Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com



Here are some chess puzzles from the games of top FIDE players of 2011.
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)
Black mates in 2.
Guillaume Lamard vs Etienne Bacrot, Nice, 2011
6k1/3q1p1p/6pb/p2bp3/Pp6/1BnN2P1/1Q3P2/2N2K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh3+ ]

b)
Black mates in 2.
Ray Robson vs Etienne Bacrot, Khanty Mansyisk, 2011
7k/pp1n3p/3P1qpN/2p5/2Pb2Q1/4r1P1/PPB4P/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg3+ ]

c)
Black mates in 2.
David Arenas vs Lazaro Bruzon, Santiago de los Caballeros, 2011
4r1k1/2p3b1/p2pb3/6PN/4qr2/1nPR4/1PK4Q/7R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxd3+ Kxd3 Bf5# ]

d)
Black mates in 2.
Piotr Prominski vs Anton Korobov, Warsaw, 2011
8/4kppp/pP2p3/4K3/8/2r2P2/2P4P/1R6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc4 ]

e)
Black mates in 2.
Wouter Spoelman vs Ivan Sokolov, Boxtel, 2011
8/5pk1/2B1b1p1/p3P2p/PqpQ1P2/4K3/6PP/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe1+ ]

1c)
mate in 2
David Arenas vs Lazaro Bruzon

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 2.
Giga Quparadze vs Emil Sutovsky, Baku, 2011
4r2k/4q1pp/p1b5/8/5Q2/2P5/P4N1P/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe1+ ]

b)
Black mates in 2.
Kasmiran vs Yue Wang, Jakarta, 2011
8/7p/4Nk2/5p2/R4N2/1P2b2P/3n2K1/5r2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg1+ ]

c)
Black mates in 3.
Sune Berg Hansen vs Levon Aronian, Porto Carras, 2011
4Qr1k/6r1/b1p2p1p/p3pP1Q/P3N2P/2P1q3/2B2R2/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh3+ Rh2 Rxg1+ ]

d)
Black mates in 3.
Davit Benidze vs Anton Korobov, Nakhchivan, 2011
4r1k1/p1p2p1p/8/5qP1/5Qn1/2N2bP1/PP5P/R3B1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc5+ ]

e)
Black mates in 3.
Pablo Lafuente vs Arkadij Naiditsch, Sarajevo, 2011
8/p4ppk/3r4/8/6b1/PQ1NRqP1/1P3P2/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh6 ]

2c)
mate in 3
Sune Berg Hansen vs Levon Aronian

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Mackenzie Molner vs Ilia Smirin, Philadelphia, 2011
7r/1N1k1pq1/p2pp3/1p2P2Q/4NP2/3P2rP/PP3bP1/R1B4K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh3+ Qxh3 Rxh3+ ]

b)
Black mates in 3.
Evgeny Levin vs Ivan Sokolov, Aix les Bains, 2011
1r4k1/5pp1/p1pp2Pp/7R/2pqPQ2/2N5/Pr6/K6R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb1+ Rxb1 Qxc3+ ]

c)
Black mates in 3.
Laurent Fressinet vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Clichy, 2011
6k1/2p2pPp/2n3p1/1p4P1/1P1NpP2/7q/2PQKB2/r7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxd4+ Qxd4 Qf3+ ]

d)
Black mates in 4.
Krikor Mekhitarian vs Liren Ding, Moscow, 2011
5bk1/1r4r1/3p4/1NpPp1q1/2P1P3/5p2/PR1Qb1P1/1R3BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxg2+ ]

e)
Black mates in 4.
Vlastimil Jansa vs Kiril Georgiev, Aix les Bains, 2011
2r3k1/1p3p2/p1rp3p/4p1b1/qPP1Pn2/1P3P2/2KB2P1/1N1R1Q1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc4+ Qxc4 Rxc4+ Nc3 Qa2+ ]

3e)
mate in 4
Vlastimil Jansa vs Kiril Georgiev

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Ruud Janssen vs Anish Giri, Boxtel, 2011
2b4r/1p3Bk1/5rp1/p1q1Rn2/8/PP1P4/1Q5P/4R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ Kg2 Rf2+ Qxf2 Rxh2+ ]

b)
Black mates in 4.
Jianchao Zhou vs Chao Li, Danzhou, 2011
8/7p/5Q2/4p2k/4Pn2/6Rb/P2r1r2/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf1+ Rg1 Bg2+ Kh2 Bxe4+ ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Manuel Apicella vs Rauf Mamedov, Aix les Bains, 2011
3r3k/PP4b1/2qp2n1/8/8/2P2np1/Q7/1R3N1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd2+ Kg1 Nf4 ]

d)
Black mates in 4.
Jonas Lampert vs Arkadij Naiditsch, Deizisau, 2011
8/b4B2/p1b5/4p1k1/1p5p/8/PP2N1PP/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...h3 ]

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+ ]

4e)
mate in 4
Katarzyna Toma vs Ian Nepomniachtchi

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Arkadij Naiditsch vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Melilla, 2011
4k2r/1p4p1/p1P2pP1/2b1q2P/6K1/P4p2/3Q4/3R3R b k - 0 1
[ ...f5+ Kxf3 Qe4+ ]

b)
Black mates in 4.
Joshua Friedel vs Loek Van Wely, Berkeley, 2011
6k1/8/4p2b/4Pp1Q/2q5/P2n3P/7P/1R4K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3+ if Kg2 Qc2+ or if Kf1 Nf4+ ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Michael Fung vs Loek Van Wely, Spijkenisse, 2011
3r2k1/pp3p1p/4p1p1/q1P2n2/4QP2/1B6/P1P2RPP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd1+ Rf1 Qxc5+ ]

d)
Black mates in 5.
Shilong Li vs Liren Ding, Xinghua Jiangsu, 2011
6k1/5p2/5Ppq/2pP4/1pNbP1K1/5QP1/8/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh5+ Kf4 g5+ Kf5 Qxf3+ ]

e)
Black mates in 5.
Gata Kamsky vs Lenier Dominguez, Beijing, 2011
5r1k/6b1/6qp/PpNP3r/1Q1B2P1/3R1pK1/8/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd6+ if Kf2 Qh2+ ]

5d)
mate in 5
Shilong Li vs Liren Ding

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 5.
Yuri Vovk vs Anton Korobov, Kiev, 2011
b5k1/4qpp1/2P1p2p/p3P2P/K5P1/1PQR4/P2r4/5B2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxc6+ Kxa5 Rxa2+ Kb6 Ra6+ ]

b)
Black mates in 5.
Guanchu Liu vs Chao Li, Ningbo, 2011
4Q3/4p1bk/4P1p1/2N2p1p/2P2q2/2r5/r5PP/5RRK b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxh2+ Kxh2 Be5+ if Kh1 Rh3+ ]

c)
Black mates in 5.
Yifan Hou vs Chao Li, Danzhou, 2011
2r5/4kp2/3p1p2/b3pP2/2B1P2P/3K1QNR/1q4P1/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc4 if Kxc4 Qc2+ Qc3 Qxc3+
or if Ne2 Qc2+ Ke3 Bb6+
]

d)
Black mates in 6.
Lazaro Bruzon vs Quang Liem Le, Habana, 2011
8/8/1p4k1/p1p5/P1Qnq1Bp/1P3p1P/5P1K/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qe5+ Kg1 Qe1+ Qf1 Ne2+ ]

e)
Black mates in 7.
Nikolay Maevsky vs Tigran Gharamian, Aix les Bains, 2011
2r3k1/1b3ppp/p7/1pPp3q/1P4n1/P2Br3/4N1PP/R2R2QK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh3 gxh3 d4+ if Qg2 Qxh3 ]

6e)
mate in 7
Nikolay Maevsky vs Tigran Gharamian

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Trajce Nedev vs Ferenc Berkes, Porto Carras, 2011
6k1/p5p1/p3p2p/Pr1bP3/3P1RP1/5N1P/1r3P2/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...R5b3 if Ne1 Rb1 Rxb1 Rxb1 Kf1 Bc4+ or if Nh2 Rb1+ ]

b)
David Baramidze vs Viktor Bologan, Germany, 2011
Q3B2k/7p/4N1p1/5p2/1P6/1KP3q1/6P1/2Qnq3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qgxc3+ if Ka2 Qe2+ mates or if Qxc3+ Qxc3+ Ka4 Qa1+ ]

c)
Lisandro Munoz vs Lazaro Bruzon, Santiago de los Caballeros, 2011
7k/5r1p/3qb3/1p4pP/p2RB3/P4rP1/5P1K/3R1Q2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf2+ if Bg2 Qxd4 ]

d)
Geir Brobakken vs Xiangzhi Bu, Helsingor, 2011
3r4/5pk1/p3Pqpp/2prN3/Pp1nR1PP/1P1P4/2P3Q1/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe5 Rxe5 Nf3+ if Kh1 Qxh4+ mates ]

e)
Jean-Christophe Olivier vs Fabiano Caruana, Switzerland, 2011
8/5pk1/2Q3p1/1P4q1/7p/3B3P/3n1rP1/3R3K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf3 if Bf1 Qg3 ]

7d)
Geir Brobakken vs Xiangzhi Bu

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mikhail Krylov vs Ivan Cheparinov, Moscow, 2011
8/p1r4k/2B1R1p1/P4pb1/1r1q4/3P4/2Q4P/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb2 if Qd1 Rxc6 Rxc6 Qd5+ ]

b)
Daniyyl Dvirnyy vs Ivan Cheparinov, Porto Carras, 2011
r5k1/2q1bppp/4p3/3pP3/bn1PN3/Q2B1N1P/1P3PP1/2BR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxd3 if Nc5 Nxc5 or if Qxd3 Bxd1 ]

c)
Deshun Xiu vs Liren Ding, Xinghua Jiangsu, 2011
5rk1/5p2/1q2b1p1/p3bp1p/2B4P/1P3P2/P2Q2P1/1KR4R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd8 if Qc2 Qd4 ]

d)
Yijie Lu vs Liren Ding, Hefei, 2011
r1b1kb1r/3q1ppp/4p3/2NnP3/p1R5/2P2Q2/1P4PP/1NBR2K1 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Qb5 ]

e)
Judit Polgar vs Lenier Dominguez, Khanty Mansyisk, 2011
6k1/4q2p/3p2p1/2bP1p2/1PB2Q2/6P1/R5KP/4r3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be3 Qf3 Rg1+ Kh3 Qg5 ]

8a)
Mikhail Krylov vs Ivan Cheparinov

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Peter Heine Nielsen vs Vugar Gashimov, Khanty Mansyisk, 2011
3q1rk1/p2npp1p/1prn2p1/8/8/1PB1PP1P/P1QRBP2/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qc7 if Rc1 Rc8 Ba6 Rxc3 Bxc8 Rxc2 Rcxc2 Nc5 ]

b)
Jan Priebe vs Kiril Georgiev, Arinsal, 2011
4r1k1/2p1rpp1/1p1p3p/3P4/pPP4P/3Q1q2/P4BR1/3R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re1+ Rxe1 Rxe1+ Kxe1 Qxd3 ]

c)
Robert Kreisl vs Boris Grachev, Aix les Bains, 2011
1k6/ppp4r/8/5B2/3Pn1p1/2B1P1br/PP3PK1/R6R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh2+ Rxh2 Rxh2+ if Kg1 Nxf2 ]

d)
Michele Godena vs Vassily Ivanchuk, Reggio Emilia, 2011
8/1pp1qpk1/4r3/p1p1Pbp1/2r2P2/P1P1R1QP/1P2N3/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg6 if Kh2 gxf4 or if fxg5 Rxg5 ]

e)
Boris Gelfand vs Gata Kamsky, Kazan, 2011
2r1qrk1/1p1n1pbp/2b1p1p1/p1p3B1/1n6/PQNP1NP1/1P2PPBP/2RR2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...c4 if dxc4 Nc5 or if Qxc4 Bxf3 ]

9c)
Robert Kreisl vs Boris Grachev

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part X.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Alexander Galkin vs Vladimir Kramnik, Moscow, 2011
2r3k1/p4p2/Bp4p1/q2P4/4r3/1Qb1p2R/N1P3P1/1K1R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rb4 if Bxc8 Rxb3+ cxb3 e2 ]

b)
Misa Pap vs Yuriy Kryvoruchko, Rethymno, 2011
1kbr3r/1p3ppp/3b4/1PB5/2R3P1/8/PP3P1P/3BK2R b K - 0 1
[ ...Bxc5 Rxc5 Rhe8+ if Be2 Bxg4 ]

c)
David Navara vs Viktor Laznicka, Novy Bor, 2011
6k1/p4p2/1bQ1pq1p/8/6rP/2R5/PP3P1K/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf4+ if Rg3 Rxg3 ]

d)
David Howell vs Sergei Movsesian, Warsaw, 2011
5rk1/5pp1/8/nQB1P3/2n3Pp/3r1P1P/3bNKB1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd5 if f4 Be3+ ]

e)
Grzegorz Gajewski vs Arkadij Naiditsch, Warsaw, 2011
b2r4/2r1kppp/p7/8/P2NP3/3K1PP1/1P4BP/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd4+ Kxd4 Rd7+ ]

10a)
Alexander Galkin vs Vladimir Kramnik

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part XI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Vassily Ivanchuk vs Hikaru Nakamura, Monaco, 2011
r1n3k1/1p1r1p2/2p1bq2/PpB1p1p1/1P2P3/2PB1PPp/2QNR1nP/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd8 ]

b)
Fjorn Ochsner vs Hua Ni, Helsingor, 2011
1k3r2/p5p1/1pb5/2p1b1P1/4N3/1P1P2P1/P3KB1r/3R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rg2 if Rdf1 Bxe4 dxe4 Bd4 ]

c)
Mircea Parligras vs Peter Heine Nielsen, Khanty Mansyisk, 2011
5rk1/p3ppbp/1q1pb1p1/1N3r2/2PB1Qn1/1P4P1/P3PPBP/R4RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd4 if Qxd4 Rxb5 ]

d)
Sergey Volkov vs Ivan Sokolov, Nakhchivan, 2011
7r/4kpp1/p1R3p1/1p1n2P1/4q2P/PQ2Pn2/BP3P2/3K3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne5 if Qxd5 Rd8 ]

e)
Samy Shoker vs Judit Polgar, Ningbo, 2011
1r3rk1/1q2bpp1/pp2pn1p/4n3/2PN1P1R/4P1P1/PBQ1N2P/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nfg4 if fxe5 Nxe3 ]

11b)
Fjorn Ochsner vs Hua Ni

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part XII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Francisco Vallejo Pons vs Ruslan Ponomariov, Melilla, 2011
5rk1/6pp/2N5/Q2p4/4q1n1/6P1/5P1P/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne3 if fxe3 Qxe3+ mates ]

b)
Alexei Shirov vs Vladimir Potkin, Khanty Mansyisk, 2011
5rk1/7p/Np2P1p1/8/1P3P1K/5NP1/P1r2n1P/1R6 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf5 if g4 Rxf4 ]

c)
Andreas Moen vs Vladimir Potkin, Rogaska Slatina, 2011
4r1k1/1p1b1p1p/1b1p2p1/3P4/1PPN4/4n1P1/3RB1P1/6BK b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd4 if Rxd4 Nf5 Rd2 Nxg3+ ]

d)
Davit Shengelia vs Gabriel Sargissian, Porto Carras, 2011
6k1/2R2qp1/bp2r2p/p7/8/1P2N1Q1/P4P1P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe3 ]

e)
Dennis Ovcina vs Nigel Short, Ekurhuleni, 2011
7r/p3q1k1/1ppp2p1/n2P1b2/2P1p1B1/2P1P3/P2N2QP/4R2K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh4 ]

12c)
Andreas Moen vs Vladimir Potkin

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part XIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Michael Chiang vs Loek Van Wely, Orlando, 2011
3b2k1/1b3pp1/3p4/1p1Np3/4P3/PP3nPp/1Br1RP1P/5B1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd2 if Bc3 Rc1 or if f3 Rxb2 ]

b)
Krishnan Sasikiran vs Yue Wang, Ningbo, 2011
4r2k/pp6/5p1p/1P1P4/P4b1P/4B2Q/2q1RK2/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe3 if Qxe3 Bxe3+ ]

c)
Daniel Alsina Leal vs Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, San Sebastian, 2011
7k/4b1p1/Q2p4/3Pp3/2r3qp/2B2pP1/1PP2P1P/R6K b - - 0 1
[ ...hxg3 fxg3 Qe4 h3 f2+ Kh2 Qe2 ]

d)
Bachana Morchiashvili vs Francisco Vallejo Pons, Baku, 2011
8/p7/5p2/3Rpk1p/2p4P/4PqP1/P2R1P2/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...c3 if R2d4 c2 ]

e)
Georg Meier vs Andrei Volokitin, Austria, 2011
6k1/7p/1p6/2b2RpP/B7/P5PK/1P1pr3/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...g4+ if Kh4 Be7+ Kxg4 Re4+ ]

13e)
Georg Meier vs Andrei Volokitin

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part XIV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Laurent Fressinet vs Wesley So, Wijk aan Zee, 2011
8/5p1k/5r2/2P2Pr1/4K3/6Rp/P5R1/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg3 if Rxg3 h2 ]

b)
Koen Leenhouts vs Ivan Sokolov, Internet, 2011
r2q1r1k/1pp3bp/p1b5/2B1p2Q/5p2/2PP3P/PP3PP1/R3RNK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qd5 ]

c)
Tapani Sammalvuo vs Ivan Sokolov, Porto Carras, 2011
r5k1/2p2p1p/2P2np1/2r1p3/4Pq2/1RNB4/2Q1R1PP/4K3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ra1+ Rb1 Rxb1+ Qxb1 Rxc3 Bc2 Qxh2 ]

d)
Arnd Lauber vs Peter Svidler, Rogaska Slatina, 2011
8/5pkp/8/3q2p1/8/5PP1/P2p2KP/3Q4 b - - 0 1
[ ...g4 if Kg1 Qc5+ Kg2 Qc1 ]

e)
Tamas Banusz vs Artyom Timofeev, Warsaw, 2011
3r1rk1/pp3ppp/4b3/3n4/1PR2B2/P6P/4BPP1/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...b5 if Re4 Bf5 or if Rd4 Nc3 ]

14c)
Tapani Sammalvuo vs Ivan Sokolov

Top FIDE players of 2011, Part XV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Dmitry Bocharov vs Nikita Vitiugov, Olginka, 2011
4rrk1/p5pp/1p2q3/3n4/4P3/PR6/4QNPP/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf4 if Qc4 Ne2+ ]

b)
Hans Tikkanen vs Nikita Vitiugov, Rogaska Slatina, 2011
2rr3k/pb3q1p/1p1p1n2/1P2pP2/PBPpP1p1/1N1Qb1P1/2R3BP/5R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe4 if Bxe4 Rxc4 ]

c)
Sergei Chekhov vs Vadim Zvjaginsev, St. Petersburg, 2011
6k1/p5bp/1p2bpp1/8/B1p2P2/2Pr1NP1/PP2K2P/7R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf3 ]

15c)
Sergei Chekhov vs Vadim Zvjaginsev


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