'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series



Here are some chess puzzles from the games of 1890.
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)
Black mates in 3.
Mathias Kuerschner vs Siegbert Tarrasch, Nuernberg, 1890
r1bBk2r/1pp2p2/p2p4/2b1ppQp/3nP1n1/3P2K1/PP4BP/R5NR b kq - 0 1
[ ...h4+ if Qxh4 f4+ ]

b)
Black mates in 3.
Georg Marco vs Adolf Csank, Vienna, 1890
6k1/5r1p/6p1/3pq3/2pQ1R2/1p2PKP1/1r6/2R2N2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh5+ g4 Qh3+ ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Bjelin vs Semyon Alapin, St. Petersburg, 1890
3kb3/p1p4p/1b1p4/7n/5q2/BBP2N1P/P5P1/R3R2K b - - 0 1
[ Ng3+ Kh2 Nf1+ Kh1 Qh2+ ]

d)
White mates in 5.
Clemenz vs Eisenschmidt, corr., 1890
r4k1r/ppp1n2p/2n2N2/4p1N1/3b2Q1/q7/P4PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qe6 if Nd8 Qf7+ mates ]

e)
Black mates in 5.
Joseph Holzwarth vs Adolf Albin, Vienna, 1890
5rk1/6p1/p1p3q1/3n3p/Q1pP3P/2P3B1/P3rP1K/R4R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf3 if Kh1 Rxg3 fxg3 Qe4+ ]

1b)
mate in 3
Georg Marco vs Adolf Csank

1890 puzzles, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 6.
Mabillis vs Goring, Regensburg, 1890
r4rk1/1pqbbppp/p1n1p3/2pp1n2/5PN1/1P2PNQ1/PBPPB1PP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nh6+ if Kh8 Nxf5 ]

b)
White mates in 8.
Siegbert Tarrasch vs Max Kurschner, Nuremberg, 1890
r2q1k2/p3r1pQ/1pbbp3/3p2p1/1P1B1P2/2P5/P5PP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh8+ Kf7 fxg5+ Kg6 Rf6+ Rxe6 Qxg7+ ]

c)
Joseph Blackburne vs Isidor Gunsberg, 1890
r1b1k2r/2p2ppp/p1nb1n2/1p1qp3/3P4/2P2N2/PPB1QPPP/RNB1K2R w - - 0 1
[ Bb3 Qe4 Qxe4 Nxe4 Bd5 ]

d)
Mikhail Chigorin vs H Steinitz, corr., 1890
1rb1k2r/Qpqp1p1p/4n1p1/2pBp3/4P3/B1P5/P4PPP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxe6 fxe6 Bxc5 w/Bb6 ]

e)
Isidor Gunsberg vs Wilhelm Steinitz, New York, 1890
r1b1k2r/ppppnpp1/1b2n2p/4P3/Q2P3N/6P1/PB1NBq1P/R3R2K w - - 0 1
[ Ne4 Qe3 Bc4 ]

2c)
Joseph Blackburne vs Isidor Gunsberg

1890 puzzles, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Emanuel Lasker vs Theodore Von Scheve, Berlin, 1890
r2r2k1/2p2pp1/6q1/1pp5/5P2/N1Pb1Q2/PP4PP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd3 Qxd3 Re8+ ]

b)
Wilhelm Steinitz vs Zoran Devide, New York, 1890
r1bq3k/pppp1Qp1/7p/4b3/2B5/8/P4PPP/R1B3K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bg5 ]

c)
Jean Taubenhaus vs Goetz, Paris, 1890
r1b1k2r/pp1p1pp1/2p3n1/4P2p/2B1Q2P/5N2/P1P1KPP1/q1B4R w - - 0 1
[ Bxf7+ Kxf7 Qf5+ Ke7 if Ke7 Bg5+ or if Kg8 Qxg6 ]

d)
Henry Bird vs Emanuel Lasker, Liverpool, 1890
r4r1k/6pp/1pP2b2/1Bn1q3/2QNp3/8/3R1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd3 if Rf1 Qxd4 or if Rxd3 exd3 Rxe5 Ra1+ ]

3a)
Emanuel Lasker vs Theodore Von Scheve

More Puzzles