Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Alexander Kotov.
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)
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 Nikolay Kopylov, Moscow, 1949
r4rk1/p4ppp/2p1pn2/qp3b2/3P4/PQn1PPB1/P2N2PP/R3KB1R w - - 0 1
[ Bd6 w/Bb4 ]
d)
White Mates in 8. Kotov vs Andor Lilienthal, Budapest, 1950
5k2/p3Npb1/n6p/1Q6/1P2r3/P7/1qpR1PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ Kxe7 Rxe4+ ]
e)
Black to move and win. Alexander Chistiakov vs Kotov, Moscow, 1952
8/p5pk/2p1p1rn/2P1Pq2/1P3P1p/2P3P1/P2Q2RP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qb1+ Kf2 h3 if Rg1 Ng4+ ]
Kotov Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black to move and win. S Kogan vs Kotov, Moscow, 1952
r5k1/p4pb1/6q1/2pPp3/2P1n1pR/PQ2P3/4B1K1/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf6 Rxg4 Qf2+ w/Qxe2 & Qf3+ ]
b)
Black to move and win. Gosta Stoltz vs Kotov, Saltsjobaden, 1952
6r1/Qp5k/8/3p3p/5q2/1P3p1B/P6P/5N1K b - - 0 1
[ ..f2 if Bg2 Qf3 ]
c)
Kotov vs Gudmundur Arnlaugsson, Amsterdam, 1954
3kbq2/pn3pR1/1p1p1p2/2pPpP1r/P1P1P2P/2P1N1QK/6P1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg8 if Qh6 Ng4 ]
d)
Kotov vs Sultan Khalibeili, Yerevan, 1955
2r3k1/1p1q1pb1/p4np1/3pB1N1/3P3Q/P3R3/1P3PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf6 Bxf6 Qh7+ Kf8 Ne6+ ]
e)
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+ ]
Kotov Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Kotov vs Yu Kots, Moscow, 1964
1r1r1k2/R7/1p4Rp/1Nn1b3/3p3P/3P2P1/4PPK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ f4 if Bh8 Rh7 ]
b)
Black to move and win. Rajko Bogdanovic vs Kotov, Sarajevo, 1966
rr4k1/2q2p2/5Bpp/8/p2NQ3/P1P5/6PP/1R5K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf4 ]
c)
Black to move and win. Levente Lengyel vs Kotov, Sochi, 1967
q5k1/p4pbn/1p2b1p1/1Q2p1Pp/2r1P3/B1N2N1P/PP3P2/1K1R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3 if bxc3 Qxe4+ ]
d)
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+ ]
More Russian GMs
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