Removal of the Guard

Question 1

White to play and win a pawn

Answer 1

2-130: 1.Bxg6 Bxh3 1…fxg6 2.Rxe6. 2.Bxf7+ The bishop is a desperado – it is lost anyway, so it will sell itself as dearly as possible. 2…Rxf7 3.gxh3.

Question 2

Black to play and win

Answer 2

2-131: 1…Rg1+ 2.Kxg1 Qxe1+ picks up the queen for a rook.

Question 3

White to play and win

Answer 3

2-132: 1.Rxd5 Bxd5 2.Rxf6 wins two pieces for a rook (and gets rid of the bishop-pair), worth about two pawns, but more importantly, it leaves White with an easily winning position.

Question 4

White to play and win

Answer 4

2-133: 1.Bxe6 fxe6 2.Qxg4 wins the knight.

Question 5

White to play and win

Answer 5

2-134: 1.Bxg7 1.Rxf6 also works, e.g., 1…Bxf6 2.Bg7! with mate on h7 or h8 next. 1…Kxg7 2.Rxf6 exf6 2…Rh8 3.Rxf7+ Kg8 and White is up a piece and will soon mate after 4.Rh7; 2…Kxf6 3.Rf1+ Kg7 4.Qh7#.

Question 6

White to play and win

Answer 6

2-135: 1.Qxb7 and if 1…Qxb7?? 2.Rxe8# or 1…Rxe1+ 2.Rxe1 Qxby?? 3.Re8#.

Question 7

White to play and win

Answer 7

2-136: 1.Rxd4 Nxd4 2.Kxf2 and White wins a piece.

Question 8

White to play and win a pawn

Answer 8

2-137: 1.Bxf6 Bxf6 2.Nxd5 wins the d-pawn.

Question 9

Black to play and win

Answer 9

2-138: 1…Qe1+ 2.Qf1 Bh2+ wins the queen.

Question 10

White to play and win

Answer 10

2-139: 1.Rxf6 Qxf6 2.Bxd5+ Kg7 3.Bxa8 wins the pawn and the knight.

Question 11

White to play and win

Answer 11

2-140: 1.Nxd7 Qxd7 2.Qxe6 wins a piece for White.

Question 12

Black to play and win

Answer 12

2-141: 1…Rxf3 2.Bxf3 Nf2+ If 2…Qh2+?? 3.Qxh2. 3.Qxf2 Qxf2 wins the queen.

Question 13

White to play and win a pawn

Answer 13

2-142: 1.Nxf6+ Bxf6 2.Bxh6 wins the h-pawn.

Question 14

Black to play and win

Answer 14

2-143: 1…a4 2.Nc1 Ba5 and 3…d2 can only be stopped by 3.Nxd3. On 2.Nd2 Bd4, the b-pawn falls with an easy win.

Question 15

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 15

2-144: 1…cxd4 overworks the knight, so that 2.Nxd4 Nxe5 wins the e-pawn. If 2.Nb5, then 2…Bb4+, and Black has an advantage.

Question 16

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 16

2-145: 1…Ra4+ removes the defender of the g-pawn. 2.Kf3 Bxg5.

Question 17

Black to play and win

Answer 17

2-146: 1…Nd4+ 2.Kf2 Qxd1 wins the queen.

Question 18

White to play and win

Answer 18

2-147: 1.b3 Rb4 2.a3 2.c3 is also good. 2…Be3 If 2…Rb6 3.Rxd4. 3.axb4 Bxd2+ 4.Kxd2 wins a piece.

Question 19

White to play and win

Answer 19

2-148: 1.Bh7+ wins the queen for a bishop, which is superior to just 1.Rxf8+ winning the queen for a rook and leaving White down a pawn.

Question 20

Black to play and win

Answer 20

2-149: 1…b5+ 2.Ka5 Rxb3 wins the rook.

Question 21

Black to play and win

Answer 21

2-150: 1…Nxd4 2.hxg4 If 2.Nxd4? Qh2# is the point. 2…Nxe2+ 3.Nxe2 Black wins a queen and pawn for two knights. This is a famous trap pattern in many opening and therefore well worth knowing.

Question 22

White to play and win

Answer 22

2-151: 1.Bxa6 bxa6 2.Nxc7+ wins at least the exchange.

Question 23

White to play and win

Answer 23

2-152: 1.Rd1+ Kc5 2.Kxe6 wins the rook.

Question 24

Black to play and win

Answer 24

2-153: 1…Bxf3 Even better than 1…Nxf3+ 2.gxf3. 2.gxf3 Nxh3+ 3.Kh2 Qh4 4.Rh1 Nf4+ and Black wins easily.

Question 25

White to play and win

Answer 25

**2-154: 1.Nd5** Overworking the knight, which is guarding the mate o h7. **1...Re8** If 1...Nxd5 2.Qxh7#. **2.g5** 2.Nxf6+ exf6 3.Qxh7+ Kf8 4.g5 also wins. **2...Nh5 3.Rxh5 gxh5 4.Nf6+ exf6 5.gxf6** and Black must give up his queen to avoid checkmate.

Question 26

Black to play and win

Answer 26

**2-155: 1...Rd2+ 2.Kc4 Kxe4** wins the rook.

Question 27

White to play and win a pawn

Answer 27

**2-156: 1.Nxc6 Rxc6 2.Rxd5** wins a pawn.

Question 28

Black to play and win a piece

Answer 28

**2-157: 1...d5 2.Rxa7 dxe4** wins the bishop.

Question 29

White to play and win

Answer 29

**2-158: 1.Kh2** attacks the knight, which is guarding the bishop, so one of them is lost.

Question 30

White to play and win

Answer 30

**2-159: 1.Rh8+** wins a queen for a rook -- with mate soon to follow.

Question 31

Black to play and win

Answer 31

**2-160: 1...Ba6** A skewer sets up removal of theguard. **2.Qb6 Bxd3 3.Bxd3 Qxc1+** wins the bishop.

Question 32

Black to play and win

Answer 32

**2-161: 1...Rxe2+ 2.Rxe2 Qxd4+** wins the queen.

Question 33

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 33

**2-162: 1...Rxd2 2.Bxd2 Nxe5** wins the e-pawn, as the knight is overworked. 1...Nxe5 also works: 1...Nxe5 2.Nxe5 Rxd2 3.Bxd2 Rxd2 or 1...Nxe5 2.Rxd3 Nxd3.

Question 34

White to play and win material

Answer 34

**2-163: 1.Rxe6 Qxe6 2.Rxg4** wins two pieces for a rook.

Question 35

Black to play and win

Answer 35

**2-164: 1...Rd1+ 2.Rxd1** The only move! **2...Qxc6** winning a queen for a rook. This is a common -- and effective -- pattern.

Question 36

White to play and win

Answer 36

**2-165: 1.Rxa5** The double attack fails: 1.Qa3? Nec6. **1...Qxa5 2.Bxe7** wins two pieces for a rook.

Question 37

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 37

**2-166: 1...Ne5 2.Qd1** 2.Qxd4?? Nxf3+ wins the queen on a discovery. **2...Nxc4** wins the c-pawn.

Question 38

White to play and win

Answer 38

**2-167: 1.h6+ Kh7 2.Qxf6** wins the queen.

Question 39

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 39

**2-168: 1...Bxh3 2.Bxh3 Qxd5** is a common pattern that wins a pawn.

Question 40

Black to play and win

Answer 40

**2-169: 1...Qxg2+** 1...Qf1+ 2.Rg1 Qxg1+ is similar. **2.Kxg2 gxf6** winning a rook.

Question 41

White to play and win a pawn

Answer 41

**2-170: 1.Bxf6+ exf6 2.Qxd6** wins the d-pawn.

Question 42

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 42

**2-171: 1...Rb3+ 2.Kf2 exf4** wins the f-pawn.

Question 43

Black to play and win

Answer 43

**2-172: 1...e6 2.Rxf7+** Moving the knight and losing the rook is even worse, as is moving the rook and losing the knight. It is better to lose the exchange than lose a piece! **2...Kxf7.**

Question 44

Black to play and win

Answer 44

**2-173: 1...Rc3+** wins a rook.

Question 45

White to play and win

Answer 45

**2-174: 1.c5** wins either the bishop or the knight it is guarding. After 1...Nd5 2.cxd6 cxd6 3.e7, White is winning.

Question 46

White to play and win a piece

Answer 46

**2-175: 1.Rd5+ Ke6 2.Rdxc5** wins the bishop.

Question 47

White to play and win

Answer 47

**2-176: 1.Rxd6 cxd6 2.Rxe7** wins two pieces for a rook.

Question 48

Black to play and win

Answer 48

**2-177: 1...a2 2.Rxb5+** If 2.Kxa2 Kxb4. **2...Rxb5+ 3.Kxa2** and Black wins a rook.

Question 49

Black to play and win

Answer 49

**2-178: 1...Rd8** A skewer. **2.Qa1** The queen must guard the rook, but **2...Qxe4** wins the bishop.

Question 50

White to play and win

Answer 50

**2-179: 1.Nxf6+ Rxf6** If 1...Kf7 2.Nxe8 Rxd2 3.Rxd2 Rxe8 also leaves White ahead a rook. **2.Qxd8** wins a rook.

Question 51

White to play and win

Answer 51

**2-180: 1.Bxh3 Qxh3 1.Rxc6** wins a piece.

Question 52

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 52

**2-181: 1...Nxf5 2.exf5 Nxd5** wins the d-pawn. If 3. f6?, then 3...Nxf6.

Question 53

Black to play and win a pawn

Answer 53

**2-182: 1...Nxa3 2.bxa3 Qxc3** wins an important pawn. This is a common "Open Sicilian" tactic for Black.

Question 54

White to play and win

Answer 54

**2-183: 1.Bxf6 Bxf6 2.Rxf6 Qxf6 3.Qxc5** wins two pieces for a rook.

Question 55

White to play and win

Answer 55

**2-184: 1.Nxd5 Bxd5** 1...Bxg5 2.Nxb6 wins the queen. **2.Bxe7** wins a piece.