Concept:
9-+-+PwQ-+0
Combinations could be defined and 9+-+-+P+-0
understood in many ways. The former World 9r+-+-wq-zP0
Champion Mikhail Botvinik defined the
combination as a sequence of forced moves 9+-tR-+-+K0
with sacrifices. All the them have the same xiiiiiiiiy
idea and the same character of forcing White to play - surprise on the second move!
moves, the check possibly being the most This is the last game (Round 4) from the
forced move of all. Although the result is a World Championship - Rapid playoff.
little surprising, many of the combinations Following the checks, you will find quickly
can be solved just by observing and winning idea, awesome, and crushing move -
following the checks around, making the the single best move of the year!
Classification of Combination by Themes 49.Tc8 Kh7 50.Dh6!!
fall into the second place. A picture perfect move!!!
When we feel that the position deserves a If 50.Dh6 gh6 (50...Kh6 51.Th8#) 51.Tf7#
tactical treatment (listen here to your 1:0.
intuition), and if the combinations appear,
we should first choose the analysis order of Gongora Reyes : Blanco Ronquillo
the potential variations by instinct. Then, go Cuba 2004
on to review and calculate the sequences of
checks. A very good advice in many cases is XIIIIIIIIY
starting with the strongest pieces, in 9-+r+-vlr+0
descending order of worth. 9+q+-+kzpp0
Per my experience, most of the combinations
could be in the subject of following the 9p+-zpNsn-+0
checks, and to achieve success play against 9+p+P+PwQ-0
the defenders (creating weaknesses by
deflecting or removing them). 9P+n+-+-+0
I would like to encourage my dearest readers 9+-+-+-+-0
to analyze and find solutions to the different
combinations mentioned in this article by
9-zPPvL-+PzP0
yourself. 9tR-+-tR-mK-0
xiiiiiiiiy
White to play - surprise on the first and
second move!

FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 1

1.Dg6!! XIIIIIIIIY
Follow the checks - starting with the
strongest piece in this case works best! 9-+-tr-trk+0
1...Ke7 9zpp+-+pzpp0
1...hg6 2.Sg5#. 9-+-+-+-+0
2.Df7!!
Again, deal a check with the strongest piece! 9+-zp-+-+-0
2.Df7 Kf7 3.Sg5# 1:0. 9-+-+PvL-sn0
Seirawan : Lobron 9zP-zP-+qzPP0
Amsterdam 1983 9Q+-+RzP-mK0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+-+-tR-0
9-+-+-+k+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9tR-+-+pzp-0 Black to play.
9-+-+-wq-zp0 1...Dg2!
This check has several functions:
9+-+-+-+-0 - releases the square f3 to the Knight;
9-+-+L+-+0 - obstructs the square g2;
- deflects the Rg1 from the 1st rank defense.
9+rtr-zP-zPl0 2.Tg2 Sf3
9-wQ-+-zP-zP0 Knight's check.
9+-tR-+-mK-0 3.Kh1 Td1
Rook's check.
xiiiiiiiiy 4.Tg1 Tg1#
Black to play. Typical coordination of N and R. 0:1.
There are weaknesses of both kings in the
1st and 8th rank. The idea of following the Antimirov : Shestak
checks served white to find the solution URSS 1982
quickly. XIIIIIIIIY
22...Df2!!+
Queen's check. 9-+-+-mk-+0
23.Kf2 9zpp+-+-zpp0
23.Df2 Deflection! And 23...Tc1 24.Df1 9-+-+L+-+0
Tf1#.
23...Tb2 24.Kf3 Tc1 25.Ta8 Tc8 0:1. 9+-+-zP-+q0
9-zp-+-sn-+0
Rodriguez Or. : Olafsson F.
Las Palmas 1978 9+-+-+P+-0
9PzPQ+-mK-+0
Reasons:
- weakness of white castle;
9+-+r+-+R0
- weak white squares (f3, g2); xiiiiiiiiy
- weakness of the 1st row; Black to play.
- 2 pieces misplaced (Qa2, Re2). The position looks weird and difficult to
When you take a look at the Queen's play because both Kings are defenseless, so
placement the check appears:
FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 2
the black side must be fast. Since starting Bauer : Gollner
with the black Queen's check is not a good Berlin 1956
idea, suddenly the absurd Rook's check
becomes visible. Attracts attention that, when we study tactics
1...Tf1!! books, curiously, in most combinations, the
A surprise move for players who do not look theme of the sequence of the checks, defines,
for possible checks! Not 1...Th1?, because it or is a very important part of the winning
will be a draw after 2.Dc5= (2.Dc8=). Do plan.
not use 1...Dh1?, because of 2.Df5=. XIIIIIIIIY
2.Tf1
2.Kg3 Tf3#; 2.Ke3 Df3 wins; 2.Kf1 Dh1 9r+-+n+-+0
3.Kf2 Dh2 wins the Queen. 9zpp+-wq-zpk0
2...Dh2 3.Ke3 Dc2 4.Kf4 Dh2+ 0:1. 9-+p+LsnRzp0
Kindermann : Skrobek 9+-+-+-+-0
Warszawa 1983 9-+p+-zP-+0
XIIIIIIIIY 9+P+-+-+P0
9-tr-+kvl-+0 9PvL-+-+QmK0
9+-+-+p+p0 9+-+-+-+-0
9p+-zpP+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy
9+-+P+p+Q0 White to play.
9q+Nsn-+-+0 There are three checks. We quickly discard
Bg8 and Rg7. Suddenly appears:
9+-zpL+-+-0 1.Th6! gh6
9P+-+-+-zP0 No use 1...Kh6 because the successive
9+-mKR+-+R0 checks, lead to checkmate 2.Dg5 Kh7 3.Dh4
Kg6 4.f5#. And looking at:
xiiiiiiiiy 2.Dg8!
1...Lh6!! Deflecting the Knight to the eventual escape
We decided for this movement, once, we square g8.
have analyzed and ruled out the erroneous 2...Sg8
analyzes. Starting with the Queen checks, we Becomes visible the surprising!
soon discard them: 1...Da3?? and 1...Dc2?? 3.Lf5# 1:0.
2.Lc2 Se2?? 3.De2. There is a possible Beautiful checkmate with the bishops,
checkmate with the knight in e2 if we deflect helped by the defensive pieces that
the defenders! surrounded the king!
2.Dh6
The Queen deviates from the defense of the
square e2.
2...Dc2!! 3.Lc2 Se2# 0:1.

FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 3

Zapata : Schussler 32.Sf6!! gf6 (32...Kf7 33.Td7+) 33.Tf8 Kf8
Santa Clara 1996 34.Df6 Ke8 (34...Df7 35.Td8#) 35.De6 Kf8
XIIIIIIIIY (35...De7?? 36.Dg8 Df8 37.Td8+) 36.Df6
Ke8 37.Td6+. Gives a decisive advantage!
9r+-+-tr-+0 There is little black resistance after: 37...Dc5
9+-+-+pmkp0 (37...De7 38.Te6+) 38.Kh1 Te7 (38...Td7
9-+p+nsnp+0 39.De6 Te7 40.Dg8#; 38...Lg2 39.Kg2 Tg7
40.Kf3+; 38...Dd6 39.Dd6 Tg7 40.De6 Kf8
9zp-+-wQ-+-0 41.Kg1 Tg2 42.Kf1+) 39.Dh8 Kf7 40.Tf6#.
9Pzp-wqP+-+0 32...Df7 33.Sg3 La8 34.Te1 Te7 35.De5
35.c5.
9+-+L+PsN-0 35...Tc7 36.Te6= Tc4 37.Te7 Df6 38.Df6
9-zPP+-zP-+0 Tf6 39.Sh5 Tf7 40.Te8 Tf8 41.T8e7 Tf7
42.Te8 Tf8 43.T8e7 .
9+-mKR+-+R0
xiiiiiiiiy Adams : Ju Wenjun
White to play. Gibraltar 2017
If we follow the advice, suddenly appears a
sequence of devastating checks! In the recent tournament of Gibraltar
20.Sf5! gf5 21.Tdg1 Masters, Adams found the best continuation,
My opponent resigns at this moment. The just by following the checks. You can
checkmate becomes unstoppable due to recreate it on your own by finding the
21.Tdg1 Kh8 22.Th7 Kh7 23.Dh2 1:0. winning sequence.
XIIIIIIIIY
Zapata : Efimenko
San Marino 2006
9r+-+-mk-tr0
XIIIIIIIIY 9zp-+-+-+p0
9-+-tR-trk+0 9lvl-+-+p+0
9tr-wq-+-zpp0 9+-+R+N+n0
9p+-+p+-+0 9-zp-+N+-+0
9+-+-+p+N0 9+-+-vL-+-0
9-+PwQlzP-+0 9-zPP+-zPPzP0
9zPp+-+-+-0 9+-+R+-mK-0
9-zP-+-+PzP0 xiiiiiiiiy
27.Lh6 Kf7
9+-+R+-mK-0 27...Kg8 28.Se7 Kf7 29.Sg5 Ke8 (29...Ke7
xiiiiiiiiy 30.Te1 Kf6 31.Te6#) 30.Sf5 gf5 31.Te5#.
White to play. 28.Sg5
32.Td6? 28.Td7 Kg8 (28...Ke6 29.Te7 Kf5 30.Td5
In this critical position. I made a mistake and Kg4 31.h3 Kh4 32.Lg5#) 29.Se7 Kf7 30.Sd5
should have been focused on all possible Ke6 31.Te7 Kf5 32.Sd6 Kg4 33.Te4 Sf4
checks! 34.Sf6 Kh4 35.Tf4#.
I should have played the winning idea: 28...Kf6 29.Td6 Kf5

FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 4

29...Ke5 30.T1d5 Kf4 31.Sf3 g5 32.Lg5 Kg4 Steinitz : Bardeleben
33.h3#. Hastings 1895
30.T1d5 Kg4 31.h3 Kf4
31...Kh4 32.Sf3#. A very famous game that does not need
32.Sf3 presentation.
Even faster if you play: 32.Tf6!! Sf6 33.g3#; - Weakness of both Kings.
32.Se6 Ke4. - Weakness of the 1st rank.
32...g5 33.Lg5 Ke4 34.Sd2# 1:0. - Hanging pieces.
XIIIIIIIIY
Aleksandrov : Zaitsev 9r+r+k+-+0
USSR 1973
9zpp+qsn-+p0
You will see a nice example of how to win 9-+-+-zpp+0
when you follow the checks and
deflect/remove the defenders. 9+-+p+-sN-0
XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+Q+0
9-+k+r+-tr0 9+-+-+-+-0
9zppsn-+-zpq0 9PzP-+-zPPzP0
9l+-+-+-+0 9+-tR-tR-mK-0
9+-+-+p+-0 xiiiiiiiiy
9-+-+-wQn+0 White to play.
1.Te7! Kf8!
9+-sN-vL-zP-0 1...Ke7 2.Te1 Kd6 (2...Kd8 3.Se6 Ke7
9-zP-+-zPL+0 4.Sc5+) 3.Db4 Kc7 4.Se6 (4.Tc1!?+)
4...Kb8 5.Df4 Tc7 6.Sc7+; 1...De7 2.Tc8
9+-tRR+-mK-0 Tc8 3.Dc8.
xiiiiiiiiy Following the "walk" of the Rook in the 7th
White to play. rank seems a fantasy, but it's definitely no
1.Dc7! Kc7 2.Sb5 Kb8 3.Td8!! fiction!
With the idea to deflect the Rook defender. 2.Tf7! Kg8
If 3.Lf4 Te5! 2...Df7 3.Tc8.
3...Td8 4.Lf4 Ka8 3.Tg7! Kh8
4...Se5 5.Le5. 3...Kf8 4.Sh7 Wins.
5.Sc7 Kb8 6.Sa6 4.Th7!
Now removing the defender! 4.Th7 Kg8 5.Tg7! Kh8 (5...Kf8 6.Sh7)
6...Ka8 7.Sc7 Kb8 8.Sd5 Ka8 9.Sb6 6.Dh4 Kg7 7.Dh7 Kf8 8.Dh8 Ke7 9.Dg7
A crushing blow! Ke8 (9...Kd8 10.Df8 De8 11.Sf7 Kd7
9...ab6 10.Ta1# 1:0. 12.Dd6#;
9...Kd6 10.Df6 De6 11.De6#) 10.Dg8 Ke7
11.Df7 Kd8 12.Df8 De8 13.Sf7 Kd7
14.Dd6#. 1:0.

FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 5

Schmidt : Richter sr Rook of the square f7. 9.Se8! Te8 10.Th7
Heidelberg 1946 Kf6 11.Tf7#.
XIIIIIIIIY 5.Sf6
It Is the only check that keeps the control of
9r+l+-tr-+0 the g4 square.
9+-+psNpmkp0 5...Kh6
9-+-zpn+p+0 The Rook's arrival decides the fight.
6.Th1 Kg7
9+-zpN+-+P0 This crucial situation should have been
9-+PsnP+-+0 analyzed before the Queen ended up
sacrificed.
9wq-+-wQP+-0 7.Se8!
9-+-+LmKP+0 Is the correct check, because it deflects the
Rook from the f7 square defense.
9+R+-+-+R0 7...Te8
xiiiiiiiiy The Rook's checks end with a checkmate!
White to play. 8.Th7 Kf6 9.Tf7# 1:0.
When you begin to analyze this position,
many things will occur to you. In this case, Galier : Hermann
Black King's weakness over the h file and Germany 1965
the Black squares' weaknesses due to the XIIIIIIIIY
Bishop's absence. This analysis should start
by following your intuition and the checks.
9r+-+-+kvl0
This reveals that the Queen's sacrificing 9+lzp-+p+p0
check in h6 looks very attractive and 9-+-+-+-vL0
somehow creates a very dangerous
checkmate net. At this moment, you need to 9+p+n+N+-0
support your ideas with precise calculation. 9p+-zP-+-+0
1.Dh6! Kh6
Loses quickly 1...Kh8 due to the continuous
9zP-+Q+-+-0
checks: 2.Dh7! Kh7 3.hg6 Kg7 4.Th7#. 9LzPP+-wqPzP0
2.hg6 9+-+-trR+K0
This check opens the column.
2...Kg5 xiiiiiiiiy
The King cannot go back 2...Kg7 because of White to play.
3.Th7#. Follow the Rook's checks: White must act quickly because of the
3.Th5! Kh5 weakness of his own king. Following the
There are several checks, the best is: concept, there are only two checks, but you
4.f4! must find the correct order.
Controlling the important square g5. 1.Se7!
4...Se2 Not 1.Dg3? Dg3 2.Se7, because of 2...Te7.
It does not change much after 4...Df3. 1...Se7
Follow the Bishop's check 5.Lf3 Sf3. Now If 1...Te7 then 2.Tf2 wins. Following the
comes the Rook: 6.Th1 Sh4, followed by the Queen's check:
Knight's check: 7.Sf6 Kh6 8.Th4 Kg7. Key 2.Dg3! Dg3
moment. The Knight's check deflects the Once the Queen is deflected - checkmate!
3.Lf7# 1:0.
FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 6
Lasker Ed. : Thomas Calculation exercise
London, 1912 Zapata, 2016.
XIIIIIIIIY
XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-tr-mkntR0
9rsn-+-trk+0 9+-+-+-zp-0
9zplzppwq-zpp0 9-zp-wq-+P+0
9-zp-+pvl-+0 9+-vl-+-wQ-0
9+-+-sN-+Q0 9-+-+-zpP+0
9-+-zPN+-+0 9zpP+-zpP+R0
9+-+L+-+-0 9-+-+-+-zP0
9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9+K+-+-+-0
9tR-+-mK-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy
xiiiiiiiiy White to play.
White to play. Follow the checks - it's an excellent
Attraction motive - another famous game calculation exercise. You should analyze this
where the successive checks lead to check position mentally, without moving the
mate. pieces, all the way to the end. White to play
The white pieces point to the castling in and checkmate in 25 moves!
square h7. We started with the Queen's 1.Tg8 Kg8 2.Th8 Kh8 3.Dh4 Kg8 4.Dh7
checks: Kf8 5.Dh8 Ke7 6.Dg7 Ke6 7.Df7 Ke5
1.Dh7! 8.Df5 Kd4 9.De4 Kc3 10.Dc2 Kd4
This check attracts the King into an ambush! 10...Kb4 11.Dc4 Ka5 12.Da4#.
1...Kh7 2.Sf6 11.Dc4 Ke5 12.De4 Kf6 13.Df5 Kg7
Double check. 13...Ke7 14.Df7#.
2...Kh6 14.Df7 Kh6 15.Dh7 Kg5 16.h4 Kf6 17.Df7
It is not possible to go back 2...Kh8, due to Ke5 18.Df5 Kd4 19.De4 Kc3 20.Dc2 Kd4
3.Sg6#. 21.Dc4 Ke5 22.De4 Kf6 23.Df5 Kg7
3.Seg4 23...Ke7 24.Df7#.
The successive checks take the King away 24.Df7 Kh8 25.Dh7# 1:0.
from the safety of the castle, and it is not
common for the King to wander around out
of his haven - wandering around to the other
side of the board to receive a checkmate.
3...Kg5 4.h4
Also gets a checkmate 4.f4 Kh4 (4...Kf4
5.g3 Kf3 (5...Kg5 6.h4#) 6.00#) 5.g3 Kh3
6.Lf1 (6.00!? y 7.f2#) 6...Lg2 7.Sf2#.
4...Kf4 5.g3 Kf3 6.Le2
6.00 and 7.Nh2#; 6.Kf1 and 7.Nh2#.
6...Kg2 7.Th2 Kg1 8.Kd2#
8.000#. 1:0.

FIDE Surveys Alonso Zapata 7