"Tactics in the Queen's Gambit" by wtharvey.com



Here are some chess problems taken from the games of Anatoly Karpov.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.

Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your mouse from one bracket to the other.

a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Nedelin, Borovichi, 1961
1r4k1/4bpnp/3p2p1/2qPp1P1/1p2P3/r2Q1N1P/P3NPK1/RR6 w - - 0 1
[ Qxa3 bxa3 Rxb8+ Bf8 Rc1 Qa7 R1c8 ]

b)
Rutka vs Anatoly Karpov, Trinec, 1967
r2r3k/3q3P/p4p2/1pb1pN2/4Q2N/2P5/PP1n1P2/R3K2R b KQ - 0 1
[ ...Bxf2+ (if ...Nxe4 Ng6#) Kxf2 Nxe4+ ]

c)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs Chilnov, Riga, 1970
3r3Q/pq1k1b2/2pn4/P4p2/1P2P2P/2B5/6B1/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Rxd6+ Kxd6 Qxd8+ Ke6 exf5+ ]

d)
White mates in 7.
Anatoly Karpov vs Izotov, Leningrad, 1970
1kb3rr/1p3p2/R3p2p/3pPp2/2pP1N1q/2P5/2P2PPP/1RQ3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qa3 Qd8 Ra8+ Kc7 Qc5+ ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Leningrad, 1971
r6r/pQ6/5p2/4q2p/3pN2k/8/PPP1B1P1/2K5 w - - 0 1
[ g3+ Kh3 Nf2+ Kxg3 Qf3+ Kh2 Qh1+ Kg3 Ne4+ Kf4 Qf3# ]

1e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi

Anatoly Karpov, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.

a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Aronshtats, Leningrad, 1971
r3r1k1/1b1pn1pp/ppqB1p2/8/P2QP3/2NP4/1P4PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rc1 if Qc8 Nd5 Qd8 Bc7 or if Nc8 Nb5 ]

b)
Anatoly Karpov vs Leonid Gofstein, Rostov, 1971
2br2k1/p4rb1/P1p3qp/2P1n3/1N1N4/2B2n2/R5BP/2QR3K w - - 0 1
[ Nxf3 ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs V N Kozlov, Leningrad, 1971
1r4k1/5pbp/3r2p1/Np2p3/1R1nB1P1/4BN1P/1P3PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd4 exd4 Bf4 ]

d)
White mates in 2.
Anatoly Karpov vs Henrique Mecking, Hastings, 1971
4rr2/1p5R/3p1p2/p2Bp3/P2bPkP1/1P5R/1P2K3/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg7 w/Rf3# ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Donald Byrne, San Antonio, 1972
2rr4/2q2pkp/1p2pnp1/pB1bQ3/P4P2/2N5/1PPR2PP/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Ba6 if Qxe5 fxe5 ]

2c)
Anatoly Karpov vs V N Kozlov

Anatoly Karpov, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Anatoly Karpov vs Mark Taimanov, Moscow, 1972
6r1/3b1Npk/4p3/3pP2P/8/6R1/q4P2/2Q3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qg5 if Qc2 Qg6+ ]

b)
Anatoly Karpov vs Eugenio Torre, Leningrad, 1973
r5k1/pp1n1rbp/2n1p1p1/3pPq2/3P4/BP3N1P/P4RP1/R2Q1NK1 w - - 0 1
[ g4 if Qe4 Ng5 or if Qf4 Bc1 ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Moscow, 1974
4r1k1/pp2pp1p/2bp1npQ/q2N4/4PN2/5P2/PPP5/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ e5 if dxe5 Nxf6+ exf6 Nh5 or if Bxd5 exf6 exf6 Qxh7+ ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs A Pomar Salamanca, Nice, 1974
k7/p4R2/1pp1p3/6n1/PPPP1Brp/3K4/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rf8+ Kb7 Rb8+ Ka6 Bd2 if b5 axb5+ mates ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Victor Kupreichik, Riga, 1975
5r2/1p1n1pkp/2q2np1/pNb5/P1Q2BP1/3B1R1P/1r4P1/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qc3 Rb4 g5 ]

3d)
Anatoly Karpov vs A Pomar Salamanca

Anatoly Karpov, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Svetozar Gligoric, Milan, 1975
3r2k1/3P3p/6p1/p2Pp3/4q3/R2b3P/Q4BPK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd3 if Qxd3 d6+ Kh8 Qxa5 Rxd7 Qxe5+ Rg7 Bd4 ]

b)
White mates in 2.
Anatoly Karpov vs Klaus Wockenfuss, Bad Lauterberg, 1977
2R5/4rppk/7p/1p2Q1n1/1P4Bq/4P2P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bf5+ ]

c)
White mates in 6.
Anatoly Karpov vs Istvan Csom, Bad Lauterberg, 1977
q3rn1k/2QR4/pp2pp2/8/P1P5/1P4N1/6n1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 if exf5 Qh2+ ]

d)
Black mates in 3.
Viktor Korchnoi vs Anatoly Karpov, Baguio, 1978
8/7R/2r5/8/P3n3/8/3nk1PP/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3+ gxf3 Rg6+ ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Victor Korchnoi, Baguio City, 1978
4rk2/2p2prp/pq2b2N/1p6/8/2PR1Q2/PP4PP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Rd7 if Bxd7 Qxf7+ mates or if Rb8 Nxf7 Bxd7 Nd8+ mates ]

4d)
mate in 3
Viktor Korchnoi vs Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 8.
Anatoly Karpov vs Vlastimil Hort, Bugojno, 1978
1Q2r1r1/pp1qk1b1/2p1p1p1/6Pp/2BP1B1P/2P5/PP3P2/2K1R3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6+ Qxe6 Qc7+ Kf8 Bd6+ ]

b)
White mates in 7.
Anatoly Karpov vs Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Bugojno, 1978
8/1p3q1k/3p2p1/P2Nb1Pp/1pQ2R1P/6K1/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6+ Kg7 Nxh5+ ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Gennadi Sosonko, Tilburg, 1979
5k2/p3p3/q2p1rR1/2rR3p/2p1QP1P/2P5/2P3P1/2K5 w - - 0 1
[ Rxc5 if dxc5 Qa8+ ]

d)
White mates in 7.
Anatoly Karpov vs Miguel Quinteros, Buenos Aires, 1980
2r4r/2q2kbR/bp2p1p1/3pP3/p2P1PB1/P5Q1/1n2NBK1/7R w - - 0 1
[ Bxe6+ if Kxe6 Qxg6+ or if Kf8 Rxh8+ ]

e)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs Mikhail Tal, Bugojno, 1980
2r5/1b2rppp/3R1n2/4B3/2k2N2/5P2/6PP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd2 if Nd5 Rc2+ ]

6a)
mate in 5
Anatoly Karpov vs Miguel Najdorf

Anatoly Karpov, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs Miguel Najdorf, Mar del Plata, 1982
3R4/6pk/6bp/p2B3q/P1p2P2/6P1/2r4P/4Q1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bg8+ Kh8 Bf7+ Kh7 Rxh8+ Kxh8 Qe8+ ]

b)
Boris Spassky vs Anatoly Karpov, London, 1982
5rk1/4bnpp/p3r3/3qp3/PpN2B2/1Q6/1P2RPPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd6 ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Bent Larsen, Tilburg, 1982
3rk2r/2Rn1q2/2Q1pp2/p2p4/3P3N/6R1/P4PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Nf5 if exf5 Re3+ Kf8 Qd6+ Kg7 Rg3+ ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Gyula Sax, Linares, 1983
2k2r2/2q2p2/p2r2pp/8/B5PP/2P2Q2/PP3P2/2K1R3 w - - 0 1
[ Re7 Qxe7 Qa8+ Kc7 Qa7+ if Kd8 Qb8# ]

e)
White mates in 6.
Anatoly Karpov vs Efim Geller, USSR, 1983
3rrk2/R4ppB/7p/1p2N1q1/nPbP1p2/2PQ1P2/6PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxc4 if bxc4 Rxf7# or if Re7 Rxe7 Kxe7 Qc7+ ]

6c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Bent Larsen

Anatoly Karpov, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Ian Rogers, Bath, 1983
2kr3r/pp3ppp/1qp1p3/3bPnPP/6Q1/7R/PPP2P2/2KRBB2 w - - 0 1
[ c4 if Qc5 b4 ]

b)
Jan Timman vs Anatoly Karpov, London, 1984
k3rr2/P1p4p/b1p5/3pP1Bq/1b5P/1N2Q1P1/PP4K1/2R4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe5 if Qxe5 Qf3+ ]

c)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs Zoltan Ribli, Dubai, 1986
3rn1k1/5ppn/1p1P4/1r2pPP1/2q1P3/5BK1/1R5Q/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Qxh7+ Kxh7 Rh1+ Kg8 Rbh2 ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Bruno Kamber, Switzerland, 1987
1r3r1k/6pp/1b1p4/3Npq2/1P2R2P/3Q1PP1/6K1/2R5 w - - 0 1
[ Nxb6 Rxb6 Rf4 if exf4 Qxf5 ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs V Kveinis, Riga, 1988
2r2k1r/4ppbp/2B3p1/q2Ppb2/8/4B3/PR3PPP/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ g4 if Be4 f3 ]

7d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Bruno Kamber

Anatoly Karpov, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Lajos Portisch, Tilburg, 1988
8/1q3pk1/p1Np1bp1/3P4/4P3/5R1P/2Q2PK1/r7 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 Kxf6 Qc3+ ]

b)
White mates in 3.
Anatoly Karpov vs Jaan Ehlvest, Reykjavik, 1991
4r1k1/p1R1b3/4p1p1/3bQ2p/p2P1BNP/Pq3P2/6PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Bh6 Bf8 Nf6+ Kh8 Rh7# ]

c)
White mates in 4.
Anatoly Karpov vs Mikhail Gurevich, Reggio Emilia, 1991
5Q2/8/6p1/2p4k/p1Bpq2P/6PK/P2b4/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qh8+ Bh6 Qe5+ g5 Bf7+ ]

d)
White mates in 4.
Anatoly Karpov vs George Trammell, St Martin, 1992
8/8/5K2/6r1/8/8/5Q1p/7k w - - 0 1
[ Qf1+ Rg1 Qf3+ Rg2 Qe4 Kg1 Qe1# ]

e)
Alexander Ivanov vs Anatoly Karpov, Moscow, 1992
r1r3k1/ppq1bpp1/1n2pn2/4N1N1/5B2/3R4/PPP1QP1P/2K4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nfd5 Nh3 Nxf4 Nxf4 Bg5 Rd4 Nd5 ]

8c)
mate in 4
Anatoly Karpov vs Mikhail Gurevich

Anatoly Karpov, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ljubomir Ljubojevic Ljubomir vs Anatoly Karpov, Linares, 1992
4Q3/1q3nk1/5pp1/1p2p2p/1b1pP2P/1P1P2P1/4BPK1/6N1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be7 w/...Nd6 ]

b)
BBadals Magem vs Anatoly Karpov, Madrid, 1992
3q2k1/5p2/3p2p1/p2Np1b1/P1P1P2p/5P1P/1QR3PK/4r3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3 if Nxe3 Qg5 mates ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Oleg Romanishin, Tilburg, 1993
6k1/2pn1pp1/R7/2pPP3/4P1p1/2r3P1/3N3P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ra8+ Kh7 e6 ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Valery Salov, Linares, 1993
r3rbk1/1b3Npp/1q1p2n1/2pP4/5R2/1PN3Q1/4P1BP/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Qxg6 if hxg6 Rh4 ]

e)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs D De Vreugt, Euro Disney CH, 1994
r3r3/pb3pk1/1p1p1p1p/2qP4/P1pNPPP1/2Q5/1P4BP/4R2K w - - 0 1
[ Nf5+ if Kg6 Qh3 or if Kf8 Qxf6 ]

8d)
mate in 4
Anatoly Karpov vs George Trammell

Anatoly Karpov, Part X.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Kiril Georgiev, Tilburg, 1994
bq1r2k1/3n1rb1/1p1P2pp/2p5/P3N3/1Q3NP1/4RP1P/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Neg5 hxg5 Nxg5 Rdf8 Re8 ]

b)
Joel Lautier vs Anatoly Karpov, Linares, 1994
r5k1/6p1/5p1p/8/3Pb3/1Rn1BNPP/5K2/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd1+ if Ke2 Bc2 or if Kg2 Ra2+ ]

c)
Black mates in 5.
Valery Salov vs Anatoly Karpov, Alma-Ata, 1995
8/1P3pk1/2Qpp3/7p/P2Pn1p1/4qN1P/6PK/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...g3+ Kh1 Nf2+ Kg1 Nxh3+ ]

d)
Renzo Mantovani vs Anatoly Karpov, San Giorgio Legnano, 1995
8/p1r2ppk/1p3nqp/8/2N1pP2/P3P1nP/1P3QPK/3RN3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh5 if Rd4 Ng4+ ]

e)
Anatoly Karpov vs Alexander Beliavsky, Dortmund, 1995
1R3nk1/6p1/3Ppp1p/r2q4/4Q2P/5PB1/6PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ d7 if Qxd7 Qb4 ]

10c)
mate in 5
Valery Salov vs Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov Puzzles, Part XI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Alexander Khalifman, Linares 1995
5r2/pR3pk1/q2p1bp1/3B3p/2P4P/3Q1RP1/5PK1/4r3 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 if Kxf6 Qf3+ Kg7 Rxf7+ mates ]

b)
Black mates in 5.
Magem Badals vs Anatoly Karpov, Cap d'Agde, 1996
8/5k2/3bpp2/1p1p1b1p/3P3P/1B2QPP1/P4BK1/1q6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bh3+ if Kh2 Qf1 ]

c)
Black mates in 5.
Eric Lobron vs Anatoly Karpov, Frankfurt, 1997
6rk/pb4rp/1p3p2/3q3Q/1P1P3R/1P5P/1B2R1P1/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg2+ Kf1 Rg1+ Kf2 Rf1+ ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Marcin Krysztofiak, Koszalin (simul), 1997
r1b4k/p2n2bp/2pn1rp1/q3p1N1/2B1Pp2/2N2P2/PP1Q1BPP/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Qxd6 Rxd6 Nf7+ Kg8 Nxd6+ Kh8 Nxc8 ]

e)
White mates in 2.
Anatoly Karpov vs Piotr Mickiewicz, Koszalin (Simul), 1997
5r1r/1p6/p1p2p2/2P1bPpk/4R3/6PP/P2B2K1/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Rh4+ ]

11d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Marcin Krysztofiak

Anatoly Karpov Puzzles, Part XII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 2.
Anatoly Karpov vs Bidjukova, Voronezh (Simul), 1997
2r5/2R5/3npkpp/3bN3/p4PP1/4K3/P1B4P/8 w - - 0 1
[ g5+ hxg5 Ng4# ]

b)
Paul Van Der Sterren vs Anatoly Karpov, Wijk aan Zee, 1998
5rk1/QBr2ppp/1p6/1bq5/8/6P1/P4P1P/R3R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxb7 Qxb7 Bc6 if Qe7 Qd5 ]

c)
White mates in 4.
Anatoly Karpov vs Federico Perez, Bastia, 1998
1r1qrbk1/3b3p/p2p1pp1/3NnP2/3N4/1Q4BP/PP4P1/1R2R2K w - - 0 1
[ Nxf6+ Kg7 Qg8+ Kxf6 Bh4+ ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Gustavo Albarran, Buenos Aires (Simul), 2001
2bqr1k1/5pbp/ppp1p1p1/4B3/2P1n3/1PN1P3/P2rBPPP/R1Q2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxe4 if Rxe2 Bxg7 Kxg7 Rd1 Qh4 Ng3 ]

e)
Alexei Shirov vs Anatoly Karpov, Bastia, 2002
4rk2/p4p1p/5Bp1/1bb1N3/4B3/3P4/P1P2PPP/4K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re6 if Bh8 f6 w/...f5 ]

12c)
mate in 4
Anatoly Karpov vs Federico Perez

Anatoly Karpov Puzzles, Part XIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Anatoly Karpov vs Gomez Gustavo, Sao Paulo (Simul), 2003
rrn2q1k/2p3b1/n1Pp3p/6PR/1PQ1Pp2/4BP2/3NK3/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rxh6+ Bxh6 Bd4+ Kh7 Rxh6+ Qxh6 Qf7+ ]

b)
Anatoly Karpov vs Carlos Solis, Sao Paulo (Simul), 2003
1r1r1k2/1b2qpp1/p3pn1p/1pNnN3/3P3Q/PB6/1P3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxe6+ if Qxe6 or fxe6 Ng6+ ]

c)
Anatoly Karpov vs Alexei Shirov, Tallinn, 2006
4kr2/p1Bbpp2/1p4p1/n6p/2B1P2P/2K2P2/P2R2P1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bb5 if Nc6 Bxc6 ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Alain Costa, Ajaccio, 2007
r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/8/3Pp3/1b1n4/6P1/PP1PPPBP/R1BQK1NR w KQkq - 0 1
[ e3 if Nb5 Qa4 or if Nf5 Qg4 ]

13a)
mate in 5
Anatoly Karpov vs Gomez Gustavo

Anatoly Karpov Puzzles, Part XIV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Michael Seitz, Wolfsburg, 2007
1rn1b1k1/4bpp1/4p2p/1pNqN3/1P1P4/1Q1B3P/5PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd5 exd5 Na6 if Ra8 Nc7 ]

b)
White mates in 3.
Anatoly Karpov vs Mahajlo Stojanovic, Valjevo, 2007
2q1rb1k/prp3pp/1pn1p3/5p1N/2PP3Q/6R1/PP3PPP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6 if h6 Qxh6+ ]

c)
Black mates in 3.
Vladislav Tkachiev vs Anatoly Karpov, Moscow, 2009
1Q1R4/5k2/6pp/2N1bp2/1Bn5/2P2P1P/1r3PK1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne3+ ]

d)
Anatoly Karpov vs Ehsan Ghaem Maghami, Teheran, 2009
r5k1/pb1p1Rpq/2n1p1Q1/1p2P3/3P2P1/P7/1P1K4/5R2 w - - 0 1
[ Rf8+ ]

e)
Ehsan Ghaem Maghami vs Anatoly Karpov, Teheran, 2009
6k1/1b1n1pp1/5n1p/2qp4/3Q4/6P1/PB1NrPBP/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc2 ]

14a)
Anatoly Karpov vs Michael Seitz


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