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May 2021 Chess Puzzle Answer Key

Puzzle 1:

White: Laszlo Szabo      Black: Samuel Reshevsky

White to move

 

Answer:

1. Qxg6+ Bg7 2. Qxg7#  if Kh8 instead of Bg7, Bxf6#. This was not played in the game, instead of Qxg6+, Bxf6 was played.

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Puzzle 2:

White: Ossip Bernstein     Black: Jose Raul Capablanca

Black to move



Answer:

1... Qb2! White resigned. If 2. Qxb2, Rd1#; If 2. Qe1, Qxc3;  if 1. Rc8, Qa1+; 2. Qf1, Qxf1; 3. Kxf1, Rxc8

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Puzzles 3:

White: Lewis        Black: Dayton

Black to move

 

Answer:

1. ..., Ne2+;  2. Kf1 (if Kh1 Nf2#), N2g3 (N4g3 is the same);  3. hxg3, Nxg3#

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Puzzle 4:

White: Rowena Mary Bruce      Black: Helga Ursla Axt

White to move

 

Answer:

16. Qxh7+ Kxh7 17. Rh3+ Kg8 18. Ne7# or Nf6#

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Puzzle 4:

White: Pavlo Vorontsov      Black: Kayden Troff

Black to move

 

Answer:

Re2 is the only move.

If 27...., gxf6  28. Rxf5, exf5  29. Rxe8 Qxe8 30. Nxf6+, Kf8 (Kg7 31. Qg5+ Kh8 32. Nxe8)  31. Qh6+,  Ke7 32. Nxe8.

If 27...., Qd7  28. Qg5 leads to mate

If 27...., Qc8  28. Nh6+ gxh6 (if Nxh6 Qg5 is mating) 29. Qg4+ ,Kf8  30. Rxf5, Rd8 (black can't recapture because of Qg7#) 31. Qg7+, Ke8  32. Bxd8 (Qd8 allows Qxf7# and Kd8 allows Rxf7 and black is lost)

After 27..., Re2; it's best for white to capture 28. Nh6+, Nxh6  29. Qxe2, gxf6 and black's king is quite safe. If 28. Rd1 gxf6 and there is no real attack for white anymore. 28. Rxe2, Qc7  29. Rfe4, Bxe4  30. Qg5, Rc8  31. Bb2, Qd8  32. Nf6+, Kh8  33. Rd2, Qxf6 White resigned 34. Bxf6 is not possible because of Rc1+ leading to mate and after 33. Qxf6 34. Qxf6 gxf6