Andrey Gorlin (@silver83p) profile picture
Skokie, IL
Joined June 2009
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To keep it unique as a solution, feels like this one might be trivial (if you know the pattern). Though you can see whether black had any other options instead of 1...Qg4. Morphy-Brian (1859) White to move
6
1
18
1,209
Probably a fairly simple one. Though not sure if a pin is involved or what. Black just played 1...Rf1+. Is this brilliant, a blunder, or neither? Evans-Larsen (1957)
8
3
1
31
9,415
Now on to the knight chapter. This composition is actually a mate in 11, though apparently that was overlooked, as I've seen it stated as a mate in 9. Köhnlein (1914) White to move
4
1
18
1,476
I've seen the study a few times recently, and this was a casual game on which it was based, apparently. Lyutov-Botvinnik (1925) Black to move
7
1
19
4,028
Made it to the final page of the chapter. This is a simple one (though the book/black player missed a mate in 2 later, while still winning). (Also can't confirm the players or year.) Fedorov-Vasiliev (1974) Black to move
6
15
1,384
The finish is not a unique win here (and starting a move in, after 1 Bd3+ g6, to avoid transpositions), but it's still pretty and we do have some unique moves first. Forintos-Tomovic (1957) White to move
5
1
1
18
2,596
This one seems quite elegant. (Couldn't confirm the players or year.) Sokolov-Mikhailov (1973) White to move
12
2
50
9,221
My intended answer here might surprise you, and doesn't come from the book. (Providing the best guess for black's name with Latin letters, and the year may be uncertain as well.) White just played 1 Bc8. Is this brilliant, a blunder, or neither? Niedermann-"Czücs" (1895)
5
1
11
1,774
This one makes for a challenging (or at least multi-stage) puzzle, as you'd have to anticipate white's best defense try. (Can't confirm white's name, so the year may be uncertain as well.) "Redeli"-Barati (1961) Black to move
4
1
14
782
This was a correspondence game, it seems. Quite a nice finish. Nettheim-Hamilton (1958) White to move
4
15
1,215
I could definitely mess this up solving as a puzzle, after a particular 2nd move for black, since black does have two queens on the board. Vladimirov-Donchev (1975) White to move
5
12
1,314
Couldn't verify the players in this game, though it has two last names that existed in former Soviet countries. Might also be a challenge figuring out what was played/is the main line here. "Bankov-Lusmägi (1975)" Black to move
8
1
10
2,099
Skipping forward a move here to present as a puzzle (1 Bxh6 Rd1 was played). (Can't confirm who black was or the year.) Littlewood-Powell (1960) White to move
6
3
14
1,815
This one might be subjective. White just took a pawn with 1 Rxg7+. Is this brilliant, a blunder, or neither? Blackburne-Lipschütz (1889)
5
1
14
3,475
This one can't really make it as a puzzle, but still shareable, perhaps. Black just took a pawn on d4 with 1...Bxd4+. Is this move brilliant, a blunder, or neither? Mayet-Hirschfeld (1861)
9
18
2,598
Another quite nice one. (The year in the book is likely wrong, perhaps by 4 decades, given the players, but I don't have an alternative guess for it.) Heemsoth-Heissenbüttel "(1924)" White to move
13
2
52
4,658
This one is quite nice. Sturua-Kozlov (1975) White to move
16
1
1
49
8,869
Pretty sure I've seen this one shared too, or at least something similar. (Can't confirm the year, players seem right.) White played 1 Nf6+. Is it brilliant, a blunder, or neither? Shvedchikov-Estrin (1977)
21
36
5,641
Did not recall seeing this one in the book, but definitely have seen it somewhat recently. The point is that the whole uniquely winning main line (up to repetition) is actually seven (white) moves here. Ravinsky-Ilivitsky (1952) White to move
6
1
1
14
1,730
Here is a 3-for-1, including something not in the book. a) What is white's best move? b) White played 1 e5. What was black's best reply? c) How did white win after 1...Rxc1? (The year is probably wrong. Names might be right.) Spiller-Matchett (1956)
4
1
13
985