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As a child, my father taught me to play Chess when I was about 7 years old. We would play off and on for the remaining 10 or so years that I lived at home and for that entire time, he beat me mercilessly. I never studied Chess or practiced beyond our occasional games, so its no surprise that I never got the upperhand on my vastly more experienced father. Despite the decade of losses it still ignited in me a love for strategy and competition. It also taught me how to deal with losing gracefully which continues, to my chagrin, to feature heavily in my board game journey to this day. Sigh. Boy, do I wish wed had The Duke rather than Chess. I could have given that old man some of his own medicine.

The Duke: Lords Legacy is a reprint of the original 2013 The Duke which changes none of the base rules, but includes new tiles, the Arthurian Legends expansions, a rewritten rulebook, and upgraded packaging.

The Duke is a chesslite game. A term I definitely just coined. In the same way that video game roguelikes and roguelites are constantly being released and the formula improved, there is a never ending flow of chesslike and chesslite games onto our tabletops.

If chess wasnt such a great game, it wouldnt have lasted for the past 1,500 years. Yet, with that much history, chess can feel like a bit.much. People spend their lives studying the game. They memorize the strategies and common board states. As a person who loves games but also has a job and a family, thats just too much. In comes the chesslites. A way to capture the same feel of chess, that two player head to head battle one agonizing move at a time, but in a way that is faster, more accessible (sort of, more on that later), and more forgiving of your lack of years worth of practice and study.

In The Duke, players start the game with only three pieces on the board. Their Duke and two Footmen. On your turn, you can do one of two actions. Activate a tile on the board, or draw a new tile from your reserve bag. Tiles are activated according to their individual movement and attack abilities. New tiles must be placed orthogonal to your Duke. Players take turns, one action at a time, until one player captures the others Duke.

Every unit has a unique set of possible movement directions, movement styles, and potential attacks. Units can jump, slide, teleport, order other units, and attack at range all depending on the unique combo and layout of symbols on their tile. Like Chess, ending movement on top of an enemy captures that piece. Ranged attacks capture without having to move. With the exception of the Order action, all of the symbols are clear and easy to remember after just a few turns. The Order action is denoted by two tiny triangles in the corners of squares and is easily missed if you are not paying close attention.

Learning how all of the units can move is a pretty big commitment. There are way more possible outcomes in The Duke than a standard Chess set. Having to study each piece for how it can move as well as enemy pieces for how they can move can be pretty time consuming and slow the game down quite a bit as you learn it. Throw in the final rule that you flip the tile over and it gets completely different movement options every time you activate it, and there is a lot to take in and learn. I imagine if you play this game enough, it will start to speed up, but with 17 different units to learn its going to take a lot of play. For reference, our first game took about two hours. My opponent and I were both really focused on making smart plays though so every game isnt going to be that long. I have since had games as short as ten minutes and everywhere in between.

Starting the game with only 3 pieces on the board drastically reduces the number of decisions that the player has to think about compared to chess. From there, deciding to work with what you have already or to draw a new tile is where all of the strategy comes in. The urge to draw a new tile and see what new options are available to you is so strong, but if you do that, youre not affecting your opponent at all. The mystery and potential of what could be on that next tile is surprisingly addicting. You know you dont need another piece but what if you get your Knight? Better draw one more. Meanwhile your opponent has completely out maneuvered you.

Having the reinforcements as a random bag draw rather than open selection was a smart choice. Both players get invested every time a tile is drawn. Leaning over the board to see what the new unit is. Sometimes you get a perfect draw with a new unit that can immediately threaten the opponent and change your footing. Other times you draw an assassin into a spot where it cant move and becomes useless for the rest of the game. The highs and lows of the random drawing add just enough excitement to elevate the otherwise dry strategy of moving chess pieces around a board. Hate luck? I guess you can keep playing Chess.

If learning all 34 movement patterns (172) was too easy for you, then there are a few additional options to increase the complexity. We didnt play any of these, as the core game is satisfying and complex enough, but I will briefly cover them here if you are interested in expanding your game.

The first is Enhanced Abilities. This adds four special abilities to specific tiles denoted by roman numerals in the bottom right corner. While all of the normal movement options are referenced on the included reference card, these special abilities are not. You will need to consult the rulebook until you memorize them.

The Arthurian Legends expansion adds a handful of new tiles representing Arthur, Merlin, Camelot, Guinevere, Lancelot, Perceval, Morgana, and Mordred. For the most part, the game is the same, but each players Duke is replaced by Arthur and Morgana with the other named pieces replacing their thematic counterparts from the base game as well. These tiles all function by the normal rules but with new and powerful movement layouts. Camelot, or the Fort on the backside, has a new mechanic depending on if you choose to use it as a Fort or as Camelot for the game. The Fort functionally protects an occupying piece from anything but a lateral move. Camelot works the same as the Fort but additionally allows Morgana to convert the opposing players pieces to her side if she occupies it.

The tiles in The Duke are all stained wood with screen printed details. They are wonderfully tactile, and clacking them down on the board gives you the feeling of playing with something solid and purposefully designed rather than just a toy. If you struggle with your vision, you may have trouble distinguishing some of the movement icons. They are all represented in the rulebook, but even smaller than they are on the tiles. The board and tile bags are functional. Id like to see a nice cloth bag for the tiles, but this isnt a deluxe game, so its on par with a typical board game production. The box itself is appropriately sized and doesnt waste space on your shelf.

I have no qualms about recommending The Duke to anyone that enjoys the occasional Chess game but doesnt want to study one game for the rest of their life. The unique units provide enough complexity and strategy to satisfy deep thinkers, and the randomness lightens it up enough for more casual gamers to still have a fun time. If luck in head-to-head strategy games isnt your cup of tea, then probably steer clear. Played for fun, the Duke moves along smartly and provides a nice dose of strategy and competition. Played competitively or with someone who suffers from analysis paralysis and the game can really drag on, so choose your opponents wisely.

A life long video gamer, Mark caught the Tabletop itch in college and has been hooked ever since. Epic two player strategy games are his favorites but he enjoys pretty much everything on the tabletop, just no Werewolf please. When he gets a break from changing diapers and reading bedtime stories he can usually be found researching new games or day dreaming about maybe one day having time for a ttrpg. Some of Mark's favorite games are Star Wars: Rebellion, A Feast for Odin, and Nemesis.

The Duke feels like a game that has been around for hundreds of years despite its 2013 origin. It has that instant classic feeling you get from a well designed abstract game. The randomness of the tile drawing places it below Chess for pure strategy, and all of the different movement options make it much higher than GamingTrend favorites Boop and Shobu for complexity.

Mark Julian

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The Duke: Lord's Legacy review Bowman to D4, checkmate - Gaming Trend

Therell likely be a bad bishop or two, plenty of gambits and even a few howlers when the Northland Chess Championship is held in Kerikeri later this month.

The chessboards are set, the pieces poised for battle, and the excitement is high as the Northland Chess Championship returns on October 28, at the Turner Centre.

This eagerly anticipated event promises an exhilarating clash of minds and strategies, drawing players of all ages and skill levels from across Northland as the popularity of the ancient game has increased in recent years, thanks partly to the Hollywood blockbuster The Queens Gambit and NZs own chess movie Dark Horse.

Last year, the Kerikeri Chess Club, in partnership with the community group Our Kerikeri, pioneered this grand chess extravaganza, when 130 players, including a remarkable contingent of talented junior players aged 12 and under, descended upon Kerikeri, along with spirited teams from various smaller schools, kura and clubs.

It was an event that etched its mark in Northlands chess history.

Anticipation is soaring this year, with a projected participation of up to 150 players, which is the maximum capacity.

Event organiser Lasse Pedersen said the vision is to create a fun, inclusive, and family-friendly event that not only captivates locals, but players from across Northland.

Pedersen said from Mangawhai to Kaitia, active chess clubs are rallying to ensure this annual gathering serves as a cornerstone for their year-round success.

This championship isnt just about pitting mind against mind, its about bringing communities together. From sprightly 6-year-olds to seasoned veterans in their 80s, participants from all walks of life will convene, united by the love for a simple board game that has the power to inspire, instil confidence, and provide an unparalleled tournament experience for both players and spectators, she said.

Under the watchful eyes of seasoned chess arbiters, players will be sorted into three age categories: Junior, Youth, and Seniors.

Theyll navigate a fierce six-round Swiss-style tournament, each round meticulously timed, starting at 10am and finishing around 5pm. For an added thrill, select games will be projected onto a spectator screen.

Registration for playing in the tournament is still open with some spaces left. Register on website: https://sites.google.com/view/kerikerichessclub/home

Gambit:

One of the fancier terms of chess, a gambit is a technical move that a player engages in to gain the upper hand over the opponent. A gambit involves sacrificing one or more minor chess pieces to lead an attacking onslaught on the rivals king.

Generally, when a chess game reaches a point when it starts to get stagnant, chess players resort to gambits to bring new life back to the game and make new openings for furthering an attack on the rival.

Bad Bishop:

A bad bishop is a piece of a bishop whose movement has been blocked by a friendly pawn. This dramatically limits the bishops chances of participating in the field of action, thus hindering the players options.

Howler:

A howler is often used instead of a chess blunder. Both a howler and a blunder mean almost the same thing, which is a significant tactical error on the part of one chess player that proves very costly in the course of the game.

Chess first appeared in India about the 6th century CE. By the 10th century it had spread from Asia to the Middle East and Europe.

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Northland Chess Champs on again in Far North - New Zealand Herald

NAGPUR: Two days after being crowned world junior rapid chess champion, 17-year-old Raunak Sadhwani - city's first Grandmaster - finished second in the blitz format of the U-20 World Championship organized by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) which concluded in Italy on Monday. Raunak lost a game at the halfway mark to eventual champion and Azerbaijan's second seeded GM Mahammad Muradli and clinched the silver medal in the blitz event. In their sixth-round clash lasting 45 moves, top seeded Raunak went a piece down while defending with his black pieces against Muradli to finish the 11-round blitz tournament with 8.5 points. He won seven rounds, drew three while Muradi pocketed nine victories, drew a board, and lost one game to finish on top of the table with 9.5 points. Overall Raunak was satisfied with his consistent show at the world championships. He said, "I am happy that I have earned a graceful gold in rapid and a bright silver in blitz. These precious medals are dedicated to my country and my parents - my strongest support system." Raunak added, "Podium finish in both the formats is quite satisfactory. Overall, I am happy that I was able to make our country proud. Feeling of the Indian national anthem being played at the closing ceremony was out of the world. Now coming back home with some beautiful memories to cherish." On the opening day of his blitz tournament after he became the world rapid champion, Raunak received praise from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. While congratulating Raunak, Modi wrote on X, "Congratulations to Raunak on the remarkable victory at the FIDE World Junior Rapid Chess Championship. His strategic brilliance and skills have left the world in awe and made the nation proud. May he keep inspiring the youth of our country with his exceptional achievements. Best wishes for his future endeavours." Similarly, home minister Amit Shah said, "Raunak's victory is not only a testament to his genius but also to the immense potential of our nation in chess. May it be a stepping stone to reach newer heights."

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World junior rapid chess champion Raunak gets silver finish at blitz championship - IndiaTimes

Central control

In chess the tactics may change but the strategic fundamental principles are always the same, so that Chess Fundamentals is as good now as it was thirteen years ago.

Jos Ral Capablanca

Control of the centre has been considered to be the heart of chess strategy from time immemorial. But as the Cuban World Champion has pointed out, the fundamentals remain the same, though application may change in the course of time. Above I quote Capa from the 1934 edition of his Chess Fundamentals.

When Chess Fundamentals was released for the first time in 1921, the hypermodern era in chess had not flourished in full flow, whereas thirteen years later it had a great number of adherents: Reti, Nimzowitsch, Tartakower to name a few, and not to be left behind were the world champions Alekhine and Capa himself!

The hypermodernists, as they liked to call themselves, came up with the idea that centre control need not be achieved only by pawn occupation of central squares, but can equally be done from pieces controlling the centre from flanks.

Coming back to the Cuban genius comment, the fundamental principle of central control is all-inclusive and gives one room for improvement as and when the situation arises. This is a typical feature in any artistic endeavour.

While taking a look at a recent game of Indian super talent Arjun Erigasi, these thoughts about central control by various means were sparked. What if a flank pawn was given up in return for a central one in ordered to acquire control of central squares? Surely this must be a method envisioned by hypermodernists, right?

This is a position from the game Erigasi versus Aronian from the Goldmoney Asian Rapid 2021. This is a normal-looking position in a hanging-pawn structure. Here Erigasi continued with...

16.b4!

...which sparked added interest into a position with dynamic equilibrium. This is a real sacrifice of a pawn, which cannot be regained by any forced sequence of moves. So, what is the logic behind such a venture?

White wants to secure the central d4 square firmly in his control for occupation of his dark-squared bishop. The opened c-file can be a factor later on in the game. In the shorter run, White gains a few tempi with which he can build upon his initiative on the kingside. Of course, he also runs the risk of remaining a pawn down for the whole course of the game against none other than Aronian.

And bearing in mind that this was a rapid game, the intuitive decision is even more commendable!

16...cxb4 17.Bd4 Qd8 18.Rc1 Bb7 19.Qf3 Qd6

In the last few moves White has gained a few tempi to bring his pieces into the striking zone of Blacks kingside. He continued amassing more forces with

20.h4!?

However, at this moment White had a veiled tactical opportunity by means of 20.Nf5!? gxf5 21.Bc5! Qxc5 22.Rxc5 Bxc5 23.Qg3 check, followed by 24.Qc7 winning material similarly to the Lasker-Bauer theme using a double attack. But Black can avoid this with 21...Qd8 22.Bxe7 Qxe7 23.Qg3+ Kh8 24.Rc7! with another double attack. Black can survive, though, with 24...Ne4! and the game goes on.

20...Rfc8 21.h5 a5 and now White continued with

22.Bf5!

Not a difficult tactic based on overload, but nevertheless a pretty one! Of course, Black cannot recapture with 22...gxf5 because of 23.Nxf5 and Blacks queen is powerless to stop either a deadly check on g3, or defend his bishop on e7. The game continued with

22....Rxc1 23.Rxc1 Ne8?!

Perhaps it is here that Black starts drifting. Maybe Black could try to contest the c-file via the sixth rank with 23...Ra6!? and I have a feeling White has positional compensation for the pawn deficit, but this is debatable!

24.Qg4

White has slowly but surely moved his pieces near the striking zone, and Black falters, falling prey to a cute though not a standard tactic. Black continued with

24...Ng7?

Black apparently can still hold his fort with 24...Nf6 25. hxg6!? hxg6 26.Qg5 Nh7! which shows that the position is still in equilibrium, though the character of the game has been widely transformed! What William Cluley postulated in the 1850s still remains true: Chess is a game of equilibrium.

25.Bxg6?!

White was alert to win a pawn using a double attack. However if he had chosen the right order of moves, e.g. 25.Bxg7! Kxg7 26.Bxg6 Blacks position is due to collapse surprisingly quickly. But since this was a rapid game, one is not warranted to criticise a players decisions with an eagles eye.

25...fxg6 26.Bxg7 Rc8!

This is the difference compared to the variation 25.Bxg7, as Black is not forced to recapture.

27.Rd1

Master Class Vol.4: Jos Ral Capablanca

He was a child prodigy and he is surrounded by legends. In his best times he was considered to be unbeatable and by many he was reckoned to be the greatest chess talent of all time: Jose Raul Capablanca, born 1888 in Havana.

However, from a practical point of view, White has regained his lost material and Blacks king lacks a proper pawn cover. When short of time, this usually tilts the balance in favour of the attacker, which happened after further interesting moments, when Erigasi Arjun was able to crown his highly creative play with a well-deserved victory.

Arjun Erigaisi | Photo:Aditya Sur Roy

This is the position after Whites sixth move from the game Sargissian-Bok from the European Team Championship 2017.

Here the Armenian Grandmaster continued...

7.b4!?

...with an idea, in spirit, similar to the game we have discussed earlier. White embarks on this flank pawn thrust/sacrifice in order to secure the complete control of the central d4-square. He also opens the c-file in the process and gains a few tempi for maximising his development.

7...cxb4 8.Bb2

It is important to note that White also stops Blacks normal development as he has to waste a further move in protecting his g-pawn before moving his dark-squared bishop, which would in turn delay his castling. Such factors also come into account while observing the pawn sacrifice.

8....Nc6 9.Rc1 a6?!

I have a feeling that Blacks position does not warrant such a luxury as to make a pawn move on the queenside in order to stop Bb5.

10.Nd4 Nxd4 11.Bxd4

I love this position: the bishop on d4 is super powerful. He also threatens to bring his other bishop to a dominating diagonal with Bd3 on the next move.

11...Bf5 12.Be2 Qd7 13.Qb3

By putting pressure on d5, White stalls any freeing ideas associated with Rc8 etc.

13...Be6 14.0-0 f6 15.Bh5+ Bf7 16.Bxf7+ Kxf7?!

Surely better was 16...Qxf7, and now perhaps 17.a3!? is worth considering as to meet 17...bxa3 with 18.Qb6!?

17.Bb6 Be7 18.Rc7

White has made full use of the gambit. He has captured the c-file and entered the seventh Rank. Black's King remains dodgy on f7 and Black's pawns are falling one after the other soon.

18...Qd6 19.Rfc1 Rhe8 20.Ba5

Middlegame Secrets Vol.1 + Vol.2

Let us learn together how to find the best spot for the queen in the early middlegame, how to navigate this piece around the board, how to time the queen attack, how to decide whether to exchange it or not, and much more!

White regained material with interest and soon enough won the game.

Gabriel Sargissian | Photo: Mark Livshitz

The next game we are going to deal with is one by the enigmatic genius Sultan Khan. How can I not include this example! In his game against Stahlberg from the Prague Olympiad in 1931, things have clearly gone wrong for the British Champion. He has wasted tempi in the opening, is on the verge of losing his bishop pair to Whites a3 and his knights on e7 and g8 have trouble even breathing.

Here he came with the spectacular wing gambit, which is the theme of our study. His excellent feel for squares and the statics of a position shine with clarity. Readers would of course know of his excellent win against Capa in a Queens Indian with a2-a3, which was a deep move to indirectly control the centre. The system which is currently named after Petrosian was first used by Mir Sultan Khan to indirectly control the e4-square by preventing Bb4.

He continued in the above position with

9....b5!

At the cost of one pawn, Black strives to stay in the game and not get run over immediately. He gains control of the d5-square, which is of paramount importance to complete his development. Only if one of the knights can come to d5 can the other go to e7 and the king can castle to safety. Without a doubt, this is Blacks best chance of a defence, and one that aesthetically looks good as well!

10.cxb5 Nd5 11.0-0 Nge7 12. a3 Ba5 13. Bg5 h6 14.Bxe7 Nxe7 15.Be4 c6!

The audacity of the move is stunning! Black wants to preserve his light-squared bishop, even at the cost of making his pawn structure more ugly. But he opens lines and creates more freedom for his pieces. Whites advantage remains, but Black is changing the character of the game and making a fight out of what he has within his means.

16.bxc6 dxc6!?

Sultan still wants to preserve his light-squared bishop. He absolutely knew no prejudice with regard to so called 'correct play' as he was completely self-taught like a future day Alpha Zero!

17.Na4 0-0 18.Nc5 Rb8 19.b4 Bb6

Whites advantage still very much remains, as both sides have not committed any sort of errors. But the nature of play has become different. Black fought and drew this game at the end! This is indeed creditable against such a formidable player as Gideon Stahlberg. White further won another pawn by playing

20.Nxb7 Rxb7 21.b5

I wonder if Sultan himself would have traded quality for the prospect of winning a pawn. The fact that Whites advantage remains just as before and only got transformed is an unshakable truth as is with energy in this universe!

Nevertheless, at a later point, White committed errors at the face of stiff and original resistance from the master craftsman wielding the black pieces. At the end, Black drew the game being one pawn down in an opposite-coloured bishop position. One can only wonder at the foresight of Sultan Khan at vehemently refusing to exchange his light-squared bishop for his opponents counterpart. Of course, it is not correct to reason out an artists masterpiece: its just there to be enjoyed. The rest of the game is a wonderful example of the beauty of staying in the moment, which Sultan did really well.

Check out the aforementioned games with some added thoughts in the replayer below:

Select an entry from the list to switch between games

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Hypermodern games of chess - ChessBase

I have no doubt that you've heard the saying, "Chess is 90% tactics" many times. It is so overused that it is impossible to trace who said it first. While in general I agree with this statement, I would still slightly modify it. So, channeling my inner Yogi Berra, I would say: "Chess is 90% tactics. The other half is pattern recognition."

As we start our journey into the beautiful world of chess, we learn thousands of different patterns. If I remember correctly, the very first pattern I learned was the "staircase checkmate." It is simple and beautiful in its geometry:

Notice that there was a much faster checkmate available, but beginners practically never do it because once they learn this method, they are happy to execute the familiar pattern. By the way, what was the first chess pattern that you learned? Please share it in the comments.

As we get stronger, we learn more and more patterns and they become more sophisticated than the "staircase checkmate" above. The more patterns you know, the easier it is for you to find good moves in your games.

Here is a good example. When I was 15 years old, I was lucky enough to be a student of the famous Botvinnik-Kasparov school and therefore had an opportunity to appreciate GM Mikhail Botvinnik's chess wisdom on many different occasions. Usually, it went like this: we showed the patriarch our games and somewhere in the middlegame, when the position was getting extremely complicated, GM Garry Kasparov would start shooting variations with machine-gun speed. Then, after a moment of silence when everyone was still filled with awe, Botvinnik would say softly that a similar position actually happened in some forgotten game from a Moscow Championship before WWII, between so and so, and this is what should be done here.

It was much easier to appreciate Botvinnik's recommendation, which was purely based on his pattern recognition, compared to the ultra-complicated Kasparov variations. To be fair, Kasparov's method is more precise, and that's why chess is 90% tactics!

In some positions, you cannot play a move just because this is what should be played in similar situations because in this particular case, the move would lose due to some tactics. But in order to learn how to play good chess in general, pattern recognition is invaluable. At some point, when you get experienced in chess, every single position reminds you of something! Let's take a look at a very recent brilliancy by GM Viswanathan Anand.

Many chess players would be surprised by Anand's last two moves. First he gave up his center with 9.dxc5 and then he played 10.a3 which doesn't help development. In general, moves like these shouldn't be played, so what's going on there? Well, this interesting pattern has been known for over 100 years and became quite famous after the following iconic game:

This is probably Pillsbury's most famous game. As you can see, the mysterious 7.a3 move takes away the b4 square from Black's pieces, and prepares the b2-b4 push which would significantly cramp Black's position. But let's get back to our main game:

Wait a second, wasn't White's idea to play b2-b4? Why did Anand castle on the queenside then? What's going on there? Well, let me explain. First of all, the b2-b4 idea is still valid here, and as a matter of fact, was played in this position by another world champion:

Nevertheless, I am not surprised by Anand's move at all since this is his favorite way to attack. It goes way back. When I was preparing for my first World Junior Championship in 1987, it was clear that Anand was one of the main contenders (which turned out to be true, since he won the tournament). When I analyzed his games before the tournament, I noticed that he loved to castle on the queenside and go straight for a checkmate. When the tournament started, the very first game where I actually saw Anand in action, confirmed my finding:

As you can see, even though judging by Anand's comment the position was new to him, he still found the most aggressive way to attack which of course involved castling on the queenside. In this tournament, I was lucky enough to play Anand as White and the game was a relatively boring draw, but later in our games Anand played White, castled on the queenside two times, and won both games! Now you can understand why I wasn't surprised by the move 12.0-0-0 played by Anand in our earlier example.

This pattern is also well-known and usually leads to a crushing attack. In the following game, world champion Emanuel Lasker used this pattern as early as he possibly could, before he even finished his development or castled!

The final cute little pattern would make an excellent Puzzle Rush problem. Can you solve it?

This pattern where you sacrifice a queen in order to get a new queen and checkmate an opponent is quite common. Yet, I find it funny that the very same day this pattern was played in another high-profile game. The only difference is that this time it was an American super grandmaster who beat a former world champion, and not vice versa as in the Anand-So game!

I hope I managed to convince you that knowledge of chess patterns is extremely important for any chess player. These patterns are everywhere, and the more you know, the easier it will be for you to win your own games!

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Patterns, Patterns Everywhere! - Chess.com