Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Ilya Kan.
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)
Kan vs Nikolay Zubarev, Leningrad, 1933
r4rk1/pp1bp2p/1np2np1/7q/3P1R2/2NB3P/PPPB2P1/R3Q1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh4 if Qa5 Nb5 Qa4 b3 Qa6 Nc7 ]
b)
Kan vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Moscow, 1935
2k2b1r/1pqr1pp1/p1p1b2p/3pP3/Q2P4/3B4/P2B2PP/1RR3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxa6 if Kb8 Ba5 Qc8 Rxc6 or if Bf5 Rxb7 Qd8 Rb2+ ]
c)
Kan vs Boris Goldenov, URS, 1941
6k1/2q2p1p/r3pPp1/2p5/1pP2P2/1n2BQ1P/1P4P1/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Qb7 ]
d)
Kan vs FI Duz-Hotimirsky, Moscow, 1942
3k3r/pp2b1p1/6p1/8/2r5/5NB1/PP4PP/1K2R3 w - - 0 1
[ Ne5 if Rhh4 Bxh4 Rxh4 Nxg6 ]
e)
Kan vs Grigory Fridstein, Moscow, 1949
r5k1/2q2pbp/p1n3p1/4p3/1rQ5/1PN1BP2/1PP4P/4RR1K w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 ]
Kan Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Kan vs Alexander Tolush, Leningrad, 1955
1r4k1/5p2/p2Pn1pp/1ppNP1q1/P7/6P1/1P3Q1P/4RK2 w - - 0 1
[ h4 if Qd8 Ne7+ w/Nc6 ]
b)
Kan vs Juraj Hukel, Calcutta, 1979
r2qkb1r/2p2ppp/p7/1p1Bn3/4p1b1/5N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 1
[ Nxe5 if Bxd1 Bxf7+ Ke7 Bg5+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 3. Vladimir Kirillov vs Kan, Moscow, 1931
R3Q3/5r1k/4p3/3p2n1/1P1P2p1/2P1p1Pq/3N3P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf1+ Nxf1 Nf3+ ]
d)
Black Mates in 6. Vladimir Alatortsev vs Kan, Moscow, 1945
4r1k1/p5pp/1nQq4/2pP1pPP/6r1/P4R1K/2B5/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh4+ if Kg2 Qh2+ ]
e)
Black to move and win. Yakov Estrin vs Kan, Leningrad, 1955
3r4/4k3/2p4p/p3P3/2P2np1/N6b/P1R1B2P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe2 Rxe2 Rd1+ Kf2 Rf1 Ke3 Rf3+ ]
Can't see the solutions?...Click here.
Other Russian GMs
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