allanbeardsworth

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Paar v Whitecroft, Netherlands, 1968

Solution

Not too hard: the LPDO Qa4 and the jump-biff Qd7-a4 in the puzzle position provide the rationale for 1 Rh5; so that 1…Qd7 is met by 2 Ng5+ and 3 Rh6 mate.

FEN

r5r1/pp1Q1Nbk/6pp/1R6/q7/Pn4P1/1B3P1P/6K1 w – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Zilberstein v Dementjev, Groznij 1968

Solution

FEN

3r1rk1/2n1Qp1p/1q2p1pP/p3P3/1ppp2N1/3P2P1/PP3Pb1/R3R1K1 w – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Nyman v Hale, correspondence 1968

Solution

In a sense, a one mover: 1 Re7! disrupts Black’s coordination, so that on either capture, it is mate on f8 or h7. So all that needs to me done is check that Black’s checks are mere spite checks, which is all they are.

FEN

4nr1k/2qr3p/p2b1p1Q/1p6/2p3R1/P7/1PB1RP2/6K1 w – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

Black to play and mate White

Driksna v Strautins, corres 1967/68

Solution

FEN

8/3r1pk1/1Q4pp/1pp2q2/2Bn1Pb1/2P5/PP1R2PP/2KR4 b – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Karasev v Klaman, Leningrad 1967

Solution

FEN

5r1k/1p2qp1p/p4R1Q/P1p5/2Prp3/7P/1P4P1/5R1K w – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Rossolimo v Riceman, Puerto Rico 1967

Solution

FEN

b1r2r1k/p1q2ppp/Pp2nN2/3pN3/3P2Q1/R7/1P3PPP/4R1K1 w – –

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Medina Garcia v Slisser, Amsterdam 1967

Solution

1 Be8! is a double attack: discovering on g7. 1..Rg8. And any of 2 Bf7, 2 Bc6, 2 Be7 decide the game.

FEN

3q1r1k/4n1b1/2n1p1Bp/prBpPp2/2pP1P1N/6QP/1PP3RK/R7 w – – 0 35

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

O’Kelly v Cornelis, Brussels 1967

Solution

A nice puzzle: 1 Ne7+ and if 1…Kh8, 2 Rh4! is nice; but

1…Kf8 2 Qc5! Qb6 (say)

and 3 Nc8+! (3 Rd8+ also wins, but not prettily) Qc5 4 Rd8 mate.

A nice echo on Bronstein’s finish in puzzle number 314.

FEN

1r1r2k1/5pp1/7q/p2N3Q/2pR4/4P3/nP3PPP/5RK1 w – – 0 1

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

White to play and mate Black

Navarovsky v Sebestjen, 1967

Solution

I messed this one up, thinking that 1 Nc4 Qd8 2 Nb6 won- the idea being 2..Qb6 3 Rh7+!; but 2..Bf4 refutes it.

Instead, same idea of infiltating, but 1 Rc6! as played, or 1 Nf5+!! per Komodo, followed by Rc6, infiltrate on e7, and are followed by mate or decisive material gain.

I haven’t really been able to fathom why 1 Nf5+!! is so superior, in engine assessment terms, to 1 Rc6. The difference is too subtle for me.

FEN

rb3r2/1p1b2kp/pqnNp1p1/3p1p2/3P1N2/Q3P1P1/PP2KPP1/1BR4R w – – 0 1

Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.

Black to play and mate White

Koskinen v Kasanen, Helsinki 1967

Solution

Very enjoyable: finding the order of moves to deliver mate was tricky, but I eventually found the path.

1..Qb4+!! 2 Bb4[] Rd2!! The star move.

In problem-solving terms, this move is bound to have a term: any of White’s captures causes a different mate.  (Update: thanks to GM Luke McShane: it is a Novotny <meta http-equiv=’Refresh’ content=’0; URL=”https://mail.aol.com/webmail-std/error?code=ERR14&chm=true&ssm=true”‘/>Oops! It appears that JavaScript has been disabled in your browser, and this application’s great experience relies on JavaScript to function properly.

Say 3 Qd2 Nc2+!! 4 Qc2[] ab mate.

FEN

kr1r4/7p/2bqp1p1/p7/1Pp1PP1P/K1B1nNPB/PP5R/RN2Q3 b – – 0 1