Chess puzzle

White to play. A position from an internet game played in 2025. Black looks well placed, as the Bd6 is pinned and the c3 pawn is menacing. But there is an extraordinary move which wins the game for White. Which one? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 9 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. Last week’s solution 1 Ne2! wins, since after Ng5+ 2 Kh2 Nf3+ 3 Kh1 the g1 square is defended, so the checks soon run out.

White to play. Byron-Pereslavtsev, English Championship, 2025. The game ended in a draw by perpetual check: 1 Ne3 Ng5+ 2 Kh2 Nf3+ etc. White could avoid that in various ways, but only one wins easily. Which move should he have chosen? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 4 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat.

Black to play. So-Keymer, Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas 2025. Keymer’s next move forced So to resign. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 28 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 Bf1! trapped the queen.  Firouzja tried 1...Rb5 but 2 Qxb5 Qxe3+ 3 Rxe3 axb5 4 Bxb5 was easily winning for Gukesh. Last week’s winner Ray Fisher, Shepley, W.

White to play. Gukesh-Firouzja, SuperUnited Rapid, Zagreb 2025. Firouzja has just walked into a trap. Which move allowed Gukesh to reach an easily winning position? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 21 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 Bf6!

White to play. Abdusattorov-Rapport, UzChess Masters 2025. The a-pawn seems bound to promote before the h-pawn. Which move allowed Abdusattorov to win the game anyway? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 14 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 Kxd7! Then 1…Kh5+ 2 Be6#. Against 1…f3 or 1…Nf3, also 2 Be6# Or 1..

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Barry Barnes, the Observer, 1964. Barnes, who died in January, was a great expert and composer of mate in two problems. Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 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 f4!

White to play. Maroroa Jones-Aronian, World Rapid Team Championship, London 2025. Aronian’s last move Nf6-e4 was a blunder. Which response prompted immediate resignation? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 30 June. 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+! If 1…Kxh8 2 Qg8 is mate. The game ended in a draw by repetition after 1…Qxh8 2 Qxe7+ Kh6 3 Qg5+ Kh7 4 Qe7+ etc.

White to play. Grischuk-Firouzja, World Blitz Team Championship, London 2025. A bishop up, Firouzja seems to have everything covered. Which move allowed Grischuk to save the draw? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 23 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 Kb8! wins, e.g. 1…Nd7+ 2 Kc8 Nb6+ 3 Kd8 or 1…Nc6+ 2 Kc7 Nb4 3 Kb6 Nd5+ 4 Kb5.

White to play and win. In this classic endgame, promoting the pawn to a queen allows a knight fork, with a draw. A king move is needed to win – but which one? Email answers (first move only) to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 16 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 Qg7! If 1...Ke6 2 Qd7# or 1...Kc5/Kc4 2 Qd4#.

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Joseph Cowley, The Chess Bouquet, 1897. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 9 May. 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 Rd6! cxd6 2 f7 wins, or 1…Rxd6 2 g8=Q+ wins, e.g.

White to play. Torre-Parker, New York Simultaneous exhibition, 1916. White resigned, seeing no defence to the threat of Rc5-c1+. Which move would have led to the opposite result? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 2 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…Qf4+! 2 Rxf4 (or 2 g3 Qd2+ wins) g3 mate.

Black to play. Donchenko-Blübaum, German Championship Masters 2025. White threatens mate on the queenside. Which move allowed Blübaum to strike first on the kingside? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 26 May. 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 Kg1! Rxg6 2 Kh1 is a draw, as intrusion of the rook leads to stalemate.

White to play and draw. The conclusion of an endgame study composed by Frédéric Lazard in 1946. Which move allows White to salvage a draw from this position? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 May. 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 Qxc8+!

White to play. F. Olafsson – Tal, Alekhine Memorial, Moscow 1971. Tal’s last move, attacking the queen, was a huge mistake. How did Olafsson win the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 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 Re8! wins, as Rxe8 2 Bxd5+ Nc6 3 Bxc6 is mate. Last week’s winner Bernard T.

White to play. Dardha-Sorensen, Grenke Freestyle Open, 2025. The knight forks rook and bishop, and Re6-e3 runs into another fork with Nd4-c2+. Which move enabled Dardha to decide the game in his favour? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 May. 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…Bf3 with the idea 2 gxf3 Rh6 mate.

Black to play. Wikar-Rida, European Women’s Championship, 2025. Three pawns down, 13-year-old Rida had done well to create counter-chances, and here she spotted her opportunity. Which move won her the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 28 April. 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 Nf5.

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Sam Loyd, Detroit Free Press, 1877. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 22 April. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal addressand allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Rb3! wins, as 1…Qxb3 2 Qd4+ leads to mate, or 1…Qf6 2 Qxc2 wins the rook.

White to play. Bjerre-Bodrogi, European Individual Championship, 2025. The game was eventually drawn, but in this position Bjerre missed a beautiful winning move. What was it? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 14 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.

White to play. Eren-Bosiocic, European Individual Championship, 2025. Here, White conjured a mating attack from his tangle of pieces on the kingside. Which move did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 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 Bd4! Then 1…Kd6 2 Qd8# or 1…Nd6 2 Bb6#.

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by William Shinkman, The Good Companion, 1919. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 31 March. 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…Kg3! wins, e.g.