iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

A cute little puzzle. White to play and draw.

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

I played my first serious league match in 1973. I was playing for my school, St Peters, away vs Parkstone. My opponent smoked a pipe and lots of other people were smoking cigarettes. As you looked across the room, you could see the thick haze of tobacco smoke. Also 1973, Tal vs Donner. #chess

310

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 14/08/2026

A gentle chess puzzle. Savage-Simons, 4NCL, Oxford vs Wessex, 2006. Black to play. #chess Solution share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/...

000

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Another of my screw ups from 2025-26. I had planned 30.Nc5 here, realising the black queen was in trouble. However, I saw a ghost and played 30.Nb4. As I was waiting for the reply I realised 30...a5 was good and it duly came. I threw the rest of my advantage away a few moves later. Draw. #chess

020

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

Another of my favourite moments from 2025-26. The engines like 17.e4 and 17.g4 here, both of which I considered. I played 17.Nf4 which the engines don't like much at first but which they eventually realise is comparably strong. It also has the merit of setting a trap (see the thread). #chess

100

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

White to play and draw (again, not sure who the composer is). #chess Solution: share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/...

000

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

The worst of my 2025-26 season, playing Black. I had correctly calculated ...Qxc2 as good for me and but it was messy, it was the opening game of the season and I didn't trust my calculation. Instead I played an exchange sac which was just a blunder, ...Rxd2?? which was met by Nf6+ +/- #chess

030

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

Perhaps my favourite little moment in my 2025-26 season, playing White against IM Petr Marusenko. 49.Bxc5 wins but I found a simpler to calculate way based upon a double intermezzo. I played 49.Rh1 as 49...Bxf2 is met by 50.Rh6+ and if 50...Kc5 then 51.Rc6+ leaves a winning pawn ending. #chess

120

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 25/07/2026

I am ashamed to say that I failed to solve this study. White to play and draw (not sure who the composer is). #chess Solution share.chessbase.com/SharedGames/...

030

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 09/05/2026

This is a nice puzzle. Not sure if it is from a game or composed. White to play and win. #chess

120

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

White to play and win A simple but elegant study by Vančura, 1922. #chess #chesspunks

220

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

I haven't posted any chess stuff for a while but here is a very neat study, composed in 1923 by Georg Bernhardt. White to play and draw. A link to the solution is in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

1142

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 08/07/2025

White to play This is a superb study by Alois Wotawa with two implementations of the main theme. #chess #chesspunks

340

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

White to play. This is from Tyler vs Winter, 1933. The prosaic Rxc1 would leave White a pawn down. Can you find a better continuation and the precise follow up? Solution in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

310

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 30/06/2025

White to play and win This position is from Kosintseva vs Sultangareev, 2002. How did White gain a decisive advantage? #chess #chesspunks

250

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 29/06/2025

White to play and win This is a really fun puzzle! #chess #chesspunks Anyone know who the composer is?

310

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

White to play and win A nice study by Troitsky. Solution in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

230

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

We stayed at the Big Cat Sanctuary earlier this year. The restaurant is next to a lion enclosure and the tables are right next to the windows. This was our breakfast view just the other side of the glass. #cats thebigcatsanctuary.org

020

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 28/06/2025

White to play and win. I have been a bit busy so have not posted for a while. This Richard Reti study is a nice way to restart 🙂 Solution in the replies.

110

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 16/04/2025

White to play and mate in 3. This position is from Hebden vs Pichin 1990. White has many ways to win but Hebden found the quickest route to victory. Can you? #chess #chesspunks

350

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 15/04/2025

White to play and mate in 4 This problem is by S. Leow and was first published in 1847. #chess #chesspunks

240

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 14/04/2025

White to play and win A composition by Steinitz #chess #chesspunks

210

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 13/04/2025

White to play and mate in 2 A simple but elegant mate in 2 problem by Marc Benoit. #chess #chesspunks

220

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 16/03/2025

Black to move and win Can you find the 5 move sequence to finish the game? #chess #chesspunks

450

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

White to play and draw. The second of the two studies I am posting today. This one is by Henri Rinck, one of my favourite composers. It also uses a well known (but different) theme but I think it is hard to see it coming - I therefore regard this as much trickier. #chess #chesspunks

340

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 14/03/2025

What to play and draw Today I am posting two studies with this one, to my mind, being the easier of the two. This is uses a well known theme and the fact that it is by Richard Reti is a big clue. A link to the solution is the relies as usual. #chess #chesspunks

341

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 12/03/2025

White to play. Black looks to be in the driving seat. What should White play? #chess #chesspunks

200

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 08/03/2025

White to play and draw An echo of the previous study I posted, this one is by Franz Sackmann. #chess #chesspunks

291

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

White to play and draw This instructive study is by Nikolaj Dmitrievich Grigor'ev. A link to the solution will be in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

140

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

White to play This is Bronstein - Korchnoi, 1962. How did Bronstein force immediate resignation? Can you work out the three critical lines? #chess #chesspunks

491

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 04/03/2025

White to play This is from Bronstein vs Makogonov, 1951. White can win in a number of ways but only one move leads to a quick mate. Can you find it? #chess #chesspunks

320

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

White to play Bronstein - Kotov, 1946. This is quite well known but always fun to see again. Kotov has just played Nd7. How did Bronstein punish this mistake? #chess #chesspunks

281

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 02/03/2025

White to play. This is from Grischuk - Fressinet 2000. The game lasted just 3 more moves. The first two are reasonably obvious but can you find the accurate third move that kills the game? #chess #chesspunks

110

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 23/02/2025

White to play A gentle one... how does White win material to leave a clearly won position? (Rogoff vs Sirkia, 1970). #chess #chesspunks

350

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 22/02/2025

White to play and win I will switch back to real game positions soon but one more study before I do so, this one by Troitsky. You don't need lots of imagination to solve this one - steady iron logic can get you there! #chess #chesspunks

260

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

White to play and win This sneaky study is by Ernest Levonovich. Not hard to work out the lines once you spot the idea. A link to the solution will be in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

240

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

White to play and draw. Another elegant study, this one by Josif Krikheli, 1984. As usual, I will put a link to the solution in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

391

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 16/02/2025

White to play and win This beautiful composition was created by Szaja Kozlowski, 1931, when he was aged just 21. #chess #chesspunks

220

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 15/02/2025

White to play and win A simple but instructive study. I don't have the composer for this one recorded but I have a vague recollection that it might be Benko. Anyone know? #chess #chesspunks

240

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

White to play and win This is from Plaskett vs Crawley. How does White emerge with a winning position? #chess #chesspunks

270

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 08/02/2025

White to play and mate in 3. This is a composition by Joseph Blackburne. White has many ways to win but only one mate in 3. #chess #chesspunks

210

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

White to play This is from Shirov vs Radjabov 2008. There are several ways to win this but Shirov picked the strongest move and Radjabov resigned immediately. What move did Shirov play and why did Radjabov resign? #chess #chesspunks

320

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

White to play and win A fairly simple but enjoyable study by Paul Heuäcker, 1930 #chess #chesspunks

230

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

White to play and draw. This fun study is from 1911 and is by Leonid Kubbel, who produced many wonderful compositions. #chess #chesspunks

2372

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

White to play and win. This is from Schlechter - Meitner, 1899. Can you find the precise sequence of moves to score a quick victory? #chess #chesspunks

220

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

White to play This is from a game with Carl Schlechter playing White. He played many sparkling combinations in his career. How did he finish this game quickly? (Link to solution in the replies) #chess #chesspunks

330

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 21/01/2025

White to play and mate in 8 Sam Loyd, 1859. Loyd wrote some incredibly inventive puzzles. This is one of his more straightforward creations but may still you a good brain tease! A link to the solution is in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

230

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 20/01/2025

White to play and win This is the end of an attack in Timman - Leko, 1996, where White has sacced a rook. The game lasted just 4 more moves but Black could reasonably have resigned after the first two. Can you see what Timman played? Pls see the replies for the solution. #chess #chesspunks

660

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 18/01/2025

White to play and win. A superb study by Alois Wotawa, 1950. Very elegant! There is a link to solution in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

170

Peter Anderson @thispetera.bsky.social · 12/01/2025

Black to play. This is from Goglidze - Botvinnik, 1935. How did Botvinnik bring the game to a quick conclusion? A link to the solution is in the replies. #chess #chesspunks

210