The 40th World Chess Solving Championship took place during the first week in August in Belgrade (above a night view from the Sava river), the capital of Serbia. In my previous article I wrote about the location and its history, and how much media attention the event got. The main event was dominated by the Polish solving team of Aleksander Mista, Piotr Murdzia and Kacper Piorun, who took the title.

Overview of the solving hall in Belgrade

In my report I selected some of the simpler problems for solving, so this is a good opportunity for those new to solving to have a go. Today I will give you the solutions, with extensive explanations that will hopefully allow you to appreciate this field of chess endeavour – and help you become a better solver in the process.

• 1.Bc7! 1.Be5? Ne6 1.Bd6? Nd3 1…Na4 1…Ne6 2.Qf5# 1…Nd3 2.Qxd7# 1…Qxc7 2.Qf5# 1…f2 2.Qg2# 2.Qe4#
• 1.Rc4 Qxc4 1…Rb5 2.Qd7+ Kxc4 3.Qd4# 1…Rc5 2.Nc7+ Kc6 2…Kxc4 3.Qg4# 2…Rxc7 3.Qg8# 3.Qe6# 1…Qd7 2.Rd4+ Kxe6 3.Qxd7# 1…Qb4 2.Rxb4 1…g4 2.Nf4+ Kxe5 3.Qe6# 2.Qd7+ Ke4 3.Nxg5#
• 1.Bh3 g1Q 2.Nxg1 Ng5 3.Bg2 3.Bf5? Kd2 4.e4 Ke3 5.e5 Nf7! 5…Kf4? 6.e6 6.e6 Nd6+ 7.Kd7 Nxf5 3…Kd2 4.e4 Ke3 4…Kd3 5.e5 Kd4 5.e5 Kd4 5…Kf4 6.Nh3+ Nxh3 7.e6 Ng5 8.e7 Nf7 9.Kc7 6.Nf3+ Nxf3 7.e6 Nh4 8.Be4! 8.e7? Nf5 8…Kxe4 9.e7
• 1…Bd5 1…Qb5 2.Be5 Bc6 3.Bc7 Nd5 4.exd4# 1…Bc6 2.exf4 Kd5 3.f5 Nc5 4.Rxd4# 2.Rb4 Bc4 3.Rb6 Nd5 4.Bxd4#
• 1.Bg3 f6 1…– 2.Qxc3 d4 3.Qf3+ Kxe5 4.Bxf4# 1…Ra4 2.Qxc3 Rd4 2…d4 3.Qf3+ Kxe5 4.Bxf4# 3.Qe3+ fxe3 4.f3# 1…Kxe5 2.Bxf4+ Kxf4 3.Qe3+ Kg4 4.Qg3# 1…Bd7 2.f3+ Kxe5 3.Qb4 d4 3…fxg3 4.f4# 4.Qc5# 1…c2 2.Qxc2+ Kxe5 3.Bxf4+ Kxf4 3…Kd4 4.Nf5# 4.Qf5# 1…b4 2.f3+ Kxe5 3.Bf2 — 4.Bd4# 2.Qe3+ fxe3 3.f3+ Kd4 4.Ne6#
• 1.Nd7 Ba7 1…– 2.Nc4+ Kd4 3.Nd2+ Rxa4# 1…Ba2 2.Nxc2+ Kxc2 3.Qxb3+ Bxb3# 1…Rxg4 2.Nf5+ Rxg3 3.Qa6+ Rxa6# 1…d4 2.Bf5+ Re4 3.Qa6+ Rxa6# 2.Qc4+ dxc4 3.Nf5+

Dr John Nunn (born April 25, 1955) is one of the world’s best-known chess players and authors. He showed early promise in chess and in mathematics, entering Oxford University at the unusually early age of 15. in 1989 he ranked among the top ten in the world in chess and went on to become a successful chess author and publicist.

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