Here are some chess puzzles taken from the games of Alexei Shirov.
White to move and win.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.
a)
Shirov vs. Valery Zhuravliov, Riga, 1986
[ Bb8 if Rxb8 Rxg7 ]
b)
Shirov vs. Daniel King, Gausdal, 1990
[ Rh3 if Rxh3 Qg8+ mates in 5 ]
c)
Shirov vs. Peter Leko, Belgrade, 1995
[ Bh6+ ]
d)
Shirov vs. Konstantin Sakaev, Sochi, 1986
[ Qh8+ ]
e)
Shirov vs. Alexander Chernin, Groningen, 1993
[ Bxg6 ]
Alexei Shirov, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Carsten Hoi, Gausdal, 1991
[ g3 ]
b)
White Mates in 2. Shirov vs J. Lapinski, Daugavpils, 1990
[ Bxc7+ or Qf8+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Olivier Renet, Correze, 1991
[ Qxh7+ Bxh7 Nf7+ w/Nxd6 ]
d)
Shirov vs Tom Wedberg, Stockholm, 1990
[ Qxd4 ]
e)
White Mates in 8. Shirov vs Yuri Piskov, Moscow, 1991
[ Rxg8+ Kh7 Qe4+ Kxg8 Qe6+ Kh7 Be4+ ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part III. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Viktor Bologan, Kapsukas, 1987
5k2/1ppr4/3P4/p1p1p3/2P1P1nq/2NQ1p2/PP3P2/1K4R1 w - - 0 1
[ dxc7 Rxc7 Rxg4 ]
b)
Shirov vs Jusefs Petkevich, Riga, 1987
r2r2k1/ppqnpp1p/2n3p1/4P3/1PP1NP2/2N1B2P/4Q1P1/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 Qb8 b5 ]
c)
Shirov vs Vladimir Akopian, Borzhomi, 1988
r1b2nk1/pp1r1p1p/2q3p1/3N2b1/2B1P3/2B5/PPQ3PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qf2 if Qxc4 Nf6+ w/Qxf6 ]
d)
White Mates in 6. Shirov vs Gyozo Forintos, Budapest, 1989
1n2n2k/r3p1bp/pr1p2p1/N1pB2Nq/2P5/5QP1/RP1B1P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qf7 w/Qg8+ & Nf7# ]
e)
Shirov vs D Zulu, Tunja, 1989
1rnq1rk1/1ppb2bp/p2p1np1/N1PPp3/PP2Pp2/1QN2P2/4BBPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ c6 if bxc6 dxc6+ ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part IV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Sergio Minero Pineda, Santiago, 1990
Q1b2rk1/7p/3p1npb/2pPpn2/2P1N2q/1N1B4/3B1PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ g3 if Qh3 Nxf6+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Zoltan Varga, Santiago, 1990
4bk2/p4p2/6p1/Nrp1P3/n3NPP1/1P2K3/3R4/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8 if Rxa5 Nf6 mates ]
c)
Shirov vs Valeriy Neverov, Moscow, 1991
1q3rk1/Q5pp/pr2p3/4N3/3pP3/8/Pb3PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxb8 ]
d)
Shirov vs Zigurds Lanka, Moscow, 1991
6r1/2q2knQ/pNPp4/P3p1P1/1P2Pp2/1KN5/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ g6+ if Kf8 Nd7+ ]
e)
Shirov vs Simen Agdestein, Gausdal, 1992
4kb1r/2ppq2p/bnp2p2/8/r1P2P1P/1N4P1/P3Q2R/R1B1KB2 w - - 0 1
[ Nc5 if Ra5 Nxa6 Rxa6 c5 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part V. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 6. Shirov vs Gata Kamsky, Manila, 1992
5k2/5p2/3P1Npp/4Q3/1p6/6Pq/3b3P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nd7+ Kg8 Qe8+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Luis Bernal Moro, Oviedo, 1992
8/ppR3bk/3pB1bp/3Pp1p1/1q2NrQ1/5P1P/P5PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ Kh8 Rc8+ Bf8 Rxf8+ Kg7 Nd7 if Rxg4 Rg8+ mates ]
c)
White Mates in 6. Shirov vs Alexander Bangiev, Germany, 1993
r1b3k1/pp4pR/2p1p1B1/2PrN3/3n1P2/8/PP6/1K1R4 w - - 0 1
[ Rdh1 Kf8 Rh8+ Ke7 Re8+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Eric Lobron, Munich, 1993
r1n5/2k3p1/1p2p1p1/2pPP3/1QN4q/P4P2/1P6/1KR5 w - - 0 1
[ Nxb6 if Qxb4 Nxa8+ ]
e)
Shirov vs Christopher Lutz, Munich, 1993
5rk1/2b2pp1/1n1p3p/p3p3/rP4PP/1K2BP2/2P5/3R1B1R w - - 0 1
[ c3 if axb4 Bxb6 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part VI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Boris Gelfand, Chalkidiki, 1993
r5k1/p4q2/1p1N3R/3r2p1/1P3p2/3Q1P2/P5PP/5nK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Lev Gutman, Germany, 1993
3r1r1k/pp1b3p/2nP1bp1/2RBp1B1/q3p2P/P1Q2P2/4NKP1/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Bxc6 if Bxc6 Ra5 ]
c)
White Mates in 5. Shirov vs David Norwood, Germany, 1994
8/5r2/4R2p/ppkr1Rb1/3q4/P4Q2/1PP5/1K6 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd5+ Qxd5 Qc3+ Qc4 b4+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Peter Leko, Belgrade, 1995
3r4/3Pb1k1/p5p1/2pp2B1/pn4QP/5N2/1q3PP1/1B4K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bh6+ if Kh8 Qxg6 ]
e)
Shirov vs Zoltan Almasi, Tilburg, 1996
8/1pp2P1N/4k1Pp/1pp1n3/5K2/8/P1P5/8 w - - 0 1
[ f8N+ ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part VII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Boris Gelfand, Wijk aan Zee, 1996
2b1r2k/2r2p1p/p2R4/1p2pN1P/1P6/4K3/PP3P2/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8 ]
b)
White Mates in 4. Shirov vs Maria Ferrer Jose, Villarrobledo, 1997
5rk1/1pnqb1r1/p2pRp2/2pP1PpQ/P1P1NpP1/3B1P2/1P1K4/7R w - - 0 1
[ Nxg5 if fxg5 Rh6 ]
c)
Shirov vs Loek Van Wely, Monaco (blindfold), 1998
4r1k1/1p5p/p1n1p1pb/2pp3n/q4P2/2P4N/1P2Q1PP/2BR1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ g4 ]
d)
Shirov vs Laurent Fressinet, Bordeaux, 1999
r1bk1b1Q/3p4/p7/1p1NPq2/6p1/8/PPP3PP/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ e6 ]
e)
Shirov vs Vladimir Kramnik, Belgrade, 1999
R7/P1pk4/7p/1P6/8/5K2/8/r7 w - - 0 1
[ b6 if cxb6 Rh8 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part VIII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 4. Shirov vs Gilberto Milos, Las Vegas, 1999
4qk2/6p1/p7/1p1Qp3/r1P2b2/1K5P/1P6/4RR2 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf4+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Boris Gelfand, Monaco, 2000
5b2/2R5/4B1kp/p2N2p1/r7/1r4PP/5PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ g4 w/Bf5+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Boris Gelfand, New Delhi, 2000
2r3k1/1pq2p1p/1n1Q2p1/rBp3P1/p4p2/P4P2/1PP4P/1K1RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Re8+ if Kg7 Qf8# or if Rxe8 Qxc7 Bxb5 Qxb7 w/Qc6 ]
d)
Shirov vs Nigel Short, Sarajevo, 2000
5kb1/4r3/p7/Pp1pRP2/1PpP3p/2P4B/7K/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe7 Kxe7 f6+ w/Bc8 ]
e)
Shirov vs Erling Gatland, Bergen, 2001
1r1q2k1/5p1p/3p1bp1/p2N1P2/2PpRPP1/Pp1Q4/1P5P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re8+ ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part IX. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 3. Shirov vs Alexander Grischuk, Linares, 2001
r5rk/pp3R1p/4n2B/4q3/6RQ/P2p3P/1P4P1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Helgi Hauksson, Bergen, 2001
r1b1k2r/p4ppp/1pp1p3/q3PP2/8/B3Q3/6PP/1R1R2K1 w kq - 0 1
[ Qg5 if f6 Qxg7 Qxa3 Qxh8+ Qf8 Rd8+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Anatoly Karpov, Monaco (blindfold), 2001
8/2R3p1/4ppkr/3pPn1p/3P4/5P1P/5P1K/1QBq4 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg7+ if Kxg7 Bxh6+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Edvins Kengis, Liepaya, 2001
r4r2/1p6/p1n4k/4ppb1/P5R1/3R4/1BB2PPP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh3+ Kg6 Rhg3 ]
e)
Shirov vs Stig Martinsen, Bergen, 2001
r2q1kr1/1pp2ppQ/p2p1b1B/2nP1P2/8/2N5/PPP2P2/2K1R1R1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg7 Bxg7 Bxg7+ Rxg7 Qh8+ Rg8 Qh6+ Rg7 f6 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part X. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Alexander Motylev, Moscow, 2001
1r2kb1r/pq2pppp/Q4n2/2pPN3/2p1P3/8/Pp3PPP/1R2KB1R w Kk - 0 1
[ Rxb2 ]
b)
Shirov vs Alexander Motylev, Moscow, 2001
3r1k2/5ppp/prpnp3/2N5/1P6/1B6/2K3PP/3RR3 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe6 if Rxb4 Nd7+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Krishnan Sasikiran, Berlin, 2001
1r5k/3b2np/p2q1p2/P1nPp3/2p1P2N/2P3RP/r1B3P1/2Q2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh6 if Qe7 or Ne8 Ng6+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Veselin Topalov, Wijk aan Zee, 2001
r1bk4/1p1n1pqp/p2R4/4pPr1/1BQ2b2/7B/PPP2P1P/1K5R w - - 0 1
[ f6 if Qg8 Ba5+ mates ]
e)
Shirov vs Loek Van Wely, Wijk aan Zee, 2001
2kr3r/pp4p1/2P1p3/3pq3/3N2P1/3B1QP1/P7/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ cxb7+ if Kxb7 Nc6 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part XI. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Claudia Amura, Benidorm, 2002
2b2r1k/6pp/1qPp1p2/r2BpP2/p3P3/PpR2R2/1P1Q2PP/7K w - - 0 1
[ Rh3 if Rc5 Rxh7+ mates ]
b)
Shirov vs Alexey Dreev, Sarajevo, 2002
1kr4r/4b1p1/p3P1Bp/8/Ppq2p2/2n2Q2/1B4PP/2R2R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bxc3 bxc3 Rb1+ Bb4 Rxb4+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Veselin Topalov, Prague, 2002
5n2/5kpp/3P1p2/4pN2/2b3P1/6PP/3B1K2/8 w - - 0 1
[ d7 if Nxd7 Nd6+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Branko Damljanovic, Sarajevo, 2003
3r2k1/5b1p/3r1p2/R3n1p1/2p1P1N1/2B2P1P/6P1/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nh6+ if Kf8 Bb4 or if Kg7 Nf5+ ]
e)
Shirov vs Anatoly Karpov, Bastia, 2003
2qrr1k1/1pp1bppp/p1n5/3b2B1/3P1Q2/P4N1P/1PB2PP1/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh4 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part XII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Mikhail Rytshagov, Tallinn, 2004
4rrk1/p2q1pp1/1pnb2bp/2p5/5BPP/2PP2N1/P1P2QBK/4RR2 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe8 Rxe8 Bxc6 Qxc6 Bxd6 Qxd6 h5 ]
b)
Shirov vs Suat Atalik, Sarajevo, 2004
3q4/1b1Pk1pp/3R1p2/p3p2Q/Pp2P3/nP5P/R4PPK/2r5 w - - 0 1
[ Re6+ if Kxe6 Qe8+ or if Kxd7 Rd7+ ]
c)
White Mates in 5. Shirov vs Stefan Kristjansson, Izmir, 2004
2kr3r/R4Q2/1pq1n3/7p/3R1B1P/2p3P1/2P2P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ra8+ Qxa8 Qxe6+ ]
d)
Shirov vs Zoltan Almasi, Calvia, 2004
1r1q1r2/4b1pk/p6p/Pn2n3/2pNN3/4B3/5PPP/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ne6 ]
e)
Shirov vs Tomi Nyback, Calvia, 2004
n4k2/3nppbQ/3p2p1/2pP1PP1/1p2PB2/1P3N2/1q2NK2/8 w - - 0 1
[ f6 if Nxf6 gxf6 Qxf6 e5 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part XIII. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
Shirov vs Kevin Spraggett, Caleta, 2005
4rbk1/1b1n2pp/p7/q7/1p2pN2/1P1BQ3/PB4PP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bc4+ if Kh8 Ng6+ mates ]
b)
Shirov vs Francisco Vallejo Pons, Monte Carlo, 2005
3r2k1/p1Rr1bpp/5p2/3p3P/1q1N1Q2/1P3P2/P4PK1/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 ]
c)
Shirov vs Zdenko Kozul, Sarajevo, 2005
7r/1q6/5p1k/2pNpPbb/2B1P3/1P5Q/1K6/6R1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf6 ]
d)
Shirov vs Rainer Polzin, Mainz, 2005
4rbk1/5p2/NP1pp2p/4n1p1/r3P3/4BP2/6PP/2RR3K w - - 0 1
[ b7 if Rxa6 Rc8 ]
e)
White Mates in 3. Shirov vs Klaus Bischoff, Mainz, 2005
1r2r2k/5p1p/ppbp1P1B/5PR1/2P3Rp/3n4/PP1N3P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bg7+ Kg8 Bf8+ ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part XIV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 3. Shirov vs David Navara, Prague, 2005
q2rrk2/1b4pQ/p7/3pP3/1b3P2/3B3R/6PP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qf5 if Ke7 Rd7+ or if Kg8 Rh8+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Andreas Schaudin, Dresden, 2006
r3kb1r/pp1n1pp1/2p4p/q2p1B1n/3P1B2/2N1P3/PPQ2PPP/1K1R3R w kq - 0 1
[ Bxd7+ w/Qf5+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Daniel Wichmann, Mainz, 2006
r5k1/pp1bprb1/3p1n1p/1PnP3q/7N/1Q4PP/PB1N2B1/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxc5 if dxc5 Re5 ]
d)
Shirov vs Zbigniew Strzemiecki, Warsaw, 2006
6r1/pp1q2pk/4b1Rp/P2pPp1Q/2pP1P2/2P1K3/8/6R1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh1 if Rf8 Qxh6+ ]
e)
Shirov vs Teimour Radjabov, Morelia/Linares, 2008
6k1/1p1n1rb1/2p5/p1P1p1P1/1P2Q2P/q2N2B1/4R1K1/8 w - - 0 1
[ g6 if Rf6 or Re7 Qc4+ w/Ra2 ]
Shirov Puzzles, Part XV. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 2. Shirov vs Dmitry Andreikin, Sochi, 2008
7r/3kbp1p/1Q3R2/3p3q/p2P3B/1P5K/P6P/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qc6+ ]
b)
Shirov vs Lukasz Cyborowski, Germany, 2008
4k2r/ppr2NR1/5n1p/2pn1Q2/8/4B3/PPP2P1q/3RK3 w k - 0 1
[ Nxh8 if Rxg7 Qc8+ ]
c)
Shirov vs Evgeny Vorobiov, Dagomys, 2009
r3r3/7k/pR5p/4p3/P5p1/8/BPb2PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rc1 if B any Rc7+ mates or if Rc8 Be6 ]
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