Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Larsen v Ljubojevic, Milan 1975
Solution
A nice problem, which took me a while to solve. Both the pins and net (back rank mate threat) are needed: 1…Qh4! 2 Qe5[] Qf2! 0-1
FEN
1r4k1/5p1p/6p1/RN1bb1q1/1p6/8/1P2Q1PP/5R1K b – – 0 25
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Meyer v Freyer, correspondence 1975
Solution
The first moves are obvious, the only question is what to play after them: 1 Rh8+! Kh8[] 2 Qf8+ Ng8 (2…Rg8? 3 Qh6mate or 3 Rh1mate).
3 Bg6! seals the win. If 3…Rg6 4 Rh1+ mates. Black can grovel with 3…Rh7! 4 Bh7 Nc6! but then White is an exchange and pawn up, and has the compensation too.
FEN
r2n2k1/q2bn1r1/p3p1p1/1p1pP1P1/3P1QpR/P1PB4/3BKP2/1R6 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Medina v Sanz, Olot 1975
Solution
Nice today: 1 Nf5+ is fairly obvious, when 1…Kh5 is best. (If 1…gf, 2 Qf6+ and 3 Qg5 mate is trivial).
Then 2 Qh7+! Nh7[] 3 g4 mate is pretty.
2 g4+? Ng4+ (check!) spoils the party.
FEN
8/5Q1p/3N1npk/8/R4P2/P6P/6PK/4qr2 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
What move did the players miss in yesterday’s puzzle?
Nikitin v Kuznjecov, USSR 1975
The game continued
1 Rc6+ Kc6
2 Rc1+ Kd6
3Qe5+!! fe
4 de+ Kd7[]
5 Bb5 mate
Solution
In yesterday’s puzzle, I said that the only thing humans had to worry about is whether there was a win in all lines after 1 Rc6+ Kc6 2Rc1+.
The solution shows the mating lines are based on control of the a4-e8 diagonal (Bb5+ or Qb5+, control of the c line, and a nasty on e5: Qe5/ de5.
Komodo shows 2 Rc1+ as winning, but 2 Qc2+!! as mate in 7.
It took a moment to appreciate why: from c2, the Queen has access to c5, checking on that diagonal, and can be supported by Ba6-b5+; and the Q looks all down the c line, whilst the Pd4 controls e5. The Rh1 isn’t needed.
(The mate in 7 happens if Black throws his knights and queen into the path of the Queen)
An interesting example of the automatic human move, of bringing one more piece into the party, as being inferior to precision play.
FEN
3r3r/p3q2p/Bnk1pp2/3n1p2/3P4/5NP1/PPQ2P1P/1K5R b – – 0 2 (after Qc2+)
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
And, as with puzzle 404, there is a twist.
White to play and mate Black
Nikitin v Kuznjecov, USSR 1975
Solution
The only move to think of is 1 Rc6+!.
The engine says Black’s best is 1…Kb8 2 Re6 and +3; but the only thing needing calculating by a human is what happens after 1…Kc6 2 Rc1+
Firstly, 2…Kd6 loses beautifully to 3 Qe5+!! fe 4 de+ Kd7[] 5 Bb5 mate. This was the game continuation.
Just showing how narrow the line is between victory and defeat in chess, 3 Qe5+!! is the only move which wins: any others, Black is better or winning. So I am not sure in practice if I would have dared 1 Rc6+, since I don’t know if I would have found 3 Qe5+!! or been totally confident in it.
Secondly, 2…Kd7 loses either prosaically to 3 Qb5+ Kd6[] 4 Qc6 mate; or prettily by 3 Bb5+ Kd6[] 4 Qe5+! and 5 de mate.
The engine says Black’s best is 2…Nc3+ 3 Rc3+ Kd6 but at +17, it thinks White is better. I agree.
Twist
What do I mean by “by a human”? Answer tomorrow (big hint: there is something better for one of the sides than the line I have given)
FEN
3r3r/p1k1q2p/Bnp1pp2/3n1p2/3P4/5NP1/PP2QP1P/1KR4R w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Heffer v Felmy, Hamburg 1975
Solution
An unusual variant of the normal breakthrough by d4-d5 (which aims to open the e-file, to prevent Black’s king’s escape.
1 Nh5! Nh5[] 2 Nd5! 1-0
Qh7+ and Qh8 mate follows, or Black loses the Queen.
FEN
r2r2k1/ppqb1pp1/2n1pn1p/8/3P4/P1NQ2N1/1P3PPP/1B1RR1K1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
Black to play and mate White
Solution
A position I knew: only recently I have been proof-reading Quality Chess’s forthcoming latest book on Tal, and the position is either in it, or I found it in Megabase when checking something.
1…Qg5! and the LPDO rook drops off because the Q is tied to defending it and e1, and can’t defend both.
FEN
5rk1/p3Rp1p/6p1/Q7/4Pqb1/8/P1R2PPP/3rN1K1 b – – 0 25
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Novozenjin v Panfilov, Vladimir 1975
Solution
A nice variation on a standard theme: 1 Qh6+! gh[] 2 Rf6+
2…Kh5 3 Rh6 mate; or 2…Kg7 3 Bh6+ and 4 Rf8 mate.
Very elegant how they both end in a tidy mate.
FEN
5R2/6pp/p4pk1/4Pb2/8/4QPKP/3B4/r2q4 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Sotov v Glebov, Moscow 1975
Solution
I found 1 Nb5+ Kb8[] 2 Nb5 which mates in a few moves, but the game’s 1 Qc7! is even nicer. The threat of smothered mate decides.
(threat 3 Qb8+ and 4 Nc7 mate)
FEN
k6r/rb3R1p/NQ4p1/2p2n2/1p6/8/PPn3PP/6K1 w – – 0 1
Another puzzle from Dragoslav Andric’s 1981 book “Matni Udar”.
White to play and mate Black
Rotmanov v Laska, SSSR 1975
Solution
A pretty one, and a motif which I don’t think I have seen before.
How to get at Black’s king?
1 Rd4! threatens 2 Qd3+ 1-0, so 1…Qa6[]
2 Rd2+!! ed[] 3 Qf3+ and 4 Qf2 mate.
PS
As happened a few days ago, I again solved the wrong puzzle: what has happened is that I took a photocopy of the page from the book, to take on my dog walks, and the print quality was poor/paper got crumpled, so I solved the same position but with a rook on h4 instead. Same solution: or a dual: either Rd4 followed by Rd2+ wins.
FEN
8/8/4q3/5p2/1R5P/1pQ1p3/4k1P1/3b2K1 w – – 0 1
allanbeardsworth 