Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Michael Basman.
White to move and win except where noted.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.
a)
Basman vs Martyn Corden, Birmingham, 1972
7k/2q3pp/b4r2/pp2pB2/1P6/n1NR4/4Q1PP/7K w - - 0 1
[ Qxe5 if Qc8 Qxf6 ]
b)
Basman vs Peter Griffiths, Birmingham, 1972
3q1r2/1p3pk1/p4Rp1/4PbNP/8/2Q5/P4P2/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ h6+ if Kg8 e6 ]
c)
Basman vs TC Fox, Islington, 1972
2b2rk1/2qrbppp/p3p3/Q7/2n1B3/P3B3/1P3PPP/2RN1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxc7 Rxc7 Bf4 if Rc5 b4 ]
d)
Basman vs Richard Webb, Dublin, 1974
r4rk1/1p2qp2/p2b3p/2pPn1p1/2P1Npb1/3B4/PPQB2PP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxd6 Qxd6 Rxe5 if Qxe5 Bh7+ w/Bc3 ]
e)
Basman vs David Rumens, London, 1982
7r/p5kp/2p3p1/6P1/2B1nPKR/4b3/P3Q1P1/1Nq5 w - - 0 1
[ Rh1 Qxh1 Qb2+ Kf8 Qxh8+ Ke7 Qe5+ w/Qxe4 ]
Basman Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 4. Basman vs Craig Dawson, Torquay, 1982
r5nr/6Rp/p1NNkp2/1p3b2/2p5/5K2/PP2P3/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf5 if Kxf5 e4+ ]
b)
Basman vs Jim Plaskett, Eastbourne, 1991
3r3k/1p5q/2pN3b/2P1p3/4Nn1p/4Bb2/PPQ2P2/1K4R1 w - - 0 1
[ Nf6 if Qxc2+ Kxc2 w/Nf7# or Rg7# ]
c)
Black Mates in 4. Bertus Enklaar vs Basman, Sinaya, 1965
6k1/6p1/3r1n1p/p4p1n/P1N4P/2N5/Q2RK3/7q b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ if Ke3 Ng4+ or if Kf2 Qf1+ ]
d)
Black to move and win. Henrique Mecking vs Basman, Hastings, 1967
8/5pkp/r2p2pq/2pP4/2n2P2/N7/PP1nQ2P/K4R1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxa3 if bxa3 or Qd1 Qh4 or if h4 Nb3+ Kb1 Ncd2+ Kc2 Nd4+ ]
e)
Black Mates in 4. Stuart Hutchings vs Basman, England, 1973
k6r/8/p1b5/2pp2r1/8/1PNP2q1/P4QB1/2R3K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh1+ ]
Basman Puzzles, Part III. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Anthony Miles vs Basman, Hastings, 1974
6rk/p1p3pp/1q6/3Pp3/1P4n1/P4QPb/1B4NP/5R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxg2+ ]
b)
Maxwell Fuller vs Basman, London, 1975
2r1k2r/pb1p1p2/1p2p3/4P1Np/1PqPNn2/P6P/5P2/1R1Q2KR b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxe4 if Nxe4 Rg8+ ]
c)
John Pigott vs Basman, London, 1979
1r3rk1/p1qp3p/4p1p1/1RPnR1p1/B1QP1n2/P5B1/5PPP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb6 if Qb3 Nxa4 Qxa4 Qc6 ]
d)
Geza Fuster vs Basman, London, 1979
2r3k1/3p4/3pp3/P4p1p/3PbPpP/4P3/1qrNQ1P1/R2RK3 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxd2 ]
e)
John Henderson vs Basman, Hastings, 1995
2b3rk/1p4q1/3N3b/1PpPp3/2Pn1p1p/r4P1P/5QPK/1R2RBB1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxf3 if gxf3 Qxg1+ mates or if Qxh4 Rxh3 ]
f)
Jonathan Mutton vs Basman, Torquay, 1998
2kr2r1/pp1bqpb1/4p1np/2P1P2Q/P2B1P2/1BN5/1PP4P/3R1R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc6+ Kg1 Bxe5 if fxe5 Nf4+ ]
English GMs
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