Puzzles

no. 432

White to play. This is from Lasker–Teichmann, St Petersburg 1909. Black had already resigned this game as he could anticipate White’s crushing blow. What had he foreseen? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 1 November or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of

Puzzle no. 431

White to play. This position is a variation from Carlsen-Karjakin, Monaco 2011. Although White is a rook up he only has one move to ensure ­victory. What is it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 25 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first ­correct answer

No. 430

White to play. This position is from Mamedyarov-Kramnik, Moscow 2016. White’s next concluded the game. What was it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 18 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 include a postal address and allow

no. 429

White to play. This is from Tal-Botvinnik, World Championship (Game 12), Moscow 1961. Tal’s next move did not force an immediate win but gained sufficient material for him to prevail. What was it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 11 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for

No. 428

Black to play. This position is a variation from Gelfand-Mamedyarov, Tal Memorial Blitz 2016. Black has various strong moves but only one forces checkmate. Can you see it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 4 October or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out

No. 427

White to play. This position is from Heredia-Videnova; Women’s Olympiad, Baku 2016. Can you spot the White continuation that enabled her to emerge with a decisive material advantage? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 27 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first -correct answer out

no. 426

White to play. This position is a variation from Li Chao-Short, Baku Olympiad 2016. White has various ways to win but can you find the most direct and astonishing conclusion? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 20 September or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct

No. 425

White to play. This is a position from Short (England)-Pasaribu (Indonesia), Baku-Olympiad 2016. How did White win material? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 13 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

No. 424

White to play. This is from Palucha-Skettos, Bhubaneswar 2016. Here White destroyed the black position with a typical tactical thrust. Can you see it? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 6 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

no. 423

Black to play. This is from Vachier-Lagrave–Anand, Sinquefield Cup, St Louis 2016. White has played to win a pawn but what has he overlooked? Answers to me at The ­Spectator by Tuesday 30 August via email to victoria@­spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include

no. 422

White to play. This is a position from Adams-R. Pert, British Championship, Bournemouth 2016. What is White’s most direct route to victory? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 23 August 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

no. 421

White to play. This position is from Steinitz–Chigorin, World Championship (Game 4), Havana 1892. How did White finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 16 August 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

No. 420

White to play. This position is from Olafsson-Tal, Moscow 1971. How did White finish off? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 9 August 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 weeks for

No. 419

White to play. This position is from So-Giri, Bilbao Masters 2016. How did White make the most of his active rook and knight? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 2 August 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

No. 418

White to play. This position is from Najer-Buhmann, Dortmund 2016. How did White make the most of his g7-pawn? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 26 July 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

No. 417

White to play. This position is from Staunton-Horwitz, London (Game 3) 1846. How did White conclude his attack? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 19 July 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

No. 416

White to play. This is from Kasparov-Alonso, Simultaneous Display, Moenchengladbach 2016. How did White conclude his attack? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 12 July or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk or by fax on 020 7681 3773. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please

No. 415

White to play. This position is from Nakamura-Caruana, Leuven Blitz 2016. White can now win material. What is the key move? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 5 July 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

No. 214

Black to play. This is from Caruana-Mamedyarov, Gashimov Memorial Play-off 2016. Black played 1 … Kg8 here, missing a clever winning move. What should he have played instead? (This is a tough puzzle.) Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 28 June or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for

No. 413

White to play. This is from Korchnoi-Karpov, Candidates Final, Moscow 1974. White’s next move destroyed the black position and led to one of Karpov’s quickest ever defeats. What did White play? Answers to me at The Spectator by Tuesday 21 June or via email to victoria@spectator.co.uk. There is a prize of £20 for the first