PogChamps 3 Chess Puzzles: Day 8
Tactics made all the difference on the eighth day of PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6. Commentator WFM Alexandra Botez pointed out that Tubbo had been grinding in puzzles, and it showed. MoistCr1tikal's coach GM Daniel Naroditsky said that Charlie's lack of puzzle training was his ruin.
All in all, there's one critical lesson you should take: practice tactics as much as you can. Do it every day, and you'll see tremendous improvement!
Tubbo vs. Michelle Khare
Tubbo impressed viewers in his first PogChamps match victory. Michelle seemed to have the upper hand after the opening in both games, but Tubbo caught up to her.
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Michelle to play
Game 1, Puzzle 2 - Michelle to play
Game 1, Puzzle 3 - Tubbo to play
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - Tubbo to play
CodeMiko vs. MrBeast
The match between CodeMiko and MrBeast featured the most inexperienced players in the tournament. However, MrBeast did say he played a lot with his friends, which certainly helped him win. The ignored hanging pieces and missed tactics show us that beginners can really benefit from tactical training.
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - CodeMiko to play
Game 2, Puzzle 2 - MrBeast to play
MoistCr1tikal vs. Ludwig
In one of the best matches in PogChamps 3 so far, the encounter between PogChamps veterans, MoistCr1tikal and Ludwig, came down to nerves and puzzles. Ludwig lost the first game but turned the table after trapping Cr1tikal's knight in game two and winning his queen in the tiebreaks.
Game 1, Puzzle 1 - Ludwig to play
Game 2, Puzzle 1 - Ludwig to play
This is a common trap on the Alapin Sicilian. Can you see the move Ludwig played?
Game 2, Puzzle 2 - MoistCr1tikal to play
Trading when you're ahead in material is a good idea. However, don't try to do it without thinking every move through or you might blunder like Ludwig did. Fortunately for him, Charlie missed the following tactic:
Game 2, Puzzle 3 - Ludwig to play
Game 3, Puzzle 1 - Ludwig to play
Ludwig found this amazing combination!
If you want check out what happened during the eighth day of PogChamps 3, you can read Chess.com's report here. For more information on PogChamps, read this guide. Also, make sure to tune into Chess.com's daily coverage of PogChamps 3 presented by GRIP6 on Chess.com/tv.
Could you find the right moves in each of these positions? How difficult was it for you to find them? Leave a comment below to let us know!
During PogChamps 3, Chess.com will match up to $100,000 in donations to the participants’ preferred non-profit organizations. Please read this article to see how PogChamps is supporting charities and how you can help, too!
Other PogChamps 3 puzzles:
Pedro Pinhata is the Writing Lead for Chess.com. He writes articles, feature announcements, event pages, and more. He has been playing chess since 2019 and lives in Brazil.
