Chess federation of Montenegro, as the organiser of European Youth Championship 2005 in Herceg Novi, gifted all the participants with the book written by FIDE coach and international chess master Slobodan Mirkovic - "Chess school".

In making that decision we followed the principle that it was better that young chess players, instead of a pencil, a badge or some other souvenir, take home the book which can help them in their chess development.

Impressions of the participants and their companions were more than favourable. Quality of the book proved to be on an enviable level and the book contained useful examples for all generations and all levels of knowledge of young chess players.

When at the beginning of this year Slobodan Mirkovic prepared the sequel of the book "Chess school" and offered establishment of cooperation with us, the Organizational Board of the tournament had no dilemma.

So now, as an edition specially prepared for this Championship and intended to all participants, there has come out "Chess school 2".

Introduction of chess in schools is definitely the noblest mission which can be carried out in a country. Many chess nations have come a long way in this project, some are preparing for it. In the milieu where this project has a chance of gaining ground, good manuals and books with quality games and chess tasks are ccrtainly needed. One should not forget that Slobodan Mirkovic is the author of the system for classification of chess combinations, which is accepted and recognized in chess world today.

For all the above mentioncd, with the book "Chess school 2" we wish all participants of European Youth Championship 2006 to make progress in chess as fast and quality as possible. If we have contributed in this regard we will be proud.

Tournament Director

Vladimir Sakotic

Member of the Board

European Chess Union

003 In lieu of a foreword

005 About the author

PART ONE

(Endings of Minor pieces)

009 How to play endings

010 Endings of Minor pieces

011 Mate with pair of bishops

014 Mate with knight and bishop

017 Two knights

018 A knight against a pawn

020 Bishop against a pawn

023 Knight and a pawn against knight

024 Bishop and pawn against bishop

026 Basic a draw positions

027 A knight and the pawns against a knight and pawns

031 Bishop and the pawns against the bishop and the pawn

035 Bishops of opposite color

042 Bishop against knight and pawn

043 Bishop and pawn against knight

045 Bishop and pawns against knight and pawns

054 Pairof bishops against a knight and a bishop

070 Pair of bishops against two knights

074 Pair of bishops against the pair of bishops

078 Two knights against two knights

PART TWO

(Miraculous world of combinations)

085 Theory of combinations brief summaiy

Combinations with sacrifice:

089 - a knight and pawn

101 - bishop and pawn

113 - rook and pawn

125 - queen and pawn

PART THREE

(Strategic motives)

137 Strategic motives

138 King attacks

143 Alekhine's battery

147 Spassky's cover

150 Petrosian's quality sacrifice

153 Kasparov's quality sacrifice

157 Reti's battery

161 Diagonal weakness

165 Bishop in the isolation

170 Rook in the isolation

175 Index of names

178 Contents