'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series



Here are some puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship.
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.

a)
White mates in 2.
Zhaoqin Peng vs Eva Repkova, Hersonissos, 2017
r4r1k/p2qQBpp/2bN4/1p2p3/3nP3/1P3P1R/P5PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxh7+ ]

b)
White mates in 2.
Vladimir Hamitevici vs Perparim Makoli, Hersonissos, 2017
r7/8/p4R1p/Q2pq3/1pn1k2P/6P1/P4P2/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rf4+ ]

c)
White mates in 2.
Ekaterini Pavlidou vs Lanita Stetsko, Hersonissos, 2017
7k/p2b2pp/1p6/4P3/4q2r/P1R5/3Q2P1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rc8+ ]

d)
Black mates in 2.
Mila Zarkovic vs Camille De Seroux, Hersonissos, 2017
6k1/pp3p1p/1b5Q/4r3/8/1N6/1PP1qPPP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxf2+ ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Christopher Repka vs Mateusz Bartel, Hersonissos, 2017
2kr4/p1r5/2Q5/1pnB2P1/1q6/4P3/1P3P2/1K1R4 w - - 1 0
[ Be6+ if Kb8 Rxd8+ or if Nd7 Qa8# ]

1b)
mate in 2
Vladimir Hamitevici vs Perparim Makoli

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Blazo Kalezic vs Bedri Sadiku, Hersonissos, 2017
4rq2/3b1p1k/5Qpp/1p3p2/8/1B5R/P4P1P/B5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ if Qxh6 Qxf7+ ]

b)
White mates in 3.
Gabriela Koskoska vs Nina Delevic, Hersonissos, 2017
2Qrkr2/5pb1/p5p1/3Nq3/4P3/1P5P/1PP3P1/3R1RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qc6+ Rd7 Nf6+ ]

c)
White mates in 3.
Valentina Gunina vs Anna Ushenina, Hersonissos, 2017
4r3/1r2BpkP/6p1/p1P2bN1/1q1p3Q/7P/P4P2/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf6+ Kxf6 Ne6+ ]

d)
White mates in 3.
Marija Stojanovic vs Camille De Seroux, Hersonissos, 2017
2rrknQ1/2q5/p2p4/8/1p1pN3/8/PPP5/2KR3R w - - 1 0
[ Nf6+ Ke7 Rde1+ ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Elina Danielian vs Thanh Trang Hoang, Hersonissos, 2017
2r4k/6b1/3Q3p/1rP1R3/p7/4P3/1B3PP1/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Re8+ Rxe8 Qxh6+ ]

2c)
mate in 3
Valentina Gunina vs Anna Ushenina

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Antonios Pavlidis vs Vilka Sipila, Hersonissos, 2017
6Q1/1p4p1/1P2R2b/2p1B1qk/3pP2p/7P/2r3P1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf7+ ]

b)
White mates in 3.
Nikolas Theodorou vs Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos, Hersonissos, 2017
4b3/p3q2p/4Nb1k/6p1/6Q1/3RPBP1/5PKP/r7 w - - 1 0
[ Qh3+ Kg6 Bh5+ ]

c)
White mates in 3.
Nele Vanhuyse vs Despina Serefidou, Hersonissos, 2017
4R1R1/2r2p2/5p1k/rp3P2/2pp4/Pp1P3P/1P3PP1/5K2 w - - 1 0
[ Re4 if Kh7 Rg3 ]

d)
Black mates in 3.
Zeinab Mamedjarova vs Olga Badelka, Hersonissos, 2017
3r1rk1/p5p1/4p1Np/2q2p1Q/2P2b2/PP5R/3p2PP/4RK2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg1+ ]

e)
Black mates in 3.
Llambi Pasko vs Nikolas Theodorou, Hersonissos, 2017
5rk1/Q6p/6p1/1Pp1p1q1/2PnP3/P6r/5PPP/R4R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ ]

3b)
mate in 3
Nikolas Theodorou vs Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Anna Ushenina vs Ana Matnadze, Hersonissos, 2017
2r4k/4R1p1/p6p/1p1bQ3/3Pp3/P3P2q/1P1KNr2/4R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxe3+ Kxe3 Rf3+ Kd2 Rd3# ]

b)
White mates in 4.
Anna-Lena Schnegg vs Astrid Barbier, Hersonissos, 2017
2q3k1/1p1nRp2/1r1p2pQ/3P4/p1P5/8/PP4PP/1B5K w - - 1 0
[ Bxg6 Ne5 Qh7+ Kf8 Rxf7+ ]

c)
White mates in 4.
Valentina Gunina vs Desiree Di Benedetto, Hersonissos, 2017
2r1b2k/1RB4p/1Q4rR/3B1p1q/P4Pp1/2b3P1/7P/7K w - - 1 0
[ Be5+ Rg7 Rxg7 Bf7 Rgxh7+ ]

d)
White mates in 4.
Camille De Seroux vs Nele Vanhuyse, Hersonissos, 2017
4r2k/1b4rq/5Q2/p1p1N3/Pb1p1R2/1P4R1/1BP3PP/7K w - - 1 0
[ Rh4 if Kg8 Qf7+ ]

e)
Black mates in 4.
Andrei Macovei vs Argirios Papadopoulos, Hersonissos, 2017
2N3rk/1p6/p2p4/P2Pp3/2R1P1n1/4b1B1/1P5r/R4K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf8+ if Ke1 Bd2+ ]

4a)
mate in 3
Anna Ushenina vs Ana Matnadze

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Benjamin Arvola vs Luca Moroni, Hersonissos, 2017
4r1k1/ppp2ppp/8/3P1r2/2P5/1P4q1/P2Q1R2/R2N1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh3+ Kg1 Re1+ if Qxe1 Rg5+ ]

b)
Black mates in 4.
Hovhannes Gabuzyan vs Nikola Sedlak, Hersonissos, 2017
2r5/8/1Q4nk/6q1/1p2p3/4P2p/1P2B2P/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1 ]

c)
White mates in 5.
Mert Yilmazyerli vs Bedri Sadiku, Hersonissos, 2017
r2Q1br1/k5Pp/p1q5/B2b4/2p5/8/P1PP2PP/1R5K w - - 1 0
[ Bb6+ Kb7 Bc5+ Qb5 Qd7+ Qd7+ Kb8 gxf8/Q+ ]

d)
White mates in 5.
Sophie Milliet vs Borka Franciskovic, Hersonissos, 2017
2kqr3/1p5b/2nQp2P/1N1pP1p1/1p4P1/5P2/1P2BK2/7R w - - 1 0
[ Na7+ Nxa7 Rc1+ if Nc6 Rxc6+ bxc6 Ba6# ]

e)
White mates in 5.
Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos vs Toni Lazov, Hersonissos, 2017
r1r3k1/1p3qb1/2p3Q1/2p1p1P1/p1PnPp2/2N2P2/PP1R4/4K1NR w K - 1 0
[ Rh8+ Kxh8 Qxf7 Bh6 Rh2 ]

5a)
mate in 4
Benjamin Arvola vs Luca Moroni

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Franc Ashiku vs Avni Ermeni, Hersonissos, 2017
1r3n2/5kp1/r1pRp2p/p1p1Q3/2P5/Pq3PP1/1P1RPBKP/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rd7+ Ke8 Bxc5 Ra7 Qxg7 ]

b)
White mates in 5.
Vladislav Kovalev vs Dusko Pavasovic, Hersonissos, 2017
r2b1Q2/2pq3p/5pk1/1p1b1N2/1B6/P2P2p1/1PP4P/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6+ if Kxf5 Qh5+ Ke6 Re1+ or if Kf7 Qg7+ Ke6 Nd4+ ]

c)
Black mates in 5.
Jorge Joao Viterbo Ferreira vs Marin Bosiocic, Hersonissos, 2017
Q2b2k1/6np/4n1p1/p5P1/2N2r2/PP2q3/1BBr3P/R4R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ Kxh2 Rh4+ Kg2 Rg4+ ]

d)
Black mates in 5.
Avni Ermeni vs Nicita Morozov, Hersonissos, 2017
5r2/2n1p2k/5R1p/p1N1Pp2/P1pP1P2/2P3KP/3B1Q2/3N3q b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg8+ if Kh4 Rg4+ Kh5 Qxh3+ ]

e)
Black mates in 7.
Ivan Sokolov vs Hrant Melkumyan, Hersonissos, 2017
7r/2b2pk1/Q3B1p1/1p2q3/8/4P1P1/PP3P2/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe4 f3 Qxe3+ Kg2 Qe2+ Rf2 Rh2+ ]

6e)
mate in 7
Ivan Sokolov vs Hrant Melkumyan

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Viktor Erdos vs Hedinn Steingrimsson, Hersonissos, 2017
2r1qrk1/5p2/p4p1p/2bp1Q2/2p5/4PNN1/P4PPP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg4+ if Kh7 Nh5 Rg8 Nxf6+ Kh8 Qf5 or if Kh8 Qf4 ]

b)
Sasa Martinovic vs Luis Neves Da Silva, Hersonissos, 2017
kqnr3r/pp3p2/3n2pp/1NNP4/8/3R4/PP3QPP/K1R5 w - - 1 0
[ Na6 bxa6 Nc7+ Kb7 Qc5 ]

c)
Dimitrios Mastrovasilis vs Konstantinos Anagnostopoulos, Hersonissos, 2017
7r/2p2rk1/p1p1Q3/3n3p/2q5/4B2P/PP3PP1/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd4+ Kf8 Qc8+ Ke7 Re1+ if Kd6 Re6# ]

d)
Julia Novkovic vs Paivi Walta, Hersonissos, 2017
2r5/3R1p2/4pkp1/1NP5/1p3P1p/5KnP/P5P1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Nd6 Rf8 c6 e5 c7 Ke6 Rd8 ]

e)
Andreas Kelires vs Nigel Short, Hersonissos, 2017
4r1kb/3R3p/1R3ppB/1pn3N1/8/5rPP/5P2/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re7 if fxg5 Rxe8+ Kf7 Rf8+ Ke7 Rxf3 ]

7e)
Andreas Kelires vs Nigel Short

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Hristos Banikas vs Davit Shengelia, Hersonissos, 2017
r5k1/1q1n1p2/p7/1p4pN/3p4/P5P1/1P3P2/3RQ1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe7 if Qd5 Qxd7 or if Nc5 Qxg5+ ]

b)
Mustafa Yilmaz vs Georg Meier, Hersonissos, 2017
6k1/3R4/pr1Nn1p1/1p3p1p/1P5P/P3PPK1/8/8 w - - 1 0
[ Nc8 Rb8 Ne7+ ]

c)
Ivan Salgado Lopez vs Mikheil Mchedlishvili, Hersonissos, 2017
4Q3/3N1pk1/1p2nbpp/p1pq4/P7/2P3BP/1P3PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg8+ if Kxg8 Nxf6+ ]

d)
Corina-Isabela Peptan vs Marina Brunello, Hersonissos, 2017
2n2k2/pp1q3r/3p2p1/2pP4/4r1P1/P1QN4/1P4RP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxc5 dxc5 Qf3+ ]

e)
Dragisa Blagojevic vs Llambi Pasku, Hersonissos, 2017
4k3/p3r3/5ppp/2Q5/2B2P2/P5P1/3qPK1P/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qc8+ Qd8 Bb5+ ]

8c)
Ivan Salgado Lopez vs Mikheil Mchedlishvili

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Sarah Hoolt vs Silvia Collas, Hersonissos, 2017
7k/2q3b1/3p3p/2pPp2N/1rN2nQ1/7P/5PP1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxf4 if exf4 Re8+ mates or if Rxc4 Ng6+ ]

b)
White mates in 5.
Iulija Osmak vs Cagil Irmak Arda, Hersonissos, 2017
bn5r/1q5k/p5p1/1p2Q2p/4N3/P3R3/BP3PPP/3rN1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Ng5+ Kh6 Qxh8+ Kxg5 Re5+ ]

c)
Llambi Pasko vs Ivan Ivanisevic, Hersonissos, 2017
2r3k1/p2b3p/np1pr1p1/2p2q1n/P1Pb4/3QNPP1/NP2B1KP/R1B1R3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxe3 if Bxe3 Rce8 Bf2 Rxe2 ]

d)
Pieter Claesen vs Oliver Kurmann, Hersonissos, 2017
6k1/1p2rp1p/2p2qp1/2Q5/2PnB3/3P2P1/P4PKP/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe4 if dxe4 Qf3+ ]

e)
Marina Brunello vs Marsel Efroimski, Hersonissos, 2017
r3r1k1/pp3p2/1bn5/3p2pp/3N4/1PP3PP/1P2B1P1/2R1R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxd4 cxd4 Ba5 ]

9e)
Marina Brunello vs Marsel Efroimski

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. x.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Hedinn Steingrimsson vs Mikheil Mchedlishvili, Hersonissos, 2017
3r2k1/5pp1/6b1/1p1PPnPp/r3R2P/2B4K/6B1/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ra3 Rc1 Rc8 ]

b)
Gundula Heinatz vs Jovana Eric, Hersonissos, 2017
8/5p1k/pQ4pb/2p2r1p/P6P/2P3P1/1P2qP2/4NRK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3 ]

c)
Paivi Walta vs Anna Vrtiakova, Hersonissos, 2017
5rk1/p3ppbp/1p4p1/1Q1nn3/3Bq3/N1P4P/PP2BPP1/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf4 if Bf3 Nxf3+ gxf3 Qxf3 ]

d)
Sabino Brunello vs Nigel Short, Hersonissos, 2017
1r5k/p3n2n/5P1Q/2p1p1pP/2P1B3/2N5/Pq6/3K2R1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd8+ if Bd5 Nf5 Qg6 Qxc3 or if Nd5 Qd4+ Kc1 Qxg1+ ]

e)
Sabino Brunello vs Viktor Laznicka, Hersonissos, 2017
3r2k1/pp3bpp/1qp2p2/4bP2/1P2P1P1/P3QN1P/3R1KB1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd2+ Nxd2 Bd4 ]

10e)
Sabino Brunello vs Viktor Laznicka

Puzzles from the 2017 European Team Chess Championship, pt. xi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Dragan Solak vs Ivan Saric, Hersonissos, 2017
1rq3k1/3b1pp1/1r6/1Pb1p2p/Q2pP3/1R1B1P2/2PB2PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ra8 if Qc4 Be6 or if Ba5 Rba6 bxa6 Bxa4 ]

b)
Alan Tate vs Mher Hovhanisian, Hersonissos, 2017
8/5pkp/4r1p1/p2R4/P1Nn4/1P1p1PP1/3R1K1P/2r5 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re2+ Rxe2 dxe2 ]

c)
Barbara Teuschler vs Marta Garcia Martin, Hersonissos, 2017
6k1/5p2/6p1/p1q1p1p1/1b1pP1P1/2rP3P/P2NRPK1/1Q6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1 Qb3 Rc2 ]

11c)
Barbara Teuschler vs Marta Garcia Martin


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