allanbeardsworth

December 15, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #187

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

Black to play and win

1871

Pachman v Ujtelky, Toplice 1953

Solution

1…Qf2 simplifies, so the move ‘has to be’ 1….Rg3! (though my engine also likes 1….Qd8, routing the Q to h4, B to f4.

1872

2 Qb6 Bf4 is lethal: one defence which took me a while to see was 3 h4, but 3…Rg6+ (or more less anyhere forces 4 Kh3[] when the retreat 4…Bd7+ is mate.

FEN

6rk/8/pq1p3b/1p1bp2P/1P6/2P3NP/2R2Q1K/4R3 b – – 0 1

December 14, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #186

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

White to play and mate Black

Smyslov v Euwe, Zürich 1953

Solution

Not for the first time in this book, the position is actually a variation from the game, not the game itself.

Diverting the queen from defending a key square is the aim here, as it was yesterday. 1 Be5! Re5 2 Qe5!

2….Qe5 3 Bc6+

White then has see-saw checks taking both bishops, and then the Q: so 1-0.

My engine tells me that 1 Qc5! is also winning, in similar fashion.

FEN

k1n1r3/p2R2bb/2p2qpp/4pp2/2P5/2B1Q1P1/PP3PBP/6K1 w – – 0 29

December 13, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #185

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

White to play and mate Black

Suta v Sutej, Bucharest 1953

Solution

A pretty variation of a standard theme: Black’s Queen has to be diverted from defending f7, so that Nf7 is mate.

1 Rg5! Qf6

2 Qd4!! 1-0. If 2…Rg6 then 3 Rg6 renews the threat.

FEN

r5rk/1p3p1p/p2N1Pq1/5R2/4Q3/7P/1P5K/8 w – – 0 1

December 12, 2016

Tactic from the London Classic

A delightful tactic helped Mickey Adams save a difficult game against Vishy Anand today.

Black to play and draw, after White played 1 Kf2 in the position below

capture

Anand v Adams, London Chess Classic 12/12/16

Solution

The fabulous 1…Nc3!, a move I would never have considered, despite knowing CJS Purdy’s examine all biffs mantra, secures the draw.

The Ra1 is LPDO, and forked by Bd4+; which is why the engines prefer 1f5 (defending the Nd4!) or 1 Kg2 in the initial position.

capture

Wonderful defence by Mickey.

capture

Photo from London Chess Classic Twitter feed

December 12, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #184

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

White to play and mate Black

Witkowski v Blaszcak, Poland 1953

Solution

Again, as yesterday, the first move is ‘known’: it has to be 1 Qe5+, and again, what to do after 1…Ne5? {1 Rd2 also wins, according to my engine, though is less forcing)

After some thinking I saw the solution: 2 Bf6+ Kh6[] 3 Bg7+!! – the key move’ both 2 Bf6+ and 3 Bg7+ are also only moves.

3…Kh5 4 Rh6 mate.

FEN

6r1/p4rkp/3RQ1n1/1pp1p1B1/2p1P3/2P3R1/P4qPK/8 w – – 0 1

December 11, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #183

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

White to play and mate Black

Bonč-Osmolovski v Baranov, Moscow 1953

Solution

You immediately ‘know’ that the solution is 1 Qd8+!, but how to win after 1…Kd8? It isn’t too hard to dismiss 2 Nc6+, so 2 Ne6+ Ke7 and then what?

After some thought I found the solution: 3 Bg5+ f6[] 4 Nd8+! and mates; the Nd8+ move is unusual. My engine tells me that 3 Nc7 also wins, though does not mate.

If Black plays instead 2…Ne8 then 3 Nc7+ Ke7[] 4 Bg5 mate.

My engine also tells me that 1 Ne6 wins easily, too, as is ‘obvious’ by inspection: but it is less forcing (though mate in 13, apparently).

FEN

4kb1r/pp3ppp/q3b3/6Q1/1n1N4/4B3/PPP2PPP/2KRR3 w k – 0 1

December 10, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #182

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

White to play and mate Black

Zuravljev v Romanov, Moscow 1952

Solution

A pretty one today: 1 Qg5! d5 2 Qg7+! and wins.

1…Bd4 2 Qe7 1-0 is trivial.

FEN

2b2r1k/1p2qp1p/p1rp1b2/5p2/3BP2P/7B/PPPQ4/1K3RR1 w – – 0 1

December 9, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #181

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

White to play and mate Black

Semjonov v Loginov, 1952

Solution

Straightforward today: 1 Qf6+ vacates f7, so that after 1…Bf6, 2 Nf7 is mate.

FEN

rn4rk/1pp1bQ1p/p3p2B/1P1qNp2/P2P4/2P5/5PPP/R4RK1 w – – 0 1

December 8, 2016

Daily chess puzzle: Check Mate #180 -“part 2”

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

Well, actually not from the book, but featuring precisely the same players as yesterday’s puzzle, being the only game (played a year after yesterday’s) between them which is in Megabase.

White to play and mate Black