and you'll have to look for someone to try these gambits out!" Ankush Agarwal
Here are some chess problems taken from the games of Anatoly Karpov.
White to play and win except where noted.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
a)
Karpov vs Nedelin, Borovichi, 1961
1r4k1/4bpnp/3p2p1/2qPp1P1/1p2P3/r2Q1N1P/P3NPK1/RR6 w - - 0 1
[ Qxa3 w/Rxb8+ Rc1 & R1c8 ]
b)
Black to move and win. Rutka vs Karpov, Trinec, 1967
r2r3k/3q3P/p4p2/1pb1pN2/4Q2N/2P5/PP1n1P2/R3K2R b KQ - 0 1
[ ...Bxf2+ (if ...Nxe4 Ng6#) ]
c)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs Chilnov, Riga, 1970
3r3Q/pq1k1b2/2pn4/P4p2/1P2P2P/2B5/6B1/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Rxd6+ w/Qxd8+ ]
d)
White Mates in 7. Karpov vs Izotov, Leningrad, 1970
1kb3rr/1p3p2/R3p2p/3pPp2/2pP1N1q/2P5/2P2PPP/1RQ3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qa3 ]
e)
Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Leningrad, 1971
r6r/pQ6/5p2/4q2p/3pN2k/8/PPP1B1P1/2K5 w - - 0 1
[ g3+ Kh3 Nf2+ ]
Karpov vs Topalov, 1994
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Karpov, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Aronshtats, Leningrad, 1971
r3r1k1/1b1pn1pp/ppqB1p2/8/P2QP3/2NP4/1P4PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rc1 w/Nb5 ]
b)
Karpov vs Leonid Gofstein, Rostov, 1971
2br2k1/p4rb1/P1p3qp/2P1n3/1N1N4/2B2n2/R5BP/2QR3K w - - 0 1
[ Nxf3 ]
c)
Karpov vs VN Kozlov, Leningrad, 1971
1r4k1/5pbp/3r2p1/Np2p3/1R1nB1P1/4BN1P/1P3PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd4 w/Bf4 ]
d)
White Mates in 2. Karpov vs Henrique Mecking, Hastings, 1971
4rr2/1p5R/3p1p2/p2Bp3/P2bPkP1/1P5R/1P2K3/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg7 ]
e)
Karpov vs Donald Byrne, San Antonio, 1972
2rr4/2q2pkp/1p2pnp1/pB1bQ3/P4P2/2N5/1PPR2PP/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Ba6 ]
Karpov, Part III. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 4. Karpov vs Mark Taimanov, Moscow, 1972
6r1/3b1Npk/4p3/3pP2P/8/6R1/q4P2/2Q3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qg5 ]
b)
Karpov vs Eugenio Torre, Leningrad, 1973
r5k1/pp1n1rbp/2n1p1p1/3pPq2/3P4/BP3N1P/P4RP1/R2Q1NK1 w - - 0 1
[ g4 ]
c)
Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Moscow, 1974
4r1k1/pp2pp1p/2bp1npQ/q2N4/4PN2/5P2/PPP5/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ e5 if dxe5 Nxf6+ & Nh5 ]
d)
Karpov vs A Pomar Salamanca, Nice, 1974
k7/p4R2/1pp1p3/6n1/PPPP1Brp/3K4/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rf8+ w/Rb8+ & Bd2 ]
e)
Karpov vs Victor Kupreichik, Riga, 1975
5r2/1p1n1pkp/2q2np1/pNb5/P1Q2BP1/3B1R1P/1r4P1/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qc3 w/g5 ]
Karpov, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Svetozar Gligoric, Milan, 1975
3r2k1/3P3p/6p1/p2Pp3/4q3/R2b3P/Q4BPK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd3 if Qxd3 d6+ Kh8 Qxa5 Rxd7 Qxe5+ Rg7 Bd4 ]
b)
White Mates in 2. Karpov vs Klaus Wockenfuss, Bad Lauterberg, 1977
2R5/4rppk/7p/1p2Q1n1/1P4Bq/4P2P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bf5+ ]
c)
White Mates in 6. Karpov vs Istvan Csom, Bad Lauterberg, 1977
q3rn1k/2QR4/pp2pp2/8/P1P5/1P4N1/6n1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 if exf5 Qh2+ ]
d)
Black Mates in 3. Viktor Korchnoi vs Karpov, Baguio, 1978
8/7R/2r5/8/P3n3/8/3nk1PP/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ ]
e)
Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Baguio City, 1978
4rk2/2p2prp/pq2b2N/1p6/8/2PR1Q2/PP4PP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rd7 if Bxd7 Qxf7+ mates or if Rb8 Nxf7 Bxd7 Nd8+ mates ]
Karpov, Part V. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 8. Karpov vs Vlastimil Hort, Bugojno, 1978
1Q2r1r1/pp1qk1b1/2p1p1p1/6Pp/2BP1B1P/2P5/PP3P2/2K1R3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6+ w/Qc7+ & Bd6+ ]
b)
White Mates in 7. Karpov vs Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Bugojno, 1978
8/1p3q1k/3p2p1/P2Nb1Pp/1pQ2R1P/6K1/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ ]
c)
Karpov vs Gennadi Sosonko, Tilburg, 1979
5k2/p3p3/q2p1rR1/2rR3p/2p1QP1P/2P5/2P3P1/2K5 w - - 0 1
[ Rxc5 ]
d)
White Mates in 7. Karpov vs Miguel Quinteros, Buenos Aires, 1980
2r4r/2q2kbR/bp2p1p1/3pP3/p2P1PB1/P5Q1/1n2NBK1/7R w - - 0 1
[ Bxe6+ if Kxe6 Qxg6+ or if Kf8 Rxh8+ ]
e)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs Mikhail Tal, Bugojno, 1980
2r5/1b2rppp/3R1n2/4B3/2k2N2/5P2/6PP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd2 ]
Karpov, Part VI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs Miguel Najdorf, Mar del Plata, 1982
3R4/6pk/6bp/p2B3q/P1p2P2/6P1/2r4P/4Q1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bg8+ w/Bf7+ & Rxh8+ ]
b)
Black to move and win. Boris Spassky vs Karpov, London, 1982
5rk1/4bnpp/p3r3/3qp3/PpN2B2/1Q6/1P2RPPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd6 ]
c)
Karpov vs Bent Larsen, Tilburg, 1982
3rk2r/2Rn1q2/2Q1pp2/p2p4/3P3N/6R1/P4PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 if exf5 Re3+ Kf8 Qd6+ Kg7 Rg3+ ]
d)
Karpov vs Gyula Sax, Linares, 1983
2k2r2/2q2p2/p2r2pp/8/B5PP/2P2Q2/PP3P2/2K1R3 w - - 0 1
[ Re7 Qxe7 Qa8+ Kc7 Qa7+ if Kd8 Qb8# ]
e)
White Mates in 6. Karpov vs Efim Geller, USSR, 1983
3rrk2/R4ppB/7p/1p2N1q1/nPbP1p2/2PQ1P2/6PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxc4 ]
Karpov, Part VII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Ian Rogers, Bath, 1983
2kr3r/pp3ppp/1qp1p3/3bPnPP/6Q1/7R/PPP2P2/2KRBB2 w - - 0 1
[ c4 if Qc5 b4 ]
b)
Black to move and win. Jan Timman vs Karpov, London, 1984
k3rr2/P1p4p/b1p5/3pP1Bq/1b5P/1N2Q1P1/PP4K1/2R4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe5 if Qxe5 Qf3+ ]
c)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs Zoltan Ribli, Dubai, 1986
3rn1k1/5ppn/1p1P4/1r2pPP1/2q1P3/5BK1/1R5Q/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Qxh7+ w/Rh1+ & Rbh2 ]
d)
Karpov vs Bruno Kamber, Switzerland, 1987
1r3r1k/6pp/1b1p4/3Npq2/1P2R2P/3Q1PP1/6K1/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Nxb6 w/Rf4 ]
e)
Karpov vs V Kveinis, Riga, 1988
2r2k1r/4ppbp/2B3p1/q2Ppb2/8/4B3/PR3PPP/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ g4 ]
Karpov, Part VIII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Lajos Portisch, Tilburg, 1988
8/1q3pk1/p1Np1bp1/3P4/4P3/5R1P/2Q2PK1/r7 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 w/Qc3 ]
b) White Mates in 3. Karpov vs Jaan Ehlvest, Reykjavik, 1991
c)
White Mates in 4. Karpov vs Mikhail Gurevich, Reggio Emilia, 1991
5Q2/8/6p1/2p4k/p1Bpq2P/6PK/P2b4/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qh8+ w/Qe5+ ]
d)
White Mates in 4. Karpov vs George Trammell, St Martin, 1992
8/8/5K2/6r1/8/8/5Q1p/7k w - - 0 1
[ Qf1+ w/Qf3+ & Qe4 ]
e)
Black to move and win. Alexander Ivanov vs Karpov, Moscow, 1992
r1r3k1/ppq1bpp1/1n2pn2/4N1N1/5B2/3R4/PPP1QP1P/2K4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nfd5 ]
Karpov, Part IX. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black to move and win. Ljubomir Ljubojevic Ljubomir vs Karpov, Linares, 1992
4Q3/1q3nk1/5pp1/1p2p2p/1b1pP2P/1P1P2P1/4BPK1/6N1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be7 w/...Nd6 ]
b)
Black to move and win. Badals Magem vs Karpov, Madrid, 1992
3q2k1/5p2/3p2p1/p2Np1b1/P1P1P2p/5P1P/1QR3PK/4r3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3 if Nxe3 Qg5 mates ]
c)
Karpov vs Oleg Romanishin, Tilburg, 1993
6k1/2pn1pp1/R7/2pPP3/4P1p1/2r3P1/3N3P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ra8+ w/e6 ]
d)
Karpov vs Valery Salov, Linares, 1993
r3rbk1/1b3Npp/1q1p2n1/2pP4/5R2/1PN3Q1/4P1BP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qxg6 if hxg6 Rh4 ]
e)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs D De Vreugt, Euro Disney CH, 1994
r3r3/pb3pk1/1p1p1p1p/2qP4/P1pNPPP1/2Q5/1P4BP/4R2K w - - 0 1
[ Nf5+ w/Qh3 ]
Karpov, Part X. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Kiril Georgiev, Tilburg, 1994
bq1r2k1/3n1rb1/1p1P2pp/2p5/P3N3/1Q3NP1/4RP1P/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Neg5 w/Nxg5 & Re8 ]
b)
Black to move and win. Joel Lautier vs Karpov, Linares, 1994
r5k1/6p1/5p1p/8/3Pb3/1Rn1BNPP/5K2/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd1+ if Ke2 Bc2 or if Kg2 Ra2+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 5. Valery Salov vs Karpov, Alma-Ata, 1995
8/1P3pk1/2Qpp3/7p/P2Pn1p1/4qN1P/6PK/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...g3+ Kh1 Nf2+ Kg1 Nxh3+ ]
d)
Black to move and win. Renzo Mantovani vs Karpov, San Giorgio Legnano, 1995
8/p1r2ppk/1p3nqp/8/2N1pP2/P3P1nP/1P3QPK/3RN3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh5 w/...Ng4+ or ..Qxd1 ]
e)
Karpov vs Alexander Beliavsky, Dortmund, 1995
1R3nk1/6p1/3Ppp1p/r2q4/4Q2P/5PB1/6PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ d7 if Qxd7 Qb4 ]
Karpov Puzzles, Part XI. White to move and win.
a)
Karpov vs Alexander Khalifman, Linares 1995
5r2/pR3pk1/q2p1bp1/3B3p/2P4P/3Q1RP1/5PK1/4r3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 if Kxf6 Qf3+ Kg7 Rxf7+ mates ]
b)
Black Mates in 5. Magem Badals vs Karpov, Cap d'Agde, 1996
8/5k2/3bpp2/1p1p1b1p/3P3P/1B2QPP1/P4BK1/1q6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bh3+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 5. Eric Lobron vs Karpov, Frankfurt, 1997
6rk/pb4rp/1p3p2/3q3Q/1P1P3R/1P5P/1B2R1P1/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg2+ Kf1 Rg1+ Kf2 Rf1+ ]
d)
Karpov vs Marcin Krysztofiak, Koszalin (simul), 1997
r1b4k/p2n2bp/2pn1rp1/q3p1N1/2B1Pp2/2N2P2/PP1Q1BPP/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Qxd6 Rxd6 Nf7+ Kg8 Nxd6+ Kh8 Nxc8 ]
e)
White Mates in 2. Karpov vs Piotr Mickiewicz, Koszalin (Simul), 1997
5r1r/1p6/p1p2p2/2P1bPpk/4R3/6PP/P2B2K1/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Rh4+ ]
Karpov Puzzles, Part XII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 2. Karpov vs Bidjukova, Voronezh (Simul), 1997
2r5/2R5/3npkpp/3bN3/p4PP1/4K3/P1B4P/8 w - - 0 1
[ g5+ ]
b)
Black to move and win. Paul Van Der Sterren vs Karpov, Wijk aan Zee, 1998
5rk1/QBr2ppp/1p6/1bq5/8/6P1/P4P1P/R3R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxb7 (if ...Bc6 Rac1) Qxb7 Bc6 if Qe7 Qd5 ]
c)
White Mates in 4. Karpov vs Federico Perez, Bastia (Simul), 1998
1r1qrbk1/3b3p/p2p1pp1/3NnP2/3N4/1Q4BP/PP4P1/1R2R2K w - - 0 1
[ Nxf6+ ]
d)
Karpov vs Gustavo Albarran, Buenos Aires (Simul), 2001
2bqr1k1/5pbp/ppp1p1p1/4B3/2P1n3/1PN1P3/P2rBPPP/R1Q2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxe4 if Rxe2 Bxg7 Kxg7 Rd1 Qh4 Ng3 ]
e)
Black to move and win. Alexei Shirov vs Karpov, Bastia, 2002
4rk2/p4p1p/5Bp1/1bb1N3/4B3/3P4/P1P2PPP/4K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re6 if Bh8 f6 w/...f5 ]
Karpov Puzzles, Part XIII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Karpov vs Judit Polgar, Moscow, 2002
2rr2k1/pp2ppbp/3n2b1/1q4p1/1nNP2P1/4P2P/PB1NQP2/R2R1BK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd6 ]
b)
White Mates in 5. Karpov vs Gomez Gustavo, Sao Paulo (Simul), 2003
rrn2q1k/2p3b1/n1Pp3p/6PR/1PQ1Pp2/4BP2/3NK3/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rxh6+ if Bxh6 Bd4+ ]
c)
Karpov vs Carlos Solis, Sao Paulo (Simul), 2003
1r1r1k2/1b2qpp1/p3pn1p/1pNnN3/3P3Q/PB6/1P3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxe6+ if Qxe6 or fxe6 Ng6+ ]
d)
Karpov vs Alain Costa, Ajaccio, 2007
r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/8/3Pp3/1b1n4/6P1/PP1PPPBP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 1
[ e3 ]
e)
Karpov vs Michael Seitz, Wolfsburg (Simul), 2007
1rn1b1k1/4bpp1/4p2p/1pNqN3/1P1P4/1Q1B3P/5PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd5 exd5 Na6 w/Nc7 ]
f)
White Mates in 3. Karpov vs Mahajlo Stojanovic, Valjevo, 2007
2q1rb1k/prp3pp/1pn1p3/5p1N/2PP3Q/6R1/PP3PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6 if h6 Qxh6+ ]
g)
Karpov vs Alexei Shirov, Tallinn, 2006
4kr2/p1Bbpp2/1p4p1/n6p/2B1P2P/2K2P2/P2R2P1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bb5 ]
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