One of the most important lessons you can learn in chess is to see indirect threats. In this position, the lineup of the B on b7 and the Q on d5 against the K on g2 is an indirect threat. How can you make it a direct threat and an eventual mate?

This brilliant finish was from the game Popov-Riumin, Moscow, 1929 1...Rxf3 2.Bxf3 2.Bxc4 bxc4 3.Kg1 Nxb4 4.axb4 Rxg3+ 5.Kf1 Qh1+ 6.Ke2 Bf3# 2...Qxf3+ 3.Kxf3 Nxd4+ 4.Kg4 Bc8+ 5.Kh4 Nf3# You can’t ask for much more than this from a chess position continuation: rook sacrifice, queen sacrifice, double check, backwards moving bishop check and final mate with a knight.

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