Chess puzzle

White to play and mate in three moves. A problem composed by grandmaster Jonathan Levitt (British Chess Magazine, 1995). One tip: note that there is an ‘obvious’ mate in two which actually falls short. Answers (first move only) should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 20 July. There is a prize of £20 for the

White to play. Giri–Nepomniachtchi, Chessable Masters 2020. Giri has sacrificed a knight to lure the black king forward. Which move forced a decisive breakthrough? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 13 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and

White to play. From the ridiculous to the sublime. According to the ‘Chess Notes’ website, a game won by Edward Gestesi in Paris, 1911. Which move forces a quick checkmate? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 6 July. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat.

White to play. Grischuk–Aronian, Clutch Chess 2020. Only one rook move draws here. Which one? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator-.co.uk by Monday 29 June. 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 prize delivery. Last week’s solution

White to play. Tolush–Aronson, Moscow 1957. Strangely, this quick win was once wrongly attributed to Alekhine. How did White exploit the exposed position of the Black queen? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 22 June. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a

Black to play, Ding Liren–Daniil Dubov, Lindores Abbey Rapid Challenge, May 2020. Dubov’s rook is under attack, but his next move turned the tables, prompting immediate resignation. What did he play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 15 June. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a

White to play, Stockfish–AllieStein, TCEC Season 16. Stockfish found a beautiful knockout blow in this game against a different neural net engine. What did it play? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 8 June. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal

Tamas Fodor — Michael Adams, Hull 2018. White to play. One from the puzzles section of Smerdon’s book, which I witnessed myself. Adams’s last move, 60…Kf6-f7 set a trap. White’s next was a queen move that walked right into it. What was the losing move? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 1 June. There is

White mates in two moves against any defence (composed by Walter Pulitzer). Steinitz admitted he could not crack this within 15 minutes. What is White’s key first move? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 25 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include

Aronian–Vidit, Online Nations Cup, May 2020. Vidit has just captured axb3 en passant. Aronian’s next move revealed a powerful concept. What was it? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 18 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow

Black to play. Ding–Nakamura, Magnus -Carlsen Invitational, April 2020. The position appears sterile, but Nakamura spotted a clever winning move. What was it? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 11 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow

Nepomniachtchi (lachesisQ)–Andriasian (Zaven_ChessMood), Abu Dhabi Super Blitz, April 2020. White is in danger here. Which move did he play to put the draw beyond doubt? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 4 May. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address

Black to play. Sjugirov–Carlsen, Chess24 Banter Blitz Semi Final. In this wild position, Carlsen’s next move put the result beyond doubt. What did he play? Answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 27 April. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and allow six

Black to play. Andrew Stone–Martin Jogstad, 4NCL Online, April 2020. The queen is trapped on f4, so 1…Rxg5 looks worth a try, as after 2 Rxf4 Bxf4 threatens Rg5-g3+. But in the diagram, Black found a far stronger move. Which one? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 20 April. There is a prize

A position adapted from Vojtech Plat–Ravi Haria, Hull GM tournament, 2019. The d6-pawn is crucial here, but White needs a clever move to sweep aside the blockade. What is it? Email answers to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 13 April. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please allow

A variation from the game above. Although White is a pawn down, he can rustle up decisive counterplay with one accurate move. Which one? Answers should be emailed to chess@spectator.co.uk by Monday 6 April. There is a prize of £20 for the first correct answer out of a hat. Please include a postal address and