CONTENTS

Contents

Symbols 4
Introduction 5

Pawns and Structure 8

Hints 24
Solutions 24

Pieces 48
Hints 70
Solutions 71

Mixed Themes 111

Hints 141
Solutions 143

Index of Players 206

Index of Themes 208
 MIXED THEMES

Mixed Themes

XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8r+-+-+k+( 8-+-tk+nt(
7z-+-+pzp’ 7zpz-+qzp’
6-+pv-z-+& 6-v-z-z-+&
5+-+-+-+-% 5+l+Pz-+-%
4-+-Z-+-+$ 4PVN+P+-+$
3+-Z-+L+-# 3+-Z-+-+-#
2P+-+-ZPZ" 2-+QS-ZPZ"
1+-+R+-M-! 1+R+-+RM-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
This position occurred in Carlsen-Yu Yangyi, 223 B *
Stavanger 2019, and the players have just ex- Choose between 17...Ía6 and 17...Íxc4.
changed queens. Black was probably counting
on 23 Íxc6? Îc8 24 d5 Îb8 with a drawn posi-
tion since the black bishop is blockading the XABCDEFGHY
pawns. But Carlsen played much more strongly. 8-+r+-t-+(
After 23 c4! Îc8 24 c5 Íe7 25 Êf1 White went
on to win. Several themes can be distinguished: 7+-+-+-+k’
pawn-structure (White did not allow the dark- 6-+-+q+-z&
squared bishop to blockade his pawns), weak-
nesses, and position of the pieces (the black
5+p+-vPzN%
rook is tied to the defence of the c6-pawn). 4-+-z-+-s$
The exercises in this chapter all feature mul-
tiple themes. They may include those from the
3+L+P+-+Q#
previous sections (pawn-structure and piece- 2-ZPV-+-Z"
play), although new topics such as prophylaxis 1+-+-+-M-!
and weaknesses will also appear. But it will be
for you to identify them! As I mentioned in the xabcdefghy
Introduction, I decided to avoid categorizing 224 W *
these examples too finely, since specifying a Choose between 32 fxe6 and 32 Íxe6.
topic can provide too big a hint.
Hints for the level 3 and 4 exercises in this
chapter start on page 141, and solutions begin
on page 143.
112 400 CHESS STRATEGY PUZZLES

XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+r+r+k+( 8-t-+-tk+(
7+-+-wpz-’ 7+-zq+pz-’
6lzp+-+-z& 6-+nz-s-z&
5+-+p+-+-% 5+Nv-z-+l%
4-+-+L+-+$ 4-+L+P+-+$
3+P+-Z-Z-# 3V-ZP+N+P#
2PVQ+-Z-Z" 2-+-+QZP+"
1+-+RT-M-! 1T-+-+RM-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
225 B * 228 B **
Choose between 19...dxe4 and 19...Ëxe4. Choose between 17...Íxa3 and 17...Íb6.

XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-+-+r+-+( 8-t-+-tk+(
7+-+ntpvk’ 7z-v-wnzp’
6pw-z-+pz& 6-+pzlz-+&
5+p+P+-+-% 5s-+-zN+-%
4-+-+-V-Z$ 4PV-+P+-+$
3Z-ZL+QZ-# 3+-ZQ+N+-#
2-Z-+-+-+" 2L+-+-ZPZ"
1+-+R+R+K! 1+R+R+-M-!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
226 B * 229 B **
Choose between 23...Íxf5 and 23...Ëd7.

XABCDEFGHY XABCDEFGHY
8-t-+-+k+( 8r+-+-t-m(
7+-+-+pvp’ 7zp+lz-v-’
6pw-+lsp+& 6-+n+P+pz&
5+-+-+-+-% 5+-+-+pV-%
4-+p+N+-+$ 4-+LZ-+-Z$
3+-+-+L+P# 3+-+-+-+-#
2RZQ+-ZP+" 2P+-S-ZP+"
1+-+R+-M-! 1+-T-M-+R!
xabcdefghy xabcdefghy
227 W * 230 B **
Choose between 17...Íc8 and 17...Íe8.
 MIXED THEMES 143

226) Dubnevych – A. Maksimenko

Solutions for Mixed Themes Bydgoszcz 2022
Puzzles Black’s control of the e-file enables him to
play for a win; he just needs to prevent White
from developing an initiative with the h5 ad-
223) Zapolskis – D. Johnson (variation) vance. 40...Êg8! (40...Ìc5?! is inaccurate be-
London 2022 cause e5 is a better route for the knight; after 41
Black cannot prevent the move a5, after Íc2, 41...Îe2? 42 Îd2 will make Black’s situ-
which the white rook will end up attacking the ation worse) 41 Êg2 (not the best move, but the
b7-pawn. Thus 17...Íxc4? 18 Ìxc4 Ìe7 (or continuation is instructive; 41 g4! Ëc7 42 h5 g5
18...Îb8 19 Íxd6 +ø) 19 a5 +ø gives White a 43 Íg3 Ìe5 44 Íxe5 Îxe5 45 Îd2, seeking to
decisive advantage. exchange the rook via the e2-square, offers
Therefore, Black needs to preserve his light- White good chances to hold) 41...Ëc7! 42 Íc2
squared bishop: after 17...Ía6! 18 a5 Íc5 19 Ìe5 43 Íxe5 Îxe5 Æ was played in the game.
Íxc5 dxc5 Black’s position looks suspicious, Black had wisely placed his queen on c7 in ad-
but in reality he doesn’t have much of a prob- vance so that he could take with the rook on e5.
lem; e.g., 20 Ëa4+ Ëd7 21 Ëa3 Ëe7 22 Îfd1 Now he controls the e-file and has good chances
Ìh6, and White is perhaps a little better, but of converting his advantage into victory.
Black’s game is wholly playable.
227) Mosesov – Halkias
224) Lyell – Fishchuk (variation) Internet blitz 2020
Budapest 2022 After an exchange of knights, Black would
If White captures the queen with his bishop, have good chances of taking the b2-pawn and
he will lose the c2-pawn, but it is much more achieving a draw. For example: 28 Îd6? (as
important to keep the f-file closed. 32 Íxe6! played in the game) 28...Ëb3 29 Ëxb3 cxb3 30
(after 32 fxe6? Îa8 ø+ the queen is out of play Îaxa6 Ìxe4 31 Íxe4 Íxb2 and White has no
on h3, and the bishops cannot defend their advantage at all.
king) 32...Îxc2 33 Íe1 (White can also win by Therefore White should play 28 Ìg5! to
33 f6 Îxd2 34 Íd5 +ø; White will soon have take the bishop on e6. Black can’t stop this idea
mating threats of his own) 33...Îc1 34 Êf1 Îa8 and will get a hopeless position. 28...h5 is well
35 Êe2 and due to the fact that the e6-bishop met by either 29 Ëe2 or the simple 29 Ìxe6
controls a2 and c8, Black cannot create counter- Ëxe6 30 Îa4 with a decisive advantage.
play against the white king and therefore loses.
228) J. Marrero Rodriguez –
225) Mosesov – Sonis Basualdo de Ornelas (variation)
Ukraine-Italy juniors (online blitz) 2020 Vecindario 2022
In the game 19...Ëxe4?! 20 Ëxe4 Îxe4 led White’s main problem is the unpleasant pin,
to an obviously equal position. which he is in no position to break by playing
The question is what happens if Black plays g4. But if White can exchange the dark-squared
19...dxe4!, and the answer hinges on which bishops, he will be able to unpin with Ëe3.
king will be more secure in the middlegame. Thus 17...Íxa3? 18 Ìxa3 Ìe7 19 Ëe3 leaves
Black’s king is completely safe, because he can Black with only a slight advantage.
play ...f6 to close off the b2-bishop. In addition, 17...Íb6! (D) is best.
the advanced pawn on e4 makes it possible to Now ...Ìa5 is threatened, but besides that,
place the bishop on d3. 20 Ëc3 f6 21 Ëd4 Black has the idea of transferring the knight to
Íd3!? (21...c5?! 22 Ëd7 eases White’s defen- the kingside by ...Ìe7-g6-f4 or playing in the
sive task) 22 Ëxb6 c5 Æ gives Black good win- centre with ...c6 and ...d5 after moving the
ning chances. 23 Ía3?! can be answered with knight to g6. It is very difficult for White to de-
23...Îed8 followed by ...Îd5. fend, and his position is close to hopeless: 18
144 400 CHESS STRATEGY PUZZLES

XABCDEFGHY obvious the black bishop chose the wrong di-

8-t-+-tk+( rection.
W 7+-zq+pz-’ So 17...Íe8! is best: 18 d5 (no better is 18
Íf4 Ìxd4 followed by ...Íc6) 18...hxg5 19
6-vnz-s-z& hxg5+ Êg8 20 dxc6 Íxc6 21 Ìf3 Îfd8 Æ. Two
5+N+-z-+l% bishops and a superior structure add up to good
4-+L+P+-+$ winning chances.
3V-ZP+N+P# 231) Madaminov – Mosesov
2-+-+QZP+" Corum (Under-16) 2019
1T-+-+RM-! It’s easy to understand that after 29 Ëxc5?!
dxc5 30 Ìc2 (as played in the game) we have a
xabcdefghy roughly equal position on the board.
Íc1 (18 Îfb1 is well met by 18...Ìe7, or even It remains to evaluate 29 Ëd2! (D).
18...Îfe8!? 19 Íc1 d5 20 exd5 Ìxd5 with a
huge advantage) 18...Ìe7 19 Ìa3 Ìg6 threat- XABCDEFGHY
ening ...Ìh4. White is forced to play 20 Ìc2, 8-+r+r+k+(
which Black can meet by 20...c6 intending ...d5. B 7+p+l+p+p’
229) Zapolskis – D. Johnson (variation) 6p+-z-Tp+&
London 2022 5Z-wPs-+-%
The knight on f5 is certainly unpleasant, but 4-+PS-+-+$
after 23...Íxf5? 24 exf5 æ the white bishop on
a2 is a real menace. As Black cannot play ...d5, 3+P+-+-+-#
he has a difficult position. In addition, White 2-+-WL+PZ"
threatens Ëa6. Then 24...Ìb7 (24...Êh8 25 1+-+-T-M-!
Ëa6 æ; after 24...c5?! 25 Íxa5 Íxa5 26 Ìd2
Êh8 27 Íd5 the extra pawn does not play any xabcdefghy
role, and White’s stranglehold on the position The black queen on c5 is greatly restricted
will gradually lead to victory) 25 Ëa6 c5 26 by both sides’ pawns and it is clear that the
Ía3 Ìa5 27 Íd5 gives White a large advan- white queen is much more useful. True, the pin
tage. on the knight raises some concerns, but the c6-
Therefore Black should play 23...Ëd7! 24 square is covered and White just needs to ex-
Íxe6 Ëxe6 25 Ëa6. White will win back the amine moves like 29...Ìg4 and 29...Íg4 be-
pawn, but without a powerful light-squared fore making his choice:
bishop this is not even enough for equality. Af- a) 29...Ìg4 30 Îf4 (naturally not 30 Îff1?
ter 25...Ëc4 26 Ëxc4 Ìxc4 27 Ìe7+ Êh8 28 Îe4) 30...Ìe3 31 Íd3 æ. Putting the knight on
Ìxc6 Îb7 Black has a slight advantage. He f5 makes no sense, while 31...Ìg4 can be met
threatens ...a5, while after 29 a5 Ìd8 White’s by 32 Îc1 intending b4.
a-pawn becomes vulnerable. b) 29...Íg4!? is more cunning. The point is
to meet 30 Íf1 with 30...Ìf3+! 31 gxf3 Îxe1
230) Berdnyk – Dubnevych 32 fxg4 Îce8 (32...Îe4 33 Îf4 æ) with some
Omelnyk 2021 compensation, although after 33 Êg2 Î8e4 34
Retreating to c8 may seem logical because Ìe2 Îxg4+ 35 Ìg3 À the white king is se-
after White then drops the bishop back from g5, curely covered. But in any case I prefer the sim-
the black knight will take on d4 and the e6- pler move 30 Îf2 À with a stable advantage.
pawn will hang. However, after 17...Íc8? White
plays the far stronger 18 d5! hxg5 19 hxg5+ 232) B. Derakhshani – D. Johnson
Êg8 20 dxc6 (as in the game), when it becomes London 2022