White to play. Abdusattorov–Durarbayli, Sochi 2021. The endgame looks tricky, but White found a way to force a quick mate. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 16 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery.
White to play. Adhiban–Delgado Ramirez, Sochi 2021. White has more than one good move, but Adhiban found a spectacular way to force mate in four. What did he play?Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 9 August. There is a prize of £20 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 Nc6+ Nxc6 2 Qe8 mate. Not 1 Bd5 Bd6!
White to play. Greco–NN, 1620. The centre is a dangerous place for the king. Which move does White play to force mate in two moves? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Tuesday 3 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Qf4+ Kd5 (1…Kd3 2 Qg3+ is similar) 2 Qg5+ Qxg5+ 3 Kxg5 Ke6 4 Kg6 Ke7 5 Kg7! and White’s h-pawn soon queens. Not 1 Qe6+ Kc3!
White to play. A variation from Grandelius – Xiong, Fide World Cup, Sochi 2021. With an accurate queen check,White can force an exchange of queens and march the h2-pawn. Which check should White choose? Answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 26 July. There is a prize of £20 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 Qa8! After 1...Rg7 2 Qh1# or, 2 Qg8# against any other move. Last week’s winner Bernard T.
White to play and mate in two. Composed by Sam Loyd, Sunny South, 1885. Nearly all Black’s legal moves can be met by Qg8 mate, but White must prepare a response against 1…Rg7. What is the key first move? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1…Re2 threatens perpetual check with Re1-e2. After 2 Qxg4 Rg2+! it was draw agreed in view of 3 Kxg2 Rf2+! and stalemate soon follows.
Black to play. Daggupati–Mishra, Charlotte 2020. 1…Rf1+ 2 Kg2 is a dead end, as White’s queen covers the f2 square. Mishra found the only way to draw; his subtle move combined a threat of perpetual check with a stalemate motif. Which move did he play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Rc8! deflects the Black rook.
White to play. So–Vachier-Lagrave, Paris, June 2021. The queen on e7 can be taken, but Black’s last move was …Rd8, counterattacking White’s queen. Which move did White play to expose the flaw in this idea? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Nfd7+! Rxd7 2 Nxe6+ wins the Black queen, or, 1…Kg7 2 Qxf7+ Kh6 3 Rf6 wins.
White to play. Gukesh–Yip, Gelfand Challenge, June 2021. White has strong pressure on the f-file, but which move forces a decisive material gain? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 28 June. There is a prize of £20 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…f3+ 2 Bxf3 Bxb5 wins a rook, e.g.
Mammadzada — M. Muzychuk, May 2021. In this messy position, Black’s next move prompted instant resignation. What did she play? Answers should be emailed to chess@-spectator.co.uk by Monday 21 June. There is a prize of £20 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...Qg1+!
Black to play. Vodopyanov–Kantsyn, 1974. Two bishops up, White appears to have everything covered. Which move allows Black to force a quick win? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 14 June. There is a prize of £20 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…g3! 2 Kxg3 Rb3. White resigned in view of 3 Kg2 Rxe3 4 Bxe3 Kxe3 5 Kf1 Kd2.
Black to play. Vocaturo–Gokerkan, May 2021. After a long defence, White’s last move 101 Nf1-e3 was a decisive error. Which move did Black play to wrap up the game? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 June. There is a prize of £20 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 g4! hxg4 2 h5! (or 1…gxh4 2 gxh5). Black’s king cannot stop both passed c and h pawns.
White to play, Kharlov–Ernst, Haninge 1992. Black’s last move, g6-g5 was a decisive mistake. Which move did White play to exploit it? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 31 May. There is a prize of £20 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 Ng5+!
White to play. Cochrane–Bonnerjee, 1852. Out of eight discovered checks with the knight on e6, Cochrane found the only one which wins the game. Which move did he choose? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 24 May. There is a prize of £20 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 Rh2+!
White to play, Jones–Dominguez, New in Chess Classic, April 2021. Gawain Jones was hoping that his rook and pawn would cordon off Black’s king indefinitely. But here, at move 125, a surprising opportunity arose. What move should White have played? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 17 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Rh8!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Revd Ernest Clement Mortimer, The Problemist, 1942. Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 10 May. There is a prize of £20 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 Bd1! Kd3 2 Qd5 mate, or 1…Kc4 2 Qe4 mate.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Henry William Butler. Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 3 May. There is a prize of £20 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…Ng6! traps the White queen. The game saw 1…Nd3 2 Rxd3 Qxd3 3 Bxh5 and White won after many adventures.
Black to play. Praggnanandhaa–Salimova, April 2021. White’s last move, Bg2-f3, was a blunder. Which move should Black play to exploit it? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 26 April. There is a prize of £20 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 Rxd5! set up a queen trap: exd5 2 g3! Qh3 (2…Qxh5 3 Nf6+) 3 Bf5 Kf8 4 Nxh6 and Black resigned. Less effective are 1 Qd3 f5! 2 exf6 Qxg4, or 1 Rd4 Kf8! 2 Nh2 Rc1+!
White to play. Van Wely–Shimanov, March 2021. White has several tempting options here, but one move is much stronger than the rest. Which one? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 April. There is a prize of £20 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…Rc1! threatens to promote the d-pawn. After 2 Rd7 b3 3 Rxd3 b2 4 Rb3 b1=Q 5 Rxb1 Rxb1 Black wins easily.
Black to play. Livaic-–Oparin, Fide World University Online Championship, March 2021. After 1…Rxc5 2 Rxb4, a draw was soon agreed. Which move should Black have preferred? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 April. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1 Rc5! threatens discovered check and mate with the Rb4. If 1…Bf6 2 Rd4# or 1…Bg5 2 Rf4#, while if 1…Bd8 or Be1, White has 2 Q(x)d8#.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by B.P. Barnes, Skakbladet 1961. Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 April. There is a prize of £20 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…Qf5?
