Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Grunspan v Kaminski, Poznan 1961
Solution
Not too hard, because there aren’t too many ways White could prosecute an attack. 1 e6! is the natural move; 1…fe?? is clearly bad, 2 Rg7+ etc; so the only sensible move is 1…Ne6, when 2 Qe6! is the point of the combination.
Then, White is at least a piece up.
If the Q is captured, 3 Rg7+ and 4 Ng6 mate.
FEN
q4rk1/2nR1pp1/n6p/2p1PQ2/p1P2P1N/Pr2PN2/5K1P/B7 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Doda v Titkos, Madarska 1961
Solution
A very pretty puzzle today.
How to mate on the h-file? The answer is to start with a nice deflection:
1 Re7!! Qe7[] 2 Qb2+ Qg7[]
3 Rh7+! Kh7[] 4 Qh3+ and 5 Qh6mate.
FEN
1rb2r1k/1n4qp/p2p2p1/2pB2P1/2P2P2/8/P2Q3R/3NR1K1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Dragunov v Odrukovski, 1961
Solution
Not too hard, since h7 is the weak point in Black’s kingside, and the Qa5 is LPDO, so 1 Qh5 threatens a very nasty discovered check: 1-0.
FEN
r1b1rbk1/pp1n1ppp/5p2/q4N2/1p1P4/2PB1Q2/P4PPP/R1B2RK1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Reichman v Ulrich, Berlin 1961
Solution
I found today’s puzzle hard to visualise, and indeed, didn’t find the beautiful win in the main line.
The first move is easy: 1…Nf3+ is the only reasonable check. My engine tells me it is the only move not to lose, too.
So, 1…Nf3+[]
White has three K moves.
2 Kd1 Ng1+
3 Ke1 Qd1+!!
The move I missed.
4 Kd1[] Rf1+ 5 Qe1[] Nf2 mate.
Very pretty.
If instead 2 Ke2, then 2…Ng1+ is the same after 3 Ke1; or if 3 Kd3 Nc5+ 4 Kc3 Ne2+!
5 Qe2[] Qd4 mate.
Finally, 2 Kf1 Nh4+ (or 2…Ng3+ is the more human move) 3 Kg1 (3 Ke1 Ng2 mate)
3…Rf1+!!
4 Kf1 (4 Kh2 Rh1+ and 5…Qh3+ 0-1) Qd1+ 6 Qe1[] Qf3+ 0-1
FEN
2k2r1N/ppp3p1/8/3Pp3/3nn1q1/N3Q1PP/PPPP4/R1B1K2R b KQ – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Solution
White’s King is in a net, and the question is, how to “get to him”? The Nf4 prevents Be6 mate; i.e. the N is tied to defending e6.
So 1….Rd3! and if 2 Nd3, 2…Be6 mate.
What I failed to see is how to beat 2 Rc1: I assumed 2…Ra3 “and wins” but 2….Na3mate is better!
FEN
3r2k1/1p4pp/2p5/pnP2b2/2K2N1P/P4P2/5BP1/7R b – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Muller v unknown, 1961
Solution
You know the score: how to land a blow on g8 or f7?
The obvious moves fail, but when you see 1 Qf7!!, it is immediately clear it is game over: though Black has many defences, and each need to be worked through.
The non obvious point is “what does Qf7 threaten”? The reason I saw it was that the Rf8 is tied to the 8th rank (g8), but Q*f8 isn’t protected. The move 1 Qf7 actually threatens 2 Qd7, the Rd7 being LPDO; whilst also threatening the much more severe 2 Rg8+ or 2Qg8+.
So, the main point is 1…Rdf7 2 Rg8! Rg8[] 3 Nf7 mate.
Black’s other main try is 1…Qg3 when simply 2 Qd7, taking the LPDO, is 1-0: Black’s Bb7 is also LPDO and falls, since Black’s Queen must defend g7.
This puzzle is a good example of the importance of LPDOs: had the Bb7 been protected, the combination wouldn’t work.
FEN
5r1k/pb1r3n/1p5N/2p1qN1Q/4p3/1P4R1/1P4P1/5RK1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and win
Matanovic v Olafsson, Bled Olympiad 1961
Solution
Pretty, today, and somehow the tactics “all work” for White.
1 Rd8!!
If 1…Bd2 then 2 Rf8+ Kf8[] 3 Bd6+
and the cute point is that after 3…Ke8[], 4 Rf8+ is mate, since the Bg4 looks at d7.
In the game, Fridrik Olafsson played 1…Nd3, losing a piece after the exchange 2 Rf8+ Qf8 3 Qd3, when 3..Re1+ 4 Rf1
If 4…Qf4 then easiest is 5 Qe6+ Kf8 6 Qd6+! picking up the pinned Q.
FEN
5rk1/6pp/8/p2R4/1n2rBB1/qPb5/P2Q1RPP/6K1 w – – 0 29
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Tomovic v Sokolov, Belgrade 1961
Solution
Simple, today; but pretty.
1…Rh1+! 2Bh1[] Nf1 mate.
FEN
4R3/8/8/8/7p/1P4nP/P4kBK/3r4 b – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Honfi v Reshko, Leningrad 1961
Solution
Not too hard today: examine all biffs leads to 1 Nf7! and after 1..Kf7 2 Be6+ Kf8 3 Qf5+
And after 3..Bf6[] , 4 Qf6+! 5 Bh6+ and 6 Bb3 dis+ picks up the Queen.
FEN
3rr1k1/pp2bppb/2p1p1np/2P1N2Q/q2P4/P7/BP1B1PPP/3RR1K1 w – – 0 24
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Letelier v Fischer, Leipzig 1960
Solution
A position I knew, I think from my teenage years.
First, a sac and a double exchange on e3: Re3/Re3/Re3/Ke3
and now the ‘point’, 3…Qf4+!, and White’s position collapses after 4 Ke2 or Kf2, and it is mate after 4 Kf4 Bh6mate.
White resigned. Had he decided to continue, say with 4Kf2, the Ns would have invaded and overrun: 4…Ng4+ 5 Kg2 Ne3+ 6 Kf2 Nd4 7 Qh1 Ng4+ picks up the Bf3.
FEN
4r1k1/ppq3bp/2n1rnp1/5p2/2P2P2/4BBN1/PP3K1P/RQ2R3 b – – 0 21
allanbeardsworth 