Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Stalfinga v Grahn, Esbjerg 1974
Solution
Fairly standard today, with the Qf3 sacrifice begging to be played, the main thought being needed as to whether to take on e7 first. A moment’s thought shows it is, so 1…Re7! 2 Qe7[] Qf3!
Black threatens Qf2+ Ng3+ Qg2 mate, which beats most defences: except 3 Re4 which just leaves Black material up, or 3 gf Rg8+ 4 Kf1 Ba6+! 5 Re2 Nd2+ 6 Ke1[] Nf3+ 7 Kd1 Rg1+ 8 Re1 Re1 mate.
FEN
1k2r2r/1bpQN2p/1p6/P3p2q/4np2/2P2N2/2P2PPP/R3R1K1 b – – 0 1
A break from my daily posting from Matni Udae, to show a puzzle which is similar in motif to one of the fairly recent puzzles from the book.
White to play and win
Cuhendi v Csiki, 36th Zalakaros Open, 18/5/17
game seen in Chess Today 6037
Solution
For those who remember puzzle 360, the solution should be fairly easy. 1 Rd8! Qc4 2 Ne7+! Ne7
3 Rf8+ Kf8[] 4 Rd8 mate.
Very nice.
FEN
3r1rk1/p4ppp/1pn1q1b1/2pRbNP1/2Q1PB2/2P5/PP4BP/3R2K1 w – – 0 26
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Klee v Hess, Bad Salzingen 1974
Solution
Not too hard, and there are two ways to win: the move I chose, 1 Qf7+, which Komodo prefers too, and 1 Rh7, as played in the game. Both have the same aim of mating on the h-file.
The game was 1 Rh7 Qe6 2 Be6 Kh7 3 Bf7 1-0 due to 4 Rh1 mating.
FEN
3br1k1/5r1p/2qpQPp1/p1p1p1P1/1pP1P1B1/2nPB1K1/P4R2/7R w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Stanchev v Kostakiev, Bugarska 1974
Solution
Firstly, no prizes needed, I think, for guessing the opening. I’ll lay very high odds it was a French Winawer Qg4 variation!
Secondly, not many prizes for choosing a winning move: many moves win: but
(i) the game continuation was 1…Ne5, 2 Re5 Rd3+! 3 cd Ba4+ and mate;
(ii) I chose 1…Nd4, also with the intention of 2..Rd3 and a similar mate;
(iii) Komodo 10 prefers the startling 1…Nb4!! which is mate in 7 rather than at least mate in 10.
(iv) Komodo’s second choice is 1…Rd3+ which is mate in 10 and is also the prettiest. 2 cd Nd4!! leaving the Qf2 en prise.
3 Rf2 Ba4+ 4 Rc2[] Bc2 would be a fitting finale.
FEN
2k5/pp1bnQ2/2n1p3/3pPP2/6P1/P1pB3r/R1P2q1P/2BKR3 b – – 0 1
Yesterday’s puzzle intrigued me: how much before the problem position did Ljubo see the combination?
So, I had a look at the game, which is in Megabase 2017. Ljubo’s combination is far deeper, and today’s problem is:
What would you play as White in the position below?
Ljubojevic v Durao, Nice 1974
Solution
I would probably have played 1 Re4, and wouldn’t have dreamt of playing 1 Rf5 which Ljubo played. (Shame on me: as an acolyte of CJS Purdy I should always remember to examine all biffs)
In fact, Komodo prefers 1 Re4 fe
and then amazingly not the move I would automatically play, 2 Qe4, when the advantage swings to Black (by 2…0-0-0) but 2 Qe3 which keeps the Black king in the centre.
After 1 Rf5, Komodo gives the position as equal: 1…Qf5[] 2 Re4 and now 2…Rf8=, whereas 2…0-0-0? as played swings the evaluation by +9.
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Ljubojevic v Duran, Malaga 1974
Solution
An enjoyable position, and one which took me more than a few moments to find, but when I did, the solution made me smile.
1 Bb5! is an unusual motif.
The B defends f1, which is very helpful, whilst threatening 2 Ba6 mate. So 1…Rf8 can be met by 2 Ba6+ Kd8[] 3 Bd6, and there is no back rank mate because the Bb5 looks at f1, and the Qa7 at g1.
The nice point about the solution is that 1…cb is met by 2 Qa6+ K-moves 3 Bd6 mate. Very pretty.
FEN
2kr3r/Q2b2pp/2pb4/4pq2/B3R3/BPP5/P5PP/7K w – – 0 25
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Plachetka v Zinn, Decin 1974
Solution
Not too hard today, because the solution is a familiar pattern.
1 Qh5 and if 1…Nf6 2 Ng4, a point being 2…Nh5 3 Nh6 mate. So 2…gh 3 Nf6+
3…Kh8 4 Rh5 h6 5 Nd5+ is convincing enough. Black has other defences, most of which end in mate.
If 1…gh, then 2 Rg3+ and 3 Nf7++ mate.
FEN
r1b2rk1/p1qn1p1p/2pbp1p1/2ppN3/5P2/1P2P2R/PBPP2PP/RN1Q2K1 w – – 0 12
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Ljubojevic v Padevski, Nice 1974
Solution
Not too hard, but pretty. Check, check, check and attack, and game over: 1 Nf6+! Bf6[] 2 Qf7+ Bg7[] 3 Ng5+ hg[] 4 h6 and mate can’t be prevented.
FEN
r1q4r/1bp2pbk/1pn4p/3Np1pP/p1Q1P3/P1P2NB1/1P3PP1/3RK2R w K – 0 23
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Marjazin v Bortnikov, Liepaja 1974
Solution
Oh, woe is me, since I totally failed to solve this puzzle, and, once I saw the solution, it was “easy”.
Or is it? I wonder how many of my readers solved the puzzle quickly, or how many struggled like me, and how many couldn’t solve it? Any comments would be appreciated.
Once I looked at the solution, I immediately felt I should have been able to solve it, either by “brute force” of looking at every move, or by CJS Purdy’s mantra “examine all biffs”.
However, there was a better way to solve it, again down to CJS Purdy. His poem, from his book Fine Art, vol 2:
Some things are hooey,
and most others lies;
But forks you mustn’t miss,
nor pins, nets, ties.
With this clue, noting the word emboldened in red, hopefully my readers can do what I failed to do: solve the puzzle.
(Note, the “solution” is not the prosaic 1 Qc7+ Ke8[]2 Nf6+ and 3 Bf4, which wins slowly and surely, but something more forceful)
(Further note: I found 1 Bd3, which is +- (Komodo says +3), one line being 1.. Nd6 2 Bf6+ Ke8 4 Rh1, which again is good enough for any practical game (I could win the position against the “Minister of Defence”, Karjakin, I feel) but again, there is something “better”.
FEN
r1bk3r/pp1p4/3Qpp2/3N1nB1/8/8/PPP2KPP/R4B1q w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Oliveria v Pereira, Portugal 1974
Solution
To see all the sequence in a game would be a feat (for me) but 1..Ne4+! is obvious for a puzzle, and the lines aren’t too hard. 2 Ke3 Qg5+ is the start. White has various defences, all met in similar fashion, the Q, R and B combining to mate. I’ll leave it to my readers to work through some of White’s defences to see they can each be overcome (as I say, by check, check, check…until mate).
FEN
r2q2k1/p4ppp/2p2n2/8/6b1/3Pr3/PPQK2PP/RN3B1R b – – 0 1
allanbeardsworth 