Coach answer key

Coach Answer Key — The Knight

Use the lines as teaching anchors rather than engine dumps. Ask the student to state the destination, route, opponent’s counterplay, and tactical justification before showing the continuation.

Exercise 1 — original position 21

Best move
1.Rdh1!
Short plan
Clear d1 for Nd1–e3–f5 while activating the rook on the h-file.
Critical line
1.Rdh1 Ng6 2.Nd1 Rc8 3.Ne3 Rc7 4.Nf5.
Strategic theme
Clearing a route; protected kingside outpost.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
A direct knight move is unavailable while d1 is occupied; an immediate attack without clearing the route leaves the pieces uncoordinated.
Difficulty
1/5
Source mapping
Original position 21; P. Benko – M. Najdorf, Los Angeles 1963; exercise printed-book p. 304 / PDF p. 305; solution printed-book p. 372 / PDF p. 373.

Exercise 2 — original position 22

Best move
1...Nd7!
Short plan
Reroute through e5 and then penetrate on d3 or f3; insert prophylaxis against Nf6+ before completing the route.
Critical line
1...Nd7 2.Qg3 Bd6 3.Qg2 Kh8 4.Ne2 Ne5.
Strategic theme
Backward manoeuvre; prophylaxis before occupation.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
1...Nc4?! has the same idea but is less precise because 2.Nf6+ creates a tactical problem.
Difficulty
2/5
Source mapping
Original position 22; I. Morovic Fernandez – I. Rogers, Spanish Team Championship 1994; exercise printed-book p. 304 / PDF p. 305; solution printed-book p. 372 / PDF p. 373.

Exercise 3 — original position 23

Best move
1.Ng5!
Short plan
Attack h7 with tempo, then use e4 as the transit square and land on d6.
Critical line
1.Ng5 h6 2.Ne4 Qc7 3.Nd6 Rd8 4.Rad1.
Strategic theme
Forcing route to an outpost.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
1.Ne4 immediately gives Black time to coordinate and contest d6; Ng5 forces a concession first.
Difficulty
2/5
Source mapping
Original position 23; B. Spassky – J. H. Donner, Santa Monica 1966; exercise printed-book p. 304 / PDF p. 305; solution printed-book p. 373 / PDF p. 374.

Exercise 4 — original position 25

Best move
1...Nf8!
Short plan
Bring the knight to g6 and then f4 or h4, coordinating it with an f-pawn break and pressure on the king.
Critical line
1...Nf8 2.Qf3 Ng6 3.Kf1 f5! 4.Nb3 Rf8.
Strategic theme
Long reroute toward a weak colour complex.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
Launching the pawn attack before transferring the knight leaves Black without enough pieces near the king.
Difficulty
2/5
Source mapping
Original position 25; A. Raetsky – M. Gurevich, Fourmies 1997; exercise printed-book p. 305 / PDF p. 306; solution printed-book p. 373 / PDF p. 374.

Exercise 5 — original position 27

Best move
1.Ne1!
Short plan
Redirect the knight to d3, where it blockades the passed pawn, and simultaneously open the long diagonal for the bishop.
Critical line
1.Ne1 Nde7 2.Nd3 b6 3.Bh3 Qb3 4.Rfc1.
Strategic theme
Dual-purpose rerouting and blockade.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
1.Nh3?! allows ...Rd5 and does not solve the blockading problem.
Difficulty
3/5
Source mapping
Original position 27; V. Korchnoi – J. Piket, Match (game 3), Nijmegen 1993; exercise printed-book p. 305 / PDF p. 306; solution printed-book p. 374 / PDF p. 375.

Exercise 6 — original position 29

Best move
1.Bxf6! Bxf6 2.Nd5!
Short plan
Exchange the bishop that can contest d5, then install the knight. The outpost removes Black’s counterplay and supports play on both wings.
Critical line
1.Bxf6 Bxf6 2.Nd5 Rac8 3.Rxc6 Rxc6 4.Rad1 Rfc8 5.Nd5.
Strategic theme
Eliminate the defender before occupying the outpost.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
The immediate 1.Nd5?! permits ...Bxd5 and ...Rac8, after which Black can organize ...Bf6–g5.
Difficulty
3/5
Source mapping
Original position 29; R. J. Fischer – O. Gadia, Mar del Plata 1960; exercise printed-book p. 305 / PDF p. 306; solution printed-book p. 374 / PDF p. 375.

Exercise 7 — original position 31

Best move
1.Nd2!
Short plan
Reroute to a5, attack c6, and support control of the open a-file; only then open a second front with h2–h4.
Critical line
1.Nd2 Bg6 2.Nb3 Qd8 3.Na5 Qc7 4.Ra3! Ra6 5.Rda1.
Strategic theme
Knight on the rim with concrete targets.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
Immediate flank play such as h4 is premature because the knight remains passive and c6 is not pressured.
Difficulty
4/5
Source mapping
Original position 31; E. Bareev – V. Salov, Linares 1992; exercise printed-book p. 306 / PDF p. 307; solution printed-book p. 375 / PDF p. 376.

Exercise 8 — original position 33

Best move
1.Na5!
Short plan
Use the only safe route Na5–c4–e3–d5. Reinforce the queenside before occupying d5.
Critical line
1.Na5 Rc8 2.Nc4 Qc6 3.Ne3 a5 4.Rc4 Qa6 5.b3 Bb6 6.Rxc8+ Qxc8 7.Ned5.
Strategic theme
Route selection and delayed occupation.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
1.Nd2? is met by ...Qc6 and ...d5; 1.Nd5? Nxd5 2.exd5 gives up the valuable piece square.
Difficulty
4/5
Source mapping
Original position 33; E. Geller – M. Najdorf, Candidates Tournament, Zürich 1953; exercise printed-book p. 306 / PDF p. 307; solution printed-book p. 375–376 / PDF p. 376–377.

Exercise 9 — original position 35

Best move
1.Nb1!
Short plan
Prepare Nb1–d2–e5, but first secure f4 and remove the tactical pin. After the knight reaches e5, White can attack on the kingside.
Critical line
1.Nb1 Bg7 2.Nd2 Rf7 3.Rde1 Ng6 4.Qf2 Kh8 5.Kh2.
Strategic theme
Patient preparation of an outpost.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
Immediate occupation of e5 is premature because the f4-pawn is loose and the pin gives Black tactical counterplay.
Difficulty
4/5
Source mapping
Original position 35; G. Timoscenko – J. Laengl, Seefeld 2003; exercise printed-book p. 306 / PDF p. 307; solution printed-book p. 376 / PDF p. 377.

Exercise 10 — original position 36

Best move
1...Nd7!
Short plan
Transfer the c8-knight through f8 and g6 to h4, where it joins a kingside attack and eyes f4.
Critical line
1...Nd7 2.Kh1 Nf8 3.Rf2 Ng6 4.Qd2 Nxd4.
Strategic theme
Three-stage reroute from one wing to the other.
Why the tempting alternative is inferior
Immediate pawn play on the kingside does not bring enough force; Black first needs the idle knight in the attack.
Difficulty
5/5
Source mapping
Original position 36; S. Krasnov – K. Vinogradov, St. Petersburg 1962; exercise printed-book p. 306 / PDF p. 307; solution printed-book p. 376–377 / PDF p. 377–378.