Black to play. Ansat–Lagarde, Fide Olympiad, Samarkand, 2026. White’s last move, 29 h4-h5 was a big mistake. Which move enabled Lagarde to gain a decisive advantage? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 October. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Rh8+! Black resigned in view of 1…Kxh8 2 Nf7+ winning the queen.
White to play. Khoder–Nyback, Fide Olympiad, Samarkand, 2026. White’s next move prompted immediate resignation. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 October. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Rd8! wins, e.g. 1...Rxd8 2 Qe5+ Kg8 3 Rh8+ Kf7 4 Rh7+ Kg8 5 Qh8 mate.
White to play. Duda-Grandelius, Fide Olympiad, Samarkand, 2026. Duda soon won, but missed the strongest move in this position. Which move wins the game in style? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 October. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution : 1 Bf3!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Philip Hamilton Williams, Hackney Mercury, 1895. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 28 September. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1...Qh1+!!
Black to play. Mendonca-Mishra, Tech Mahindra Global Chess League, 2026. Mishra missed a beautiful win here, and later lost the game on time. Which move forces a quick checkmate? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 21 September. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Ne6! wins. Most rook moves allow a knight fork, while 1...Rh5 or 1... Rd1 are met by 2 f3+ with a fork to follow.
White to play and win. Composed by Henri Rinck, Basler Nachrichten, 1922. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 14 September. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1…Bb7! White resigned, e.g.
Black to play. Shogdhziev-Chauhan, Abu Dhabi International Chess Festival, 2026. In a wild game between two exceptional young talents, Chauhan’s next move prompted resignation. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 September. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Qxg6+! Black resigned, e.g. 1...
White to play. Wojtaszek-Shankland, Rubinstein Memorial, Polanica Zdroj, 2026. Wojtaszek’s next move prompted Shankland to resign. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 31 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Ng3!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Georges Emile Barbier, the Westminster Papers, 1875. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 24 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1…Nh3+! wins, e.g. 2 Rxh3 Qe1+ 3 Bf1 Rxh3 4 Nb6+ axb6 5 Qxd8+ Ka7. Or 2 Bxh3 Qe1+ 3 Kg2 Qxe2+ 4 Kg1 Qe1+ 5 Kg2 Qxd2+ and Qd2xc3.
Black to play. A. Ledger – S. Williams, British Championships 2026. Black played 29...a6, missing a winning sequence on the kingside. What is the first move? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 17 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Qe2! threatens d2-d4 mate. If 1...Bc3 2 dxc3# or 1...
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by William Shinkman, the Pittsburgh Gazette Times, 1915. Email chess@spectator.co.uk with the first move only by Monday 10 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Qg6!, e.g. 1...Ra2 2 Nb3#, or 1...Rb6 2 d4#, or 1...
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Philip Hamilton Williams, Hampstead and Highgate Express, 1901. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 3 August. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Ba8!, e.g.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Oldrich Duras, Shakhmatny Listok, 1924. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 27 July. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1…Rxd3+ 2 Kxd3 Rxc1 3 Rxc1 Nb1! and the a-pawn cannot be stopped.
Black to play. Sukandar-Caruana, Naroditsky Memorial Rapid, July 2026. Caruana holds a big advantage in the endgame, and his next move decided matters with a flourish. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 20 July. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1…Qxh2+!
Black to play. A variation from Saric-Keymer, Super Rapid, Croatia, July 2026. Saric avoided this position, but still lost the game. Which move would crown Keymer’s attack on the kingside? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 13 July. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Last week’s solution 1…Qxf3! resigns, e.g. 2 gxf3 Bxf3+ 3 Rg2 Bxg2+ 4 Kg1 Bf3+ and wins, or 2 Rdd2 Ne3 3 Qg1 Nxg2 4 Rxg2 Qxf4 with an easy win.
Black to play. Carlsen-Erigaisi, World Rapid Team Championship, Hong Kong 2026. Erigaisi’s next move prompted Carlsen to resign. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 6 July. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1…Rd4+! 2 Kc1 Re4! threatens Re1# so the bishop drops. Or 2 Ke2 Re4+ is similar.
Black to play. Gallestey Calvo-Solares Orozco, Capablanca in Memoriam, Cuba 2026. White’s last move, Bf5-e6 was a blunder. Which move allowed Black to win the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 29 June. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Bc5! Then 1…Bg7 or 1…Ke5 or 1…Ke6 are met by 2 Qf5# or 1…Kg5 2 Ne4#.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Orrin Frink, Good Companions, 1919. What is White’s first move? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 22 June. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Rxh6+ Bxh6 2 Qb2+ Bg7 (or 2...Rf6 3 Qxf6+ Bg7 4 Nf7+ wins quickly) 3 Qh2+ with mate to follow.
White to play. Koneru-A. Muzychuk, Norway Chess Women, Armageddon game, 2026. Koneruplayed 33 Qg2-f3 but went on to lose. Instead, there is a beautiful winning combination. What is the first move? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 15 June. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Qf6!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Friedrich Riemann, La Stratégie, 1912. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 8 June. There is a prize of a £20 John Lewis voucher for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Re6!! threatens Re6-g6+, and if 1…fxe6 2 Qg6 is mate. Last week’s winner George Katsugias, Bradford, W.