Puzzles

Carlsen–Nakamura, December 2019. In the decisive playoff game, Carlsen played 1 Nxf7+ and won quickly. But there was a mate in 3 available. What is the first move? Answers should be sent to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 14 January or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first

Black to play. Ilfeld & Vachier-Lagrave–Picot & McShane. Pro-Biz Cup, London 2019. My move. White threatens checkmate with Qc4-g8, so I exchanged rooks on f1 to divert the queen. We won in the end, but what would have been a stronger move? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 7 January or via email

White to play. Aronian–Carlsen, December 2019. Carlsen won the third-place playoff, but Aronian found a nice finish in this game. What move prompted Carlsen’s resignation? We regret that owing to print deadlines this is not a prize competition.   Last week’s solution  1…Qa7!! wins, as 2 Bxa7 Rxg2+ 3 Kh1 Rxh2+ 4 Kg1 Rag2 is mate. Last

Black to play. This is a variation from McShane–Van Foreest, Bundesliga, November 2019. I avoided this position, and the game was later drawn. What move for Black was I afraid of? Answers via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk by Monday 9 December. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat.

Black to play. Zelcic–Melkumyan, Tournament of Peace, November 2019. Melkumyan enjoys a big endgame advantage, and he found a cute way to finish the game off. What did he play? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 3 December or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct

Bagi–Zvjaginsev, Montenegro 2019. Black to play. 61… Ke6 looks obvious, but Zvjaginsev preferred 61… Rg6! and White resigned instead of playing 62 d7. What had both players foreseen? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 26 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of

Dubov-Svane, White to play. Later in the event, Dubov played another masterpiece, sacrificing a rook to reach this extraordinary position. It takes one more delicate sacrifice to conclude the attack. Which one? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 19 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the

Black to play. Erwin l’Ami–Luke McShane, Batumi, 2019. The pawn on e6 looks powerful, but White’s king is more vulnerable than it looks. What blow did I land? Answers should be sent to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 12 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first

White to play. Dahl-Kolbus; Isle of Man, 2019. In this game between two Manx players, White had promoted a pawn earlier but finishing off the game is not easy. Here, Dahl found an elegant winning move. Can you do as well? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 5 November or via email to

Black to play. From Stepanov–Romanovsky, Lenin-grad 1926. Stepanov resigned two moves earlier, seeing that he would soon lose his queen. Romanovsky has just one winning move. Which one? Answers to ‘Chess’ at The Spectator by Tuesday 29 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out

White to play, Black to win. Shirov-Caruana from the Isle of Man. Caruana threatens 53… d1=Q 54.Qxd1 Qxb2 mate. Shirov resigned, rather than try 53.Bf7-b3 to block the b-file. What finishing touch had he foreseen for Caruana? Difficulty: Moderate. Answers via email to victoria@spectator.-co.uk by Tuesday 22 October. There is a prize of £20 for

White to play. The final game of the match between Radjabov and Ding. White’s safer king confers a huge advantage, but Radjabov finished with a flourish. What did he play? Difficulty: easy. Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 15 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the

Black to play. Here is my own tragedy, from Yuffa-McShane, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019. Needing a win, I tried 81 … Kg7-f7 to corral the knight, but it soon escaped. What should I have played instead? Difficulty: easy, but not for me! Answers via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk by Tuesday 8 October. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct

White to play. This position is from Van Foreest-Bortnyk, St Louis 2019. How did White break through on the kingside with a fine blow? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 1 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please

White to play. This is from Nguyen-Alekseenko, Khanty-Mansiysk 2019. White’s queen and rook are both attacked. How does he maintain material parity? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 24 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a

White to play. This position is from Benko-Jeney, Budapest 1950. Benko has just sacrificed rook for knight. What is his idea? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 17 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal

Black to play. This is from Carlsen-Ding, St Louis 2019. The black pieces are converging on the white king but he must deal with the threat of Qf8 mate. How did he do this while bringing his own attack to a conclusion? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 10 September or via email

Black to play. This is from Nepomniachtchi-Anand, St Louis 2019. How did Anand exploit his opponent’s lapse? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 3 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six

White to play. This is from Aronian-Mamedyarov, St Louis 2019. We are only just out of the opening but White has a killing blow. What is it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 27 August or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of