Activating Your Pieces - Make the most of each piece by finding its best square

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1.Breakthrough

White to play
Black's king is dominating White's king and is ready to collect White's isolated pawns. White appears in trouble - it's time for a breakthrough!
Black to play
White's knight is defending its pawn and guarding against any pawn advances. It's breakthrough time!
Black to play
White may be up two pawns, but let's bring home the point for Black with a breakthrough!

Black to play
It's hard to believe that Black can win this position, but there is a powerful pawn sacrifice that forces a breakthrough - can you find the move?
2.Pawns in the Middlegame
Black to play
White is planning to play Nc4 with a powerful position. How can Black fight back and put the queenside majority into action?

White to play
White's minority attack is in action! How can White grab space and attack Black's c6 pawn?

White to play
White has sacrificed a pawn to gain a serious lead in development. Black's king is still in the middle of the board - which pawn move forces open the center for White?

White to play
White has a strong positional advantage, but what should we do with it? Can you find a strong pawn attack against Black's g6 pawn?

White to play
How strong is your pawn play? Can you find a pawn attack that wins material for White?

3.Blockading Pawns

White to play
Black is prepared to play the powerful pawn push ...e5. How can White most strongly prevent this idea?
Black to play
How can Black force White's knight to the edge of the board?
White to play
In this famous game between Grandmasters Botvinnik and Capablanca, Black's queen is blockading the dangerous passed e-pawn. Can you find a fantastic sacrifice that removes the Black queen's blockade?
White to play
White's knight is under attack. Can you find a way to bring the knight back into the center and blockade Black's d5 pawn?

White to play
Black's queen is blockading White's passed d-pawn. Can you find a creative knight maneuver to break up this blockade?


4.Isolated and Hanging Pawns

White to play
Black is preparing to double rooks on the d-file and target White's only weakness in this endgame - the isolated queen pawn. How can White eliminate this weakness?

Black to play
This time, it's Black to move. What should you play in this position?

White to play
Look at the incredible battle for the f5 pawn! White has doubled pawns on the g-file - can you find a way to eliminate this weakness and add more pressure to Black's f5 pawn?

White to play
White has an isolated pawn which helps control the center and prepare attacking ideas, but it also can be a target. Let's choose between four moves for White: a3, Be3, Bg5, or d5.

White to play
In this World Championship match, Boris Spassky just played 14...a6, "attacking" White's bishop. Since the a6 pawn is pinned to Black's rook, can you find a strong capture that creates hanging pawns or an isolated d-pawn that White can target?

White to play
White wants to advance his hanging pawns and create a powerful passed pawn, but which hanging pawn should you move? Can you find Grandmaster Levon Aronian's powerful pawn advance?

5.Outposts
White to play
Let's show off your positional skills by forcing your knight to a powerful outpost square!

Black to play
Black's b-pawn is under attack. Can you prevent this threat and also create a powerful outpost square for your knight?

Black to play
Black is dreaming of creating an outpost square. Can you gain a tempo by attacking a White piece and creating an outpost square for a knight?

Black to play
With Black to play, can you find a powerful positional move that creates an outpost for your knight?

Black to play
White is ready to post the knight on the powerful d6 outpost. With Black to move, can you find a two-move plan that brings your knight to an outpost square which also protects the d6 square from White's knight?


6.Using the Bishop Pair

Black to play
Black is down the exchange (a rook for a bishop), but has the two bishops. Can you find a way to attack White's queenside and unleash the powerful bishops?

Black to play
White just opened the h-file with hxg6. Black's king is in great danger, but can you find a winning attack with Black's bishops?

White to play
In this bishop endgame, Black's king is exposed. Can you find a tactic that wins a pawn in this position?

White to play
Black's knight on c7 is poorly placed. Can you use the two bishops to first attack the knight and then trap it?

Black to play
In this middlegame struggle, can you find a way to trade a Black knight for a bishop, gaining a powerful bishop pair?



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