'Tactics in the Sicilian' series
Here are some chess puzzles from the games of the 2009/10 Bundesliga.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.
This page is available in a 'print edition'.
a) 
White mates in 3.
Monika Socko vs Edyta Jakubiec, Germany, 2009
5r1k/1q4b1/p1b3Qp/1pPNp3/1P2p3/PB5R/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6 if Rxf6 or Bxf6 Rxh6+ ]
b) 
White mates in 3.
Pauline Mertens vs Katrin Grohmann, Germany, 2010
r4rk1/3R3p/1q2pQp1/p7/P7/8/1P5P/4RK2 w - - 0 1
[ Rg7+ Kh8 Rf7+ ]
c) 
White mates in 4.
Katharina Boeck vs Hanna Hoffmann, Germany, 2009
2rk3r/RQ3ppp/5b2/2p1p3/3q4/2NP3P/1PP3P1/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 ]
d) 
Black mates in 4.
Julian Jorczik vs Christian Scholz, Germany, 2010
8/p7/2p5/2P5/kn6/1N6/p7/K7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ka3 if Nd4 a5 ]
e) 
White mates in 5.
Katerina Nemcova vs Doreen Troyke, Germany, 2010
5rk1/3R4/1b5p/4p1p1/P3N3/1P2q3/K5Q1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ if Rxf6 Qd5+ ]
1d) 
mate in 4
Julian Jorczik vs Christian Scholz
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Black mates in 5.
Drazen Muse vs Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu, Germany, 2010
r5r1/2p2p1k/p2p1n1b/NP6/PQ1PpP2/R3PqBp/7K/5BR1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng4+ Kxh3 Nf2+ Kh2 Rxg3 ]
b) 
Black mates in 5.
Martina Skogvall vs Franziska Hippe, Germany, 2010
6k1/R5p1/R2pp3/1p2p2p/3nP2P/2K2PP1/4r2N/3r4 b - - 0 1
[ ...b4+ if Kxb4 Rb1+ Kc3 Rb3+ ]
c) 
Black mates in 5.
Michael Adams vs Alexander Areshchenko, Germany, 2010
k7/1p5p/p1q3pb/P4p2/2P1r2P/1PBQ2P1/3p1P2/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ Rxe1 Qh1+ Ke2 Qxe1+ ]
d) 
White mates in 6.
Thies Heinemann vs Sebastian Siebrecht, Germany, 2010
1qbbr2Q/r3kp2/pp1p4/3P1B2/1PP5/6nP/P4PP1/3R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re1+ if Be6 Rxe6+ Kd7 Qxe8+ ]
e) 
Black mates in 6.
Lars Thiede 2450 vs Christian Troyke 2350, Germany, 2010
2k4r/1b2Q1p1/1P2p3/1q1P1p2/4PPn1/3P2NP/2r3B1/R6K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3+ if Bxh3 Rh2+ Kg1 Qxb6+ ]
2a) 
mate in 5
Drazen Muse vs Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Black mates in 8.
Anna Muzychuk vs Oliver Reeh, Germany, 2009
1k4r1/pPb5/P1q2Q2/4P3/2p5/2P2P1p/1P2R1r1/4R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe2 if Qxc6 Rxe1+ Kh2 Rxe5 or if Rxe2 Qc5 ]
b) 
Black mates in 9.
Evgeny Degtiarev vs Anna Muzychuk, Germany, 2010
r5k1/1p2q3/4b1rp/p3B3/4Pp2/5P2/PP4B1/1QRR3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh4+ Kg1 Rxg2+ Kxg2 Bh3+ ]
c) 
Tomi Nyback vs Ulf Von Herman, Germany, 2009
r1bqrbk1/p4p1p/2n3p1/2ppP1Nn/6Q1/PP1B4/1B1N1PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ e6 if Bxe6 Qxh5 or if f5 Bxf5 ]
d) 
Karina Szczepkowska vs Nadine Busse, Germany, 2009
6kb/ppq1n3/6p1/3bp1N1/3p4/P2P2P1/1PPB1QB1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bb4 ]
e) 
Stephanie Bauer vs Katrin Berthold, 2009
2q1r1k1/ppr4p/5n1B/3pN1p1/3Pn1P1/4Q2R/PP5P/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 if Nxf6 Qxg5+ mates ]
3b) 
mate in 9
Evgeny Degtiarev vs Anna Muzychuk
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Dana Reizniece vs Evgenija Ovod, Germany, 2009
r1r5/1b1nq1k1/p2b2p1/4ppP1/1p1P2Q1/1B2PN2/1P1B1P2/1K1R3R w - f6 0 1
[ Rh7+ if Kxh7 Qh3+ mates or if Kf8 Qh4 ]
b) 
Heike Vogel vs Anke Freter, Germany, 2009
r3k2r/pb1n1p2/1p1bpn1p/6p1/1qNPP3/3B4/PP2Q1PP/R4KNR w kq - 0 1
[ a3 if Qa4 Nxd6+ ]
c) 
Michael Bezold vs Alexei Shirov, Germany, 2009
r2q1rk1/1ppnbppp/2b1p3/p5B1/Pn1PP3/2N2NP1/1P2QPBP/R2R2K1 w - - 0 1
[ d5 ]
d) 
Dennis Breder vs Drazen Muse, Germany, 2009
r2r4/pp2k1p1/5p1p/2bB4/3n4/P4N2/1P3PPP/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Rhe1+ Kf8 Nxd4 if Rxd5 Nxd6+ ]
e) 
Rustem Dautov vs Maria Schoene, Germany, 2009
3r4/1n2pp2/3p1kpQ/2pP4/1pP1q3/1P1N2P1/r4P2/2R3KR w - - 0 1
[ Rh4 if Qxd3 Rf4+ mates ]
4e) 
Rustem Dautov vs Maria Schoene
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Roeland Pruijssers vs Stephan Giemsa, Germany, 2009
1r4k1/pp1b2pp/2n1pr2/q1np4/3N1P1P/2N5/PPPQ2P1/1K1R1B1R w - - 0 1
[ Nxc6 if Bxc6 Nxd5 Qxd2 Nxf6+ ]
b) 
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave vs Sergey Fedorchuk, Germany, 2009
3q1rn1/2p2ppk/1bb4p/4pN2/4P3/1BP2Q2/5PPP/2B2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Ba3 if Re8 Bxf7 ]
c) 
Rainer Polzin vs Nazar Firman, Germany, 2009
r1q1r1k1/2p1n1pb/p2n1p2/1p1P4/2P3PN/P3R3/4BP2/B2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ c5 if Ne4 d6 cxd6 cxd6 Ng6 d7 ]
d) 
Erasmus Gerigk vs Henrik Teske, Germany, 2009
8/5pkp/p3q3/8/2PnpQ2/3r3P/P5P1/4BR1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3+ if gxh3 Qxh3+ Kg1 Ne2+ ]
e) 
Vlastimil Babula vs Stefan Fruebing, Germany, 2009
2rr2k1/p4pPp/1p1p2p1/3R4/1PPpPQnq/P4P2/7P/2R2BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf2+ Kh1 Ne3 ]
5d) 
Erasmus Gerigk vs Henrik Teske
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Stefan Bromberger vs Evgeniy Najer, Germany, 2009
r1b1k2r/1pq1bp2/p2pp3/4n1B1/4P1n1/2NB1N1P/PPPQ2P1/R4RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Qc5+ Kh1 Nxf3 gxf3 Bxg5 Qg2 Ne3 ]
b) 
Christian Maier vs Falko Bindrich, Germany, 2009
r4rk1/1p4pp/pq1P4/4P3/4Qpbb/2N5/PPPK2P1/R1B2R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe3+ if Qxe3 fxe3+ Kxe3 Rxf1 ]
c) 
Peter Enders vs Alexandre Dgebuadze, Germany, 2009
6k1/3b1qp1/2nBp1pp/3pP3/R1pP2QP/2P3N1/1rP2PP1/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb1+ Ke2 Nxd4+ cxd4 Bxa4 ]
d) 
Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu vs Ilja Schneider, Germany, 2010
3qk2r/3r1ppp/p1p1p1n1/2B5/2p5/6Q1/P1P2PPP/3RR1K1 w k - 0 1
[ Rb1 if Qf6 Rb8+ Rd8 Rd1 ]
e) 
Arkadij Naiditsch vs Ulf Von Herman, Germany, 2010
r4rk1/1bp2p1p/p2bpn2/4N3/1pBP1Npq/4QP2/PPP4P/1K1R2R1 w - - 0 1
[ Ng2 Qh5 fxg4 Qxh2 Qg5+ Kh8 Qxf6+ Kg8 Nxf7 ]
6a) 
Stefan Bromberger vs Evgeniy Najer
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Dmitry Svetushkin vs Arnd Lauber, Germany, 2010
3r2k1/6p1/1pp1p2P/4q3/1pP1N2P/8/Pn2Q3/1K3R2 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ if gxf6 Qg4+ ]
b) 
Carmen Beltz vs Karin Haack, Germany, 2010
4b1k1/1p3p1p/pQqp1Pp1/8/8/1PP2N1P/1P4P1/7K w - - 0 1
[ Qe3 if d5 Nd4 if Qxf6 Qxe8+ or if Qd7 Qh6 ]
c) 
Robert Huebner vs Ruud Janssen, Germany, 2010
2r2rk1/pq1n1pp1/3P4/1p2p1p1/2p5/P1N3P1/1PP2P1P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 ]
d) 
Pawel Jaracz vs Stefan Fruebing, Germany, 2010
6k1/4bpn1/1p1p3p/1PpPqP2/2Pp3B/3P1QPB/7K/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe7 Qxe7 f6 ]
e) 
Marine Zschischang vs Petra Blazkova, Germany, 2010
1r4rk/1p2p3/3p3p/p1pP3p/PnPqPPb1/4R1P1/1P3N1K/1QB3R1 w - - 0 1
[ b3 Rg7 Rge1 Qf6 Bb2 ]
7e) 
Marine Zschischang vs Petra Blazkova
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Regina Hedwig Berglitz vs Hanna Marie Klek, Germany, 2010
3r3k/1pb1np2/2p1nq2/p3pN1p/4P2P/P1P1B1R1/2B3P1/2Q4K w - - 0 1
[ Bg5 Nxg5 hxg5 Qe6 g6 if Ng8 g7+ Kh7 Qg5 Qg6 Qh4 ]
b) 
Marlena Chlost vs Manuela Mader, Germany, 2010
6k1/4qppp/4p3/p2r4/3P4/P7/1n1BQPPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rb1 if Na4 Rb8+ Rd8 Qb5 Rxb8 Qxb8+ Qf8 Qb5 ]
c) 
Dana Reizniece vs Kristin Mueller-Ludwig, Germany, 2010
4rqk1/2p4p/1n1p1Qp1/3P2P1/1P3P2/8/5K2/4RB2 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe8 Qxe8 Bh3 ]
d) 
Pauline Mertens vs Martina Skogvall, Germany, 2010
3q1r1k/6bp/p2pbr2/3Npp1Q/B7/8/PP3PPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh6 Qf3 Qh4 Rfe1 Qxa4 ]
e) 
Vyacheslav Ikonnikov vs Vugar Gashimov, Germany, 2010
8/5qk1/3p2p1/2pPb2p/1r5P/2N1Q1P1/RP4K1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg4 if Ne2 Qxd5+ ]
8d) 
Pauline Mertens vs Martina Skogvall
2009/10 Bundesliga Puzzles, Part IX
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a) 
Norman Schuetze vs Juergen Kaufeld, Germany, 2010
2r2bk1/1p3ppp/3p4/5b2/3nqP2/pP6/K1PQ1R1P/B3N1R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxb3 if Qd1 Nxa1 Nd3 Qc4+ Kxa1 Qc3+ mates ]
b) 
Zoltan Medvegy vs Lars Thiede, Germany, 2010
2r3k1/1b4b1/p4p1p/5Pp1/P1q3r1/5N2/QB4PP/R4R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxa2 Rxa2 Rc2 g3 Rb4 ]
c) 
Erasmus Gerigk vs Ralf Appel, Germany, 2010
3r2k1/pp2qpbp/6p1/P2pr2n/R1n5/2N2P2/1PP1N1PP/2BQR2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ if hxg3 Rh5+ Kg1 Qc5+ Nd4 Bxd4+ ]
d) 
Andreas Schenk vs Evgeny Postny, Germany, 2010
r4rk1/p5qp/3p4/2p1p3/2P1p1P1/1P3nP1/P3QPK1/2R1NR2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh6 ]
e) 
Arkadij Naiditsch vs Wouter Spoelman, Germany, 2010
q6k/r7/5P1p/2Q1p3/8/1P6/3R4/1K6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh1+ if Kc2 Ra2+ Kd3 Qf1+ or if Kb2 Qa1+ Kc2 Ra2+ ]
f) 
Hans-Joachim Vatter vs Roeland Pruijssers, Germany, 2010
6k1/1pp2r2/1b4p1/p4qB1/4pPQ1/2P4P/1P4PK/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxg4 hxg4 Bf2 if Re2 Rh7+ mates ]
g) 
Martina Skogvall vs Hilkka Saal, Germany, 2010
r1b1r1k1/p6p/2p2bp1/2Npq3/8/P1P2B1P/1P1Q2P1/R4RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg5 if Qf2 Be3 ]
9c) 
Erasmus Gerigk vs Ralf Appel
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