Here are some chess puzzles taken from the games of Mikhail Botvinnik.
White to move and win.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
a)
Botvinnik vs Mikhail Muchin, Leningrad, 1926
[ Bb4 ]
b)
Botvinnik vs Viacheslav Ragozin, Leningrad, 1927
[ Rxg6+ w/Qxg6+ Qg7+ Re1+ Qe7+ & Rc1+ ]
c)
Botvinnik vs P. Sharov, Leningrad, 1928
[ Nf6+ ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Grigory Goldberg, Leningrad, 1929
[ Rxe6 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs G. Stepanov, Leningrad, 1930
[ Bxf7+ w/Nc4 ]
Botvinnik vs Capablanca, 1938
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Botvinnik Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win.
a)
Botvinnik vs Mikhail Yudovich, Leningrad, 1933
[ Nxg6 if Kxg6 Bh5+ mates ]
b)
Botvinnik vs A Budo, Leningrad, 1938
[ Rxg7+ Kxg7 (if Kf8 Rh7) Bxf6+ & Qxc5 ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Vera Menchik, Hastings, 1934
[ fxe6+ Bxb3 e7+ if Kxe7 Nc6+ ]
d)
Botvinnik vs V Breitman, Leningrad, 1931
[ Nf5 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs Grigory Miasoedov, Leningrad, 1932
[ Ne4 w/Nd6+ & Nxc8 ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win.
a)
Botvinnik vs Nikolai Grigoriev, Leningrad, 1927
5rk1/p1nnqr1p/1p1p4/3Pp2Q/5p1N/1P4PB/P2R1P1P/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 ]
b)
Botvinnik vs Khrisogon Kholodkevich, Moscow, 1927
2b3k1/3qp2p/pP1p2p1/P2P1p2/8/4Q1P1/5PBP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qe6+ ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Pianov Pavlov, Moscow, 1927
4qr1k/2Rr1npp/p3b3/1p2Pp2/1Q3B2/P4N2/5PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 Bxd7 e6 if Bxe6 Rxe6 ]
d)
Botvinnik vs B Yuriev, Leningrad, 1928
Qq2rk2/1P4pp/2p2p2/2Np1b2/8/8/5PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxb8 w/Ra1 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs Ilya Kan, Leningrad, 1930
4r1k1/6pp/ppPp3r/4n3/2P5/8/PP4BP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bd5+ w/c7 ]
Botvinnik vs Vidmar Endgame
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Botvinnik vs Vladimir Alatortsev, Moscow, 1931
r4rk1/p1p1n1b1/1p1p2p1/3Pp1Pn/2P1P1q1/1P2B1N1/P2QN1B1/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Bh3 Qf3 Rf1 Nxg3 Be6+ ]
b)
White Mates in 4. Botvinnik vs Victor Goglidze, Moscow, 1931
2bk4/6b1/2pNp3/r1PpP1P1/P1pP1Q2/2rq4/7R/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ Bxh8 Qf8+ ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Nikolay Sorokin, Moscow, 1931
5r1k/2R5/p5BK/1p2p3/4P2P/1n2P3/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rh7+ w/Rg7+ & Bf7 ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Nikolay Sorokin, Leningrad, 1933
rnb1k2r/pp3ppp/6q1/b1pp4/3P1B2/1QP1PP2/P5PP/R3KBNR w - - 0 1
[ Bxb8 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs Vladimir Nenarokov, Leningrad, 1933
5rk1/2pBn1qr/1p1p3p/p4Pp1/2PQ2P1/P1P2KP1/7R/7R w - - 0 1
[ Be6+ if Kh8 Rxh6 mates ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part V. White to move and win.
a)
Botvinnik vs Rudolf Spielmann, Moscow, 1935
r1b1kb1r/pp2pppp/5n2/3P2B1/Nn1P4/8/q4PPP/2RQKBNR w - - 0 1
[ Bc4 if Qa3 Rc3 or if Bg4 Nf3 ]
b)
Botvinnik vs Samuel Reshevsky, Amsterdam, 1938
4q1k1/2Pn1r2/4p1p1/4B2p/1P6/1Q4PP/5PBK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qc2 if Rf8 c8/Q Qxc8 Qxg6# ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Abram Poliak, Leningrad, 1938
3rrk2/pp2q2p/2bR2p1/2P1np2/4p3/PBQ1P3/1B3PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxe5 Qxe5 Bxe5 if Rxd6 Bxd6+ ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Alexander Chistiakov, Leningrad, 1939
4qrk1/rpBbb1pp/pN2p3/3pPp2/4n3/3BP3/PPQ2PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bb8 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs Iosif Rudakovsky, Moscow, 1940
rq1r2k1/3bbppp/p1nppn2/1p6/N3PP2/1N2BB2/PPP2QPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nb6 if Ra7 e5 ]
Tolush vs Botvinnik, 1939
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part VI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Botvinnik vs Abram Khavin, Moscow, 1944
5k2/3b1ppp/p1q5/1p1p4/3P3r/6NP/PP3PP1/2Q1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qg5 if Rh6 Qe7+ mates ]
b)
Botvinnik vs Aberic O'Kelly de Galway, Groningen, 1946
8/2R1brkp/2p1p3/p1p1P1p1/4N3/P1P1P3/6KP/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nd6 if Bxd6 exd6 w/d7 d8/Q+ & Rxf7 ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Samuel Reshevsky, Hague, 1948
2rr2k1/p4pp1/2n3n1/1p4P1/2P1B3/5PB1/P5K1/3RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd8 Nxd8 Bf5 ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Tapio Salo, Amsterdam, 1954
2r2bk1/3R1pnp/q1p1r1p1/p3P3/Pp3P2/6PP/1P3BB1/2RQ2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ra7 ]
e)
White Mates in 5. Botvinnik vs Miguel Najdorf, Moscow, 1956
r5k1/4PR2/6Kp/8/6p1/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rf6 Re8 Rd6 ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part VII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Botvinnik vs Harry Golombek, Moscow, 1956
r1q2r2/p3ppkp/1p1p2p1/1n1P4/4PP2/1P4P1/P2Q2BP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rc1 if Qd7 a4 & if Nc7 Qc3+ ]
b)
White Mates in 5. Botvinnik vs Maurice Raizman, Munich, 1958
2Q5/6k1/7p/4Ppp1/3N4/7n/1q3PPK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf5+ Kf7 Qd7+ Kg6 Qe6+ ]
c)
White Mates in 6. Botvinnik vs Mikhail Tal, Moscow, 1961
2r5/R7/1kpB1p1p/8/3Pr3/2p5/5KP1/R7 w - - 0 1
[ Bc5+ Kb5 R1a4 ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Ake Olsson, Stockholm, 1962
1rbq3k/p1p3pp/1p3b2/1PN2p2/P1Qn4/B2P2P1/5PBP/4RK2 w - - 0 1
[ Qf7 ]
e)
Botvinnik vs Salamanca Pomar, Varna, 1962
1k1n2rr/pp2q3/5R1p/2p1p3/2Pp1n2/3P3Q/PP1B2BP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf4 if exf4 Bxf4+ ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part VIII. White to move and win.
a)
Botvinnik vs Semyen Furman, Leningrad, 1963
8/3rb2p/pR4p1/2pp1k2/5B2/2P5/P3KPPP/8 w - - 0 1
[ Kf3 if h5 h3 w/g4+ ]
b)
Botvinnik vs Jan-Hein Donner, Nordwijk aan Zee, 1965
8/6pk/1p6/8/PP3p1p/5P2/4KP1q/3Q4 w - - 0 1
[ Qf1 w/a5 ]
c)
Botvinnik vs Paul Keres, Moscow, 1966
3q1rk1/r5p1/2bpn1P1/p1pN1p2/P1PnP2p/3PB2P/5Q1K/1R1B1R2 w - - 0 1
[ Rb8 if Qxb8 Qxh4 mates ]
d)
Botvinnik vs Lajos Portisch, Monte Carlo, 1968
rn2r3/1q4k1/2pb2Bp/p3N3/2Q5/P2PB1P1/1P2PP1P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxh6+ if Kxh6 Qh4+ w/Qh7+ or if Kh8 Nf7+ mates ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part IX. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
N Liutov vs Botvinnik, Leningrad, 1925
r5k1/1pp4p/p6q/5bpr/5p2/3PnN2/PPP2QPP/2R1RN1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf1 if Rxf1 or Qxf1 g4 ]
b)
Viktor Goglidze vs Botvinnik, Moscow, 1935
r1r3k1/5p1p/pQ4p1/N2b4/3Pp3/R3P3/4qPPP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rab8 if Qd6 Qxf1+ mates ]
c)
Black Mates in 3. Viacheslav Ragozin vs Botvinnik, URS, 1936
1k1r2r1/ppq4p/4Q3/1B2np2/2P1p3/P7/2P1RPPR/2B1K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ ]
d)
Isaak Mazel vs Botvinnik, Leningrad, 1938
r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/8/2ppP3/1n3Pn1/PQN2N2/1P1P2PP/R1B1KB1R b KQkq - 0 1
[ ...c4 if Qa4+ Bd7 Qd1 Qb6 ]
e)
Black Mates in 6. Mark Stolberg vs Botvinnik, Moscow, 1940
5bk1/1p4p1/pP3p2/Pq1pnP2/8/1r5P/RN1Br1P1/2QR3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3+ if gxh3 d4 w/...Qd5+ or if Kg1 Rxg2+ Kxg2 Qe2+ ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part X. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black Mates in 3. Igor Bondarevsky vs Botvinnik, Moscow/Leningrad, 1941
6k1/pp1q1ppp/2p5/3n4/Q2P4/PPr4P/3NnBPK/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3 if gxh3 Ndf4 ]
b)
Paul Keres vs Botvinnik, Moscow/Leningrad, 1941
2r2rk1/p4p2/7p/3p1qp1/3nn3/3Q2B1/PP3PPP/K2R2NR b - - 0 1
[ ...Nc2+ Kb1 Nb4 if Q any, Black mates ]
c)
Black Mates in 10. Vassily Smyslov vs Botvinnik, Moscow/Leningrad, 1941
8/5p2/1pkBq1Pp/3pPn2/2pP1R2/2P1R2Q/2P1KP2/3r2r1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxd4+ if Rxd4 or cxd4 Rge1+ w/...Qxh3+ ]
d)
Arnold Denker vs Botvinnik, Radio Match, 1945
2kr3r/pb1n1p2/3qpP2/2b3B1/PpB2Q2/3p1PN1/1P4PP/R4R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ if Kxh2 Rh8+ Qh4 Rxh4+ Bxh4 Qf4 ]
e)
Hermann Steiner vs Botvinnik, Groningen, 1946
6rk/pp1bb2p/2p1p3/3pP2q/1PP3rn/P3NN2/3QPPBP/4R1RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf3 exf3 (if Bxf3 Qxh2+) Rh4 Nf1 Bg5 w/...Bf4 ]
Botvinnik Puzzles, Part XI. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Tigran Petrosian vs Botvinnik, URS, 1952
2r3k1/p7/1b2b2r/1BqpN2p/8/PQ3RP1/1P4P1/3KR3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc1+ Ke2 Rc2+ Kf1 Qd2 ]
b)
D Parliaros vs Botvinnik, Amsterdam, 1954
3r1rk1/1p1qbppp/2n2n2/p4b2/2Pp4/PP2pNP1/1B2PPBP/2RQNRK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...exf2+ Rxf2 Ng4 if Rf1 Nd3 ]
c)
Mammed Nurmamedov vs Botvinnik, Moscow, 1959
3qn1kr/pp3pb1/1r2p1p1/2Qp2Pp/P1nP1N2/2P2P1B/1P5P/R1B1R1K1 b - - 0 1br>[ ...Bf8 ]
d)
Oleg Neikirkh vs Botvinnik, Leipzig, 1960
3q2k1/pb3rpp/5p2/Rp6/5P2/1P6/1PP3PP/2B1Q2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Re7 ]
e)
Mario Tamburini vs Botvinnik, Leipzig, 1960
2bqr1kb/r4n2/pp1p2p1/2pP1p2/2P2B1p/2N2P2/PP1Q2PP/1R1R1BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd4+ Kh1 g5 ]
f)
Mark Taimanov vs Botvinnik, Moscow, 1963
r3n1k1/1br3pp/1p3p2/p7/P1RPq1N1/4P3/1B2Q1PP/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc4 if Qxc4+ Bd5 Qe2 h5 or if Rxc4 Ba6 Qc2 Qxg4 ]
g)
Eleazar Jimenez vs Botvinnik, Palma de Majorca, 1967
6k1/4b2p/p3p1p1/1p2p3/2p1P3/P1PqBPP1/1P1Q3P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc5 if Qxd3 cxd3 Kf2 d2 ]
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