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Biggest Blunders in Classical (May 2025)

#3

The article includes a link to the study – here it is:

https://lichess.org/study/R8FYzaYH/VAz8JYeu

The article includes a link to the study – here it is: https://lichess.org/study/R8FYzaYH/VAz8JYeu
#4

Oh my god these are hard...

#10 I honestly have no idea. Of course White will recaprute after gxh4, but I don't see how to progress after Kf5. My best guess is to somehow overload the bishop with defending d5 square, and c6 and h5 pushes.

#9 Rxe5 Bxe5 g4! If that's correct, it's a nasty mating net.

#8 Well what I see is after g3, Nh5 and Ng6 both drop a piece after Bxe6 -> (Rxe6 if needed too) h4, and the queen can't protect the knight. only problem being Nxh3+, so maybe starting with h4? and then g3? So the knight is trapped

#7 My first thoughts, hmm e4 looks good, and the post says "What is wrong with e4?". Is it by chance Nxe4 Nxe4 cxd5? with Qa5+ if the knight moves? I have no idea what else could work.

Ng5 while promising, seems to fail to Qe5

Nb3 after Qe7 doesn't promise that much

#6 Isn't Be4 winning on the spot? Threats are Bxh7 and Qxf2 -> Qf1 -> Rf2.

After Bd1 is it Rxe6? with Rxc6 or Re3 next

#5 Rg5+ -> Rxd5 and the rook is hanging

#4 Nd5+ -> Re7+

#3 Qxc5 bxc5 f5 looks deadly with f6 g7 to come, and White's bishop being able to monitor the white promotion square.

#2 Rb7 I think, forces out f6, and after Rf7 its gg

#1 f2

Some of them were pretty easy, some very hard, if I had to rank them from easiest, I'd go #1, #4, #5, #3, #6, #2, #9, #8 (I'm not sure if I'm right), #7 (I'm very not sure if I'm right), #10 (I didn't solve, just a guess)

Oh my god these are hard... #10 I honestly have no idea. Of course White will recaprute after gxh4, but I don't see how to progress after Kf5. My best guess is to somehow overload the bishop with defending d5 square, and c6 and h5 pushes. #9 Rxe5 Bxe5 g4! If that's correct, it's a nasty mating net. #8 Well what I see is after g3, Nh5 and Ng6 both drop a piece after Bxe6 -> (Rxe6 if needed too) h4, and the queen can't protect the knight. only problem being Nxh3+, so maybe starting with h4? and then g3? So the knight is trapped #7 My first thoughts, hmm e4 looks good, and the post says "What is wrong with e4?". Is it by chance Nxe4 Nxe4 cxd5? with Qa5+ if the knight moves? I have no idea what else could work. Ng5 while promising, seems to fail to Qe5 Nb3 after Qe7 doesn't promise that much #6 Isn't Be4 winning on the spot? Threats are Bxh7 and Qxf2 -> Qf1 -> Rf2. After Bd1 is it Rxe6? with Rxc6 or Re3 next #5 Rg5+ -> Rxd5 and the rook is hanging #4 Nd5+ -> Re7+ #3 Qxc5 bxc5 f5 looks deadly with f6 g7 to come, and White's bishop being able to monitor the white promotion square. #2 Rb7 I think, forces out f6, and after Rf7 its gg #1 f2 Some of them were pretty easy, some very hard, if I had to rank them from easiest, I'd go #1, #4, #5, #3, #6, #2, #9, #8 (I'm not sure if I'm right), #7 (I'm very not sure if I'm right), #10 (I didn't solve, just a guess)
#5

#10 You're absolutely right that after Kf5 it's still not easy and some precision is needed. However, Black shouldn't even consider capturing on h4 in principle, since at that moment he allows White to create two passed pawns that are far enough apart. On top of that, the h8-square is the same color as the bishop. As for the line after Kf5, the problem is the pawn on f6 — the black king can't make any real progress, whereas White will slowly maneuver his king to the queenside to support the c-pawn. The moment Black plays something like Kg6–f5, White will be ready with Bc3–Be1, and in the meantime, white king will finish his job.

#8 Yes, after the immediate g3, the problem is that Black captures on h3 and then manages to keep the knight there. The correct move order is h4 followed by g3, when after Nh3+ Kh2 Qg4, White has important blow Rxe6!

#6 Be4 is losing — try to go deeper in the line you mentioned.

Apart from that, your other solutions are all correct. Good job! :)

#10 You're absolutely right that after Kf5 it's still not easy and some precision is needed. However, Black shouldn't even consider capturing on h4 in principle, since at that moment he allows White to create two passed pawns that are far enough apart. On top of that, the h8-square is the same color as the bishop. As for the line after Kf5, the problem is the pawn on f6 — the black king can't make any real progress, whereas White will slowly maneuver his king to the queenside to support the c-pawn. The moment Black plays something like Kg6–f5, White will be ready with Bc3–Be1, and in the meantime, white king will finish his job. #8 Yes, after the immediate g3, the problem is that Black captures on h3 and then manages to keep the knight there. The correct move order is h4 followed by g3, when after Nh3+ Kh2 Qg4, White has important blow Rxe6! #6 Be4 is losing — try to go deeper in the line you mentioned. Apart from that, your other solutions are all correct. Good job! :)