Came here because in the old days the lads rarely resigned and we get to see how the good lads wrap up games.

Play over the game from here.

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Morphy has just played 24.a4

Then come back here and we will look at two positions.

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Hello Again!

Did you enjoy that. Good Game. Back here.

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Can you see what Morphy had in his mind if 24...axb4?

Morphy wins a piece.

I'll let you to work it out but look at the Undefended Bishop and Black's weak back rank.

(pretty easy...but note the Rb8 Nd7 trick, Morphy's games are loaded with such cute shots both played and unplayed. )

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Here Black to play.

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Obviously Black cannot play 1...Nxf2 2.Rxb6 and Kxf2.

But can Black take the f2 pawn with the Bishop without losing a piece.

Possibly suspecting the worse Black never took on f2 but it's positions like this one must look at and start asking questions.

OK let's play....

1...Bxf2

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Of course the usual ploy is to now attack the piece defending the piece.

(That is actually chess in a nutshell. I attack something, (a piece or a square) you defend it, I attack the defender, you defend the defender....)

<TACTICS>
2.Re5 does not work 2...Nf6 3.Kxf2 Ng4+ and 2.Rb4 then 2...Nc5 3.Kxf2 Nd3+

But one works and it is 2.Rb4 because 2...Nc5 places the Knight on an unprotected square as opposed to chasing the Knight to f6 where it is protected.

You can now go away and see if you can work out how after 1...Bxf2 2.Rb4 Nc5 White wins a piece.

White to move and win a piece.

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You will learn somehing about loose Bishops and Knights and Rook and Knight co-operation.

Don't concern yourself with anything else, just win a Black piece, nothing more.

So off you go.

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You still here?

You did not think you would get all the answers for nothing, you have to feel burn before you learn.

Go. I'll still be here when you get back.

How did you get on?

2.Rb4 Nc5 3.Rb8

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The Black Knight was tactically holding the f2 Bishop but now with the Rook on b8 there is no Knight forks and the defensive roles have been reversed.

The Bishop must now protect the Knight else White will play 4.Ne6+ and Nxc5.

3...Bd4 is no good because of 4.Ne6+ and 5.Nxd4 so we are down to only moves.

3...Be3

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4.Kf3 Bg1

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The Bishop and Knight are shackled. The Bishop is very short of squares.

5.Nc6+!

That check just took away the d4 square.

5....Kh7 6.Rb1 Bxh2 7.Kg2

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The Bishop is lost.

This is not for you, it's for my new friend Not Not.

Here, look at what I've done to the cover of my 'The Most Instructive Games' and then do the chess crossword. (don't peek at the answers.)

it only make my head spin and then I blunder

that's why I prefer pawn grabbing

Tactical awareness is not a gift, nor is it the preserve of the GM's. At the grass roots level tactics decides 99% of the games.

It can be taught, studied and learnt. The head soon stops spinning. It's the bread and butter of the game.

You are denying yourself many hours of pleasure by not getting involved and are walking around the battlefield without a weapon.

I have a double-handed 'M' sword passed down to me from Morphy, Marshall and Mieses.(pity they never supplied a shield.)

You have a bagful of pawns. (no shield either, you have to tactically hang on to those pawns.)

It can be taught, studied and learnt.>

It must be down to the individual. Certainly some people have the ability to soak up things quicker. If this is a gift. I don't know.

Test tend to show the younger you are the better in this respect.

I think you must enjoy playing over games that have a tactical flow or solving puzzles. It must be fun and not seem like graft.