Quick Kills: Practice Crushing Your Opponent Out Of The Opening - Alapin Sicilian - Tarrasch French - Gruenfeld Defense :
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Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Bent Larsen.
White to move and win except where noted.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
'Print edition' available.
a)
White Mates in 4. Larsen vs Suboticanec, Zagreb, 1955
r4r1k/pp4R1/3pN1p1/3P2Qp/1q2Ppn1/8/6PP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh7+ Kxh7 Qe7+ ]
b) White Mates in 3. Larsen vs Hansen, Tonder, 1956
r3q1rk/1pp3pb/pb5Q/3pB3/3P4/2P2N1P/PP1N2P1/7K w - - 0 1
c)
White Mates in 7. Larsen vs Jorge Behrensen, Mar del Plata, 1958
r6k/pp3r1p/2p3pQ/3p1q2/3P4/7P/PP2RPP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re8+ Rf8 R1e7 ]
d)
White Mates in 5. Larsen vs Oleg Neikirkh, Munich, 1958
6k1/6p1/4R1P1/1qP2p1p/pp1P1B1P/1P6/5P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ c6 Qxc6 Rxc6 Kf8 Re6 ]
e)
White Mates in 4. Larsen vs Geza Fuster, Portoroz, 1958
2r4k/3n4/3Pp2p/3pPpN1/3P4/4P3/Prp3RP/2R4K w - - 0 1
[ Nf7+ ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Larsen vs Borislav Ivkov, Halle, 1963
r6k/1pp1r1bp/3q2p1/p1R1pp2/Nn3P2/BP1P2P1/P2QPR1P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxa5 ]
b)
Larsen vs Burkhard Malich, Halle, 1963
r1r3k1/1p2qpbp/p4np1/2n2b2/P1BNp3/Q1N1P1B1/1P3PPP/R2R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf5 w/Bd6 ]
c)
White Mates in 8. Larsen vs Borge Andersen, Odense, 1963
7r/3qr2k/1p1Nn1pb/2pQ4/P3P2R/6P1/1PP3K1/5R2 w - - 0 1
[ Rxh6+ Kg8 (if Kg7 Qe5+ or if Kxh6 Rh1+) Rf8+ Kg7 Qe5+ Kxh6 Nf5+ ]
d)
White Mates in 4. Larsen vs Dragoljub Ciric, Belgrade, 1964
5nk1/2N2p2/2b2Qp1/p3PpNp/2qP3P/6P1/5P1K/8 w - - 0 1
[ e6 Be8 Nxe8 ]
e)
Larsen vs Arthur Dunkelblum, Beverwijk, 1964
2rn1r2/pp1qppk1/6pp/2pnPb2/P2pN3/1QPP2P1/1P1BP1BP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxc5 if Rxc5 cxd4 ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Larsen vs Efim Geller, Copenhagen, 1966
1r1r2k1/5p1p/1p2pbp1/1Np5/P4qn1/1P3P1Q/1BP1R1PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxg4 Qxg4 fxg4 if Bxb2 c3 ]
b)
Larsen vs A Davie, Dundee, 1967
4b1k1/5pbp/3p2p1/q2Bp3/1pQ5/4B1P1/PP2PP2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf7+ if Bxf7 Qc8+ mates or if Kf8 Bxe8 w/Qg8+ ]
c)
Larsen vs Oscar Panno, Palma de Majorca, 1969
6r1/1p3q1k/3p3p/1Pp2p1n/2P2P1b/2BP1Q1B/7P/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Bxf5+ ]
d) White Mates in 3. Larsen vs Martinez, San Juan, 1969
3rb1k1/p3nNpp/1ppq4/5Q2/1b6/1P1P3P/P1P3B1/BK3R2 w - - 0 1
e)
Larsen vs Kavalek, Lugano I, 1970
1r3kr1/p5b1/3pq1Q1/2p2p2/2P5/4Pn2/PB6/K2R3R w - - 0 1
[ Bxg7+ if Ke7 Bf8+ Rbxf8 Rh7+ mates ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Larsen vs Wolfgang Uhlmann, Aarhus, 1971
2r1b1k1/ppN2pbp/4q1p1/4n3/4P3/4B3/PPQ1B1PP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8 ]
b)
White Mates in 5. Larsen vs Stephan Popel, USA, 1972
1q4r1/n2R1p1p/p3pbk1/1p4N1/1P6/2P1Q1P1/P3BP1P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qe4+ Kxg5 Qg4+ Kh6 Qh5+ ]
c)
Larsen vs Brian Eley, Hastings, 1973
r2qr1k1/p1p1bp2/2p3p1/3p4/2P1p1Q1/1P1nP1NP/PB1P2P1/2R2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7 Kxf7 Rf1+ Bf6 Bxf6 ]
d)
Larsen vs Svetozar Gligoric, Manila, 1974
r3r2k/1b2bp2/4pp1B/4P3/1ppN2P1/7R/PpP4P/1K4R1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 if exf5 Bf8+ mates or if Kh7 Nxe7 ]
e)
Larsen vs Vitaly Tseshkovsky, Ljubljana/Portoroz, 1977
5k2/2R5/3pb1Bp/2pr3P/5P2/6K1/5P2/8 w - - 0 1
[ f5 if Bg8 f6 Be6 Re7 ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part V. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 6. Larsen vs Bjorn Brinck-Claussen, Esbjerg, 1978
5kn1/1p1b1p2/1q3Pp1/3pP3/Pp1P4/1PrB1N2/3Q1K2/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rh8 w/Rxg8+ ]
b)
White Mates in 8. Larsen vs Kenneth Rogoff, Lone Pine, 1978
3qr1r1/pk2bb2/2p1pp2/7p/1PBP3p/2P2QB1/5PP1/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxa7+ if Kxa7 Qxc6 ]
c)
Larsen vs Gudmundur Sigurjonsson, Reykjavik, 1978
5rb1/3Rn2p/prp2kp1/5p2/4pN1P/1P4P1/P3PP2/3RN1K1 w - - 0 1
[ R1d6+ if Ke5 Nfd3+ or if Kf7 Nd5 ]
d)
White Mates in 2. Larsen vs Zoltan Ribli, Riga, 1979
2QR4/6b1/1p4pk/7p/5n1P/4rq2/5P2/5BK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ ]
e)
Larsen vs Yasser Seirawan, Mar del Plata, 1982
r2rb1k1/1pq2pp1/p3pn1p/P3b3/3N4/1BP1BQ1P/1P3PP1/R3R2K w - - 0 1
[ Nxe6 fxe6 Bb6 Qc6 Qxc6 w/Bxd8 & Rxe5 ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part VI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 3. Larsen vs Jan Timman, Linares, 1987
R2Q4/6k1/3p1qp1/3n2p1/1p1r1p2/3B1P2/2P3PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qh8+ ]
b)
Larsen vs Michael Adams, London, 1989
1r1r4/1n3pbk/QNq1pnpp/4p3/2P5/R2PB1PP/3N1P1K/1R6 w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 Qxa6 Nxf6+ Bxf6 Rxa6 Rd7 Ne4 Bg7 Rab6 w/Nd6 ]
c)
Larsen vs Daniel King, Hastings, 1991
1rb1n3/N1r2p1k/np1p2q1/p3p2p/P1P1P2P/1P1NQ1P1/3R2B1/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxc8 Rbxc8 Bh3 if Rd8 Bf5 ]
d)
Larsen vs William Watson, London, 1991
r4bk1/3n1ppp/3p2b1/p2PpN2/qnQ1P3/6N1/1P1B1PPP/1BR3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bc2 Qa2 Qxa2 Nxa2 Ra1 ]
e)
White Mates in 8. Larsen vs Jens Kristiansen, Lyngby, 1991
3R4/pqr3kp/r3ppp1/4N2P/1P2pP2/2P3P1/5P2/3Q2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rg8+ Kxg8 Qd8+ Kg7 h6+ Kxh6 Ng4+ ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part VII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Larsen vs Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant, Vienna, 1993
5k2/8/2N1P1Rp/5rpP/1p1K4/1P3r2/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ e7+ if Kf7 Rg7+ ]
b)
Larsen vs Ruben Casafus, San Martin, 1994
3q1rk1/5p1p/p4pp1/2p5/2P2Pb1/3nP1PP/Pr1QN1B1/R2R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxb2 ]
c)
Larsen vs Rodolfo Garbarino, San Martin, 1995
1R1bk2r/p1p5/2P1p1p1/5p2/2p1N1np/B3P2P/P4P2/6K1 w k - 0 1
[ Nd6+ ]
d)
Larsen vs Enrique Borrego Mata, Mondariz, 1996
1r3rk1/7p/p2pp1b1/8/2p1qP2/2Q1B3/PPP5/K5RR w - - 0 1
[ Rxg6+ if hxg6 Qh8+ Kf7 Rh7+ Ke8 Qg7 ]
e)
Larsen vs Pablo Zarnicki, Buenos Aires, 2002
1q6/4k2P/4b3/8/8/K2B4/1pQ5/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qc5+ if Kf6 h8/Q+ w/Qd4+ or if Kf7 Qh5+ or if Kd7 Bb5+ ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part VIII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Ingi Johannsson vs Larsen, Munich, 1958
2b3k1/6q1/2p1p1p1/1pP1n3/1B2P3/3B2P1/4Q2P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd7 if Bc2 Qd4+ ]
b)
James Sherwin vs Larsen, Portoroz, 1958
6k1/2q5/p5r1/1p3p1R/7K/P1P1Q2P/1P6/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd8+ Rg5 Kh7 w/...Kh6 ]
c)
Jan-Hein Donner vs Larsen, Beverwijk, 1961
4Q3/1pkn3q/p2p4/2pP3p/2P1R2P/1K6/PP2N1r1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe2 if Rxe2 Qd3+ mates ]
d)
Wolfgang Uhlmann vs Larsen, Beverwijk, 1961
6r1/p6k/1p2b1qp/2n1P3/Pp1B4/4Q2P/5R1K/2R5 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb3 if Rd1 Nxd4 ]
e)
Milan Matulovic vs Larsen, Zurich, 1961
5B2/5Rpk/p2N3p/1p6/4K3/PP3pq1/1P6/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...f2 if Bxg7 Qg6+ w/...Qxf7 ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part IX. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Borislav Ivkov vs Larsen, Bled, 1965
2r5/1b4pk/4p2p/p4q2/1p3B2/P5Q1/1P3PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc4 if Be3 Rg4 ]
b)
Black Mates in 3. Heikki Westerinen vs Larsen, Habana, 1967
4r1k1/5ppp/p2p4/4r3/1pNn4/1P6/1PPK2PP/R3R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 2. Vlastimil Hort vs Larsen, Sousse, 1967
8/2r2pk1/3p2p1/3Pb3/2P1P2K/6r1/1R2B3/1R6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Kh6 ]
d)
Sameer Sursock vs Larsen, Siegen, 1970
r1b1kbr1/1p3p1p/pq1ppp2/4n3/3NP3/1BN5/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 b q - 0 1
[ ...Qxd4 ]
e)
Norman Weinstein vs Larsen, USA, 1970
2r3k1/2q2ppp/p3p3/3b2P1/Pp5P/1Pr1BP2/2PR1Q2/1K5R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxb3 if cxb3 Rc1+ or if Rc1 Ba2+ ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part X. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Stefano Tatai vs Larsen, Palma de Majorca, 1971
k1r5/3n2p1/pp3n1p/4p2P/r7/P4P2/1PqNQBP1/KR2R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc3 ]
b)
Dusan Rajkovic vs Larsen, Hastings, 1973
8/1pk2p2/p7/3Rp3/PPP3n1/2K3P1/2B4r/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc2+ ]
c)
Black Mates in 9. Josip Rukavina vs Larsen, Leningrad, 1973
5rk1/pp5p/3p2p1/2pPb2q/1n2P3/1PN3P1/PB1QP1KP/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf2+ Kxf2 Qxh2+ ]
d)
Roman Bordell Rosell vs Larsen, Zaragoza, 1976
2b1k2r/p2pppb1/2p3p1/8/3nQ3/2B3P1/P3PPBq/3RRK2 b k - 0 1
[ ...d5 if Qe3 Bh3 mates ]
e)
Borislav Ivkov vs Larsen, Buenos Aires, 1979
8/p2pppk1/1p4p1/1P1P3p/P4PP1/2bQPNKP/1q6/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...h4+ Nxh4 Be1+ ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part XI. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Bozidar Ivanovic vs Larsen, Niksic, 1983
r4rk1/4bppp/8/1pq2bP1/1B5P/1B2p3/PPP5/2K1QRR1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxa2 Kb1 Bxc2+ Bxc2 Qa7 if Kc1 Bxb4 ]
b)
Black Mates in 3. Jan Timman vs Larsen, Niksic, 1983
5bk1/1Q3p2/1Np4p/6p1/8/1P2P1PK/4q2P/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...f5 ]
c)
Nigel Short vs Larsen, Naestved, 1985
2rq2k1/1p3p1p/p5pb/2P5/2QB4/P1R2P2/4r1PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...b5 ]
d)
Jorge Behrensen vs Larsen, Argentina, 1986
1RQ5/5pk1/6p1/P1p4p/2P2P2/3q2rP/7K/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe2+ if Kxg3 h4+ Kxh4 Qf2+ ]
e)
Larry Remlinger vs Larsen, Reykjavik, 1986
8/6pk/3R4/3Qnq1p/3Brp2/2P4P/6P1/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...f3 ]
Larsen Puzzles, Part XII. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Erling Mortensen vs Larsen, Aalborg, 1989
r2qr3/1p3pkp/2bp2p1/4p3/1PPnP3/8/2BQNPPP/3RR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxc2 Qxc2 Ba4 ]
b)
Gilles Miralles vs Larsen, Cannes, 1989
r3r1k1/1b3p1p/5qp1/B1R1b3/p2p4/8/PP1Q1PPP/3R1BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxh2+ if Kxh2 Qd6+ or if Kh1 Bf4 ]
c)
Black Mates in 5. Jorgen Kristensen vs Larsen, Aars, 1995
3B2k1/1b2bpp1/p3p2p/4q2r/P2Q4/1N1B1P1n/1PP3P1/3R1R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg3 if Bxe7 Nf2+ ]
d)
Black Mates in 3. Gisela Fischdick vs Larsen, Meisdorf, 1996
2r5/p1qp1kpp/b4p2/3P4/2nQ1P2/3p2N1/PP4PP/1K1RN3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd2+ ]
e)
Eric Lobron vs Larsen, Bad Homburg, 1998
8/p2R4/1p3pk1/1P3p2/P5pP/4NnP1/4KP2/2r5 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ Kd3 Ne5+ ]
f)
Roger Moor vs Larsen, Zurich, 1998
8/5p1B/1p1n1k2/p2pp2p/P2P2pP/1PK1P1P1/5P2/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...e4 ]
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