Daily Chess Puzzle: July 2012 Solutions

Solutions Listed in Chronological Order - Last updated (06/08/2012)

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01/07/2012 - White's Best Move (w)

1.Bd6!!

This move threatens 2.Rf8# and

cuts Black can only avoid mate by

losing his Queen.

1...h5!? is best and after 2.Qxe6+

it is a mate in 4 moves. 2...Kh7

3.Qxe4+ g6 4.Rf7+ Kh6

5.Bf4+ g5 6.Qh6#

Rook Move:

1...Rxd6 2.Qb8+ Qc8

3.Qxc8+ Rd8 4.Qxrd8#

Knight Move:

1...Nxd6 2.Qxe6+ Kh8 3.Rf8#

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02/07/2012 - Karpov's Win (b)

1...Nf3+

The mate is either in 1 or 2 moves.

King Move:

2.Kh1 Nf2#

Pawn Move:

2.gxf3 Rg6+ 3.Kh8 Nf2#

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03/07/2012 - From Gambit (b)

4.Qh4+

Now we can see why Black was

happy to give up a Pawn for

improved Bishop positioning.

King Move:

5.Ke2 Bg4+ and the White

Queen is captured.

Pawn Move:

5.g3 Bxg3+ 6.hxg3 Qxg3+

7.Ke2 Bg4 8.Nf3 Qxg3+

9.Ke1 Qg3

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04/07/2012 - Mate in 3 (w)

This one is quite straight forward

once the first move is found.

1.Rb8+ Ke7 2.Bc5 Kf7 3.Rf8#

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05/07/2012 - Mate in 4 (w)

1.Re7!! Kxe7 (1...Rxe7 2.Rd6+

Kxe5 3.Qb2#0 2.Rxd7+ Ke6

(2...Ke8 3.Kd6#) 3.Qc4+ Kxe5

4.Qd5#

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06/07/2012 - Experts Beware (w)

1.Ng5

And the Black King is trapped!

Queen Move:

1...Qxe2 (1...Qf3 2.Qxf3#)

2.Bxe2#

Bishop Move:

1...Bg3 [or anywhere] 2.Qe8#

Pawn Move:

1...d6 2.Be8#

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07/07/2012 - Death or Glory (w)

1.Ng5

Black's King is checked just in time.

1...hxg5 2.Re7+ Kf8 3.Qxg8#

1...fxg5 2.Re7+ Kf8 (2...Kf6

3.Qxg7#) 3.Qxg7#

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08/07/2012 - Mate in 2 (w)

This puzzle shows the importance

of connected Rooks (especially

when they are in the opponent's

half of the board).

1.Qxh6+ gxh6 2.Rag8#

Simple but effective.

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09/07/2012 - Mate in 2 Again (w)

A very nice little puzzle, solved

with a nice quiet Queen move.

1.Qe7!!

Pawn Move:

1...f6 2.Qe4#

King Move:

1...Kg6 2.Qxf7#

1...Kxf4 2.Qf6#

Bishop Move:

1...Bg7 (or 1...Bf8 or 1...Bg5)

2.Qg5#

1...Bg6 2.Qe5#

1...Bxf4 2.Be4#

1...[any other Bishop move] 2.Qxf7#

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10/07/2012 - For a While (w)

A very nice little puzzle, which is

simple to solve once you notice the

Black King is cut off from the King

side of the board.

1.Rb1

With the threat of 2.Qd6#

Bishop Move:

1...Bb4 2.Ne5+ Kxc5 3.Qxb4#

1...Be5 2.Na5+ (2.Ne5+ also

works but doesn't look as nice)

2...Kxc5 3.Qxe5#

1...[light-square Bishop move]

2.Qd6#

Knight Move:

1...N[anywhere] 2.Qb6#

King Move:

1...Kxc5 2.Qc7#

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11/07/2012 - Best Move? (w)

1.Be6!!

This move threatens 2.Qc8+ or

mate with Qe8 at some point, e.g.

1...Rd8 2.Rxd8+ Bxd8 3.Qe8#

Black's best move is 1...h6.

White then takes with the Bishop

2.Bxd7 Bxd7 3.Rxd7

Not with the Rook as

2.Rxd7 Bxd6

Is not as good for White.

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12/07/2012 - Mate in 4 (b)

1.Qh4+

King Move:

1...Kg1 (or 1...Kf1) 2.Re1+ Rxe1

3.Rxe1#

Rook Move:

1...Rg3 2.Qxg3+ Kf1 3.Re1+ Rxe1

4.Rxe1#

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13/07/2012 - Zugzwang (w)

1.Kf2

Note that 1.Kg4+ allows 1...Kg3

and the King escapes to secure a

draw.

1...Kh1 2.Nf1 h2 3.Ng3#

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14/07/2012 - Mate in 2 (w)

1.Kd8!

This move avoids Black making

useful checks or make a pin.

Rook Move:

1...Rd3+ (or any other Rook move)

2.Bd5#

Knight Move

1...Nc2 2.Bd5#

Bishop Move:

1...Ba3 (or 1...Bc1) 2.Qxc3#

Pawn Move:

1...a3 2.Qb5#

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15/07/2012 - Advantage Me (w)

1.Qf8

Setting up a fork that Black can't

avoid.

1...Rxf8 2.Kxf8 Rxf8 3.Nxd7+

Simple but effective.

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16/07/2012 - Mate in 4 (w)

1.Qd5+ and the King is dead.

1...Ka6 2.Qa5+ Kb7 3.Qa7#

1...Kb4 (1...Ka4 Qc4#)

2.Kc6 Ka4 (2...[Knight move]

3.Qb5#

Or best is...

1...Kxb6 2.Qc6+ Ka5 3.Qb7 Ka4

4.Kc6 Ka3 5.Qb5#

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17/07/2012 - Devastation (w)

1.Ke2!

This odd looking move starts to

create a mating net. There are

dozens of continuations and below

are a few of them.

Pawn Move:

1...f1=Q+ 2.Ke3

Closing that net fully.

2...Qxf6 3.Bxe8#

Using a-file Rook to mate.

2...Qxg1+ 3.Rf2#

Using the Dark-squared Bishop to

mate.

Knight Move:

1...Nxb4 2.Bd3+ Nd5 (2...Kd4

3.dxc3#) 3.Rf7#

There are many more and this is a

great puzzle to play with.

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18/07/2012 - Endgame Puzzle (w)

1.b6+!

This move means that Black has

to promote on the a1 square one

move after this is covered by the

promoting h Pawn.

1...Kxb6 2.h4 and it is all over.

Otherwise, 1.h4 axb5 and both

players get a Queen and draw.

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19/07/2012 - Opening Blunder (w)

6.Bxf7+

This move regains the lost material

with advantage. Black's best is

clearly to take the Bishop.

6...Kxf7 7.Qd5+ Ke8 (7...Kf8

8.Qxc5+) 8.Qxc5

And White has regained the material

with lack's King unable to castle.

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20/07/2012 - Scotch Again (w)

8.Qd5

This move eyes the f7 square and

threatens mate. Black has only one

defence.

8...Nh6 9.Bxh6 0-0 10.Bc1

Winning a piece for noting and

probably the game.

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21/07/2012 - Black's Chance (b)

To do

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22/07/2012 - White 2 Win (w)

To do

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23/07/2012 - Tricky (w)

To do

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24/07/2012 - Easier (w)

To do

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