allanbeardsworth

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

Black to play and mate White

Dojcinov v Bobocov, Bugarska 1960

Solution

Not too hard, given it is a problem: examine all biffs leads to 1…Qh3+

and after 2 Kh3 Rh5+ 3 Kg4 Bc8 mate.

FEN

7k/pb1q3p/1p4p1/1P2r3/P2pP3/3Q2PP/5rBK/1R2R3 b – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Lundin v Momo, Leipzig Olympiad qualifier 1960

Solution

White missed the winning move, but won anyway after another ten moves. But 1 Qd8+! Rd8[] 2 Re7+ mates next move.

FEN

4k1r1/R2r1p2/b1q1pQp1/3pP1B1/2p3P1/1nP3P1/1P4BK/5R2 w – – 0 37

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

Black to play and mate White

Parma v Damjanovic

Solution

I found a solution, which Komodo 10 gives as -9, though in the game, Black played Komodo’s even stronger line.

I played 1…Rf2, meeting 2 Bg8 with 2..Nf3: but 2 Bf1 grovels on.

So, better, 1…Rg2! 2 Kg2[] Qg6+

3 Kh1 Rf2 4 Rg1 and now the pretty 4…Nf3! 0-1

FEN

1k3rr1/1p6/p1pq4/P6p/2B1p3/8/QPPn1PPP/R3R2K b – – 0 23

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

White to play and mate Black

Parma v Konei, Budapest 1960 [book says Budimpesta, which I assume is Budapest]

Solution

1 Qg6 is the obvious first move (though my engine tells me that the second best move is 1 Nf6+).

If 1…e6 2 Qg7+! and mates by 3 Rdg1+ etc.

.

FEN

r2qr1k1/4ppb1/p2p2p1/1p1N2Q1/4P3/1B3P2/PPP5/2KR3R w – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Peter v Markus, Svicarska 1960

Solution

I failed with this puzzle, playing 1 Ng5+ hg 2 Qg5 with a dominating position, but not an immediate knock out.

But a move I didn’t think of wins beautifully.

1 Qh3!!

Once seen, you see that the Be6 is tied to defending f7.

Why, oh why, do I not always look for ties, even though my favourite writer, CJS Purdy, has told me often to do so, most memorably in this poem:

Purdy on nets, pins and ties, Fine Art, vol 2, pg 205

Some things are hooey,

and most others lies;

But forks you mustn’t miss,

nor pins, nets, ties.

FEN

rq3rn1/5p1k/p2pb1pp/1p4b1/1P1BN3/PN1P1RQ1/6PP/5R1K w – – 0 1

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

Black to play and mate White

Pietzsch v Golz, Copenhagen 1960

Solution

Not too hard. 1…Nh3+ and if the N isn’t captured, 2 Nf2+ is murder, so 2 gh when 2…Rg3+ and 3….Qg3+ 0-1

FEN

1k4r1/1bq2p1p/1p2p3/PPbr1p2/2N2n2/6N1/5PPP/1RR1QBK1 b – – 0 25

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

Black to play and mate White

Sugajev v Sevastjanov, Moscow 1960

Solution

The first move is elementary: 1…Rc1+, and if 2 Kc1 Ba3++  mates next move.

So 2 Kb2 :

and then a double clearance of squares, to enable Qc1 mate: 2…Bd4+; 3…Rb1+, and Black wins. White can play Ka3-b4 but gets mated by Ra8+and Qa5.

FEN

2r3k1/2q1pp2/6pp/1pbPP3/2r5/1Q3N2/P2RR1PP/1K6 b – – 0 1

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

White to play and mate Black

Spassky v Bronstein, Leningrad 1960

Solution

The first moves are obvious: the range of possibilities is too great for me to analyse in my head, but intuitively White’s attack must be very strong: and analysing, it is: White is winning after 1 Nf7 ef+ 2 Rf1

The first one is 2…Kf7; then  3 Ne5+ Kg8 and now now 4 Bb3+? Be6 5 Rf8+ Bf8 0-1 but 4 Qh7+!! Nh7 5 Bb3+ and mates.

Next, 2..Qd5 or 2…Qd7. White plays Bb3, Nf-e5, and overwhelms. Megabase gives lots of variations in its deep analysis of this game.

Finally, the move played in the game, 2…Bf5. 3 Qf5 and White is winning, but precisely how depends on Black’s defence: but he keeps Qs on, plays Bb3 and Nf3-e5, and something nasty happens. As mentioned, the game is in Megabase with detailed analysis.

FEN

r1bqrnk1/ppp1bpp1/3N3p/2P5/3P4/3Q1N2/PPB1p1PP/R4RK1 w – – 0 1

Comment

One nice thing about the present puzzle, is that the time period is “decades ago”, including “the decade or two before I started playing”, so a lot of the puzzles are new to me. Also, looking up such games on Megabase sometimes finds interesting things. For instance, here is the record of these two great players. +3 to Boris.