Leonard Blackburn
@lbb-13.bsky.social
Chess enthusiast
LBB13 on lichess
I've written a free chess book. PDF in my google drive:
drive.google.com/file/d/1Qn5ntiAVuFCNeNfIhSwO68KQTCkIZfZC/view?usp=drive_link
LBB13 on lichess
I've written a free chess book. PDF in my google drive:
drive.google.com/file/d/1Qn5ntiAVuFCNeNfIhSwO68KQTCkIZfZC/view?usp=drive_link
#MauriceAshley composed this nice #endgame study he presents in a free sample lesson of his #chessable course, Chess Geometry.
www.chessable.com/chess-geomet...
White to move. Solution in my reply.
www.chessable.com/chess-geomet...
White to move. Solution in my reply.
November 21, 2025 at 11:12 PM
#MauriceAshley composed this nice #endgame study he presents in a free sample lesson of his #chessable course, Chess Geometry.
www.chessable.com/chess-geomet...
White to move. Solution in my reply.
www.chessable.com/chess-geomet...
White to move. Solution in my reply.
We all know that it requires 4 moves for a knight on c3 to reach e5. But, using a knight's version of Pascal's triangle, I mathematically proved that there are 54 different 4-move paths a knight could take from c3 to e5. Bonus: every square on the board is reachable from c3 in 4 or fewer moves.
November 20, 2025 at 3:54 AM
We all know that it requires 4 moves for a knight on c3 to reach e5. But, using a knight's version of Pascal's triangle, I mathematically proved that there are 54 different 4-move paths a knight could take from c3 to e5. Bonus: every square on the board is reachable from c3 in 4 or fewer moves.
Slim pickings at my public library.
November 20, 2025 at 12:45 AM
Slim pickings at my public library.
Solving puzzles with National Master and Candidate Master @hanschut.bsky.social on his Saturday morning stream.
November 15, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Solving puzzles with National Master and Candidate Master @hanschut.bsky.social on his Saturday morning stream.
#ChessPuzzle
In this position, White played the seemingly strong Ne5. How did Black defend and actually get an advantage?
In this position, White played the seemingly strong Ne5. How did Black defend and actually get an advantage?
November 12, 2025 at 6:38 PM
#ChessPuzzle
In this position, White played the seemingly strong Ne5. How did Black defend and actually get an advantage?
In this position, White played the seemingly strong Ne5. How did Black defend and actually get an advantage?
#ChessPuzzle
Jacques Mieses (1865-1954), a German chess player, was one of the inaugural recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. He was known for his risky, artistic, attacking chess. Playing Black, he made a spectacular move in this position that forced resignation.
Jacques Mieses (1865-1954), a German chess player, was one of the inaugural recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. He was known for his risky, artistic, attacking chess. Playing Black, he made a spectacular move in this position that forced resignation.
November 12, 2025 at 3:34 AM
#ChessPuzzle
Jacques Mieses (1865-1954), a German chess player, was one of the inaugural recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. He was known for his risky, artistic, attacking chess. Playing Black, he made a spectacular move in this position that forced resignation.
Jacques Mieses (1865-1954), a German chess player, was one of the inaugural recipients of the title International Grandmaster from FIDE in 1950. He was known for his risky, artistic, attacking chess. Playing Black, he made a spectacular move in this position that forced resignation.
November 12, 2025 at 3:23 AM
Harikrishna (White) beat Nesterov (Black) in the 2nd round of the FIDE World Cup by sacrificing his queen in the opening in spectacular fashion. He said he had the idea 9 years ago. Caruana speculated that the reason he waited so long is because engines have finally gotten strong enough to approve.
November 10, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Harikrishna (White) beat Nesterov (Black) in the 2nd round of the FIDE World Cup by sacrificing his queen in the opening in spectacular fashion. He said he had the idea 9 years ago. Caruana speculated that the reason he waited so long is because engines have finally gotten strong enough to approve.
I just played a game of chess one. We got the following starting position. Luckily, I had seen it before, so I knew some of the opening theory.
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 AM
I just played a game of chess one. We got the following starting position. Luckily, I had seen it before, so I knew some of the opening theory.
#ChessIsHard
After 67.Kg5, I arrived at the following position in my latest Lonewolf 30 30 game on Lichess, analyzed here:
lichess.org/study/fQA16D...
It is interesting to note that 67...b6 is winning for Black, but 67...b5 is a draw with best play!
After 67.Kg5, I arrived at the following position in my latest Lonewolf 30 30 game on Lichess, analyzed here:
lichess.org/study/fQA16D...
It is interesting to note that 67...b6 is winning for Black, but 67...b5 is a draw with best play!
November 9, 2025 at 12:18 AM
#ChessIsHard
After 67.Kg5, I arrived at the following position in my latest Lonewolf 30 30 game on Lichess, analyzed here:
lichess.org/study/fQA16D...
It is interesting to note that 67...b6 is winning for Black, but 67...b5 is a draw with best play!
After 67.Kg5, I arrived at the following position in my latest Lonewolf 30 30 game on Lichess, analyzed here:
lichess.org/study/fQA16D...
It is interesting to note that 67...b6 is winning for Black, but 67...b5 is a draw with best play!
When I played Qe5c5, as in the first diagram, I saw that we would naturally arrive at the second diagram, which I evaluated as a draw. What I didn't realize was that 62...Be2! in the second diagram was actually winning and was the only winning move!
November 9, 2025 at 12:12 AM
When I played Qe5c5, as in the first diagram, I saw that we would naturally arrive at the second diagram, which I evaluated as a draw. What I didn't realize was that 62...Be2! in the second diagram was actually winning and was the only winning move!
FIDE World Cup 2025 | Round 1, Game 1
Black has about 680 rating points on his opponent. White didn't follow opening principles and got checkmated in 17 moves.
Black has about 680 rating points on his opponent. White didn't follow opening principles and got checkmated in 17 moves.
November 2, 2025 at 6:57 PM
FIDE World Cup 2025 | Round 1, Game 1
Black has about 680 rating points on his opponent. White didn't follow opening principles and got checkmated in 17 moves.
Black has about 680 rating points on his opponent. White didn't follow opening principles and got checkmated in 17 moves.
In the Lichess database (1800+, blitz, rapid, and classical), in 96 out of 96 times this position was reached, White played the suboptimal 11.Bxc4?! But Black capitalized with 11...Nxe5! only 7% of the time.
November 2, 2025 at 4:09 PM
In the Lichess database (1800+, blitz, rapid, and classical), in 96 out of 96 times this position was reached, White played the suboptimal 11.Bxc4?! But Black capitalized with 11...Nxe5! only 7% of the time.
Hmm, I didn't know I could play for ...f6 and ...e5 against the London System until I tried it:
October 23, 2025 at 7:57 PM
Hmm, I didn't know I could play for ...f6 and ...e5 against the London System until I tried it:
Improve your #chess visualization skills with the book, _Cognitive Chess_ by Chernyshov. I recommend it. Solve exercises without looking at a board, like this one:
White: Kc1, Be4, Pb2, Pg6.
Black: Kb3, Rg7.
White to move. How would you play?
White: Kc1, Be4, Pb2, Pg6.
Black: Kb3, Rg7.
White to move. How would you play?
October 19, 2025 at 11:24 PM
Improve your #chess visualization skills with the book, _Cognitive Chess_ by Chernyshov. I recommend it. Solve exercises without looking at a board, like this one:
White: Kc1, Be4, Pb2, Pg6.
Black: Kb3, Rg7.
White to move. How would you play?
White: Kc1, Be4, Pb2, Pg6.
Black: Kb3, Rg7.
White to move. How would you play?
What the rating graph often looks like when you play the Evans Gambit:
October 5, 2025 at 4:31 PM
What the rating graph often looks like when you play the Evans Gambit:
I saw this endgame study by Mark Liburkin in the book, _Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters_ by Alburt and Parr. It stunningly requires underpromotions to knight, bishop, and rook for its solution. Unfortunately, Stockfish has found an error. See:
lichess.org/study/E5ZuqEo8
lichess.org/study/E5ZuqEo8
October 5, 2025 at 3:52 PM
I saw this endgame study by Mark Liburkin in the book, _Secrets of the Russian Chess Masters_ by Alburt and Parr. It stunningly requires underpromotions to knight, bishop, and rook for its solution. Unfortunately, Stockfish has found an error. See:
lichess.org/study/E5ZuqEo8
lichess.org/study/E5ZuqEo8
Some Caro-Kann carnage. Learned from the chessable course of
@hanschut.bsky.social
(lichess.org/Q9QmKhw4mwhP)
@hanschut.bsky.social
(lichess.org/Q9QmKhw4mwhP)
October 4, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Some Caro-Kann carnage. Learned from the chessable course of
@hanschut.bsky.social
(lichess.org/Q9QmKhw4mwhP)
@hanschut.bsky.social
(lichess.org/Q9QmKhw4mwhP)
Damiano's mate. Nice! Must be quite satisfying to get this in a game. By the highlights on the squares, it looks like you pre-moved Rc8-h8.
October 2, 2025 at 10:50 PM
Damiano's mate. Nice! Must be quite satisfying to get this in a game. By the highlights on the squares, it looks like you pre-moved Rc8-h8.
But I'm a bit outclassed for my Round 5 pairing:
September 29, 2025 at 10:19 PM
But I'm a bit outclassed for my Round 5 pairing:
After 4 rounds in Season #38 Open of the Lonewolf 30 30 tournament, I'm in 7th place out of 283.
September 29, 2025 at 9:59 PM
After 4 rounds in Season #38 Open of the Lonewolf 30 30 tournament, I'm in 7th place out of 283.
September 28, 2025 at 4:36 PM