'Tactics in the Najdorf'



Here are some chess puzzles from the Sicilian, Najdorf 6.Bg5 (ECO B94).



1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 a6 6.Bg5



Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.
White to move and win except where noted.

a)
Svetozar Gligoric vs Jovan Sofrevski, Kragujevac, 1959
2r1k2r/1b3ppp/p3pn2/qp2R3/1b1N4/1BN5/PPPQ1PPP/2KR4 w k - 0 1
[ Nxe6 if fxe6 Rxe6+ mates or if Bd5 Nxg7+ ]

b)
White mates in 2.
Boris Spassky vs Boris Vladimirov, Baku, 1961
r2Rnk1r/1p2q1b1/7p/6pQ/4Ppb1/1BP5/PP3BPP/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Qxe8+ ]

c)
White mates in 6.
Vlastimil Hort vs H Djait, Helsinki, 1961
2bq1b1r/r3kp1p/pNBppp2/Q7/3NP3/pPR5/2P2PPP/1K5R w - - 0 1
[ Nf5+ exf5 Nd5+ Ke6 exf5+ Ke5 Re1 Kxf5 Ne7+ ]

d)
Mikhail Tal vs Martin Johansson, Stockholm, 1961
r3k2r/1q2bp1p/p3pp2/3p4/1p1N1P2/4R3/PPP1Q1PP/1K1R4 w kq - 0 1
[ Qh5 if Kf8 Rxe6 fxe6 Nxe6+ Kg8 Rd3 ]

e)
Osma Garcia vs Werner Mathes, corr., 1962
5r2/4Npkp/1q1p1np1/1p1Pp3/2r5/7P/1PPQ1PP1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5+ if gxf5 Qg5+ Kh8 Qxf6+ Kg8 Re3 ]

1b)
mate in 2
Boris Spassky vs Boris Vladimirov

B94 Puzzles, Part II.
White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White mates in 3.
Erhard Bernhoeft vs E Svedenloef, corr., 1964
r3kb1r/1b1n2pp/pq1pN3/1p1Q2B1/4P3/8/PPP2PPP/R4RK1 w kq - 0 1
[ Nc7+ Qxc7 Qe6+ ]

b)
White mates in 5.
Lev Belov vs Yuri Ruchkin, Kazan, 1964
2r2k1r/1b4p1/p3Rn1p/qp6/5Q2/1Bb5/PPP2PPP/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Qd6+ Kg8 Rxf6+ Kh7 Qd3+ ]

c)
Kalevi Lamminen vs Toivo Raikisto, corr., 1965
r1b2b1r/1p3k2/p2p1n1p/q3nN2/4P2B/2N2Q2/PPP2PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd6+ if Bxd6 Qxf6+ ]

d)
Werner Kunerth vs K Neu, corr., 1966
3rkn1r/1p2q1p1/p3p2p/4P3/1b2N1QP/5R2/PPP3P1/2KR4 w k - 0 1
[ Nf6+ if gxf6 Qh5+ or if Kf7 Rxd8 Qxd8 Nh6+ Ke8 Nxg7+ Ke7 Qxb4+ ]

2a)
mate in 3
Erhard Bernhoeft vs E Svedenloef

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