By Jeremy Silman

1) Black is a pawn up, but White’s lead in development makes it clear that Black’s living on borrowed time. How should White handle this position?

WHITE TO MOVE

2) Material is even, but Black’s King is not only open, but most of his army is situated on the kingside and thus unable to defend their monarch. How can White break through?

WHITE TO MOVE

3) Here we have a Sicilian, Smith-Mora Gambit gone bad for Black. Since Black’s King is still in the center, White wants to find a way to reach the hapless target on e8. How can he achieve this?

WHITE TO MOVE

4) Strategically Black is doing fine. But the dynamics of the situation are quite another matter – Black’s vulnerable King will prove too great a burden to bear.

WHITE TO MOVE

5) Black’s heavy pieces on the queenside can’t get back and defend their King, nor can they generate sufficient counter threats on the queenside to stop White from lowering the boom. In other words, Black is dead, but he doesn’t quite know it yet. How are you going to impart this truth to him?

WHITE TO MOVE

6) Ah, a “normal” looking Sicilian Dragon. Do both sides have chances, or is something “odd” lurking behind the scenes?

WHITE TO MOVE

7) The game Yudasin-Novikov, Kuibyshev 1986 was eventually drawn here. Can you find something that leads to a “kinder” White result?

WHITE TO MOVE

8) White has just advanced his pawn to h6 and, apparently, has a crushing attack. Is it time for Black to give up?

BLACK TO MOVE

9) There can’t be any doubt about White’s superiority, yet winning such positions often proves difficult for many players. How would you go about proving the win?

WHITE TO MOVE

10) Splatter time!

WHITE TO MOVE

To see the answers, click HERE!