Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Hou Yifan.
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)
Hou vs Sun Xinyue, Xiapu, 2005
3k2r1/1b5p/p1rbp3/2n2pN1/1p1B1P2/3P4/PP2N2P/K1R2R2 w - - 0 1
[ Bxc5 if Bxc5 Rxc5 ]
b)
Hou vs Boris Khvan, Heraklio, 2004
8/p1Q1p1kp/4P1p1/5pq1/2n2N2/6PP/P4r2/4R2K w - - 0 1
[ h4 if Qf6 Nd5 or if Qg4 Qxe7+ mates ]
c)
Hou vs Siranush Andriasian, Jinan, 2005
6k1/2r4p/3p2p1/3P1p2/P7/1BnK3P/6P1/R7 w - - 0 1
[ Rc1 if Nb5 Rc6 ]
d)
Black to move and win. Ray Robson vs Hou, Heraklio, 2004
1k6/1b1qb3/p4p2/P2PpP2/1pp2r2/8/1PPQ3P/3RR1BK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd4 if Bxd4 Qxd5+ Kg1 Qh1+ mates ]
e)
Black Mates in 3. Wang Doudou vs Hou, Wuxi, 2005
8/8/2k2pp1/8/2P1KP2/1r6/8/R4n2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ ]
Hou Puzzles, Part II. White to move and win except where noted.
a)
White Mates in 8. Hou vs Ju Wenjun, Wuxi, 2006
4Q3/qp3rk1/2r4p/p2p2p1/4P3/P3N1R1/1bP5/1K5R w - - 0 1
[ Rxg5+ Rg6 Nf5+ Kf6 Nd4 Kg7 (if Rxg5 Qe6+) (if Qxd4 Rf5+) Rxg6+ Kxg6 Rg1+ Kh5 Qxf7+ Kh4 Nf3+ Kh3 Qd7# ]
b)
Hou vs Gu Xiaobing, Wuxi, 2006
r4rk1/1b1R1p1p/pp3Pp1/3n4/PP2p1B1/1q2N3/6PP/4QR1K w - - 0 1
[ Nxd5 Bxd5 Qd2 if Qc4 Be2 w/Qh6 ]
c)
Hou vs Hoang Thi Bao Tram, Yerevan, 2006
3r2k1/pnq3pr/1p1b1pNp/5Q2/1P3p2/8/PBP3PP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re7 if Qc4 Rd5 or if Qxe7 Nxe7 Bxe7 Rd7 ]
d)
Hou vs Vasilios Kotoronias, Moscow, 2007
r1b1k1r1/pq2ppbp/2pp4/4n3/N3PB2/1BQ4P/PPP3P1/R4RK1 w q - 0 1
[ Bxe5 if Bxe5 Bxf7+ ]
e)
Hou vs Tuduetso Sabure, Ekaterinburg, 2007
r4n2/ppp2rkp/4p1pR/3qP1Q1/4N3/3P1P2/PP3P2/2K4R w - - 0 1
[ Nf6 if Qc5+ Kb1 Qe7 Rxg6+ Nxg6 Rxh7+ Kf8 Rh8+ ]
Hou Puzzles, Part III. Black to move and win except where noted.
a)
Black Mates in 7. Zullkafli Nur Shazwani vs Hou, Turin, 2006
6k1/1p1B1p2/6pp/2PRp1n1/PB1bP3/7P/6PK/5r2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg1+ if Kh1 Nxe4 Be1 Be3+ or if Kg3 Nxe4+ Kh4 g5+ ]
b)
Sophie Milliet vs Hou, Turin, 2006
r3r1k1/p1Q2ppp/1p3q2/3p1n2/3n1B2/2P3N1/PP3PPP/3R1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Re7 ]
c)
Tatev Abrahamyan vs Hou, Yerevan, 2006
1r5k/6pp/2RP4/4p3/8/2KQ4/1P2Rq1P/r7 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1+ if Rc2 Rxc2+ Qxc2 Qf4# ]
d)
Evgenija Ovod vs Hou, Sochi, 2007
4r1k1/pp1q2p1/5p2/3p3P/2pP1P1n/P1P4P/1QR2R1K/4rN2 b - - 0 1
[ ...R8e3 if Nxe3 Rxe3 Rce2 Qxh3+ Kg1 Rg3+ Rg2 Nf3+ mates ]
e)
Nadezhda Kosintseva vs Hou, Ekaterinburg, 2007
4r1k1/1p2pp1p/3p1bp1/1P1P1b2/2P5/2N1R1Q1/2q2PPP/5BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bd4 if Rf3 Be5 ]
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Other Chinese GMs
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