Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess magazine; not sure which, I had photocopied the “hard” puzzles page, and used it as something to pass the time when dog walking or walking in the hills.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
White to play
Whitehead v Shtern, US Masters 1998
Solution
1 bc+ (or 1 Ra8 and transpose) bc 2 Ra8, and Black is in a near mating net.
If 2..Re8 then 3 Ra7+ Kc8 4 Rb2 and the threats of Ba6+ and Rb8mate can’t be avoided. And if 3…Kd8 then 4Ba5+ stops the king from leaving the death zone.
FEN
8/1p1kr3/2p2rp1/1PPb3p/4pP1n/2B1P3/3RBKP1/R7 w – – 0 1
Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess magazine; not sure which, I had photocopied the “hard” puzzles page, and used it as something to pass the time when dog walking or walking in the hills.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
Solovchuk v Rakhmangulova, Ukraine 2011
Solution
1…Be6+!!
2 Kg6[] e1(Q) 3 a8(Q)+ Bg8[]
and White can’t escape Black’s checks: draw.
FEN
7k/P4K2/3P4/8/8/7b/4p3/8 b – – 0 6
Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess magazine; not sure which, I had photocopied the “hard” puzzles page, and used it as something to pass the time when dog walking or walking in the hills.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
Solovchuk v Rakhmangulova, Ukraine 2011
Solution
1…Qf1 [] 2 Qf1 Bf1[] 3 d6 Bh3[]
4 a5 e3 5 a6 e2 6 a7 and draws.
How? see tomorrow’s puzzle.
FEN
7k/5K2/8/3P1Q2/P3p3/8/6b1/4q3 b – – 0 1
Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess magazine; not sure which, I had photocopied the “hard” puzzles page, and used it as something to pass the time when dog walking or walking in the hills.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
Tikkanen v Vitiugov, ECC 2011
Solution
1…Ne4! 2 Be4[] Rc4!
and Black emerges two pawns up, capturing the LPDO Bb4 never move.
FEN
2rr3k/pb3q1p/1p1p1n2/1P2pP2/PBPpP1p1/1N1Qb1P1/2R3BP/5R1K b – – 0 30
Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess magazine; not sure which, I had photocopied the “hard” puzzles page, and used it as something to pass the time when dog walking or walking in the hills.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
Korobov v Nepomniachtchi, ECC 30/9/11
Solution
1…f6+ and if 2 ef Kf7 forces 3 Kh5 Kf6 and White is either mated, or has to let the b-pawn promote.
White
FEN
8/5pk1/8/4PPK1/1r6/8/1p6/1R6 b – – 0 44
Today’s problem is from the same game.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
White to play: rather than 3 Qd5 as played in the game, what would happened after 3 Qb5?
“blazing banana” vs Allan Beardsworth, Chess.com 3-0, 18/5/19
Solution
Wonderfully, 3,..Qd1!! alone would have won.
4 Qd3+ Kh8 (4….Kh6 would have been the move AlphaZero or LeelaZero would want to play, and it is also winning, but 4…Kh8 is stronger) 5 Rb7 (say) Qe1!! wins.
The shuffle Qb1d1-e1 has done what? : it means that the White Queen is on d3, so White can’t play Nc5-d3, hitting the Qe1.
FEN
8/3R1prk/8/pQNp2p1/P2P3p/4P2P/3n1PPK/1q6 b – – 0 43
Today’s problem is from a blitz game of mine, where I played the QGD in the way show by Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan in their excellent book Game Changer.
Namely: advance the h pawn, advance the g-pawn, create threats to counter White’s play on the q-side; and, hopefully, mate.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
“blazing banana” vs Allan Beardsworth, Chess.com 3-0, 18/5/19
Solution
1…Qb1+ 2 Kh2[] Nd2 3 Qd5 Nf1+ 4 Kg1 Ng3+ 5 Kh2 Qh1 mate.
The pawn on h4 did its job, protecting the Ng3.
FEN
8/3R1prk/2Q5/p1Np1qp1/P1nP3p/4P2P/5PP1/6K1 b – – 0 41
Today’s problem is my last from Carlsen’s games in 2004; this one just after his 14th birthday.
Magnus Carlsen 26/10/2004, Calvia Olympiad
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
Black to play
Carlsen v McShanem 30/12/2004, Drammen
Solution
1… Ng2! and after 2 Kg2[] Qh3+ 3 Kg1[] Bg4, White can’t avoid a perpetual: 4 f3
FEN
r1b2rk1/p4pbp/p1pNq1p1/2P1p3/4Pn2/2N1B2P/PP3PP1/R2Q1RK1 b – – 0 17
Today’s problem is from the Calvia Olympiad, and is the game Magnus played, aged 13, just before his 14th birthday, on the day I took this photo.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
White to play
Carlsen v Kotronias, Calvia Olympiad, 26/10/2004
Solution
1 Nf6!! examine all biffs Kf6[]
2 Rd6+!!
2…Ke7! (2…Qd6 3 Qe3 hits both g5, which is mate, and the LPDO Ra7: fantastic)
3 Rc6! Qc6[] 4 Qe3
And the conclusion of this series of blows is that White is objectively winning, though Magnus later made one poor move, which allowed Vasilios to draw.
FEN
r2qr1k1/pb1p1pp1/1pnR1n1p/4pQN1/2P4P/1P2P3/PB3PP1/2K2B1R w – – 0 17
Today’s problem was played by Magnus Carlsen on 25th October 2004, at the Calvia Mallorca Olympaid. The reason I have chosen it is that I took this photo of Magnus the day after (during draw against Kotronias). Magnus was a month from his 14th birthday at the time (born 30th November 2004)
I found the photo whilst looking for my photo of Andor Lilienthal which I used in my blog a few days ago.
As is my custom, I only say which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.
White to play
Carlsen v Ibrayev, Calvia Olympiad 25/10/14
Solution
1 Rf6! 1-0;
If 1…Qf6 then 2 Qh7+ Kf8 3 Ne4! hits both the Qf6 and d6, so that 4 Ba3+ comes next, with mate the move after.
FEN
r2qr1k1/pb1p1pp1/1pnR1n1p/4pQN1/2P4P/1P2P3/PB3PP1/2K2B1R w – – 0 17
allanbeardsworth 