Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com
Here are some chess puzzles taken from the games of Joseph Blackburne.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.Drag your left mouse button from one bracket to the other.
A 12 page, print edition is available here
a)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Valentine Green, London, 1862
8/p6P/1pb5/1k1q4/2p5/6P1/4QP2/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qb2+ Kc5 Qa3+ ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs A Steinkuehler, Manchester, 1864
r2qr2k/pp2n2p/2p1PppB/3p4/4P3/2b4R/P2Q2PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Bg7+ Kxg7 Qh6+ ]
c)
Joseph Blackburne vs NN, Manningham, 1871
r3r3/pR3pk1/q3b2p/3p4/3P2pP/2N3P1/P1PQ3K/5R2 w - - 0 1
[ Rf6 if Kxf6 Qxh6+ Kf5 Qg5# or if Kg8 Qxh6 ]
d)
Joseph Blackburne vs Puller, London, 1872
r4r1k/pp1b1ppp/2ppnP2/3N3R/3qP3/3B4/PP1Q2PP/R6K w - - 0 1
[ e5 if dxe5 Rxh7+ or if h6 fxg7+ ]
e)
Black mates in 3.
Claus Pitschel vs Joseph Blackburne, Vienna, 1873
3r3k/1ppq2pp/r4pn1/p3p2K/3pP2P/P2P1N2/BPPB1P2/2RQ3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nf4+ Bxf4 g6+ ]
1e)
mate in 3
Claus Pitschel vs Joseph Blackburne
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 2.
Joseph Blackburne vs Grimwood, Ipswich, 1873
rnbr3k/p4Q1p/1pP1p1p1/4N3/4p3/q1P1R3/P1P2PPP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxg6+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Adolf Schwarz, Vienna, 1873
2rrk3/QR3pp1/2n1b2p/1BB1q3/3P4/8/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Re7+ Kf8 Re8+ ]
c)
White mates in 2.
Joseph Blackburne vs H Gifford, Hague, 1874
r1bq1r2/ppp2p1p/3pN1n1/2bN4/4P2k/8/PPp1B1PP/R1B2R1K w - - 1 0
[ Rf5 ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs J Versteeven, Rotterdam, 1874
4qrk1/r4p2/pp1p1Rp1/2p1pNQp/4P3/2PPP3/PP4PP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6 gxf5 R1xf5 ]
e)
Joseph Blackburne vs Philp, 1874
rn3bkr/ppp5/3qbB1p/8/6pP/3B4/PPP3P1/R2Q1R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bc4 if Qxd1 Bxe6+ or if Bxc4 Qxg4+ Kh7 Qe4+ Kg8 Qg6+ ]
2b)
mate in 3
Joseph Blackburne vs Adolf Schwarz
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Joseph Blackburne vs NN, Manchester, 1875
1rb2k1r/3p1ppp/p1nP2q1/5n2/Q1B5/B4N2/P4PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxc6 if dxc6 d7+ mates or if Bb7 Qc7 ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs Amateur, England, 1875
r2nk2r/1p1R1pp1/1Q6/p5qp/P7/B1P5/5PPP/3R2K1 w kq - 1 0
[ Rxd8+ Rxd8 Re1+ Qe7 Rxe7+ ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs Peyer, England, 1875
rkq4r/pppb1ppp/B1R5/1Q1pP3/8/B7/P4PPP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxc7 if Bxb5 Rxb7+ Qxb7 Bd6+ or if Bc6 Rxb7+ Qxb7 Rxc6 ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Wylde, 1875
r2q1rk1/1b1p1p2/3B1n1Q/pp1p2N1/8/8/P1B2bPP/R6K w - - 1 0
[ Be5 if Re8 Bh7+ ]
3d)
mate in 3
Joseph Blackburne vs Wylde
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White Mates in 2.
Joseph Blackburne vs Martin, England, 1876
1r1kr3/Nbppn1pp/1b6/8/6Q1/3B1P2/Pq3P1P/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxd7+ w/Bb5# or Bf5# ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs P Ford, England, 1877
r2q4/pp1bb3/2pr1k2/3pN1p1/3P3Q/2N5/PPP2PPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6+ Kf5 g4+ Kf4 Re4+ dxe4 Ne2# ]
c)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs Mitchell, England, 1880
r1b4r/pp4Qp/3Nk3/3q4/2B1pp2/B7/P5PP/7K w - - 1 0
[ Qf7+ Ke5 Qxd5+ Kf6 Nxe4+ w/Qg5# ]
d)
White Mates in 6.
Joseph Blackburne vs Adolph Schwarz, Berlin, 1881
4r1k1/p1qr1p2/2pb1Bp1/1p5p/3P1n1R/1B3P2/PP3PK1/2Q4R w - - 0 1
[ Qxf4 Bxf4 Rxh5 gxh5 Rxh5 ]
e)
Joseph Blackburne vs Philip Meitner, Vienna, 1882
r1b1k2r/1pp1npb1/pq4p1/n3p2p/2B1NP2/4QN1P/PPPB2P1/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Qxb6 cxb6 Nd6+ Kf8 Bxa5 bxa5 Nxf7 if Rh7 Rd8# ]
4b)
mate in 4
Joseph Blackburne vs P Ford
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 2.
Joseph Blackburne vs Smith, 1882
r1nk3r/2b2ppp/p3b3/3NN3/Q2P3q/B2B4/P4PPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qd7+ Bxd7 Nxf7# ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs James Mortimer, London, 1883
r4r1Q/3p1k2/b2Pp1q1/p1Pp2pR/8/1P4p1/PB3PK1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rh7+ if Ke8 Re7+ ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Wilhelm Steinitz, London, 1883
r1n5/pp2q1kp/2ppr1p1/4p1Q1/8/2N4R/PPP3PP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6+ Kg8 Rf8+ ]
d)
Joseph Blackburne vs Wilfried Paulsen, Nuremberg, 1883
5rk1/2RR1rpp/p3p3/q3P1Q1/1p6/6PK/2P2P1P/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf7 Rxf7 Qd8+ Rf8 Rxg7+ Kxg7 Qxa5 ]
e)
Joseph Blackburne vs James Mortimer, London, 1883
r4rk1/3p4/b2Pp1qp/p1PpR2R/3Q4/1P4p1/PB3PK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Reg5 if hxg5 Qh8+ mates or if Rxf2+ Kxg3 ]
5d)
mate in 4
Joseph Blackburne vs Wilfried Paulsen
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Joseph Blackburne vs West, Hamilton, 1885
r3r2k/pp1b1p1p/2p2Pp1/q3P1Q1/4pR2/B1P5/P1P3PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh6 if Rg8 Qxh7+ ]
b)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Mr L, Great Britain, 1886
r1bq3r/ppp1nQ2/2kp1N2/6N1/3bP3/8/P2n1PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rfc1+ if Bc5 Qd5+ or if Nc4 Qxc4+ ]
c)
Joseph Blackburne vs Jean Taubenhaus, Frankfurt, 1887
7k/2rq1r1p/p5pB/1p4R1/3PPp1Q/P3nP2/7P/6RK w - - 0 1
[ Rxg6 if hxg6 Bxf4+ or if Rc8 Bg7+ Rxg7 Rxg7 Qxg7 Rxg7 Kxg7 Qe7+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Max Weiss, Frankfurt, 1887
6nk/4rp1p/7Q/1b3P2/1pNqpN2/1P4R1/6PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qf8 ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Berthold Englisch, Frankfurt, 1887
2b2r2/r4p1k/p4Qn1/1p2p3/5RR1/8/PP3PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg6 fxg6 Rh4+ ]
6e)
mate in 3
Joseph Blackburne vs Berthold Englisch
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs James Hanham, New York, 1889
3r1r1k/q2n3p/b1p2ppQ/p1n1p3/Pp2P3/1B1PBR2/1PPN2PP/R5K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qxh7+ Kxh7 Rh3+ Kg7 Bh6+ ]
b)
White mates in 6.
Joseph Blackburne vs Hodson, Manchester, 1889
r1b2r2/pppq1p1k/2n2Bp1/3Np3/8/6QP/PPBb1PP1/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ f4 if Bxf4 Rxf4 ]
c)
Joseph Blackburne vs Max Judd, New York, 1889
2rqr2k/p5p1/1p1b3p/3ppP2/3P4/7R/P1PQ2BP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxh6+ if gxh6 Qxh6+ or if Kg8 Bxd5+ Kf8 f6 gxf6 Rh8+ Ke7 Re7+ w/Qh6# ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Max Harmonist, Breslau, 1889
4rn2/2r4k/p3qBpp/1p2P3/5PP1/3R3Q/1P5P/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxh6+ Kxh6 Rh3+ ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs George Gossip, New York, 1889
rbR5/1p4R1/p7/3kp3/4p1Q1/N3PqP1/PP6/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rd7+ Bd6 Qg8+ ]
7a)
mate in 4
Joseph Blackburne vs James Hanham
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Max Judd, New York, 1889
2rqrk2/p7/1p1b1p1R/3Bp3/3P4/8/P1PQ3P/1R4K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rh8+ Ke7 Rh7+ ]
b)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs S Lipschuetz, New York, 1889
2b2r2/2Q5/5kPp/3p3r/pp1Pp3/1q2P2P/5P2/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Qd6+ Kg7 Qe7+ ]
c)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Jackson Showalter, New York, 1889
r6r/pp3k1p/2n1pN1Q/q1b5/2Pp4/5N2/PP3PPP/2K2B1R w - - 1 0
[ Ng5+ Ke7 Qg7+ if Kd6 Nfe4# ]
d)
Joseph Blackburne vs Isidor Gunsberg, 1890
r1b1k2r/2p2ppp/p1nb1n2/1p1qp3/3P4/2P2N2/PPB1QPPP/RNB1K2R w - - 0 1
[ Bb3 Qe4 Qxe4 Nxe4 Bd5 ]
e)
White Mates in 5.
Joseph Blackburne vs Celso Golmayo, Havana, 1891
5r1k/1pq1rP2/p1n1b2N/2ppp1Q1/8/1P1P2P1/P1P3BP/4RRK1 w - - 0 1
[ Re4 if dxe4 Qf6+ Kh7 Bxe4+ or if Qb6 Rh4 ]
8d)
Joseph Blackburne vs Isidor Gunsberg
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Vazquez vs Joseph Blackburne, Habana, 1891
6k1/ppp3pp/3p4/3P4/P1P4Q/6Pb/3N1rr1/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh2+ Kg1 Rfg2+ ]
b)
Black mates in 4.
Colburn vs Joseph Blackburne, Hastings, 1892
r4rk1/ppp2pbp/6p1/5b2/1nB2PP1/2P1BQ2/qP5P/2KR2NR b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxc3 ]
c)
White Mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Forsyth, Edinburgh, 1894
rk1q3r/pp1Qbp1p/4pp2/8/4N3/6P1/PP3PBP/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxf6 Qb6 Qc8+ Rxc8 Nd7# ]
d)
Joseph Blackburne vs NN, Manchester, 1894
1rbk2nr/ppNP1ppp/6n1/8/1b2pB2/8/PqPQ2PP/3RKBNR w - - 0 1
[ Ne6+ fxe6 Bc7+ Ke7 d8/Q+ ]
e)
White mates in 3.
Joseph Blackburne vs Amos Burn, Hastings, 1895
8/1p4pp/p1b1qr2/3k4/8/2P3Q1/PP4PP/4R2K w - - 1 0
[ Qd3+ Kc5 Qd4+ ]
9c)
mate in 3
Joseph Blackburne vs Forsyth
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part X.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Joseph Blackburne vs Collins, Hereford Blind Simul, 1897
r1qr2k1/2pn1ppp/p1Q1pb2/1p2N3/3P4/1BP5/PP3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf7 if Kxf7 Qxe6+ mates if Re8 Rxe6 Rxe6 Bxe6 ]
b)
Joseph Blackburne vs Benfy, Manchester, 1898
r2r3k/pppb1R2/2n4p/6q1/2BPP1p1/2P5/PP2K1P1/5R1Q w - - 0 1
[ R1f6 if h5 Qh4 Qxh4 Rh6+ ]
c)
White Mates in 8.
Joseph Blackburne vs Leith, Glasgow, 1898
rnbq4/pp5n/2pp4/b3k1p1/4P1Q1/3P4/PPP3P1/R1B2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Qg3+ Ke6 Qh3+ Ke5 Rf5+ Ke6 Rxg5+ ]
d)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs Herbert Trenchard, Vienna, 1898
2k5/p1p1q3/2P3p1/3QP3/7p/7P/1PK3P1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qg8+ Qd8 Qe6+ Kb8 Qb3+ ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Joseph Blackburne vs Johan Lowenthal, Manchester, 1898
r5qr/pk1n2pp/2p1n3/QN6/8/B3R3/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nd6+ Kb8 Rb3+ Nb6 Rxb6+ ]
10e)
mate in 4
Joseph Blackburne vs Johan Lowenthal
Joseph Blackburne's Puzzles, Part XI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Mikhail Chigorin vs Joseph Blackburne, Vienna, 1898
k7/1b6/p3p3/PpQpPp2/2nQ4/2qN1B1P/1Rp5/K7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qxa5+ Ra2 Qe1+ ]
b)
Black mates in 5.
Jackson Showalter vs Joseph Blackburne, London, 1899
5rk1/1p4p1/2p1P3/P2p4/1P5q/2P2r2/4R2P/1Q2R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rf2 Rxf2 Rxf2 if h3 Qg3+ ]
c)
Black mates in 2.
Francis Lee vs Joseph Blackburne, Hastings, 1904
6k1/4B2p/3p2p1/1Np4r/2P1q2P/8/4Q1RK/r7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh4+ ]
d)
Black mates in 2.
Heyermans vs Joseph Blackburne, Rotterdam, 1908
2krr3/pp3ppp/5n2/2b2P2/5B2/1BP2QNP/PP2pnP1/R3K2R b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd1+ ]
e)
Joseph Blackburne vs Loye, London, 1913
r1nqkb1r/pp1b1ppp/2np4/1N2p3/4PB2/2N3P1/PPP2PBP/R2QK2R w - - 0 1
[ Nd5 ]
11a)
mate in 4
Mikhail Chigorin vs Joseph Blackburne
More English GMs
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