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Posted by Matthew Sadler on 4th November 2021

Silicon Road: Engine Snacks! Know this double rook endgame!

ck article is in our Engine Snacks series! Leela counters a positional squeeze from Stockfish by transposing into a double-rook endgame a pawn down. To my shock and surprise, this endgame – with Stockfish having a far-advanced a-pawn – was a simple draw!
Knowing this position and its unexpected result might save you a half point or two in your career!

Posted by Matthew Sadler on 3rd November 2021

Engine snacks! Exquisite geometry!

Some moves make an impression on you forever, and this is certainly one of them. Stockfish was a piece for a pawn up and completely winning against Leela Zero’s baby sister: Leela CPU. Many moves would finish off the job, but none so powerfully as Stockfish’s…

Posted by Matthew Sadler on 2nd November 2021

When a piece less doesn’t matter!

Stockfish sacrifices a piece for compensation that is not clear to a casual glance: the black king is exposed but there are no immediate threats. A series of powerful moves with the major pieces coordinates the white pieces into an unstoppable attacking force!
After reading this article, you will have gained the tools to better assess such long-term piece sacrifices and hopefully be inspired to use them in your own games!

Posted by Matthew Sadler on 1st November 2021

Engine Snacks! Conquering space with g4!

This super-quick article is in our Engine Snacks series! We see two power plays from Stoofvlees and Stockfish, expanding a queenside space advantage across the whole board with a powerful g4 kingside thrust! These are great examples of whole board play: a major theme I examine in “The Silicon Road to Chess Improvement” and it’s definitely something we should try and emulate in our own games!

Posted by Matthew Sadler on 31st October 2021

Engine Snacks! An unforgettable queen trap!

This super-quick article is in our Engine Snacks series! Ethereal catches Stoofvlees with a combination of 2 tactical themes: diversion and trapping. The position is so full of drama, that once you’ve seen it, you’ll never forget these tactical ideas!