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Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Vasily Smyslov.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.

Solutions are between the brackets under each puzzle.
Drag your cursor from one bracket to the other.

a)
Igor Bondarevsky vs Vasily Smyslov, Moscow, 1945
2b1r1k1/r1p1qppp/2pb4/8/N1B5/2P2P2/PPQ3PP/2KR3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Qg5+ if Kb1 Bf5 Bd3 Bxd3 Rxd3 Qb5 Rd4 Rea8 ]

b)
White mates in 6.
Vasily Smyslov vs Hermann Steiner, Groningen, 1946
1n2r1k1/2Q1P1pp/p7/1p1P1p2/5RNP/P5P1/1P3P1K/1q6 w - - 0 1
[ Qd8 Qg1+ Kxg1 h6 Qxe8+ Kh7 Nf6+ ]

c)
Arnold Denker vs Vasily Smyslov, Moscow, 1946
3r2k1/4qr1p/1Q4pP/p1pPpp2/P1P1n3/2P1B1P1/1R5K/5R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...f4 if gxf4 Qh4+ ]

d)
Vasily Smyslov vs Ludek Pachman, Moscow, 1947
3r1k2/p1q2pp1/1p2pn1p/3bN3/1P5Q/1BP3RP/P2r1PP1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qf4 if Bxb3 Ng6+ ]

e)
White mates in 5.
Vasily Smyslov vs Salomon Flohr, Moscow, 1949
2R5/5k1p/2P1p3/3bKpP1/4p3/2r5/8/1R6 w - - 0 1
[ g6+ if Kg7 gxh7 Kxh7 Kf6 or if Kxg6 Rg8+ w/Rbg1 ]

1a)
Igor Bondarevsky vs Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Gedeon Barcza vs Vasily Smyslov, Budapest, 1949
r3r1k1/pp1n1pp1/2p4p/q2p1P2/3b2n1/1PNP2PP/PB1Q1PB1/3R1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne3 ]

b)
Vasily Smyslov vs V M Byvshev, Leningrad, 1951
6k1/2RB1rpp/r7/n3P3/5P2/1p1p2P1/1PbR1K1P/8 w - - 0 1
[ e6 if Rf8 e7 or if Re7 Rc8+ mates ]

c)
Black mates in 4.
Nikolay Aratovsky vs Vasily Smyslov, Leningrad, 1951
r5k1/1p4pp/2p1p2r/p2nRp2/P2P1P1P/1P3qP1/1BQ2P2/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf4 if gxf4 Rxh4 ]

d)
White mates in 6.
Vasily Smyslov vs Viacheslav Ragozin, Gagra, 1953
5r1k/2R3bp/pp2Q1p1/n7/P3p3/5p1P/1P3PPK/2B2r2 w - - 0 1
[ Qe7 if Rg8 Bh6 ]

e)
Vasily Smyslov vs Gideon Stahlberg, Zurich, 1953
3r2r1/pp2qpkp/1np1pp2/8/2PP2N1/4Q3/PP3PPP/3RR1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Nh6 if R moves Nf5+ ]

2e)
Vasily Smyslov vs Gideon Stahlberg

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Mark Taimanov vs Vasily Smyslov, Gagra, 1953
1brr2k1/p4pp1/Q5p1/P3q3/1N1n2P1/7P/5PB1/R2R1K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nb3 if Rab1 Rxd1 Rxd1 Nd2+ mates or if Nd5 Nd2+ ]

b)
Vasily Smyslov vs Karl Robatsch, Amsterdam, 1954
r4rk1/pppbq3/3p1b1p/3P2p1/2P4n/2BQ1R1P/PP3PP1/1B3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf6 Rxf6 Bxf6 Qxf6 Qh7+ Kf8 Qxd7 ]

c)
Vasily Smyslov vs Lothar Schmid, Amsterdam, 1954
2br3k/4Q1bp/2B3p1/5p2/3q1B2/8/5PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qe8+ Rxe8 Rxe8+ Bf8 Be5+ ]

d)
Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Moscow, 1955
r5k1/1pn1r2p/3R2p1/4p1N1/q3P3/4P1P1/7P/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ if Re8 or Kg7 Qf3 ]

e)
White mates in 4.
Vasily Smyslov vs Mario Bertok, Zagreb, 1955
r7/1p3Q2/2kpr2p/p1p2Rp1/P3Pp2/1P3P2/1B2q1PP/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Rxc5+ if Kb6 Qc7+ Ka7 Rxa5+ Qa6 Bd4# or if dxc5 Qxe6+ ]

3c)
Vasily Smyslov vs Lothar Schmid

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Sliwa Sliwa vs Vasily Smyslov, Lodz, 1955
3rr1k1/5p2/1p4pQ/p2P4/1pPp3P/6q1/P7/1R1R1B1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Re4 if Rb3 Rxh4+ Bh3 Qxb3 Qxh4 Qxd1+ ]

b)
Vasily Smyslov vs Vasja Pirc, Belgrade, 1956
3r4/R2n1pkp/prR3p1/3qp3/8/P7/2Q2PPP/5BK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxd7 ]

c)
Wolfgang Uhlmann vs Vasily Smyslov, Moscow, 1956
2r2rk1/p3qppp/bp3n2/2bp4/3n4/1PN3P1/PB1NPPBP/R2QR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nc2 Qxc2 Bxf2+ if Kxf2 Ng4+ mates
or if Kh1 Bxe1 Rxe1 d4
]

d)
White mates in 4.
Vasily Smyslov vs Miroslav Filip, Vienna, 1957
6rr/1pqn2Q1/p2p4/2pP2P1/P3p2k/1P6/7B/5RRK w - - 0 1
[ Qf7 if Ne5 Rf4+ ]

e)
Pal Benko vs Vasily Smyslov, Bled, 1959
1r4k1/5pp1/3n2bp/8/R1N5/4PBP1/7P/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bc2 ]

4a)
Sliwa Sliwa vs Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Svetozar Gligoric vs Vasily Smyslov, Kiev, 1959
b2r2k1/4b2p/6p1/p3Pp2/2RP1P2/1pP3KP/1B3Q2/R4N1q b - - 0 1
[ ...h5 ]

b)
Bernard Angles D'Avriac vs Vasily Smyslov, Leipzig, 1960
6k1/pp3pp1/6r1/3q3p/4p1nP/P1PrB1P1/1P2QPK1/3R1R2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxe3+ if fxe3 Qd6 ]

c)
Alberto Foguelman vs Vasily Smyslov, Leipzig, 1960
r2r2k1/6pp/p3bp2/2p5/1p1nPP1B/1P5P/Pn1N2P1/R2B1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxd1 if Rxd1 Ne2+ w/...Nc3 ]

d)
Vasily Smyslov vs Alexander Cherepkov, Moscow, 1961
4r3/5k2/P1b4p/4Bp2/4qp2/2Q4P/3R2PK/8 w - - 0 1
[ Bh8 ]

e)
Vasily Smyslov vs Alexander Tolush, Moscow, 1961
r2q2k1/pQ2bppp/4p3/8/3r1B2/6P1/P3PP1P/1R3RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bb8 ]

5c)
Alberto Foguelman vs Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Vasily Smyslov vs Janis Klovans, Moscow, 1963
1r1r1nk1/6pp/p7/3p1N2/8/8/PP4PP/2R2R1K w - - 0 1
[ Ne7+ Kh8 Nc6 ]

b)
Black mates in 3.
Leho Laurine vs Vasily Smyslov, Stockholm, 1963
6k1/5pp1/1pq4p/p3P3/P4P2/2P1Q1PK/7P/R1Br3r b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxh2+ if Kg4 h5+ ]

c)
Carlos Bielicki vs Vasily Smyslov, Habana, 1964
3r2k1/1p3pp1/p1p5/8/1P2r3/P3PqBp/2Q2P1P/R3RK2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc4 if Qxc4 Rd2 or if Qb2 Rg4 mates ]

d)
Vasily Smyslov vs Vladimir Doroshkievich, Tbilisi, 1966
5r1q/p1R4b/2Pp3k/3B2Np/5rp1/1Pb5/P3Q2P/7K w - - 0 1
[ Rxh7+ if Qxh7 Nxh7 Kxh7 Qc2+ or if Kxg5 h4+ w/Qxh5+ or Qc2+ ]

e)
Black mates in 5.
Rene Letelier vs Vasily Smyslov, Habana, 1967
8/5k2/4pp2/P1B5/3P2p1/5bPp/1r3P2/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...h2+ if Kxh2 Rb8 ]

6a)
Vasily Smyslov vs Janis Klovans

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Vasily Smyslov vs Emil Ungureanu, Lugano, 1968
R3b3/1p2kr1p/6p1/2pP4/2P2p2/6P1/5PBP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ d6+ if Kd7 Bh3+ ]

b)
White mates in 4.
Vasily Smyslov vs Werner Golz, Polanica Zdroj, 1968
r2q4/1p2N2k/1P3Qp1/pBnpp3/4b1P1/8/P6P/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rf3 if Bxf3 Qxg6+ or if Qf8 Rh3+ Qh6 Qf7+ ]

c)
White mates in 7.
Vasily Smyslov vs Vladimir Liberzon, Riga, 1968
4r2k/2p4p/1pNp2n1/1b1B1R2/7P/6P1/3B1R1K/1q6 w - - 0 1
[ Bc3+ if Re5 Nxe5 dxe5 Rxe5 Kg7 Re7+ ]

d)
Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov, Herceg Novi, 1970
5rk1/R5pp/4p1q1/1p2Q3/2p2nN1/2Pr3P/1P3PP1/R5K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxh3+ gxh3 Rxh3 Qd4 Rd3 ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Vasily Smyslov vs Juan Dominguez Sanz, Las Palmas, 1972
2bqr2k/1r1n2bp/pp1pBp2/2pP1PQ1/P3PN2/1P4P1/1B5P/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ng6+ ]

7d)
Mikhail Tal vs Vasily Smyslov

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Vasily Smyslov vs Ivan Radulov, Leningrad, 1977
2r2b1k/1q2r1p1/pp1p1pQp/8/P2n4/2P4P/1P2BRP1/5R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bd3 if Kg8 Rxf6 ]

b)
Mihai Suba vs Vasily Smyslov, Las Palmas, 1982
8/6pk/7p/Q2b1p2/2pPqP2/2n5/P4BPP/5BK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Ne2+ if Kh1 c3 ]

c)
Vasily Smyslov vs Zoltan Ribli, London, 1983
r2r3Q/pp2kpp1/4pN1n/3P4/8/P4P2/1q3P1P/R3R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxe6+ fxe6 Qxg7+ Nf7 d6+ if Rxd6 Nd5+ w/Qxb2 ]

d)
Bent Larsen vs Vasily Smyslov, Bugojno, 1984
3q4/5Qbk/P5pp/6r1/8/4BP2/1P2B2P/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Re5 if Qa7 Qe8 Bd4 Re7 or if Qb3 Qe7 ]

e)
Sergey Gorelov vs Vasily Smyslov, Moscow, 1985
2r5/1nq3kp/p4bp1/1p1RN3/1P2Pp2/P6P/1Q2B1P1/7K b - - 0 1
[ ...Rd8 if Qd2 Qxe5 ]

8c)
Vasily Smyslov vs Zoltan Ribli

Vasily Smyslov Puzzles, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 5.
Vasily Smyslov vs Lesly Blackstock, London, 1988
8/5K1k/4B1pp/1r2B3/6PP/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ h5 ]

b)
Vasily Smyslov vs Herbert Weigel, Bad Woerishofen, 1991
3q1rk1/pb5p/1pr1Pbp1/3p1p2/2nB1N2/3BP2Q/P4PPP/2R2RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf6 if Qxf6 Nxd5 Qxe6 Bxc4 or if Rxf6 e7 ]

c)
Marcelino Sion Castro vs Vasily Smyslov, Oviedo, 1992
7k/6p1/p2p1q2/4pP2/1P2BnRp/2r4P/5PP1/3Q2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rc1 ]

d)
Boris Gulko vs Vasily Smyslov, Tilburg, 1992
6k1/1b6/1P5p/4pp2/PQ2n1p1/4P1P1/5PBP/3qN1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nd2 if Bf1 Qxe1 Qb5 Nf3+ mates ]

e)
White mates in 3.
Vasily Smyslov vs Lembit Oll, Rostov on Don, 1993
4r3/pp1nr3/2p4p/4p1b1/4kPP1/1PBN4/P1P1K3/3R4 w - - 0 1
[ Nf2+ Kxf4 Rg1 ]

f)
Vasily Smyslov vs Robert Fontaine, Cannes, 1996
r6r/p3kn2/1p1b4/2p1n1N1/7p/P3B2P/1P2B3/2K2RR1 w - - 0 1
[ Nxf7 if Nxf7 Rg7 Rf8 Bc4 ]

9d)
Boris Gulko vs Vasily Smyslov


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