Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Palin v Brosius, Pula 1980
Solution
A classic Sicilian Dragon attack. 1 Nf5
And if 1… gf, 2 g5 wins:
Or if 2…Rg8 a standard mating finish: Qh7+ Rh7+ and Rh1 mate.
FEN
2rq1r1k/1b3p1p/p2p1npQ/1p2p3/3NP1P1/1PN2P2/1PP5/1K1R3R w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Popov v Ajanski, Plovdiv 1980
Solution
1 Qf6! and it is all over.
FEN
r4k1b/2q2p1P/b1n1p1p1/2p1P1Q1/2P3N1/p4N2/Pr3PB1/R3R1K1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Frimen v Rind, 1980
Solution
Not too hard. 1…Rh3+ 2 gh[) Qf2+ 3 Kg5[] f6 mate
Or 1..g5+ 2 fg[] Rh3+ 3 gh[) Qf2 mate.
FEN
3RQ3/pp3pk1/6p1/2q4p/5PbK/P1r5/2n3PP/7R b – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Pape v Stanke, Wernogerode 1980
Solution
Not too difficult again today. 1 Qf7+ and mates, eg after 1…Kf7 by 2 Bd5mate.
FEN
2r1r1k1/pQ3ppp/6n1/2p5/3q4/5Bp1/PPP3P1/4RR1K w – – 0 1
Black to play and win
Source: unknown game, position given in Jacob Aagaard’s ‘Excelling at chess’.
Solution
I recently attended a brilliant weekend of three training sessions with Jacob Aagaard. Before the weekend, I had read his latest book ‘Thinking inside the box’ and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Since the course, I resolved to read all his instructional books, all of which have been lying on my shelves, many for some years. Jacob was a wonderful trainer in person, with the knack of explaining things, and I am expecting the same from his books.
Firstly, I am reading his 2001 book, Excelling at Chess, from which this puzzle is taken (page 74).
After several sessions of trying to solve it- actually mirroring how Jacob said he solved it-by failing to find a win after 1…Qc2+ 2Kc2 Nd4+ 3 Kd1 (there isn’t a win there: e.g. Nb2+ or Re1+ don’t work) I eventually reversed the moves and found 1…Re1+!! when everything fits into place. 2 Re1[] Qc2+! now works. 3 Kc2 Nd4+ 4 Kd1 now loses to 4…Nb2 mate, the Rook occupying e1, so instead 4 Kb1 when 4…Nc3+ leads to a pretty smothered mate.
Black to play and win
Source: unknown game, position given in Jacob Aagaard’s ‘Excelling at chess’.
Solution
I recently attended a brilliant weekend of three training sessions with Jacob Aagaard. Before the weekend, I had read his latest book ‘Thinking inside the box’ and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Since the course, I resolved to read all his instructional books, all of which have been lying on my shelves, many for some years. Jacob was a wonderful trainer in person, with the knack of explaining things, and I am expecting the same from his books.
Firstly, I am reading his 2001 book, Excelling at Chess, from which this puzzle is taken (page 74).
After several sessions of trying to solve it- actually mirroring how Jacob said he solved it-by failing to find a win after 1…Qc2+ 2Kc2 Nd4+ 3 Kd1 (there isn’t a win there: e.g. Nb2+ or Re1+ don’t work) I eventually reversed the moves and found 1…Re1+!! when everything fits into place. 2 Re1[] Qc2+! now works. 3 Kc2 Nd4+ 4 Kd1 now loses to 4…Nb2 mate, the Rook occupying e1, so instead 4 Kb1 when 4…Nc3+ leads to a pretty smothered mate.
Black to play and win
Source: unknown game, position given in Jacob Aagaard’s ‘Excelling at chess’.
Solution
I recently attended a brilliant weekend of three training sessions with Jacob Aagaard. Before the weekend, I had read his latest book ‘Thinking inside the box’ and thoroughly enjoyed it.
Since the course, I resolved to read all his instructional books, all of which have been lying on my shelves, many for some years. Jacob was a wonderful trainer in person, with the knack of explaining things, and I am expecting the same from his books.
Firstly, I am reading his 2001 book, Excelling at Chess, from which this puzzle is taken (page 74).
After several sessions of trying to solve it- actually mirroring how Jacob said he solved it-by failing to find a win after 1…Qc2+ 2Kc2 Nd4+ 3 Kd1 (there isn’t a win there: e.g. Nb2+ or Re1+ don’t work) I eventually reversed the moves and found 1…Re1+!! when everything fits into place. 2 Re1[] Qc2+! now works. 3 Kc2 Nd4+ 4 Kd1 now loses to 4…Nb2 mate, the Rook occupying e1, so instead 4 Kb1 when 4…Nc3+ leads to a pretty smothered mate.
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Gajdarov v Kirilov, Riga 1980
Solution
Fairly straightforward today. 1…Nd2 and if 2Qe7, 2…Nb3+ and 3..Nb3 mate.
FEN
r4rk1/4qp1p/2p3pb/p1n2b2/Pp1Bn1P1/1B3N1P/1PPNQP2/2KR3R b – – 0 1
A break from the daily puzzle from Matni Udar. Today’s is a difficult puzzle I found in a 1991 issue of Kingpin.
White to play and win
Lputyan v Maculski, Krasnoyarsk 1981
Solution
Examine all biffs: 1 Qh7+ Kf7[] 2 Rg3! Rg8[]
3 Rd8!! and the Rg8 is overloaded.
FEN
2b2rk1/6p1/1p2pp2/7Q/1q2P3/bP5R/P4PP1/3R3K w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Barbakadze v Radionov, Daugavpils 1980
Solution
With a jump-biff of Rc8 mate in the offing, clearing the c-line seems to be a natural priority. So 1 Rb5! is the mov3 which came immediately to mind.
Then if 1…Nb5 the c-line is further cleared by 2Be7+! and after 2…Qe7[] the denouement 3 Qa8+ and mate on c8.
FEN
3kq2r/p1n2pbp/b5p1/PnB5/3pQ3/6PB/5P1P/1RR3K1 w – – 0 1
allanbeardsworth 