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• Copyright 1991,1996, 1997, 1998 John Richard Coffey.
• Please use the links below to center the problems, and to advance to the next diagram.
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0       [Next]	White: garrote on FICS Black: A class A player.
1       [Next]	King pawn opening.
2       [Next]	Attack e5.
3       [Next]	Defend e5.
4       [Next]	The Ruy Lopez opening threatens the knight that defends e5.
5       [Next]	This is considered one of the best responses.
6       [Next]	Removes the knight.
7       [Next]	Black would rather keep his pawns intact so that he doesn't have too many "pawn islands" that could become a weakness.  Why can't White now play Nxe5? Because Black could respond Qd4! getting the pawn back.
8       [Next]	Castling renews the threat on the pawn, because after Nxe5 then Qd4 no longer works because of Nf3 Qxe4?, Re1 pinning the queen.
9       [Next]	Pin the knight that threatens the pawn.
10       [Next]	Put another pawn in the center and threaten e5.
11       [Next]	This is a common move played here.  I am told that Bd6 and exd4 are also common.
12       [Next]	Captures.  Black should not respond fxe5 because of Qxd8+ Rxd8, Nxe5 winning the pawn.
13       [Next]	This is how Black guarantees that the knight will still be pinned.
14       [Next]	Recaptures.
15       [Next]	Recaptures.
16       [Next]	Breaks the pin.
17       [Next]	Removes the knight that attacks e5.
18       [Next]	Recaptures.
19       [Next]	Threatens e4.
20       [Next]	Defends it.
21       [Next]	Threatens to remove the knight.
22       [Next]	Ditto.
23       [Next]	Takes the knight.
24       [Next]	Recaptures while maintaining pressure on f6.  Why not Nxe4 now? After Re1 Nxg5, Rxe5+ Ne6, Rxe6+ Kd7, R3e3 Black will be forced to play Re8 to stop Re7+.  Then both rooks will be traded and White has a won endgame because of the pawn majority on the kingside.
25       [Next]	Even though castling is important, Black needs to keep his king on the e file to prevent one of the White rooks from reaching d7.
26       [Next]	Remove the knight.
27       [Next]	Recaptures.  If instead gxf6 then Rd1 Rd8, R3d3 and White owns the d file.  But if then Rxd3, Rxd3 Rf7! Black can hold the game just so long as he doesn't trade rooks.
28       [Next]	Gets this rook out of the way.
29       [Next]	Recaptures.
30       [Next]	Here is the rub.  White owns the d file and will get to d7.
31       [Next]	Necessary to save the pawns.
32       [Next]	Rook on the 7th.
33       [Next]	Black saves his c7 pawn.
34       [Next]	White gladly trades because he has the better endgame.
35       [Next]	White has a won endgame. To see how he wins, click on "Next page."

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