allanbeardsworth

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

Black to play and mate White

Larsen E v Erlandsson, correspondence 1966

Solution

Pretty: 1..Qh3!

FEN

r4r2/ppp1k1pp/1b1p4/4p3/BP2Pnbq/2P5/PB1P1PPP/RN2QRK1 b – – 0 1

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

Black to play and mate White

Pokern v Huebner, Bamberg 1965

Solution

I chose the prosaic 1…Ng4, which Komodo says is -10, but Huebner played the even stronger, and far prettier, 1…Qh3, which forced resignation, but is mate in 6 (per Komodo).

Shades of Rotlewi-Rubinstein.

FEN

5rk1/pb3pbp/3P1np1/4P3/1pQ2P2/4q3/P3N1BP/RR5K b – – 0 25

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

White to play and win

Pelitov v Zonov, Bugarska 1966

Solution

Which opening? I presume this was from the Alekhin’s four pawns attack: I wonder if I am right, but the “shape” makes this my guess.

Anyway, either the prosaic 1 Rf3 or prettier 1Bg6! wins: after the latter, played in the game, 1…Qf1+ and 2…Bg6, and White wins slowly but probably surely. (Though if I were playing Carlsen, I wouldn’t be convinced I could beat him as White from here).

Not the best of puzzles today.

FEN

3r3k/ppp2Bpp/1nn1p3/8/2PP3Q/2NqB3/PPb3PP/5RK1 w – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Minic v Kurajica, Batumi 1966

Solution

A nice puzzle: 1  Nh7+ is obvious, and Black as two moves.

1…Ke8 2 Nf6+ Kf8[[ 3 g6!!

and

1…Kg8 2 g6!!

which I think is a pretty and efficient use of a very few pieces: mate or promotion of the h pawn follows.

FEN

2r2k2/3R1p1p/5N1P/p4pP1/1p6/4p3/1PP5/1K6 w – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Marmagen v Cane, correspondence 1966

Solution

1 Qg6+! is clearly the move, though 1 Nh5 is simpler and winning. But after 1.Qg6+. if the Q is captured, 1…Kg6, then 2 Ne5++  Kf6[]

I found the longer mate, 3 Bg5+ which brings the K forward, but in this correpondence game White found the quicker 3 Rf2+! Ke7 (3…Ke5 4 Rf5 mate) 4 Nc6+! Qc6 5 Bg5 mate.

FEN

r3r3/2qn1Qbk/b2p2pp/1npP4/1p6/3NB1NP/1P1R2P1/1B2R1K1 w – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Peretz v Srepanz, Tel Aviv 1966

Solution

A nice exploitation: 1 Qd6! threatens 2 Ra7+ and 3 Qb8 mate, so 1..Bd7, but that interferes with the Qf7’s sight of a7, so a double rook sacrifice followed by Qa3+ and Qa6 mate.

FEN

k1b1r3/pr3qpp/1p2p3/1P2B3/R1pP4/Q4P2/2P3PP/R5K1 w – – 0 31

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

White to play and mate Black

Uggmark v Backman, correspondence, Sweden 1966

Solution

1 Qg6! has to be the move, threatening 2Nf6 or 2 Bf5. Then 1…hg 2 hg Bh4 3 Bg5! Bg5 4 Bf5+ Bh6 5 Rh6+! gh[] 6 g7mate is the prettiest line. Though 3 Bd7 or 3 Bf5 are just as good.

If 1…Bd5 2 ed Rc8 then 3Bf5+-

Komodo spoils things by saying 1 Bf5 is even stronger, though only in the sense +5 compared to +4.

FEN

3q3k/1r3Ppp/2rp1b2/p1nNp2P/Ppb1P3/4BP1B/1PP3Q1/1K4RR w – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Fischer v Benko, New York 1963

Solution

A famous position: one of the most famous positions, I suspect.

1 Rf6!, and so on. See also my previous posting, from a previous puzzle series.

FEN

r3qr1k/pp3pbp/2pn4/7Q/3pP3/2NB3P/PPP3P1/R4RK1 w – – 0 19

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

Black to play and mate White

Kurtesch v Flesch, Budapest 1966

Solution

1…Rd1+! forces 2 Rd1, when 2…Nc2 is mate.

FEN

r2r2k1/5ppp/1p2b3/pP2Q1q1/2P1P3/P3n3/1B2P1PP/2R1KB1R b K – 0 23

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

White to play and mate Black

Minic v Honfi, Vrnjacka Banja 1966

Solution

1 Qa7! exploits the back rank mate, in Torre-Adams fashion. 1-0.

FEN

r2r2k1/2q2ppp/8/pp1RP3/8/1pP1Q3/1P3PPP/3R2K1 w – – 0 23