"Tactics in the Queen's Gambit" by wtharvey.com
Here are some chess puzzles taken from the games of Judit Polgar.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
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a)
Black mates in 3.
Jean-Luc Costa vs Judit Polgar, Biel, 1987
4rqk1/pp4pp/8/2nP4/3Q4/P1N3PP/1P3r2/RN1K2R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf3+ if Kc1 Nb3# ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Snorri Bergsson, Reykjavik, 1988
2b1kb1r/p2p3p/2pRp1p1/1rQBPp2/5B1P/1P6/q1P2PP1/1NK4R w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6+ if dxe6 Bxc6+ or if Kd8 Bg5+ Kc7 Rxc6+ dxc6 Qxc6+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Singh, Hastings, 1988
2r3k1/1R5p/p1q1rnp1/3p1p2/P7/2Q2B2/1P4PP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxd5 ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Pavlina Chilingirova, Salonika, 1988
r1b2rk1/pp1p1p1p/2n3pQ/5qB1/8/2P5/P4PPP/4RRK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxf8+ Kxf8 Bh6+ ]
e)
Jonathan Tisdall vs Judit Polgar, Reykjavik, 1988
k7/1p1q1pp1/p2p4/P2P2P1/4R2r/7r/KPP1Q1R1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qa4+ if Rxa4 Rxa4+ Kb1 Rh1+ ]
1d)
mate in 3
Judit Polgar vs Pavlina Chilingirova
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Borislava Borisova vs Judit Polgar, Salonika, 1988
8/p4pkp/1p2qbp1/3r4/5P2/1PB1p1P1/P1Q1P1KP/2R5 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc5 if Bxf6+ Qxf6 Qd1 Qc6+ ]
b)
White mates in 2.
Judit Polgar vs Jesus De La Villa Garcia, New York, 1989
5q1k/p5pp/1p5B/3pQN2/b7/PnP5/3p2PP/7K w - - 1 0
[ Bxg7+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Zurab Azmaiparashvili, Amsterdam, 1989
r3r1k1/pp3pbp/3P1Bp1/1R2n3/2bqNQP1/3B3P/2PK4/4R3 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe5 if Rxe5 Nf6+ or if Bxe5 Rxe5 Qxe5 Nf6+ ]
d)
White Mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs H Winfridsson, Goteborg, 1989
r4r1k/1pqb1B1p/p3p2B/2bpP2Q/8/1NP5/PP4PP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bg7+ Kxg7 Qg5+ ]
e)
Alon Greenfeld vs Judit Polgar, Haifa, 1989
8/2qp2bk/6pp/1P1Q1p2/3N3P/1P6/1r3PP1/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd2 if Rxd2 Qc1+ ]
2e)
Alon Greenfeld vs Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White Mates in 7.
Judit Polgar vs Peter Popovic, Novi Sad, 1990
3q2k1/1p3pp1/p2p4/3NrP1Q/1P4R1/8/P1r2b1P/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Qh6 if Re1+ Rxe1 Bd4 f6 Rxh2+ Kxh2 ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Branko Damljanovic, Wijk an Zee, 1990
r2q2k1/1b3p2/p3r1nQ/3p2P1/Pp1pP2R/3B4/1PP3RP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ e5 if Rxe5 Bxg6 or if Qe8 Bxg6 fxg6 Qh8+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Annett Wagner-Michel, Novi Sad, 1990
r2q2k1/p1b3pp/n4r2/3p1p2/3P1p2/BQP2N2/P5PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Be7 if Qxe7 Qxd5+ ]
d)
White mates in 5.
Judit Polgar vs Spyridon Skembris, Corfu, 1990
3R1bk1/5p2/1p5p/p4Np1/r5Pn/6KP/5P2/3R4 w - - 1 0
[ Rxf8+ if Kh7 Rxf7+ ]
e)
Rob Bertholee vs Judit Polgar, Amsterdam, 1990
6k1/R5p1/5p1p/7P/3r2P1/Pp3PK1/8/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb4 if axb4 b2 ]
3c)
Judit Polgar vs Annett Wagner-Michel
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Asela De Armas vs Judit Polgar, Novi Sad, 1990
2r3k1/1pb2p2/p3nQp1/1b1p2qp/3B4/2P1R2P/PPBN1PP1/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxf6 Bxf6 Bf4 ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Alfonso Romero Holmes, Pamplona, 1991
4r1kr/1p2P1p1/p5Pp/8/P3p1R1/B1p5/2PnKP2/3R4 w - - 1 0
[ Rf4 if Rxe7 Bxe7 ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Oscar De la Riva, San Sebastian, 1991
3q3r/5b2/1pp4k/p3RB1p/P4P1Q/8/1P4P1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re7 if Kg7 Be6 ]
d)
White Mates in 7.
Judit Polgar vs F Hellers, Biel, 1991
2r5/4kp2/1q2pNr1/p2RP3/1p3P2/1P6/P1P5/2KQ4 w - - 0 1
[ Rd7+ Kf8 Rxf7+ Kxf7 Qd7+ Kf8 Qxc8+ ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Lev Polugaevsky, Aruba, 1991
5b1k/5Pp1/p2q1rPp/3pp3/b3P3/3P2Q1/1P6/1KR4R w - - 0 1
[ Rcg1 if Bd7 Rxh6+ gxh6 g7+ ]
4d)
mate in 7
Judit Polgar vs F Hellers
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Judit Polgar vs Oscar Panno, Buenos Aires, 1992
6r1/4k3/4prbn/pp1p4/2pP1RPN/P1P1K3/2P1B3/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 Kxf6 g5+ Kxg5 Nf3+ ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Jorge Rubinetti, Buenos Aires, 1992
1r4k1/1b3pp1/1n1N1b1p/2p5/1n1PP3/1P3N1P/3Q1PP1/qB2R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ e5 if Be7 Bh7+ ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Judit Polgar vs Leon Pliester, Aruba, 1992
q3r3/4b1pn/pNrp2kp/1p6/4P3/1Q2B3/PPP1B1PP/7K w - - 1 0
[ Bh5+ if Kxh5 Qf7+ Kh4 Bf2+ or if Kf6 Nd7# ]
d)
Judit Polgar vs Bent Larsen, Monte Carlo, 1992
8/5R2/2p4p/2Pk1pp1/1n1r4/8/3N1P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd7+ ]
e)
Sofia Polgar vs Judit Polgar, Paris, 1992
2r2rk1/1B2pp1p/6p1/p3p3/2Pn4/PP4P1/5P1P/RR3K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb8 Be4 f5 Bd3 e4 Be2 Nxb3 Ra2 Nd2+ ]
5e)
Sofia Polgar vs Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Judit Polgar vs Evgeny Bareev, Hastings, 1993
r2r1n2/2p2N1k/p1P1pq1p/1p1b1p1Q/3P1P1b/3BB3/PP5P/2K3R1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxh6 if Qxh6 Qf7+ or if Bf3 Ng4+ ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Zsuzsa Polgar, Oviedo, 1993
4r3/pp3k1p/4n2r/3b2p1/1R4BB/2P3K1/1P5P/4R3 w - - 0 1
[ Bxg5 if Rg6 Bh5 or if Nxg5 Rf4+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Pastor Manuel Rivas, Seville, 1993
r1br2k1/p1q2ppp/1np2n2/2b5/3N1P2/2NQ2P1/PPP4P/2KR1BBR w - - 0 1
[ Ndb5 if Rxd3 Nxc7 Rxd1+ Nxd1 Rb8 Bxc5 or if cxb5 Qxd8+ ]
d)
Black mates in 3.
Aleksandar Kolev vs Judit Polgar, Budapest, 1993
6k1/1ppbqpb1/2n3p1/6Pp/4N2P/1P2P3/3NQP2/B1KR4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qa3+ if Kc2 Nb4+ ]
e)
Black mates in 4.
Yasser Seirawan vs Judit Polgar, Monaco, 1993
1r3rk1/5p1p/pp2b1p1/4n3/4PP2/1BP1B1Pq/P6P/R1QR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ Kf2 Qxh2+ Kxf3 Bg4+ ]
6e)
mate in 4
Yasser Seirawan vs Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Vadim Ruban vs Judit Polgar, Groningen, 1993
6rk/pp1r4/2p5/2b1p3/N1P1Pp1q/1Q3P2/PP2R2N/3R3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf2 if Rf1 Qxh2+ ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Boris Gulko, Dos Hermanas, 1994
4k3/8/1R2P3/4KN2/1p4b1/8/8/3r4 w - - 0 1
[ Rb8+ Rd8 Nd6+ if Ke7 Rb7+ Kf8 e7+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Vasily Ivanchuk, Monaco, 1995
3rr1k1/1p2bR2/p5p1/P1p3Np/6P1/7Q/1PP4P/4qB1K w - - 0 1
[ Qb3 Bxg5 Re7+ Kh8 Rxe1 Rxe1 Qc3+ Kh7 Qxe1 ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Vassily Ivanchuk, Monaco, 1995
2r1r1k1/1p2bR2/p5p1/P5Np/2Q3P1/8/1PP4P/4qB1K w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ Kg7 Qg8+ Kh6 Nf7# ]
7d)
mate in 3
Judit Polgar vs Vassily Ivanchuk
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Ljubomir Ljubojevic vs Judit Polgar, Monaco, 1995
8/1b6/3p4/B3nP2/2P1n2P/3q4/2k3BK/5Q2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng4+ if Kg1 Qd4+ or if Kh1 Ng3+ ]
b)
White mates in 5.
Judit Polgar vs Vladimir Epishin, Geneva, 1996
2r1rq2/pp3pkP/2b1p3/4N1p1/3Q1n1N/1B6/PPP2PP1/1K5R w - - 1 0
[ Nf5+ exf5 Nd7+ if f6 h8/Q+ ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Jun Xie, Monaco, 1996
3r2k1/1b2Qp2/pqnp3b/1pn5/3B3p/1PR4P/P4PP1/1B4K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bh7+ Kxh7 Qxf7+ ]
d)
White mates in 2.
Judit Polgar vs Evgeny Bareev, Moscow, 1996
5k1r/4npp1/p3p2p/3nP2P/3P3Q/3N4/qB2KPP1/2R5 w - - 1 0
[ Rc8+ ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Anatoly Karpov, Melody Amber rapid, 1996
3rrbk1/3Rn3/p1p1R1p1/6Np/1Pp5/2B4P/1PK2P2/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rdxe7 if Bxe7 Rxg6+ mates or if Rxe7 Rxg6+ Bg7 Bxg7 Rxg7 Rxg7+ Kxg7 Ne6+ ]
8d)
mate in 2
Judit Polgar vs Evgeny Bareev
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Judit Polgar vs Veselin Topalov, Leon, 1996
2r2rk1/1Q4b1/p2p2p1/4n2p/4N3/2BP4/q5PP/2R2R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bxe5 ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Vassily Ivanchuk, Monte Carlo, 1996
4rb2/1b3p2/q4Nkp/6p1/2p5/2Bp2NP/1P3PP1/2Q3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qd1 if Qxf6 Qh5+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Nigel Short, Dortmund, 1997
2r5/1b1r1pkp/p3R1p1/1p1p2R1/1P1N3Q/q2B4/2PK3P/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5+ if Kg8 Ne7+ Kh8 Qd4+ ]
d)
Miguel Illescas Cordoba vs Judit Polgar, Dos Hermanas, 1997
4rr1k/3n1qpp/p1bP4/4B3/8/3BR1Q1/PP5P/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe5 Rxe5 Qa7+ if R1e3 Rxe5 Qxe5 Rf3 or if R5e3 Rf3 ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Boris Spassky, Hoogeveen, 1998
r5k1/1bb1Bn1p/p3Q3/1p1p3p/1P6/2q4P/P1B1RPP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bf6 if Qc6 Bxh7+ Kxh7 Qxf7+ ]
9e)
Judit Polgar vs Boris Spassky
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part X.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Loek Van Wely vs Judit Polgar, Hoogeveen, 1997
1b3rk1/1p5p/8/1N1p4/P1nBn1q1/4P1P1/R4PKN/7Q b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf2+ if Kg1 or Rxf2 Qxg3+ ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs James Thinnsen, Kona, 1998
r3r1k1/pp1nbp1p/1q2p1p1/6B1/3P3P/1PNQ4/1P3PP1/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe7 if Rxe7 Nd5 ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Viswanathan Anand, Wijk aan Zee, 1998
1R6/3q4/3r2pk/p2N2bp/1p2Pp2/1P2Q1P1/1P4K1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ Kg7 Qd4+ Bf6 Qxf6+ if Rxf6 Rh7+ ]
d)
White Mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Artashes Minasian, Batumi, 1999
4R3/p2r1q1k/5B1P/6P1/2p4K/3b4/4Q3/8 w - - 0 1
[ g6+ Kxg6 Qh5+ ]
10d)
mate in 3
Judit Polgar vs Artashes Minasian
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part XI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Judit Polgar vs Achim Sobania, Frankfurt, 1999
1Q1bk1nr/pp2qppp/8/6N1/8/4B1P1/PP2PP1P/2RR2K1 w k - 1 0
[ Rc8 ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs W Walbers, Frankfurt, 1999
r1bq2k1/1p2rpp1/p1n4p/3p4/3Nn3/1N1B4/PPP2PPP/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxc6 bxc6 Bxe4 ]
c)
Peter Svidler vs Judit Polgar, Dos Hermanas, 1999
4qrk1/2Qn2pp/1p1p4/1B1Pb3/5p2/P3p2P/2P2PP1/2B1R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...exf2+ if Kxf2 f3 gxf3 Bxg3+ ]
d)
Alexander Morozevich vs Judit Polgar, Frankfurt, 1999
8/1Rp2q1k/2P2pp1/3r4/2Qn1B2/P6P/5PP1/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ gxf3 Rd1+ Qf1 Rxf1+ Kxf1 Qc4+ ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Gilberto Milos, Buenos Aires, 2000
1r4k1/1b1q1p1p/p5pb/1p1p4/3N1P2/1P2Q2P/PB4P1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qe5 Rf8 Nf5 ]
11d)
Alexander Morozevich vs Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part XII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Judit Polgar vs Aung Aung, Istanbul, 2000
8/4rk1p/1p1R2p1/1N2p3/nP2P3/8/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd2 w/Ra2 ]
b)
Judit Polgar vs Gilberto Milos, Buenos Aires, 2001
4r1k1/5p1p/p5p1/1p5q/1P2P3/1BQ2PPn/P3R1K1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Re1 if Ng5 Rh1 ]
c)
White mates in 2.
Judit Polgar vs Christian Bauer, Cannes, 2001
5r2/pqrR1pk1/n4Np1/4P1Qp/1bP2P2/pP5P/P3N3/1K4R1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxg6+ ]
d)
Judit Polgar vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Bled, 2002
r4b1r/2p1k1pp/p1nqb3/1pn2Q2/3p4/1BP5/PP1N1PPP/R1B1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe6 if Nxe6 Ne4 Qe5 Bg5+ ]
e)
Emil Sutovsky vs Judit Polgar, Natanya, 2009
1r3bk1/3R1ppp/p3p3/q5P1/P1Q1NP2/1P6/2P4P/1K6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe1 Kb2 Rb4 ]
12e)
Emil Sutovsky vs Judit Polgar
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part XIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Judit Polgar vs Jozsef Horvath, Halkidiki, 2002
r1br2k1/1p4pp/p7/1n2Rp2/8/qP2B3/2P3PP/1K2QB1R w - - 0 1
[ Bc4+ if Kf8 Bc5+ or if Kh8 Bd2 h6 Re8+ Rxe8 Qxe8+ mates ]
b)
Predrag Nikolic vs Judit Polgar, Moscow, 2002
3r2k1/pq2pp1p/6p1/2pP4/P3P3/2b3Pb/1rNB1P1P/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd2 Qxd2 Qb3 if Rac1 Qf3 or if Rec1 Rxc2 ]
c)
White mates in 2.
Judit Polgar vs Turkan Mamedjarova, Reykjavik, 2006
3r2kr/pp1qQ2p/1bpN1Pp1/3b4/1P1p1B2/P2P4/6PP/4RRK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxd7 ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Xiangzhi Bu, Bilbao, 2007
6k1/6p1/4R2p/5R2/1P3PK1/5QP1/6rq/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ if Kh7 Qd3+ or if Kxf8 Qa8+ ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Veselin Topalov, Mexico City, 2010
r4rk1/ppp2ppp/8/2P2q1b/3PRb2/5N2/PPB2KPP/R2Q4 w - - 0 1
[ Re5 if Qg4 Bf5 ]
13e)
Judit Polgar vs Veselin Topalov
Judit Polgar Puzzles, Part XIV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Judit Polgar vs Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Bled, 2002
r6r/2p1BQpp/p1n1n3/1pbkq3/3p4/2P5/PP3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf3+ if Qe4 c4+ or if Kc4 b3# ]
b)
Black mates in 4.
Murtas Kazhgaleyev vs Judit Polgar, Canada de Calatrava, 2007
1r4k1/2R5/3p4/3P2B1/p1p4p/2b2RnP/P5P1/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb1+ if Kf2 Bd4+ ]
c)
Judit Polgar vs Gadir Guseinov, Aix les Bains, 2011
5k2/1B1bp3/3p2p1/1p1P2P1/pP1K1P2/P7/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bc6 if Ke8 f5 ]
d)
Samy Shoker vs Judit Polgar, Ningbo, 7/25/2011
1r3rk1/1q2bpp1/pp2pn1p/4n3/2PN1P1R/4P1P1/PBQ1N2P/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nfg4 Rh3 Nxe3 ]
e)
Judit Polgar vs Yangyi Yu, Dubai, 6/19/2014
5r1k/1bq4p/1p1b2B1/1Pp5/8/4B2Q/P5PP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd4+ if Kg8 Qe6+ ]
f)
Daniyyl Dvirnyy vs Judit Polgar, Yerevan, 3/11/2014
8/5pk1/2q2rp1/r3p2p/R3P3/R2P2PP/4P1K1/Q7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc2 if Qe1 Rxa4 or if Rxa5 Qxe2+ mates ]
g)
Black mates in 4.
Andres Guerrero vs Judit Polgar, Tromsoe, 8/3/2014
k6r/3p4/P1nq1p2/2b5/4Q1p1/2R3P1/1PP4B/R6K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ Kxh2 Qd2+ if Qg2 Qh6+ ]
14d)
Samy Shoker vs Judit Polgar
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