Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Alexander Kotov.
White to move and win.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.
a)
Kotov vs Mikhail Yudovich, Leningrad, 1939
2r1b3/pp3p1p/1n3k2/2q2N2/2P1r3/1B4Q1/P5PP/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Rd6+ if Kxf5 Qf3+ mates ]
b)
Kotov vs Vladimir Alatortsev, Moscow, 1942
6k1/3r1pp1/1p5q/p2b4/PnBP1Q2/1P6/6PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re8+ Kh7 Qf5+ Qg6 Qh3+ w/Qxd7 ]
c)
Kotov vs Tibor Florian, Budapest, 1949
1r4k1/p1r2pp1/b6p/3B4/1p1RP3/1R1nBP2/P5PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rbxd3 Bxd3 Bf4 ]
d)
Kotov vs Erno Gereben, Budapest, 1949
r1r5/p2q1p1k/np1PpPp1/2p4p/1P2bP1P/P3B1Q1/B5P1/2RR2K1 w - - 0 1
[ f5 w/Qf4 ]
e)
Kotov vs Nikolay Kopylov, Moscow, 1949
r4rk1/p4ppp/2p1pn2/qp3b2/3P4/PQn1PPB1/P2N2PP/R3KB1R w - - 0 1
[ Bd6 w/Bb4 ]
Kotov Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 8. Kotov vs Andor Lilienthal, Budapest, 1950
5k2/p3Npb1/n6p/1Q6/1P2r3/P7/1qpR1PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ Kxe7 Rxe4+ ]
b)
Kotov vs Gudmundur Arnlaugsson, Amsterdam, 1954
3kbq2/pn3pR1/1p1p1p2/2pPpP1r/P1P1P2P/2P1N1QK/6P1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg8 if Qh6 Ng4 ]
c)
Kotov vs Sultan Khalibeili, Yerevan, 1955
2r3k1/1p1q1pb1/p4np1/3pB1N1/3P3Q/P3R3/1P3PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf6 Bxf6 Qh7+ Kf8 Ne6+ ]
d)
Kotov vs Jens Enevoldsen, Joenkoeping, 1958
r3k2r/p2qbp2/n3p2p/2pPPnp1/Pp3NQ1/4BN2/1P3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ dxe6 fxe6 Rfd1 if Qc8 Qh5+ w/Ng6+ ]
e)
Kotov vs Boris Spassky, Riga, 1958
2b2rk1/2q3b1/3p2QR/p3p1B1/2pnN1P1/5PN1/Pr6/R4K2 w - - 0 1
[ Qh7+ Kf7 Nxd6+ ]
Kotov Puzzles, Part III. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
White to move and win. Kotov vs Yu Kots, Moscow, 1964
1r1r1k2/R7/1p4Rp/1Nn1b3/3p3P/3P2P1/4PPK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ f4 if Bh8 Rh7 ]
b)
Alexander Chistiakov vs Kotov, Moscow, 1952
8/p5pk/2p1p1rn/2P1Pq2/1P3P1p/2P3P1/P2Q2RP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qb1+ Kf2 h3 if Rg1 Ng4+ ]
c)
S Kogan vs Kotov, Moscow, 1952
r5k1/p4pb1/6q1/2pPp3/2P1n1pR/PQ2P3/4B1K1/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf6 Rxg4 Qf2+ w/Qxe2 & Qf3+ ]
d)
Gosta Stoltz vs Kotov, Saltsjobaden, 1952
6r1/Qp5k/8/3p3p/5q2/1P3p1B/P6P/5N1K b - - 0 1
[ ..f2 if Bg2 Qf3 ]
e)
Rashit Nezhmetdinov vs Kotov, Kiev, 1957
5r2/2R1R1pk/5qr1/4np2/4p2P/1Q6/1P3PB1/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qa6+ if Kg1 Nf3+ ]
Kotov Puzzles, Part IV. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Rajko Bogdanovic vs Kotov, Sarajevo, 1966
rr4k1/2q2p2/5Bpp/8/p2NQ3/P1P5/6PP/1R5K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf4 ]
b)
Levente Lengyel vs Kotov, Sochi, 1967
q5k1/p4pbn/1p2b1p1/1Q2p1Pp/2r1P3/B1N2N1P/PP3P2/1K1R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3 if bxc3 Qxe4+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 6. Felix Ignatiev vs Kotov, URS, 1967
r5k1/p3Brb1/3p2p1/3Pp3/q3B3/1n1P2P1/1P5Q/1K1R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bh6 if Qxh6 (or Bxd6) Qa1+ Kc2 Nd4+ Kc3 Rc8+ ]
d)
Coen Zuidema vs Kotov, 1968
5rk1/2Q2pbp/B3p1p1/8/P3nPN1/3R1K1P/6P1/1q6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf1+ if Kxe4 Qe2+ mates or if Ke3 Qe1+ Kf3 f5 ]
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