Step 3 Thinking Ahead

In the international versions of the workbooks, the amount of text is limited. The Thinking ahead workbooks
need a little more explanation than the other workbooks (basic, extra, plus or mix).

First of all, on page 2 you will find a brief overview of the types of tasks in the workbook. That will be
enough for a large part, but there is more. On page 3 ff. you will find the contents of the whole workbook
with a brief explanation of the various pages. There is a reference to the page of the reminder reminder (if
any). There are 7 in total.
Also for the blind exercises on many pages, additional explanations (in addition to the example with the
answer in the workbook) may come in handy.
Thinking ahead

In this workbook on Thinking ahead you will recognize a lot from Thinking ahead Step 2, but there
are also exercises that are different.
Blind Chess
At the bottom of many pages there are blind exercises. All you see is an empty board. The position is
indicated by white and black figurines. Example with ‘Mate in two’: f7 f1 h6 _____.
Let’s recollect the position (with the empty board next to the task or without a board). The king may
not escape to g5 or h5. Unfortunately Qf5 is stalemate but Qb5 does work.
Blind games
You see the moves of a game and you have to fill in the last move. The theme is indicated.

 

Thinking ahead exercises Visualizing mate Mate: yes or no?

1. ... Pe3+ 2. _____ 1. Te7 Pe6 2. _____ 1. ... Tf1+ 2. Lxf1 Df2+
Black is to move, but you 1. Te7 f6 2. _____ 3. Kh1 Dxf1 ________
have to think of the white 1. Te7 f3 2. _____ Is White mated after these
move. You have to fill 1. Te7 Kf6 2. _____ moves? No, because f1 is
in Kf3. This is the most Fill in the mating moves: also protected by Qa6.
common type of task. Rxf7#, Qh5#, Qxf3#, Qe5#. Fill in: no 4. Qxf1.

The pin: temptation Threat and defence Choose the right front piece
1. ... Pxf5 2. _____ ! 1. Pf5 threatens e3
1. ... Pxf5 2. _____ ? _____ a) 2. _____ _________________
The move with ! is the good b) 2. _____ e3
one and you fill in: Qe5. but Black plays 1. ... _____ _________________
The question mark indicates You fill in the threats Qxg7# Which piece will be on e3
the wrong move. The other and Rxe4. You have to think and why or not? Ne3-d5 is
attack on the pinned piece of the right defence: Bf8 (the trapping the queen. Be3xa7
does not work: Qf1 Nxg3+. threat is 2. ... Rd1+). only wins back a pawn.

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Workbook Step 3 Thinking Ahead content
The bold numbers in front of the title (3+4 The pin) refer to the pages in the workbook.

3+4 The pin A B

The forms on these pages are pinning, attack on a pinned piece and a pinned piece is not a good defender. See
if necessary the reminders of Step 3.

5+6 Defend against penning A B

See the reminder on page 6.

7+8 Attack on a pinned piece

1. Td8 Txb2 2. ______ !
2. ______ ? ______
The move with the exclamation mark (!) must be the right move. At the question mark (?) comes the move
that also attacks the pinned piece but does not win material. The refutation comes on the last line.

In the exercise on page 7 Attack all the squares three squares are indicated. On which square does the White
queen attack all those squares? The first task has already been completed.

The blind exercise on page 8 is a mate in two exercise. The first white move is given and Black has only a
single answer. The second white move mates.

9+10 Mate: visualising A+B

See the reminder in Step 2 thinking ahead on page 9.

The blind exercise on page 9 is mate in one. How many times can White give mate? Write down the number
of mating moves and also all moves.

The blind exercise on page 10 is Defend against mate. The first task has already been completed.

11 Double attack: pinned pieces A

See the reminder on page 7, diagrams 1 and 2.

12+13 Defend against the double attack A+B

See the reminder on page 7, diagrams 3 and 4.

The blind exercise on page 13 is also Defend against the double attack. The first task has already been
completed.

14+15 Double attack A B

See the reminder on page 7, diagrams 5 and 6.
In the blind games on page 14 and 15, White can decide with a double attack.

16+17+18 Threat and defence A B C

See the reminder on page 8.

19+20 Test: mix A B

Tasks with different themes. They are indicated with the answers.

21+22+23 Defend against a threat A B C

See the reminder on page 8.

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24+25 Mate: visualising C D
See the reminder in Step 2 thinking ahead on page 9.
Page D is mate in three. Thinking a move deeper is therefore necessary.

The blind exercise on page 25 is Mate in two.

26+27+28 Choose the right move A B C

The same kind of exercise as Mate: visualising with the difference that it’s not yet known what needs to be
done.

29+30 Trapping A B
See the reminder on page 9.

31 Mat yes or no A
Is Black mated after the moves below the board? Make the right choice. If it is not mate, indicate the move
that can be played.

The blind exercise on page 31 is Where is the king mated? The first task has already been completed.

32+33+34+35 Pawn endings: square of the pawn, rook pawn, key squares A A A B
See the reminder on page 10.

In the exercise on page 32 the result must be filled in.

In the exercise on page 33 a move must be filled in (and optionally the result).

In the exercise on page 34 a move must be entered in the left row and in the right one it must be determined
whether the position is a win (1-0) or draw (½-½).

The blind exercise on page 35 is mate in two.

36 Test: mix C
Tasks with different themes. They are indicated with the answers.

37 Double attack: yes or no ( or ) A

38 The pin ( or ) A
39+40 Eliminating the defence ( or ) A B
See the reminder on page 11.

41+42 Mate: visualising E F

These pages are a bit more difficult: 4 and 5 alternatives per task respectively.

43 Stalemate: yes or no A
Is Black stalemated after the moves below the board? Make the right choice. If it is not stalemate, indicate
the move that can be played.
The blind exercise on this page has the same theme.

44+45 Draws: stalemate A B

White can force stalemate in all positions. Black can sometimes avoid this (usually by not capturing a piece)
but then the position is still draw.

46 Avoiding stalemate A
White tries to force mate. The right move avoids that.

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47 Discovered attack: which front piece? A
The diagram shows a question mark (?) on a square. Which of the two pieces below the board should be
placed there? Indicate with a line why the chosen piece is good and the other is not.

48+49+50 Discovered attack A B C

The move with the exclamation mark (!) must be the correct move. The question mark (?) is also a discovered
attack attack, but after that move Black has a good answer.

The blind exercise on page 48 has the same theme: discovered attack.

The blind exercise on page 49 is mate in two. In the left row, Black has only one answer. In the right row you
have to find the mate for two black moves and you have to find it yourself.

In the blind games on page 50 White wins (different themes).

51+52 Test: mix D E

Tasks with different themes. They are indicated with the answers

53 Perpetual check ( or ) A
Can Black, after the moves below the board, give perpetual check? Indicate why or not.
In position 3, Black is to move and so the moves in the workbook below the board are wrong (and
nonsensical). Correct is:


1. ... Lf6+ 2. Pxf6+ Dxf6+

________________________
________________________
F  F 
54+55 Route planner: mate A B
See the reminder on page 12.

The blind exercises on these two pages are mate planners. Only White plays and he is not allowed to give
check at the first move. Workbook Step 2: pages 32-33 (there with diagram!).

56 Defending and refuting A

The move with the exclamation mark (!) must be the right move. The moves with the question mark (?)
must be refutations of the (more or less logical) wrong moves. Completely foolish moves are also wrong but
certainly not the intention.

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Defending against the pin

Defending against a pin is what you learned in step 3. In addition to the four ways of defending from
the first step (protecting, moving away, interposing and capturing), you also learned how to use the
counter-attack. A counter-attack is aimed at:
• the king
• material
• a mating square
 

White can pin the knight The pin of the knight after Black attacks the bishop with
with 1. Red1. Black must 1. ... Rc8 cannot be solved 1. ... f5. The black king has
now look for a target for the by a simple check. The few squares available and
front piece (knight) or the counterattack should now be that makes him vulnerable.
back piece ( rook). The white on material. White plays very cleverly 2.
king is an important target. The unprotected black queen Bd3 and threatens mate with
Black saves the back piece offers a solution. After 2. the front piece. Black has to
with 1. ... Rg8+. White must Qe3 Black has no time to defend himself against the
get out of check after which capture the knight and after mate on a6. After that White
Black can play away his 2. ... Qxe3 3. Nxe3 is also has time to exchange or
knight. safe for the white knight. move away his rook
 

After 1. ... Bxe6 the black After 1. ... Bxd5 White has Black attacks two pieces and
pieces are on the same file, has two possibilities to attack White has to save himself
ready to be pinned. White the pinned piece again. allowing a pin: 1. Rd1. Now
can pin the bishop with The unprotected knight on e2 Black has to watch out for a
a safe queen move to the turns out to be unfortunate back rank mate. That’s why
e-file. After 2. Qe3 the pin placed because on 2. c4 only 1. ... Bf4 wins a piece.
also works as a battery: 2. follows 2. ... Re8! and White The wrong way to attack
... Bxa2 +! That is precisely wins no material. Attacking the pinned piece is 1. ... Bc3
why 2. Qe2 is correct. Black the pinned piece with 2. Nf4 2. Tb1! The black bishop no
cannot win material with a does yield a piece. longer protects b8.
discovered attack.

6
Double attack

The double attack: you find two targets and attack them. You can make good use of pinned pieces. Of
course, sometimes there’s a defence and that’s nice when you’re on the wrong side of the board. Even
as an attacker you have to watch out for possible defences: don’t be seduced!
 

Double attack and pin Wrong solution Defending

Black sees no danger in Black threatens to take on A double attack does not
taking &e4. After 1. ... h3 because the g-pawn is always lead to material
Nxe4 the knight is a target pinned. Playing the king gains. Here both White’s
but White does not have a to f1 is a good move. pieces are unprotected. Black
second target. White looks White does not think about can easily attack the targets
better at the position and defending and attacks with 1. with 1. ... Qc3. Luckily for
sees the pin of Ze6. Thanks Nh4. Does the black queen White, the bishop can still
to this pin, there is a second have to go to h5? No, thanks help. The X-ray protection
target: 2. Bd5 and Black to the pin of the f-pawn with 2. Bb4 saves both
loses the knight. Black wins material with the pieces. Defending by moving
double attack 1. ... Qg3. away and protecting.
 

Counterattack Temptation Temptation

The pawn fork threatens Black has a vulnerable king Three white pieces are un­
both knights. For Black it and an unprotected knight on pro­tected. Yet black doesn’t
is lucky that the knight on d7. He is hoping for 1. Qg4+ just win material. The move
d3 is unprotected. A knight because he has seen 1. ... 1. ... Qe2 attacks the three
move to c5 prevents loss Qg6. The white queen is then targets. White can still
of material. Which knight pinned. manage with 2. Rd8+ Kh7
should move? Sure, after Unfortunately for Black, 3. Nd2. The correct double
1. . ... Ndc5 2. cxb7 the rook White has a second way to attack is 1. ... Qb3. White
on a8 is hanging. The other deliver the double attack: can save the rook with
knight move is correct: 1. 1. Qd5+ does win a piece. 2. Rd8+ but after 2. ... Kh7
... Nbc5 2. cxd7 Nxd3 or 2. he loses a piece anyway.
Nxc5 Nxc5.

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Threat and defence

The first move you think about looks strong: there are two threats. It’s important to calmly assess all
the threats before you start looking for the best defence. On pages 16-18 in the workbook you must
first write down both threats: a) + b). Find the move that solves the problems and doesn’t lose any
material. Write it down. On the pages 21-23 you don’t have to write down the threats, but you have to
do the same in your mind.
 

Black can win a pawn with Black would like to capture White sets up a battery with
1. ... Qxb7 2. axb7 Rxb7. Tc2. Unfortunately the 1. Qc6 and now threatens
Instead, Black wants to win bishop is pinned. Playing 2. Ne7+. Black can’t play
more material with 1. ... 1. ... Qg5 is to be considered. the queen away because
Qa4. Difficult for White be- The move threatens mate then the knight a4 will be
cause there is now a threat of on g2 and now the Tc2 is lost. Playing away the other
2. ... Rxb7 and 2. ... Dxd1+. hanging. Just play! Silly! target does help. After 1. ...
The D and T can’t help First see if there is a defence. Kh8 the discovered attack
each other. Because of the White captures an attacker: no longer works and after 2.
gain of time by 2. b3, the 2. Qxe4. Black can not take Qxa4 Black can win back
queen is not in danger yet. 2. ... Nxe4 3. Rc8+. the piece: 2. ... Qxd5.
 

Black sees a mating pattern After 1. Rd4, White In some positions, you have
on b2 and therefore wants to threatens to attack the pinned to calculate further than
play the rook. After 1. ... Re7 Xd5 again. The Yf1 is also one move. After 1. ... Rd1
Black threatens 2. . ... Re2 hanging. Black saves himself Black threatens not only to
and 2. ... Txe8. White can by 1. ... Be4+. After a king’s capture the Lb1 but also
defend himself in an original move, Black can exchange threatens mate on g1. White
way. By 2. Rd8, Black’s on d4 and then play Ng3. can defend himself with 2.
plan no longer works: 2. ... The bishop is taboo because Be3. Both after 2. ... Rxb1
Re2 3. Nd6+ and White will of 2. Rxe4 Nd2+ and Black 3. Bxb6 as after 2. ... Rxe3
exchange the knights. loses an exchange. Rxb1 4. Rxb3 White saves
himself.

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Trapping

Cooperation is not about getting in each other’s way. After an opponent’s move, check whether other
pieces still have sufficient mobility. Trapping is then a possibility.
In some exercises it is necessary to think a little further ahead.
 

White threatens Bxh6. Black The rook on e7 is active and The knight on e4 cannot
therefore decides to protect attacks the black pawns on play. Black can still protect­
h6 with 1. ... Rd6. A good the 7th rank. Black chases ing it with d5 or f5. He plays
defence against the threat but away the active rook with the unsuspectingly 1. ... 0‑0.
less good for the bishop on king. The rook must go back White answers 2. Bd5! and
c5. The rook is in the way because pawn b7 turns out thus prevents d5. Protecting
and the bishop has no more to be poisoned after 1. Rxb7 with f5 is no longer possible
squares. White wins a piece Bc8. The white rook no because pawn f7 is now
by trapping the bishop with longer has an escape square pinned. Black loses a piece.
2. b4. and that costs after 2. Rxb5
cxb5 the exchange.

 

The bishop on f3 is trapped. White threatens 1. Rfb1. The white knight has no
The escape square h5 is 1. Na4 is threat because the escape squares. Attacking
attacked twice. White tries queen saves herself with the knight with the bishop
to eliminate one of these 1. ... Qxd4. Now retreating is obvious. It doesn’t matter
attackers with 1. Bxf6. Now is wise 1. ... Qb6 but Black that White has a bishop on
1. ... exf3 2. Bxg7+ costs wants to make an escape e3. Black should only count
material. Taking back with 1. square on c3 with 1. ... cxd4. one move further: 1. ... Bb6
... Nxf6 is better. The bishop He didn’t count with 2. Na4! and 2. Bxb6 doesn’t help
on f3 still doesn’t have a The escape square d4 is now anymore because after 2. ...
good escape square. blocked by a black pawn. axb6 wins Black anyway on
the next move the knight.

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Pawn endings

All themes are known from Step 3 and 3 plus: the square of the pawn, key squares and the rook pawn.
  

White wants to transpose into After 1. ... Kxb7 the white After 1. ... f4 2. Ke2 Kf5
the pawn ending with 1. Rg6. king wants to a key square. Black takes on the next move
Black must play accurately. 1. 2. Kc3 Kc7 leads to a draw. on e3 with a draw. White can
... Kf7 2. Txg7+ Kxg7 3. Ke6 The road along the other side do better 2. Kd3! Capturing
loses. Right is 1. ... Rxg6 of the pawn is better: 2. Ke3 on e3 loses and after 2. ...
2. fxg6 Kg7. Kc6 3. Ke4. White wins. Kf5 3. e4+, White wins also.


After 1. ... cxb3 many chess White hopes for 1. d5 cxd5 with 1. Kc3 White wants to
players take back without 2. g4 Kxc4 3. g5 and the win both passed pawns. The
thinking with 2. Kxb3. Black black king cannot go to d5. fact that the Black pawns
then has 2. ... Kb7 with a Black has better: 1. ... c5 and cannot protect each other
draw. The simple 2. g4 wins White loses. White does win does not mean that they
for White. with 1. c5 dxc5 2. d5. cannot help each other: 1. ...
 a3 wins.

Black plays 1. ... h5 (other- White must keep the black The winning line is narrow:
wise 2. Kg6) and makes the king out of the corner. This 1. a4+ (2. Kb2 Kc4 and
g-pawn a useless rook pawn. can be done with 1. a3 (or 1. only the a pawns remain)
After 2. gxh5 Ke7 3. Kg6 Ka3) 1. Kc5 2. Ka4 Kxd5 3. 1. ... Kxa4 (2. ... Kc4 3. a5)
Kf8 Black achieves a draw. Kb5. 2. Kc2 on its way to the
d-pawn.
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Tactics: Right or wrong?

There’s an attractive move in the position. It’s up to you to find that move (the theme of the exercise
will help you on your way). Check whether the move is right (and yields material) or wrong (and costs
material due to a counterattack). In short: looking beyond your own trick is important.


Double attack Double attack The pin

The two targets on the f-file The double attack with 1. The white king and the
catch the eye. After 1. Rf4 Be5 seems wrong. The white knight are on the same
the Xf7 is even pinned. rook remains unprotected. diagonal. Black thinks he can
Another good look shows White thinks a little further benefit with 1. ... Bd4. White
that the pin can also work ahead and finds 1. ... Rxd2 looks closely at the position
the other way around: as 2. Bxf4+ and at the end of and sees that the bishop on
a battery! 1. ... Bg6+ and the line, White will be with a d4 is unprotected. He can
White even loses material. piece up. So you write: win a piece with the double
So you fill in: 1. Be5 wins a piece after 1. attack. 2. Qxd5+.
1. Rf4 because 1. ... Bg6+ ... Txd2 2. Lxf4+ The pin with 1. . ... Bd4 was
F      wrong.
 

The pin Eliminating the defence Eliminating the defence

White threatens to capture White wants to exchange with 1. ... Rxb2 Black
Xe2. Black doesn’t feel on f6 first and then win the eliminates the defender of
the need to play the bishop queen on d5. He has well Tc1. The trick works after
away, and rightly so. He can seen that 1. Bxf6 Qxd4 2. 2. Txb2 Txc1+. Also an
win material by pinning the Bxd4 wins a piece. attempt to first exchange the
knight on e3. After 1. ... Bc5 Still, Black has a better move rook on c1 does not help:
White protects the knight after 1. Bxf6. Capturing 2. Rxc7 Rxb3 and Black
with 2. Rxe2. The pinned is not mandatory. Instead, wins a piece. Eliminating
knight is not a good defender Black plays for mate: 1. ... the defender with 1. ... Rxb2
and White will be mated Re1+ 2. Kh2 Qh1#. was correct.
quickly after 2. ... Rd1+.

11
Route planner: mate

This is a new form of a route planner, which appears for the first time in Thinking Ahead Step 3.
Required: the right way to mate. The starting position and the last move are indicated. In many other
route planners only White plays, but now you must also find the black move. Black can only play
one move at the time and only two in total. This is a big help to find the solution. The mating move
in particular gives a lot of information. Logical thinking is required. Don’t give up too quickly if the
solution doesn’t come immediately. Some examples make things clearer.

1. _____ _____ 2. _____ _____ 3. Dg7#

The first position is easy. The mating move on g7 is only possible if
the king protects the queen. Therefore it seems logical that 1. Kg5 on
its way to h6 is logical. But Black plays 1. ... e5 and White should first
lift the stalemate. Clever is therefore 1. Ke5 and Black is obliged to
give up the protection of f6. After 1. ... e6 ( only move ) 2. Kf6, Black
has one move left. The rest is obvious 2. ... e5 3. Dg7#.

1. _____ _____ 2. _____ _____ 3. Tb4#

What do we learn from the mating move 3. Rb4#? White should
control the escape square a5. Furthermore, White cannot move with
the c-pawn because b4 must remain protected. The direct 1. Lc7 is
too enthusiastic because Black is stalemated. It also goes without
saying that the Black king may not escape via a6. So 1. Rb6 is logical
and good. After 1. ... Bc7 the bishop protects the rook and indirectly
square a5. The king must return to a4 and will be mated: 2. ... Ka4 3.
Tb4#.

1. _____ _____ 2. _____ _____ 3. Tf6#

In this position, the black king has more escape squares. First of all,
White must ensure that the Black king has only one move left. This
is only possible with 1. Nf7 (1. Re5 is stalemate). The knight gives
up square f5 but controls the squares e5 and g5. Black can only play
1. ... Kf5 and then 2. Re6 cuts off the king. He has to go back to f4
and then it’s done: 2. ... Kf4 3. Tf6+.

1. _____ _____ 2. _____ _____ 3. Td4#

The mating move immediately raises questions. How can the rook
safely give check on d4 without being captured? There is no time to
make the e-pawn disappear or to pin e-pawn (with the king on f4).
The only option that remains is a discovered check. This can be done
in a nice way: 1. Bc1 e6 2. Rd2. White sets up a battery and gives the
black king an escape square. Besides that, it avoids stalemate. 2. ...
Kf4 3. Td4#. It’s like magic.

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