King-pawn Opening Series



Here are some chess puzzles from the 1980 Olympiad in Valletta.
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.
Sameer Sursock vs Ridha Belkadi, Valletta, 1980
r1b2R2/3q3p/p5p1/Q1pp1p2/2kb2N1/4B2P/P1P2PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Ne5+ ]

b)
Black mates in 2.
Vladimir Liberzon vs Nicolas Giffard, Valletta, 1980
3r2k1/5p1p/1p6/1Pq3P1/4p2P/Q5P1/4Br2/R1N3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe2+ ]

c)
Black mates in 2.
Helgi Olafsson vs Lhamsuren Myagmarsuren, Valletta, 1980
6k1/5pp1/N1p5/3p2p1/N1r5/6Pq/4nP1P/4QR1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh4 ]

d)
White mates in 3.
Ulf Andersson vs Ian Rogers, Valletta, 1980
6rk/3R2rp/8/4Qp2/p1B2P2/1P4P1/6KP/2q5 w - - 1 0
[ Qxg7+ ]

e)
White mates in 3.
John Nunn vs Ergun Gumrukcuoglu, Valletta, 1980
k7/qpr2p1p/2p3p1/8/5P2/1R5P/PQ4P1/7K w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ ]

Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Elisabeta Polihroniade vs Hanna Erenska-Barlo, Valletta, 1980
2r1kb1r/3nq1p1/p3p3/N3B3/1p2P1QP/8/PP3R2/3RK3 w k - 1 0
[ Qg6+ ]

b)
Black mates in 3.
Alex Callens vs Johansen, Valletta, 1980
7k/3R2pp/p2pp3/8/3bP1n1/R2Q2PK/2P2r1P/2q2B2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ Kxg4 h5+ Kf3 Rf2# ]

c)
Black mates in 3.
Musasira vs Cooper, Valletta, 1980
8/p5pp/p7/3k4/1P3p2/PPrp1P1P/1R1Kp1P1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1 ]

d)
White mates in 4.
Jean Hebert vs Vangjel Adhami, Valletta, 1980
5rk1/3R3p/1p1Np1pP/4PpB1/1P1Q4/5b2/q5PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rg7+ Kh8 Nf7+ ]

e)
White mates in 4.
A Kristinsdottir vs Artur Hennings, Valletta, 1980
4r1k1/1b3p1p/1q1pp1p1/1p4B1/1P1bPQN1/3P4/r4PPP/1R2R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nh6+ if Kg7 Qxf7+ ]

Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
James Tarjan vs Jonathan Speelman, Valletta, 1980
5rk1/7p/1p6/p1n1N3/1pPr1P2/1P2RK2/4P2P/1R6 w - - 1 0
[ Rg1+ if Kh8 Nf7+ ]

b)
Black mates in 4.
Gordana Markovic vs Sirkka Landry-Vuorenpaa, Valletta, 1980
6k1/1p2p2r/p7/P1PP1p1r/3Q1P2/5qp1/6RP/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2 ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Jacob Murey vs Jozsef Pinter, Valletta, 1980
5Q2/1pkb3p/p2p4/2q2p2/1n6/2P5/PKB1r1PP/2R2R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd3+ if Kb1 Qa3 ]

d)
Black mates in 4.
B Whyte vs Ali Ipek, Valletta, 1980
8/7R/pr6/5pP1/2Pp4/3P1k2/2RK3P/6r1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re6 ]

e)
White mates in 5.
Ergun Gumrukcuoglu vs Conevares, Valletta, 1980
2r2rk1/1b3p1p/p2p1BpQ/2qp3n/4P3/1B3R2/PPP3PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Qxh5 ]

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



Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Colin McNab vs Francisco Sanz Alonso, Valletta, 1980
rnbq1k1r/1pp2p2/3p1Np1/pP1P2P1/2PQ4/4P3/PB2BP2/R3K3 w Q - 1 0
[ Nd7+ Nxd7 Qxh8+ Ke7 Bf6+ ]

b)
White mates in 5.
Tom Wedberg vs Franco Trabattoni, Valletta, 1980
2rrq2k/5Rbp/1p1p2p1/1bpBp3/4P2Q/2B4P/PPP3P1/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg7 if Kxg7 Qf6+ or if h5 Qf6 ]

c)
Black mates in 5.
Tawinji vs G Broomes, Valletta, 1980
2r5/5k2/5p1p/7P/1p2p3/pP1p2R1/P1P2r2/1KR5 b - - 0 1
[ ...dxc2+ Ka1 Rf1 ]

d)
Black mates in 6.
Puntsagd Tumurbaatar vs Asgeir Arnason, Valletta, 1980
R7/ppk3q1/8/2pQp1b1/2Pn4/2KP4/PP6/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd2+ Kxd2 Qg5+ Ke1 Qg1+ ]

e)
Vera Frenkel vs Margarita Voiska, Valletta, 1980
5rk1/ppp2pp1/2nr3p/2bqp2Q/6N1/3PB2P/PPP2PP1/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ c4 if Qe6 Bxc5 ]

Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Efim Geller vs Nikolaos Skalkotas, Valletta, 1980
2r3k1/3rnbp1/1p3p1p/p2p4/3q1N2/1P2N2P/2R2PP1/1Q2R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nf5 ]

b)
Merete Haahr vs Garwell, Valletta, 1980
1rb3k1/p4pp1/1p3qp1/2p5/3p4/3P2PP/PPP2P2/R1B1Q1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf4 if Ra8 Qe4 ]

c)
Theo Heldner vs Edwin Van Haastert, Valletta, 1980
r1bqrbk1/pp3pp1/7p/2p1n1NQ/3p1N2/3P2P1/PPP2PBP/R3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe5 if hxg5 Be4 g6 Bxg6 or if Rxe5 Qxf7+ mates ]

d)
Thomas Ristoja vs Sacha Georges, Valletta, 1980
r3k2r/pppq1pp1/2npbn2/2b4p/N2pP3/2P3P1/PP2NPBP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 1 0
[ cxd4 if b5 Nxc5 dxc5 d5 ]

e)
Costa Rivas vs Denis Allan, Valletta, 1980
r3k3/6p1/npp2p2/p6p/2PN3r/PP2P2P/8/3R1R1K w - - 1 0
[ Nf5 if Rxh3+ Kg2 or if Re4 Nd6+ ]

Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Raymond Schneider vs Krum Georgiev, Valletta, 1980
r2q1rk1/1b2bppp/p2pp3/1p2nP2/1n6/2NB1NQ1/PPP3PP/R1B2R1K w - - 1 0
[ Nxe5 dxe5 Bh6 if Bf6 Bxg7 ]

b)
Helmut Schumacher vs K Sugimoto, Valletta, 1980
r2q1rk1/pb1nbppp/1pp1p3/3pP1B1/Q7/2PBP3/PP1N1PPP/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh4 ]

c)
Aleksander Sznapik vs Meulders, Valletta, 1980
8/6k1/3pqp1p/pprNpR2/4P2b/1PP2Q2/P7/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg4+ Bg5 Rxg5+ if Kf7 Rg7+ ]

d)
Franco Trabattoni vs Mohamed Seif Hassan, Valletta, 1980
1k1r4/ppq2pp1/2pN1n1p/2P1r3/8/5Q2/PP1R1PP1/1K1R4 w - - 1 0
[ Nb5 ]

e)
Alonso Zapata vs Fernandez, Valletta, 1980
3R4/5kbp/6p1/1p6/1P2K3/2r1B2P/8/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rd7+ Kg8 Rxg7+ Kxg7 Bd4+ ]

'Tactics in the Sicilian' series



Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Eugene Curtin vs Helder Camara, Valletta, 1980
3r2k1/4ppbp/6p1/p1pbP3/1q3P2/2N1B3/P1Q3PP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxd5 if Rxd5 Rb1 ]

b)
Anthonyt Doyle vs Patrick Wharton, Valletta, 1980
1r1r2k1/1pn2pbp/pN2b1p1/4p3/PB6/4PPP1/1P4BP/R2R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd6 if Bb3 Bxc7 ]

c)
Colin McNab vs Peter Hammer, Valletta, 1980
5qB1/p2b4/Np1kppQ1/nP1p2p1/P2P4/4P1P1/5PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qb1 Bxb5 Qb4+ ]

d)
Fateen vs Antonio Fernandes, Valletta, 1980
2bq1r2/5pkp/p4bp1/N1pB4/8/1P4P1/P2Q1P1P/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be6 ]

e)
Lun Choon Foo vs Ortvin Sarapu, Valletta, 1980
r5bk/P5b1/3p3p/2p5/1p1rB3/5P2/2P2N1P/R1R4K b - - 0 1
[ ...d5 Bg6 Rd2 ]

Chess puzzles from the 1980 Valletta Olympiad, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Ole-Christian Moen vs Steen Fedder, Valletta, 1980
6k1/3n1p1p/3P2p1/1p1Q4/5K1P/2P2PR1/1P6/4q3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc1+ if Ke4 or Kg4 Nf6+ ]

b)
Elisabeta Polihroniade vs Lena Glaz, Valletta, 1980
3r2r1/p4k1p/2q2P1B/4p3/4NnP1/2P3Q1/PP3P2/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd1 Rxd1 Ne2+ Kh2 Nxg3 Nxg3 Rxg4 ]

c)
Sakurai vs Manuel Moraza, Valletta, 1980
2r3k1/p3pp1p/1p4p1/2qPN3/4P3/8/P4PPP/1B1Q2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc1 if Qf1 Qxf1+ ]

d)
T Sakurai vs Erling Mortensen, Valletta, 1980
r1b2rk1/pp3pbp/2pp1np1/q1nPp1BP/2P1P3/2N2B2/PP1Q1PP1/R3K1NR b KQ - 0 1
[ ...Nb3 ]

e)
Marilyn Sciortino vs Miyoko Watai, Valletta, 1980
r1b1k2r/1p1nbppp/p2ppn2/2q3B1/3NPP2/2NB4/PPP2QPP/R4RK1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Ng4 if Qh4 Bxg5 ]

f)
Gerald Bonner vs Giancarlo Franzoni, Valletta, 1980
1r3r1k/pp4pp/2b2n2/N3p3/2B2q2/2P2P2/PQ2R1PP/5R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng4 if g3 Bxf3+ ]


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