What, really, is a chess combination? It is a maneuver generally employing surprise and a sacrifice, in which pieces work together to bring about a sudden advantage. It is perhaps the most aesthetically satisfying and successful technique in the game. Some players believe that the combination is a spontaneous creation with no guiding laws; the possibility springs up in the mind like a flash of genius. In this classic work, however, Znosko-Borovsky proves that combinations can be studied. He demonstrates conclusively that they need not be a haphazard occurrence, but may be prepared for as an...