White to play and win
Kuzmin v Sveshnikov, USSR 1973
Solution
I knew this puzzle, not sure where from, maybe some article or book showing the double bishop sacrifice.
1 Nb6! : first, divert the only defender, the Nd5; 1…Nb6
2 Bh7+! Kh7
3 Qh5+! Kg8[]
4 Bg7!
And if 4…Kg7, 5 Qg4+! and the rook-lift 6 Rf3 is 1-0; or if 4…f5 (say) 5 Qg6 mates.
Posted with BlogsyBlack to play and win
Botterill v Tal, Bath 1973
Solution
Typically Tal: why can I so rarely solve his puzzles? I tried ad nauseam 1…Bg1+ and didn’t get it quite to work- because it doesn’t, whereas 1…Be3!! does.
I will leave it to my readers to work out some of the variations: how did Tal do it?
In fact, my engine tells me that 1…Bg1+ also works, but only with 2…Qc3+, which I saw, but didn’t see its rationale: I concentrateed on 2…Qg5+ which the engine immediately assesses as +0.0.
I’ll leave this puzzle as one for interested readers to spend time on.
White to play and win
Bilek v Cardoso, Woolacombe 1973
Solution
White’s position is overwhelming, so e.g. 1 Qg5 wins, threatening to swing the R to h4. But easiest is 1 Rd4! cd 2 Bd4 when Black’s queen is trapped.
After 2…Qb7, 3 Qg5 and Black is in near zugzwang.
In the game, Black played 3…h6 when 4 Ng6+ Bg6 5 Rf8+ Kh7 6 Qg6+! mated prettily.
White to play and win
Bellin v Keene, Amsterdam 1973
Solution
Ignore threats: imagine for a moment they can’t possibly be executed…and you see that there is a mating net… so 1 Ne5 Be4 2 Rd7+ Nd7 3 Rd7+ Kf6 (or Kf8) 4 Rf7 mate.
Or, just as good, 1 Nf6 Nf6[] 2 Ne5 with the same threat: and also threatening Nc6+ after which the King’s protection of the Nf6 is lost.
Black to play and win after 1 Qc7?
Andersson v Hartston, Hastings 1972/73
Solution
A pretty solution: not too hard, once you spot it: 1…Qh3+! and if 2 Kh3 Bf1 mate, or if 2 Kg1 or 2 Kf2, 2…Qf1 mate….except that Teschner’s book has the B on c4, Q on e6, whereas my diagrams are from Megabase!
Similar solution, fudged problem? The game’s moves in Megabase seem logical, so I think somehow Teschner has got his diagram incorrect.
White to play and win
Wade v Kuijpers, Holland v England, Vlissingen 1972
Solution
Examine all biffs leads to a nice forcing conclusion. 1 Rh6+! Bh6[] 2 Qe5+ Bg7 3 Qh2+! pleasing and mates after 3…Bh6 4 Qh6 mate.
If Black plays 2…Rf6+ then 3 Qf6+ 4 Qd8+ 5 Qf8mate.
Black to play and win (or, at least, be better)
Speelman v Hemingway, London 1972
Solution
1…d4 begs to be played, and is surprisingly strong: the Bishop’s diagonal is open, so there is an exchange of the d pawn for the g2 pawn, weakening White’s King. However White captures, White is left with an exposed King and Black has all the play.
However, it isn’t 0-1; just better for Black. In the game, White spoiled things by playing a later Re6, from where Bb7-d5 biffed it, gaining a temp to then move to c4 with check.
Black to play and win
Planinc v Vasiukov, Wijk aan Zee 1973
Solution
1…b3! and after 2 cb Bd5, Black threatens 3…Be4 4de Ne5+ winning the queen. So 3 Kc2 c4! and wins: if 4 Bc4, 4..Be4 5 de Qc8 “pins and wins”.
In the game, White played 2 Nd6, losing two pieces for the rook, with Black also having the better position.
White to play and win
Andersson v Portisch, Skopje Olympiad 1972
Solution
Examine all biffs: then 1 Ne5! has to be looked at, and is instantly seen as strong.
Text
If 1…Qe5, then 2 Qf3+ and if 2…Kg5, 3 Bc1+ and mates: so 2…Bf5 3 ef and if 3…Qf5, 4 Be7 is a pretty mate.
1…Ke5 is harder to crack, at least visually. But 2 Qd2+ Ke5 3 Qc3+ Kf4 4 Bc1! is another pretty mate. The same happens, slower, after 2 Qf3+ Ke5 3 Qc3+ because Black can instead play 2..Kg5 (and lose more slowly).
Portisch resigned after 1 Ne5.
White to play and win
Dueball v Gereben, Skopje Olympiad 1972
Solution
A rest day: 1…Qf6! and 2 Bh6 mates or wins the house.
Not that it matters, but if 1…h5, as played in the game, 2 Rf8+! wins neatly: 2…Kf8 3 Qd8 mate.
allanbeardsworth 