ArcaMax

Isolated Queen Pawn based attacks can get quite complicated. This game is interesting because Black didn’t pick the most tenacious defense. The engine gave an alternative, yet still had White winning, so the sac was sound; however, I let the engine run on the alternative, and it says it is decisive. Play it through. It’s a lot tougher than ...

This is a wonderful position for an IQP lesson. There is more than one way to win, even in the variations. The themes we have already seen are in there with some you haven’t. There is the N on e5, the weaknesses on f7 and e6 and the Q and B teamwork. Have fun looking at the possibilities!

Here’s another instructional game on how winning material can often come from IQP positions because of the mobility of the White pieces. The diagram is a model position for such starting points, and the modeler is none other than the late world champion, Botvinnik, who was superb in such positions.

Not all Isolated Queen Pawn attacking positions lead to mate. Sometimes, it’s just getting a winning ending from the attack, as is the case here.

The key to this is recognizing the indirect attack on the Black king by the White queen.

The continuing series on IQP attacks. This one is a dandy. Use your imagination!

We’ve decided to do something different. We’re going to give you an in-depth instruction on attacks from Isolated Queen Pawn positions (IQP). You will become very knowledgeable about this attack by doing what serious players do—Play over slightly different positions that have a similar theme. You will then become a much better attacking ...

An Isolated Queen Pawn position with a king side attack

Black seems to be in dire straits here, but there’s a defense.

Don’t ask me what the white king is doing up there, but Black knows what to do with it.

Here you are presented with a famous position type. It often appears in various forms in the Ruy Lopez. You just have to know this one.

There’s only one first move that wins. It’s one of the most important K+P endgames you can study. This is from two years ago. Do you remember how to win this?

White seems to be in dire straits here; however, there is a way out.

Here we have a wonderful lesson game, so you get the whole game. It’s worth taking out your board to play over. One of the key lessons is the way White develops very naturally and then—BAM! He sees the whole line to mate. Arnason-Dreev, Iceland, 1990: 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nd2 a6 4.Ngf3 c5 5.dxc5 Bxc5 6.Bd3 Nf6 7.0–0 Qc7 8.a3 Be7 9.Re1 0–0 ...

Black is loaded for bear, so to speak; however, Black has to sacrifice a couple of pieces to clear the way for a mating attack.

Black is threatening to win your e4 pawn. What should you do?

A mate in two. Should be easy on the brain this day after New Years.