Black to play. Elisabeth Paehtz-Michael Adams, Salamanca Masters, May 2024. With his next move, Adams induced immediate resignation. What did he play? Email answers to chess@-spectator.co.uk by Monday 3 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…Ne3! and White resigned, in view of 2 fxe3 Qxg2 mate or 2 f3 Rxg2+ 3 Kh1 Qxf3 wins.
Black to play. Rocco-Ghasi, 4NCL, May 2024. White’s last move Rd1-a1 was a mistake, and with his next move Ghasi provoked instant resignation. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 27 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…Qf2+!!
Black to play. A variation from Rasmus Svane-Samuel Chow, 4NCL, May 2024. In the game, Svane avoided the capture of a bishop on d7 which would have allowed this position to occur. Which winning move for Black had he foreseen? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 20 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include an address. Last week’s solution 1…Bf2! 2 f4 e4!
Black to play. Kempinski-Gupta, Bundesliga, December 2023. White has just grabbed a pawn on a7. Which move won the game for Black? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 13 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…Rc1+! 2 Kf2 Rc2+ 3 Ke3 Qc3+ White resigned. Or 2 Rxc1 Qxb6+ and b7 falls next.
Black to play. Adorjan-Lobron, the Master Game Final, London 1982. White’s far advanced b-pawn looks likely to win the game, but Lobron’s next move turned the tables. What did he play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 6 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 Bc6!, e.g.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Philip Hamilton Williams, the Weekly Mercury, 1896. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 29 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 Qxe5! Rxe5 2 Bxf7+ Kg7 3 Rxd8 and Black soon resigned. Last week’s winner C.
White to play. Makkar-Cherniaev, 4NCL Spring GM, March 2024. White is a pawn down, but his pieces are well placed. How did he strike a decisive blow? Answers should be emailed 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 address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution …Bd4! wins a bishop by force: 2 Qxd4 Qxf3 3 Qf2 Qd1+ 4 Re1 Qxd6 and Black went on to win comfortably.
Black to play. Abdusattorov-Praggnanandhaa, Prague Masters, March 2024. White has a rook for a knight. Which move allowed Black to turn the tables and gain a decisive advantage? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 15 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 Rd7! Qxd7 2 Qxh5 gxh5 3 Bh7#. But 1 Qxh5? runs into a countershot: 1...
White to play. Menchik-Graf, Women’s World Championship, Semmering 1937. Which brilliantmove provoked instant resignation? Beware: there is a tempting option which falls short. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 8 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 Qh7!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Sam Loyd, Baltimore Herald 1880. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 1 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 Rf3!
White to play and mate in two moves. One of the conventional problems from the same Winton British Chess Solving Championship, composed by Huibrecht van Beek, 1899. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 25 March. 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 Ba3! Qa2 2 Bc4 traps the queen, then 2…Bd4+ 3 Kh1 Qf2 4 Qxd4 wins a bishop.
White to play. Brkic-Shengelia, Bundesliga, February 2024. White’s pieces coordinate far better than Black’s. Which move cashes in? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 18 March. 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.
Black to play. Royal-Gormally, British Rapidplay Championship, 2024. White’s last move, 26 f2-f3, was a fatal mistake. How did Gormally respond? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 11 March. 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 Rxe4! Black resigned. 1…dxe4 2 Qxf7+ (2 Nxf7+ Qf6 is less clear) Kh8 3 Qxe8+! Rxe8 4 Nf7+ Kg8 5 Nxg5 h6 6 Nxe4 Rxe4 7 Rd1 with a winning endgame.
White to play. Borsos-Nawalaniec, Cambridge International Open, 2024. White found a devastating tactical shot. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 4 March. 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 Qe1!
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by M. Lokker, Shakhmatnaya Moskva, 1967 Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 26 February. 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 Bd3! Bxd3 2 Qd2# or 1…Rxd3 2 Qb1#.
White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by V. Antipov, Kudesnik, 1998. Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 February. 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 Qg5+! Kf7 (1…Kh7 is similar) 2 Qf5+ Qxf5 3 Kxf5 wins, e.g. 3…Kg7 4 Kg5!
White to play. Salem-Vrolijk, Tata Steel Challengers 2024. Black’s last move, Qf2-c2, was a fatal error in an otherwise drawn endgame. Which queen check won White the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 February. 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 Rc8! Qxc8 2 Nb6+ wins, or 1…Qh7+ 2 f5 and the pawn promotes.
White to play. Maghsoodloo-Warmerdam, Tata Steel Masters 2024. Maghsoodloo’s situation looks desperate, but he found a surprise winning move here. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 February. 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 Rxd7! Qxh4 2 Rxd8+ Kh7 3 Rcc8. Black resigned, e.g.
White to play. Blübaum-Pavlidis, Bundesliga 2024. Which move won the game for Blübaum? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 29 January. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postaladdress and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Re8! Rxe8 (or 1…Nxe8 2 f8=Q+) 2 Qxf6+!! Black resigned since Rxf6 3 fxe8=N+!
White to play. Cheparinov-Rapport, World Rapid Championship 2023. White found an elegant combination to make use of the passed pawn on f7. What did he play? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 22 January. 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 c8=N+ Kd7 2 b8=N mate!
