Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Valentina Golubenko.
White to move and win except where noted.

Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.

a)
Golubenko vs Sergei Kaganski, Paide, 1999
r3r1k1/ppp2pb1/3p1n1p/7q/4PQp1/1BN2nR1/PPPB1P1P/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Rxf3 ]



b) White Mates in 3. Golubenko vs Stanislav Beljaev, Kohtla-Jarve, 1999
r4k2/6pp/p1n1p2N/2p5/1q6/6QP/PbP2PP1/1K1R1B2 w - - 0 1



c) White Mates in 3. Golubenko vs Dmitry Knyazhev, Kohtla-Jarve, 1999
6k1/3q1ppp/p2r4/1p6/4Q3/8/PPP3PP/3R3K w - - 0 1

d)
Golubenko vs Jekaterina Jermolina, Tartu, 2000
3rkb2/p1p1p1p1/2p3q1/6p1/3pP2r/3BPQ2/PP4PP/3RK2R w K - 0 1
[ e5 Qe6 0-0 if Rh8 Be4 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Anastasia Bodnaruk, Oropesa, 2000
1r3r1k/2qb1pp1/pp1p3p/2pPpNb1/P1P1P1P1/3B1R2/1P1Q2PP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxg5 if hxg5 Rh3+ w/Ne7# ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Leonid Ratner, St. Petersburg, 2000
6k1/1p3p1p/2p5/1pP2Pp1/4p3/4P1K1/PP3P1P/8 w - - 0 1
[ f6 h5 h4 ]

b)
Golubenko vs Boris Kushnir, Saint-Petersburg, 2001
8/pb2rk1p/1p1qprp1/2ppR3/3P1PQ1/2P1P2B/PP5P/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Qh4 if h5 Rxh5 gxh5 Qxh5+ or if Kg7 Rh5 ]

c)
Golubenko vs Aleksander Volodin, Kohtla-Jarve, 2001
r4kn1/ppp5/2nq1b2/4pQ2/3PPN2/2P5/PP3PP1/R3KB2 w Q e6 0 1
[ Ne6+ ]

d)
White Mates in 2. Golubenko vs Kerttu Oja, Narva, 2001
r1bk1r2/pp1n2pp/3NQ3/1P6/8/2n2PB1/q1B3PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxb7+ ]

e)
Golubenko vs Aleksander Volodin, Narva, 2001
rnbq1rk1/pp2b1p1/2p2p1p/3pB2n/3P4/2NBP3/PPQ2PPP/R3K1NR w KQ - 0 1
[ Bxb8 w/Bg6 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Leonid Lvov, Sillamae, 2001
r3b1k1/5p2/2rq2p1/3p2P1/pppP1R2/4P2P/PPB2Q2/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7 Bxf7 Qxf7+ Kh8 Rf4 ]

b)
Golubenko vs Yuri Kuzmin, Saint-Petersburg, 2001
r5k1/1q3pnp/3Pp1p1/rBp1P3/1p2P3/8/4Q1PP/R4R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rxa5 Rxa5 d7 Ra8 Qf3 Rf8 Qxf7+ ]

c)
Golubenko vs Nune Darbinian, Kallithea, 2001
2k5/6R1/8/1n1Pp3/1K2P3/p4PP1/8/3b4 w - - 0 1
[ Kxb5 Ba4+ Kb6 a2 Rc7+ Kd8 Rc1 ]

d)
Golubenko vs Liis Oja, Tartu, 2002
rnbqk1nr/ppppp1b1/7p/6p1/3PPp2/6B1/PPP2PPP/RN1QKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
[ Bxf4 gxf4 Qh5+ Kf8 Qf5+ Ke8 Be2 Nf6 e5 e6 Qxf4 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Chantal Sirisena, Peniscola, 2002
rn2k1nr/pb3ppp/4p3/Rp1q4/3P4/1pB1PN2/5PPP/3QKB1R w Kkq - 0 1
[ Rxb5 Qd7 Qxb3 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Tuuli Vahtra, Tallinn, 2002
r4qk1/pp1b1rnp/4p1pQ/2ppP3/5PP1/2PB1R2/PP3B1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh3 Ne8 Bxg6 ]

b)
Golubenko vs Vadim Chernyshov, Kohtla-Jarve, 2003
r1b2nk1/pp1N1ppp/2p5/3p1P2/3P4/2NBr1qP/PPQ3P1/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ne2 ]

c)
Golubenko vs Jana Airapetjan, Tallinn, 2003
2n4k/4q1bp/p2p2p1/P1pQ2N1/2P2P2/R5PP/1P4K1/2B1r3 w - - 0 1
[ Nf7+ if Kg8 Nh6+ mates ]

d)
White Mates in 6. Golubenko vs Georgi Orlov, Kohtla-Jarve, 2003
6R1/8/7p/5B2/4p2k/7p/3r2PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg4+ Kh5 Kxh3 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Margit Brokko-Olde, Tallinn, 2004
r1k2b1r/1b1n1p1p/p2p1qp1/2pP4/2Q2B2/5NPB/Pp3P1P/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qa4 if Qd8 Bxd7+ Qxd7 Re8+ Kc7 Qa5# ]

f)
Golubenko vs Dmitry Kutsebeschenko, Moscow, 2004
r4bk1/5Rp1/1p2p2p/4P3/3P1Q2/p6P/4q3/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Rf1 Bb4 Rxg7+ Kxg7 Rg1+ ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part V. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Margarida Coimbra, Chisinau, 2005
1r4k1/1q1r1pb1/p3p2p/4P3/2Rp3B/3R1P2/P4P2/2Q3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rb3 ]

b)
Golubenko vs Yulia Mamonova, Vladimir, 2005
2rk4/R2b3p/1p1p4/5p2/2PqrN2/8/PP1Q1PP1/1K3B2 w - - 0 1
[ Ne6+ if Bxe6 Qg5+ ]

c)
Golubenko vs Vlas Shpagin, Serpukhov, 2005
r1b2rk1/ppnn1pbp/2p3p1/2NqP3/8/P3BNPP/1P3PB1/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nd2 Qxe5 Nxd7 Bxd7 Bf4 ]

d)
Golubenko vs Sergey Kislov, Serpukhov, 2005
4r2k/pp3b1p/3q1r2/3P4/3Q1P2/3N4/PP3K1P/4R2R w - - 0 1
[ Rxe8+ Bxe8 Re1 if Bf7 Re6 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Anna Dushenok, Saint-Petersburg, 2005
1r3rk1/p1q5/3p1b2/1p1P2p1/2pnR1P1/P2B3Q/1P1N3P/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re7 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part VI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Marina Lupik, Saint-Petersburg, 2005
3rrb2/6k1/p1q4p/1pPp1BpQ/8/6R1/1P3PPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg5+ if hxg5 Qh7+ ]

b)
Golubenko vs Evgenia Chasovnikova, Vladimir, 2005
5nk1/1p6/1N6/r1BPp1p1/b3P1n1/2R3P1/6B1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf8 Kxf8 Ra3 Ra6 Nxa4 b5 Rf3+ ]



c) White Mates in 3. Golubenko vs Berik Akkozov, Serpukhov, 2005
1rb2k2/1pq3pQ/pRpNp3/P1P2n2/3P1P2/4P3/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1

d)
Golubenko vs Xiaowen Zhang, Moscow, 2006
4r1k1/2p2r1p/p2p2p1/3P1q2/2PQNPnP/6P1/P5K1/4RR2 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd6 Qc2+ Rf2 Rxe1 Rxc2 Ne3+ Qxe3 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Irina Sudakova, Njivice, 2006
8/p3q1pk/2r2r1p/2N2R2/1PBpp3/P2Q2P1/7P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 Rxc5 Re6 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part VII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Golubenko vs Tamara Chistiakova, Kharkov, 2006
6k1/p2N2p1/6q1/3p3p/8/8/P4R2/4RK2 w - h6 0 1
[ Nf6+ ]



b) White Mates in 3. Golubenko vs Nadezhda Kharmunova, Vladimir, 2006
3q1r2/p2nr3/1k1NB1pp/1Pp5/5B2/1Q6/P5PP/5RK1 w - - 0 1

c)
Golubenko vs Iulia Gromova, Rijeka, 2006
2rQ1nk1/1qP2bb1/p3p3/3p1ppp/3P4/4N1P1/P4PBP/B1R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxd5 exd5 Nxf5 w/Nd6 ]

d)
Golubenko vs Anna-Christina Kopinits, Rijeka, 2007
r5rk/p2R4/1p5p/4pp2/2P1bR2/P1q5/4QBPP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe4 fxe4 Qxe4 ]

e)
Golubenko vs Arlette Van Weersel, Dresden, 2007
rn4k1/p5bp/1pqpr1p1/2pN4/6P1/P4N2/1PQ2PP1/3R1K1R w - - 0 1
[ Qc4 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part VIII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Ksenia Startseva vs Golubenko, Kohtla-Jarve, 1998
1r2rbk1/2p2p2/q2p1np1/P2Pp2p/B3P3/2Bn1PNP/1P4PN/R4QK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qa7+ if Kh1 Nf2+ Kg1 N2xe4+ Kh1 Nxg3# ]

b)
Vladimir Shipilov vs Golubenko, Narva, 1998
r2q1rk1/ppp1bppp/4b3/3nR3/2B5/2NP3P/PPP2PP1/R1BQ2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxc3 if bxc3 Bxc4 ]

c)
Black Mates in 2. Marianna Seppern vs Golubenko, Kohtla-Jarve, 1998
8/6R1/B6p/5P2/1pp3P1/1r6/K2k4/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Kc1 ]

d)
Anton Larin vs Golubenko, Paide, 1999
4rr2/2b3pk/p4n1p/1p1pnN2/1P6/PB4P1/1BP4P/4RRK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ ]

e)
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Golubenko, Oropesa, 1999
3nr1k1/1b3p2/pq3Pp1/1pR2p2/3p2PQ/3P4/PP3P1P/2R3K1 b - g3 0 1
[ ...Qxc5 ]

f)
Black Mates in 5. Stanislav Ratsiborski vs Golubenko, Kohtla-Jarve, 2000
2r1r1k1/1b3ppp/pp1bp3/2pp4/2PPn1P1/NP1BPRqP/PB4P1/2RQ2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh2+ ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part VIII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Kirill Vasiljev vs Golubenko, Sillamae, 2001
2rr2k1/1bq2ppp/p2ppb2/1p6/1PnBP3/PR1B1P1P/2P1N1P1/2Q2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd4+ Nxd4 Qb6 c3 e5 ]

b)
Sten Kasela vs Golubenko, Saaremaa, 2001
r1bq1rk1/pp3pb1/3p2np/2p2Np1/4P1n1/2NPB1P1/PPPQ2BP/R4RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxf5 exf5 Nxe3 if Qxe3 Bd4 ]

c)
Black Mates in 6. Ksenia Startseva vs Golubenko, Tallinn, 2001
r4rk1/pp2pR1p/3pP2q/1Np5/2P3p1/1P6/P3P1Bb/1R1Q3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf4+ Kg1 Be3+ Kf1 Qh2 Ke1 Qg1+ ]

d)
Liis Oja vs Valentina Golubenko, Tartu, 2002
rnbqkb1r/pp1p1ppp/4pn2/8/3N1B2/7P/PPP1PPP1/RN1QKB1R b KQkq - 0 1
[ ...e5 ]

e)
Tuuli Vahtra vs Golubenko, Tartu, 2002
r2qkb1r/p2b1ppp/2p1p3/3n4/2B5/4B3/PPP2PPP/RN1QK2R b KQkq - 0 1
[ ...Nxe3 fxe3 Qh4+ ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part IX. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Ivan Moskalev vs Golubenko, Kohtla-Jarve, 2002
1qr1rnk1/1b2bppp/p2pp3/Pp2P3/1B1PB3/5N2/1P2QPPP/2R1R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxe4 if Qxe4 d5 ]

b)
Black to move and win. Lilia Baloban vs Golubenko, Viljandi, 2002
r4rk1/1pp3b1/3pbn1p/2n1p1pq/p1P1P3/P1NP1pPP/1P1B1P1K/N1RQRB2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxh3 Bxh3 Ng4+ Kg1 Qxh3 ]

c)
Julia Pirovits vs Golubenko, Narva, 2003
3rr1k1/2q3p1/3b3p/pb1p1p2/P3p3/2Pn2PP/1PQB1PB1/1R1N1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb4 if Qb3 Bc4 Qa3 Nc2 or if Qc1 Na2 Qc2 Bd3 ]

d)
Kermen Makarova vs Golubenko, Tartu, 2004
r4rk1/1b2bppp/p2pp3/q1n1n1PP/1p1NP3/1P2BP2/PNPQ4/1K1R1B1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf3 Nxf3 Nxe4 Qg2 Nc3+ Kc1 Qxa2 ]

e)
Black Mates in 2. Tuuli Vahtra vs Golubenko, Tartu, 2004
5rk1/5ppp/pq6/1r3n2/2Q2P2/1P1N4/P1P1R1PP/4R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ ]

f)
Irina Rukina vs Golubenko, Kohtla-Jarve, 2004
r1b2rk1/1pq3pp/pn1bn3/4pp2/2N4Q/1NP5/PP2BPPP/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be7 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part XI. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black Mates in 11. Jana Airapetjan vs Golubenko, Tallinn, 2004
2rr2k1/p4pnp/1p2pQpB/4N3/3q1PP1/8/P5KP/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc2+ Kh3 Qe3+ Kh4 Rxh2+ Kg5 Rh5+ gxh5 Qg3+ Ng4 Rd5+ ]

b)
Viktoria Korchagina vs Golubenko, Saint-Petersburg, 2005
1r4k1/4Qppp/p7/q4bP1/5P1P/1PNr4/PP4B1/K6R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3 b4 Qc7 ]

c)
Anastasiya Kovpak vs Golubenko, Vladimir, 2005
2q1r1k1/1b3pp1/pp4rp/3pnQ2/3R4/P1P3NP/1P3PP1/3R1BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxf5 Nxf5 Nf3+ ]

d)
Miroslav Vlasenko vs Golubenko, Serpukhov, 2005
r4nk1/7p/3pP1p1/8/2pNPK2/8/Pq3P1Q/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe6+ ]

e)
Jana Krivec vs Golubenko, Rijeka, 2006
rnbqr1k1/pp3pPp/4p3/8/2pN2Q1/8/PPP2P1P/R1B1K2R b KQ - 0 1
[ ...e5 Nf5 Qf6 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part XII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Dagne Ciuksyte vs Golubenko, Tallinn, 2006
1r1r2k1/4bppp/p3p1P1/2nbP2P/3N1B2/2Q5/1PP5/qNKRR3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Na4 if Nb3 Rxb3 ]

b)
Black Mates in 6. Kateryna Grbatenko vs Golubenko, Kharkov 2006
3r2k1/5pp1/p6p/2p5/8/5KQ1/bP2PPPP/2q3NR b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd5+ if e4 Bxe4+ or if Kg4 Qg5+ ]

c)
Evgeniya Doluhanova vs Golubenko, Kharkov, 2006
2br3k/6pp/5p2/p2Bp3/1b1nP1PP/3K1PB1/1rP5/1NR2R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ba6+ if c4 Ne2 or if Ke3 Nxc2+ Kf2 Nd4+ Kg1 Ne2 ]

d)
Eduard Gorovykh vs Golubenko, Saint-Petersburg, 2007
3r2k1/1b3ppp/1B1b4/6P1/p3P3/P1R2QN1/qP5P/2K5 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf4+ Be3 Bxg3 if hxg3 Qa1+ Kc2 Bxe4+ ]

e)
Lilit Mkrtchian vs Golubenko, Dresden, 2007
2r3k1/1prb1ppp/1b2p3/3p4/6n1/PPN1PBP1/1B3P1P/2RR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe3 fxe3 Bxe3+ Kf1 Bxc1 Rxc1 d4 Ne2 Rxc1+ Nxc1 Rc2 Nd3 Bb5 ]

Golubenko Puzzles, Part XIII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black Mates in 3. Deimante Daulyte vs Golubenko, Tallinn, 2008
6k1/2rB1p2/RB1p2pb/3Pp2p/4P3/3K2NQ/5Pq1/8 b - - 0 1
[ Qf3+ if Be3 Qd1+ ]

b)
Mnatsakanyan vs Golubenko, Vietnam, 2008
r6r/pQ3pkp/4bp2/q1pp4/Bb1n4/2NR4/PPP1NPPP/2K4R b - - 0 1
[ Rhb8 Qe7 (if ...Rg3+ Kf8) Nf5 Rg3+ Nxg3 ]

c)
White Mates in 5. Golubenko vs Hamid, Dresden (ol), 2008
3k4/1R6/1P2PNp1/7p/2n4P/8/4rPP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ Kd8 e7+ if Kc8 Rc7+ Kb8 Nd7+ ]


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