'Tactics in the Sicilian' series
Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Ian Nepomniachtchi.
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 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Aggelos Sismanis, Chalkidiki, 2000
2r2b1k/p2Q3p/b1n2PpP/2p5/3r1BN1/3q2P1/P4PB1/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qg7+ Bxg7 hxg7+ Kg8 Nh6# ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Dmitry Andreikin, Serpukhov, 2000
rr3k2/4nN1n/p1bN2pp/q1P1Q3/4P2P/6P1/4P1B1/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qh8+ Ng8 Ne5+ Ke7 Rf7+ ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Maxim Matlakov, Serpukhov, 2000
2rr1b1k/1bq5/p2p1NPp/5P2/2P1PpQ1/7R/6BP/7K w - - 0 1
[ g7 Bxg7 Qg6 Bxf6 Rxh6+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Jonathan Dourerassou, Halkidiki, 2003
5kr1/pp4p1/3b1rb1/2Bp2NQ/1q6/8/PP3PPP/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nh7+ Kf7 Qxd5+ Re6 Qxe6# ]
e)
Vasily Papin vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Herceg Novi, 2005
8/2k1bp1p/4p1p1/2PqP3/r7/1R6/1Q1B1PPP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxb3 Qxb3 Ra1+ ]
1a)
mate in 3
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Aggelos Sismanis
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Dmitry Bocharov, Moscow, 2005
3R4/6pk/4p2p/2q2p1P/1p2Q1P1/7K/rPP5/8 w - - 0 1
[ g5 if hxg5 Qxe6 ]
b)
White mates in 8.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Oleg Chebotarev, Tomsk, 2006
2r2rk1/5pn1/2q1p3/p7/3p1P2/1Q6/PPP5/2K1R1R1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxg7+ ]
c)
Artem Iljin vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Cheboksary, 2006
1r4k1/p4p1p/brRbpQp1/8/P2P4/qB2P2P/3N1PP1/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc6 if Rxc6 Qa1+ mates ]
d)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Boris Savchenko, Cheboksary, 2006
4q3/1Q6/4kpp1/2Bn4/8/1KP5/1P6/8 w - - 0 1
[ c4 if Nf4 Qe4+ or if Ne7 Bxe7 Qxe7 Qd5# ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Aleksandr Volodin, Kirishi, 2006
2r1rk2/6b1/1q2ppP1/pp1PpQB1/8/PPP2BP1/6K1/7R w - - 0 1
[ Qxf6+ if Bxf6 Bxf6 ]
f)
Black mates in 5.
Harmen Jonkman vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Wijk aan Zee, 2007
8/5pk1/3bp2p/8/6KP/5Q2/7q/5B2 b - - 0 1
[ ...h5+ Kxh5 Qe5+ Kg4 f5+ ]
2f)
mate in 5
Harmen Jonkman vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 6.
Pavel Anisimov vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Krasnoyarsk, 2007
8/8/5q2/1b6/1k5p/3pP1pP/Q7/5NK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxf1+ ]
b)
Black mates in 2.
Maxim Rodshtein vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Natanya, 2009
6r1/p6k/Bp3n1r/2pP1P2/P4q1P/2P2Q2/5K2/2R2R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne4+ ]
c)
White mates in 5.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Boris Avrukh, Natanya, 2009
3qbr1k/pp1nNpp1/3p3p/n1r2NPQ/4P3/3Bp1R1/PPP4P/2KR4 w - - 0 1
[ Nxh6 if Qxe7 Nf5+ or if g6 Nxf7+ ]
d)
White mates in 5.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Zhou Jianchao, Sochi, 2009
3r1r1k/2R4p/1q2Bp2/1p2pN2/pb2P2P/1P4PK/P1Q5/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7+ Kxh7 Qe2 Qxe6 Qh5+ ]
e)
White mates in 5.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Sergey Smagin, Olginka, 2011
2r2b2/pn2qN1p/6p1/3B3k/PpP1Np2/1P5b/1Q6/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf6+ Qxf6 Qxf6 h6 Bf3+ Bg4 Kg2 ]
3a)
mate in 6
Pavel Anisimov vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Evgeniy Najer, Olginka, 2011
Rnk5/2p2p1p/2N1b3/8/8/1r2P1r1/2K5/4R2B w - - 1 0
[ Rd1 if Bd7 Na7+ Kd8 Kxb3 ]
b)
White mates in 2.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Dmitry Bocharov, Apatity, 2011
3r1k2/1p2r3/1p2b1R1/7Q/3N4/P3P1P1/1P4KP/2q5 w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ ]
c)
Black mates in 3.
Yangyi Yu vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Doha, 2016
4r1k1/p4p1p/1p1Q2pq/8/3N4/5RP1/5nB1/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ Kxf2 Qd2+ ]
d)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Kamil Miton, Warsaw, 2011
1r2r1k1/pq2bp2/1pp1nBp1/2PpPp1p/PP1P3P/5N2/3Q1PP1/RR4K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6 if Bxf6 exf6 w/Ng5 ]
e)
Black mates in 4.
Katarzyna Toma vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Warsaw, 2011
8/1p1n3k/p6p/P1nqpp2/5P1b/4B3/1QPN2rP/RR1K4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd2+ Bxd2 Qf3+ Kc1 Qh1+ ]
4e)
mate in 4
Katarzyna Toma vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Alexander Grischuk, Moscow, 12/29/2012
3r4/pp1r1pkp/2pnp1p1/q7/2PP4/1P1R2NP/P3QPP1/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe5+ ]
b)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anatoly Karpov, Moscow, 2/16/2013
1q6/2k1rp2/2pbPR2/p2p2pr/8/2P3Q1/1P3P2/2KR1B2 w - - 1 0
[ Qxd6+ Kxd6 exf7+ Kc5 f8/Q ]
c)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Frank Holzke, Legnica, 5/5/2013
3r1rk1/3p3p/p1b1p1p1/2P4R/6Q1/P1qBP2P/6P1/3R3K w - - 1 0
[ Rxh7 if Qxd3 Rxd3 Kxh7 Qh4+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Ilia Smirin, Khanty Mansyisk, 2013
1qr2k2/5p2/2pP4/p2rp1Qp/4N3/1P3P2/6PK/3R4 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6+ Ke8 Nf6+ ]
e)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Gata Kamsky, Beijing, 2013
3k4/2n1Rp2/2p2P1p/p1N1P2p/2r5/4K3/P7/8 w - - 1 0
[ Nb7+ Kc8 Nd6+ ]
5b)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anatoly Karpov
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anish Giri, Beijing, 2013
r5k1/p5b1/2n5/1p2qQ2/2pp4/2P2B2/P4PP1/2KR4 w - - 1 0
[ Bd5+ if Kh8 Rh1+ mates ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Quang Liem Le, Dubai, 2014
r1kq4/1b1nR3/3Q4/2pp3P/p7/5RP1/1PP2PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rxd7 if Bc6 Qxc6+ ]
c)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Vladimir Potkin, Yaroslavl, 2014
4r2k/q2b3p/1r1b2p1/2pBnpP1/1p3N1P/1P1P4/1BP1Q3/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxe5+ Bxe5 Rxe5 if Rf6 Rxe8+ ]
d)
Black mates in 3.
Erik Blomqvist vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Bilbao, 2014
8/1p2p3/2p2kp1/Q2p1b2/P4P2/2R2N2/2P1KPP1/2q4r b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd1+ Ke3 Re1+ Nxe1 d4# ]
6d)
mate in 3
Erik Blomqvist vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Alexander Onischuk, Moscow, 2015
3rr3/2pbkp2/2p1q2p/5p2/2P5/1P2B1PB/3Q1P1P/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bc5+ if Qd6 Bxd6+ Ke6 Re1+ ]
b)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Sergey Grigoriants, Moscow, 2015
4r2r/3k1p2/p3bP2/1pPq1B1p/3n1BpP/8/1PQ2PPN/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe4 ]
c)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anton Korobov, Warsaw, 2011
r1bqr1k1/5p2/p2n1n1B/1pbPp3/2p1P3/5QNP/PPB2PP1/R3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bg5 if Kg7 Bxf6+ Qxf6 Nh5+ ]
d)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Aleksej Aleksandrov, Alma-Ata, 2016
1r3rk1/Q1p2ppp/3p4/8/4R3/2P2qP1/PP6/2K1R3 w - - 1 0
[ Qxb8 if Rxb8 Re8+ ]
e)
Black mates in 5.
Anton Korobov vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Baku, 2016
8/p2q1pk1/1p4p1/2p1P3/4KPP1/7r/PP2Q3/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc6+ Rd5 Qa4+ ]
7c)
mate in 3
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anton Korobov
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Andrei Volokitin, Doha, 2016
3Q4/1bR2rk1/p7/6pP/4B3/1q6/1P5P/7K w - - 1 0
[ h6+ Kxh6 Qh8+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Anton Korobov, Khanty Mansyisk, 2017
4knrr/3R4/5ppP/8/1q5P/4BPn1/1PP1Q3/1K1R4 w - - 1 0
[ 1.Bc5+ Qe4 2.Re7+ ]
c)
White mates in 6.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Baadur Jobava, Riyadh, 2017
kr6/n3qpr1/Q1p1pn2/1NP3pp/3P4/1R6/P4PPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ 1.Nxa7 if 1...Qxa7 2.Rxb8+ Kxb8 3.Rb1+ mates or if 1...Rxb3 2.Nxc6+ ]
d)
Marin Bosiocic vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Riyadh, 2017
3r2k1/4bpp1/7p/2p5/2R5/4PN1P/1qQ2PP1/1rR3K1 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Rxc1+ 2.Qxc1 Qe2 if 3.Qc2 Rd1+ 4.Kh2 Bd6+ ]
e)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Viktor Bologan, Poikovsky, 2018
r3rk2/p1p2p1p/5QpP/8/4q1P1/2B5/1P3P2/2KR4 w - - 1 0
[ 1.Qg7+ Ke7 2.Re1 ]
8d)
Marin Bosiocic vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Ian Nepomniachtchi Puzzles, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Zaur Tekeyev vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Sochi, 2018
2r2bk1/5p1p/4b1p1/4N3/4PP2/q7/2BQ2PP/1R3K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qa2 if Rc1 Ba3 ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Moscow, 2019
2r3k1/1p1qbpp1/pB2bn1p/P2Pp3/1r6/1PNQ1P1P/2PRN1P1/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Bf5 if 2.Qe3 Rxb6 3.axb6 Bc5 or if 2.Ne4 Nxe4 3.fxe4 Bxe4 ]
c)
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Paris, 2019
4r3/1p2n1bk/pq2p1pp/4p3/4P2B/1BP5/PP4PP/3R1Q1K w - - 1 0
[ 1.Qf7 ]
d)
Evgeny Tomashevsky vs Ian Nepomniachtchi, Khanty Mansyisk, 2019
2r4k/1bp4p/1p1p3r/pN2nRq1/P7/2P1P1PP/1P2B2K/5RQ1 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Qg4 if 2.Bxg4 Nxg4# or if 2.h4 Rxh4+ ]
9e)
Zaur Tekeyev vs Ian Nepomniachtchi
Other Russian GMs
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