Position 1
A few easy ones to warm up. White to play and win.
Position 2
Kramnik was always a step ahead of the talented Peruvian WGM Deysi Cori.
Black to play and win.
Position 3
White refused to go down without a fight and is trying to create threats
against Grischuk's position, but missed something. Black to play and win.
Position 4
The Romanian grandmaster thought he had caught his opponent unawares
and played 20.Re5? What did he miss?
Position 5
Black has captured on d4. Should White take with the pawn or the queen?
White to play and win.
Position 6
White played 40. Bc4 hoping to liquidate into an endgame where he is at
worst no worse. What did he miss? Black to play and win. This will require
some precise calculation, even if not too hard. See how well you manage.
Position 7
Aronian is up a piece but down four pawns. He fixes this glitch with his next
move. White to play and win.
Position 8
French GM Vachier-Lagrave took control here. White to play and win.
Position 9
By all appearances, it looks grim for White. Michael Adams is attacking the
rook on f2, the pawn on a2, and will have some nasty discovered checks
after the rook moves. Mariya Muzychuk found a fine resource to save the
game though. White to play and draw.
Position 10
Granda-Zuniga is clearly better with White, but the position still needs to
be converted. How did he continue? White to play and win.
Position 11
Even grandmasters sometimes forget the most basic tenet of opening play:
develop your pieces. They are also punished for it. White to play and win.
Position 12
White played 17.Nxd7 and Black replied automatically with 17...Qxd7. What
did he miss, and what should Black have played instead?
Position 13
After 24...Nh3+, White decided he did not want to give up his bishop pair just
yet, so he played 25. Kf1. This carelessness cost him dearly. Black to play and win.
Position 14
Black had a stylish continuation here. Black to play and win.
Position 15
Yes, the key move 24.Nf6+ is obvious, so yes, no points for saying "Gee... Nf6+!"
No, the question is how does White continue after the forced 24...Kh8?
Position 16
This is the most spectacular position of the series in this author's opinion,
missed by White, but quite understandably. White has a forced winning
continuation here. Can you find it?
Click on drop-down menu to see all the solutions.
