It is enjoyable to make things visible which are invisible. ~ Eric Cantona

T oday's newsletter was guest written by Life Master Joel Johnson, and features a beautiful example of the "Invisible Defender Tactic". Joel's 2nd book "Formation Attack Strategies" was released in June 2012, and is highly recommended. Thanks Joel! One quick little side note from Tim... I love this tactic Joel sent me, because this position also comes from one of my favorite chess tournaments, the Reno Western States Open, and involved one of my favorite chess players, Emory Tate. I once met Emory Tate at a bar in San Diego, and had a really pleasant conversation with him. Tate was playing in the US Championship at the time, and I was in San Diego for work with Raytheon. I recognized some of the chess players, who were also enjoying some adult beverages. They were all shocked that someone actually knew them!

Thanks again Joel for sending this tactic to me, to share with my newsletter readers! Take it away... In the position on the right it is White to move. Answer below. What is an Invisible Defender? It is a piece that defends another piece indirectly. Or another way to look at it is you can move your piece to a square that looks unprotected, however if your opponent decides to capture it you will either win material or checkmate. Thus the piece looks undefended but in reality there is an Invisible Defender.

When attempting this tactic you MUST be sure to have a solid threat or plan. Putting a piece on a square because you hope your opponent will take it is not a good idea. You will be just setting yourself up for a bad fall.



The critical concepts with Invisible Defender tactics are:



1) Invisible Defenders enable your pieces to navigate onto seemingly undefended squares, carrying your attack into enemy territory; and



2) Invisible Defenders can be utilized to drag your opponent's pieces onto "bad" squares or away from key squares.

Here is the complete game: [Event "Western States Open"]

[Site "Reno, NV"]

[Date "2001.10.20"]

[Round "4"]

[White "Yermolinsky, Alex"]

[Black "Tate, Emory A"]

[Result "1-0"]

[ECO "A43"]

[WhiteElo "2634"]

[BlackElo "2425"]

[PlyCount "17"]

[EventDate "2001.10.20"]



1. d4 c5 2. d5 e6 3. Nc3 exd5 4. Nxd5 Ne7 5. Bg5 h6 6. Bh4 Qa5+ 7. c3 Nf5 8.

Qa4 Qxa4 9. Nc7# 1-0



You can play through this game here: http://tacticstime.com/?page_id=3299 Answer: 8. Qa4!! White checkmates Black as in the game or loses his Queen if he prevents the checkmate with say 8. ...Nxh4.

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend, Joel

Life Master Joel Johnson

2007 U.S. Senior Champion

Author of "Formation Attacks" and "Formation Attack Strategies" P.S. You can check out Formation Attack Strategies here: You can check out Formation Attack Strategies here: http://www.lulu.com/shop/joel-johnson/formation-attack-strategies/paperback/product-20166609.html





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