Chess puzzle

White to play and mate in five moves. Composed by Kohtz & Kockelkorn, 1875. Be careful — four moves isn’t enough! What is White’s key first move? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 4 January. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a

Four puzzles in one, composed by Werner Speckmann, 1963. In each case, White to play and mate in two. (a) As in diagram; (b) In (a), move Qh7 to a7; (c) In (b), move Ke6 to c6; (d) In (c), move Ke4 to c4. We regret that there is no prize for this puzzle, owing

White to play. A position taken from Chess Improvement (perhaps from Luchowski–Gridnew, Moscow 1992.) Black’s menacing pieces make the situation look desperate. How can White turn the tables? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 December. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include

White to play and mate in two moves. Composed by Sam Loyd, 1857. Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 23 November. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last week’s solution 1 Qg7+!!

White to play. Mista–Kloza, Poland 1955 (supposedly). Which move does White play to force a quick checkmate? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Tuesday 17 November. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six weeks for prize delivery. Last

White to play and mate in 3. A puzzle featured in The Queen’s Gambit, apparently composed by W. Atkinson in 1890. What is White’s first move? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Tuesday 10 November. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and

White to play. Wade–Korchnoi, Buenos Aires, 1960. Bob Wade’s next move prepared a surprising and decisive breakthrough. What did he play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 2 November. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address. Last week’s solution 1…f5!

Black to play. Sjugirov–Paravyan, Russian Higher League, October 2020. A piece for a pawn down, Black’s follow up was subtle but devastating. What did he play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 26 October. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal

Rapport–Sprenger, Bundesliga, September 2020. The game continued 1 Bxc4 Rxc4 2 Bxe5+ f6 3 Bf4 Rxe4+ 4 Kf3 and was eventually drawn. How could Black improve on this sequence? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 19 October. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please

Black to play. Khodashneli — Willow, European Online Youth Championship U18, September 2020. White has just advanced 40 g3-g4, and England’s Jonah Willow spotted his opportunity. What did he play?Answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 12 October. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal

White to play. A variation from L’Ami–Caruana, Bundesliga 2020. Caruana avoided this position, where White can force a quick mate. White should begin with a check, but which one? 1 h8=Q+, 1 Ne6+, or 1 Ne4+? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 5 October. There is a prize of £20 for the first

White to play. Areshchenko–Koch, Bundesliga 2020. White has won rook for bishop, but the queen is offside and his Rf2 is pinned by the Qb6. How did White win the game at a stroke? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 28 September. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer

Black to play. Jones–McShane, London Chess Classic 2019. Last year I played two games of no-castling chess with Gawain Jones, each of us winning one. Here, Jones has won a pawn, but his pieces are scattered. Which move won me the game? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 21 September. There is a prize of

Black to play. Rios–Adams, Online Olympiad, August 2020. The White king is running short of squares. Which move did Adams play to tighten the noose? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 14 September. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address

White to play. Zaibi–Napoleao, Online Olympiad, August 2020. White has just sacrificed the rook on a1. He concluded the attack in fine style. What was the winning move? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 7 September. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include

Nakamura–Carlsen, August 2020. Carlsen has just advanced 40…g6-g5+, laying a nasty trap. Only one move gives White a fighting chance here — what is it? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 31 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address

Black to play. McShane–Anand, World Rapid Championship 2017. While executing my last move, 51 Qf4-f3, attacking the h5-pawn, I got a horrible sinking feeling, as I saw what was about to hit me. What did Anand play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 24 August. There is a prize of £20 for the

Black to play. Efimov–Bronstein, Kiev 1941. Normally White seeks glory in the King’s Gambit, but here Bronstein scored a lightning victory for the Black side. Which move did he choose? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 17 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include

Black to play. Studer–Naiditsch, Biel, July 2020. White intends to meet 1…Bxb5 with 2 Bxe7 Qxe7 3 Qxb5, with an equal position. Which move did Naiditsch play to pinpoint the flaw? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 10 August. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a