Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Razuvaev v Matulovic, Ljubljana 1973
Solution
1 Rd7! deflects the Q from defending f6. The main idea is 1…Qd7 2 Qf6+ Bg7[] 3 Bd4!!
Black played 1…Qb6 when 2 Qe5 hits the Qb6 (with the Bf2) and the Rb8 is lost.
FEN
1r1q1b1k/R4P1p/5np1/1p1P4/1PpQ4/2P5/5Bp1/6K1 w – – 0 40
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Grobovski v Stefanovic, correspondence 1973
Solution
The main idea is obvious, but making it work needs a (slight) bit of thinking.
1…Nc4! forces 2 Bb8 when 2…Qg5+! forces mate: 3 Bf4 (or 3 Qf4) 3…Rb1+! drags the King to b1, when 4….Qb5+ and 5…Qb2 mates.
Update: from one of my readers
One of my readers (see comment below) has pointed out 2Rd8+ is a better defence, and indeed it is. As James says, it avoids mate, but after 2…Rd8 3Qg4 Na3! 4 Bd6[] Rb1+ 5 Kd2 Rd6+ 6 Ke2 Rh1 we reach the position below.
White doesn’t have a perpetual, and also can’t fork or trap the Na3, so Black will regroup and win.
FEN
1r4k1/4pp2/p2n2pp/1r5P/5Bq1/2P2Q2/P1P3P1/2KR3R b – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Gevorgian v Majorov, Ismail 1973
Solution
This is presumably ‘theory’ from the Two Knights Defence gone wrong (for White). 1… Ne3! and the house collapses. 2 Bb3 Ng2+ 3 Kf1[] Qh3 etc.
FEN
r3kb1r/ppp2Npp/8/3np3/2Bn2bq/2NP4/PPPQ1PPP/R1B1K2R b KQkq – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Andersson v Hartston, Hastings 1972/73
Solution
1…Bh3+! and if 2 Kh3, 2…Qf1 mate.
FEN
8/1pQ2pk1/q3bn1p/p3p1p1/1P2P3/P1P1BPP1/2B3KP/8 b – – 0 36
Update
When I wrote this posting, I was puzzled since the position wasn’t quite as I had recollected from childhood. In end August 2017, Chess Today published the puzzle on Bill Hartston’s birthday; then, issue CT6131, Ken Neat wrote in to say the diagram is wrong. The finish was more spectacular.
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Ruponen v Immonen, Helsinki 1972
Solution
1…Ne4+! and after 2 Nh4, 2…Bf2+ 3 Ke2[] Bc4.
Fairly standard today
FEN
r4rk1/ppp2ppp/2npb3/2b5/2P1P2q/P1N2Pn1/1P4NP/R1BQKB1R b KQ – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Platz v Just, DDR 1972
Solution
FEN
2r1qrk1/3n3p/b3pPp1/4P3/1pp1nBN1/pP4PQ/P1P2PK1/3RR3 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Müller v Pichler, Umag 1972
Solution
FEN
2r2bk1/1b2R1pp/pq2rp2/n3pN2/1pp1P1N1/2P2Q1P/PPB2PP1/4R1K1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Kurajica v Planinc, Umag 1972
Solution
White threatens Rc7+ Ka6[] 2 Ra7 mate, so either 1…Re3, or the more forcing 1….Nf3+. After the latter, 2 Kf1 Rd1+ 3 Ke2 Ng1 mate is one line.
FEN
2R5/pk2b1Qr/8/3qP2p/P4p1n/3rB3/1P3PP1/2R3K1 b – – 0 37
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Reiner v Kuatle, Groningen 1972.
Solution
1…Rb5! (examine all biffs) and after 2Rb5, 2…Nf3 sets up mate on h2. Black tuck his King away on h5 to avoid White’s Spire checks.
FEN
7k/8/7p/1r1N2p1/1P5n/8/3R1r1P/3R3K b – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Debbia v Comuzzi, Reggio Emilia, 1972
Solution
1 Nf5 exploits the pin on the g-file. 1…Re8[] defends e7, but 2 Rd8! exploits the Re8 being tied to e7. Mate next move.
FEN
r5kr/pp2ppNp/5npB/8/8/5n2/P1P4P/3R2RK w – – 0 1
allanbeardsworth 