Here are some chess puzzles from the Sicilian, Kan (ECO B41).



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 a6


Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.

a)
Carlos Saenz vs Jorge Sanchez Almeyra, Alicante, 1989
r3k3/1bqnbpp1/pp1pp3/4P2r/2PN1P1p/1PN1B3/P1Q3PP/4RR1K w q - 1 0
[ Nxe6 if Qc6 Nxg7+ or if fxe6 Qg6+ ]

b)
J Santana Mentado vs David Henriquez Garcia, Canary Islands, 1989
r1b1qrk1/3nbppp/ppNppn2/8/2P1PP2/2N1B3/PP2B1PP/R2Q1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ e5 dxe5 fxe5 if Bc5 Bxc5 Nxc5 exf6 Qxc6 Bf3 ]

c)
Thomas Engqvist vs M Tuvesson, Vaxjo, 19921qrr2k1/1p1bbppp/p1nppn2/3N4/1PPNPP2/P3B3/4B1PP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 1 0

[ Nxc6 ]

d)
White mates in 4.
Pavel Vavra vs Pavel Rakous, Liberec, 2004
1qrr2k1/1p1bbppp/p1nppn2/3N4/1PPNPP2/P3B3/4B1PP/2RQ1RK1 w - q - 1 0
[ Nxc6 if d5 or dxc6 Qc8+ ]

e)
Petr Kozak vs Vladimir Vlacil, Czech Republic, 2004
rnbk1b1r/1pq2ppp/p4n2/1B1p1p2/8/2N5/PPP2PPP/R1BQR1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxd5 if Nxd5 Re8# ]

1b)
J Santana Mentado vs David Henriquez Garcia

Sicilian, Kan (B41) puzzles, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Alex Moreto Quintana vs Diego Espineira Gonzalez, Lorca, 2006
r1b1kb1r/1pq2ppp/p2ppn2/8/2nNP3/2N1B3/PP2BPPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 1 0
[ Qa4+ b5 Ndxb5 axb5 Qxa8 Nxe3 fxe3 ]

b)
Yves Roche vs Joel Loizil, Fouesnant, 2007
2r2rk1/1p2bppp/p1bppn2/q7/2P1PP2/1QN1B3/PP2B1PP/R4R1K w - - 1 0
[ Bb6 ]

c)
Michel Mejia vs Andrea Calderon Zuluaga, Manizales, 2009
r1bqk1nr/1p3ppp/p1n5/2b5/3N4/P1N1B3/1P3PPP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 1 0
[ Nxc6 if Qxd1+ Rxd1 ]

d)
Jhon Fredy Navarro vs Maicol Indurain Camargo, Medellin, 2009
r1bqkb1r/1p3ppp/pn6/3p4/2P1n3/1PN1B3/P1N1BPPP/R2QK2R w KQkq - 1 0
[ Nxe4 if dxe4 Qxd8+ ]

e)
Ernesto Prieto vs Franklin Manotas, Medellin, 2010
r1b2rk1/1p3ppp/p2b1q2/8/2R5/3BB3/PP3PPP/3Q1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Bxh7+ if Kh8 Qh5 or if Kxh7 Qh5+ Kg8 Rh4 ]

2a)
Alex Moreto Quintana vs Diego Espineira Gonzalez

Sicilian, Kan (B41) puzzles, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Artemis Pamela Guimaraes vs Vanessa Ramos Gazola, Sao Jose do Rio Preto, 2012
r1b1k2r/1pq2pp1/p3pn1p/4p3/1bP1P3/2NB3P/PP2NPP1/R2Q1RK1 w kq - 1 0
[ Qa4+ Qd7 Qxb4 Qxd3 Rfd1 Qc2 Rac1 ]

b)
Dmitrij Kollars vs Savieliy Golubov, Kirishi, 2016
r3qrk1/1pbb1ppp/pn1ppn2/8/PPP1PP2/2NQB3/2N1B1PP/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ e5 dxe5 fxe5 if Bxe5 Bxb6 ]

c)
Etienne Bacrot vs Pierluigi Piscopo, Balagna, 2017
2r1k2r/1b1p1ppp/p3pn2/1P6/4PP2/B1qQ1B2/P5PP/R4R1K w k - 1 0
[ Qd6 Kd8 Qe7+ Kc7 Rac1 ]

d)
Shumilin vs Sergei Salov, Moscow, 1958
r1b1k2r/1p3pp1/p1p5/4p2p/N1PbP1nq/2BB3P/PPQ2PP1/R4RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Qg3 hxg4 hxg4 Rfd1 Rh2 ]

e)
Black mates in 2.
Istvan Almasi vs Tamas Bauer, Hungary, 1993
4k2r/1prnbppp/p4n2/4pbB1/8/1NP2BP1/PP1N1P1P/2KRR3 b k - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3+ bxc3 Ba3# ]

3a)
Artemis Pamela Guimaraes vs Vanessa Ramos Gazola

Sicilian, Kan (B41) puzzles, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Madalina Hanes vs Petre Dodu, Odorheiu Secuiesc, 1993
r4rk1/1bqpbppp/ppn1p3/8/1PP1P1n1/P1N2N1P/2Q1BPP1/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd4 if Nxd4 Qh2# or if Bf4 Qxf4 g3 Nxf3+ Kg2 Nd4 ]

b)
Guy Fayolle vs Petar Velikov, Massy, 1995
2rqk2r/1b1nbppp/p2ppn2/1p4B1/3NPP2/P1NB4/1PP1Q1PP/R4RK1 b k - 0 1
[ ...Qb6 if Qf2 Ng4 or if f5 e5 ]

c)
Gabriel Mendosa vs Marcel Hermans, corr., 1998
r1bqk2r/1p3pp1/p1p5/2b1pP1p/2P1P1n1/3B4/PP2Q1PP/R1BN1R1K b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nxh2 if Re1 Nf1 or if Kxh2 Qh4# ]

d)
Stefan Dooms vs Igor Yasakov, corr., 1999
r3k2r/1p3ppp/p1p5/4p1qn/1PPbP3/P2B2Nb/1BQ2PPP/3R1RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nxg3 if gxh3 Nxf1+ Kxf1 Bxb2 or if hxg3 Qxg3 ]

e)
Dimitrios Kiriazis vs Alexandra Stiri, Kallithea, 2002
r1bqk2r/1p3pp1/p1pbp3/4P2n/2P4p/3B1P1P/PP2QBP1/RN3RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nf4 Qe3 Qg5 g4 hxg3 ]

4e)
Dimitrios Kiriazis vs Alexandra Stiri

Sicilian, Kan (B41) puzzles, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
I Kirik vs Anna Sharevich, Minsk, 2003
r1bqk2r/1p3ppp/p1p5/2b1p3/2P1PPn1/2NB1Q2/PP4PP/R1B2R1K b kq - 0 1
[ ...Nxh2 if Kxh2 Qh4+ or if Qh5 Nxf1 ]

b)
Black mates in 2.
Slobodan Mileusnic vs Ivan Kalajzic, Zadar, 2004
r1b1k2r/1pq3P1/p1p1p3/2b5/2P5/1P3Qn1/PB3PB1/RN3RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Ne2+ Qxe2 Qh2# ]

c)
Marthe Benzen vs Larissa Erben, Willingen, 2004
r1bqr1k1/1p3ppp/p1n1pn2/3p2B1/1bPNP3/2N2P2/PP2B1PP/R2Q1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc5 Be3 e5 cxd5 Nxd4 ]

d)
Markus Andenmatten vs Nebisa Illijin, Saas-Almagell, 2005
r2qk2r/1p3pp1/p1p1b3/4p2p/NPPbP1n1/P2B4/1BQ2PPP/3R1RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Qh4 h3 Qg3 if hxg4 hxg4 or if Rfe1 Bxf2+ Kf1 Nh2+ ]

e)
Almira Girfanova vs Alena Busygina, Dagomys, 2006
r1b2rk1/2qp1ppp/ppn1p3/8/1bP1P1n1/2NB1N1P/PP1BQPP1/R4RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd4 if Qd1 Nxf3+ or if Nxd4 Qh2# ]

5c)
Marthe Benzen vs Larissa Erben

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