Chess Puzzles from top rated games of 2000.

Tactics you can use from wtharvey.com

Here are some chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000.
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)

White mates in 2.
Nigel Short vs Etienne Bacrot, Albert, 2000
1r6/4q2k/1b4R1/3PpP2/8/6QP/5P2/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rh6+ ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Anthony Miles vs Andrew Law, England, 2000
1Q5R/p2n1pB1/6kp/2p5/8/Pr1q2PP/6PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Yuri Yakovich vs Aleksei Holmsten, Gausdal, 2000
1qr5/3rpp1k/2b1n1p1/1pP1Q2p/1P6/2BB1P1P/2R3P1/2R4K w - - 1 0
[ Qxh5+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
Sergei Rublevsky vs Carlo D'Amore, Istanbul, 2000
r1bq2nr/2p1p1b1/pp3k2/4p1N1/P3PNQ1/8/1PP2PPP/R3K2R w KQ - 1 0
[ Nh7+ ]

e)

White mates in 2.
Loek Van Wely vs Michal Krasenkow, Istanbul, 2000
1r5r/p3Q2p/npp2Rpk/5p2/5pB1/2B5/qP3PPP/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg6+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. ii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 2.
Lubomir Ftacnik vs Diogo Fernando, Lisbon, 2000
2Q5/p3p1qk/7n/8/2P5/1P5R/P3nRBp/7K w - - 1 0
[ Be4+ ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Igor Glek vs Fitzgerald Krudde, Netherlands, 2000
4rr1k/p6p/6pQ/1q1Bpp2/8/6B1/P4PPP/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bxe5+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Vladislav Nevednichy vs Blazo Kalezic, Niksic, 2000
8/5p1Q/p3n3/8/P6P/4NkP1/1q3P2/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh5+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
Joel Benjamin vs Emory Tate, Philadelphia, 2000
r1b2r2/pp2q2Q/2n2k2/6NR/2B2p2/N1P1b3/PP3PP1/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ Rh6+ if Kxg5 Qg6# or if Ke5 Nf3# ]

e)

White mates in 2.
Alexander Shabalov vs Ronald Burnett, Saint Paul, 2000
r1q1n1k1/pn3ppp/8/1Pp1R3/8/2Q5/1B3PPP/5BK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe8+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. iii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 2.
Mikhail Kobalia vs Sergey Sergienko, Samara, 2000
4R3/2p2ppp/b1B2b2/2B2k2/5P2/7P/5P1K/3r4 w - - 1 0
[ Be4+ Kxf4 Be3# ]

b)

White mates in 2.
Yuri Yakovich vs Alexander Sultanov, Samara, 2000
rn3rk1/p1R3p1/3qp1Bp/3bN3/8/6QP/P4PP1/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bh7+ ]

c)

White mates in 2.
Jesus Nogueiras vs Felix Gomez, Santa Clara, 2000
3q2n1/5k2/p1bpp2Q/2p3P1/P1P5/3B1P1p/7P/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Bg6+ ]

d)

White mates in 2.
Igor Glek vs Fotini Pambalou, Korinthos, 2000
2b1rkn1/5r1p/pp1p2p1/3N4/P7/2Q4P/1PP3P1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe8+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Vladimir Tukmakov vs Frank Holzke, Biel, 2000
6k1/p6p/6p1/5p2/3Q4/6qP/6B1/5K2 w - - 1 0
[ Bd5+ Kf8 Qf6+ ]

King-pawn Opening Series

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. iv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Aggelos Sismanis, Chalkidiki, 2000
2r2b1k/p2Q3p/b1n2PpP/2p5/3r1BN1/3q2P1/P4PB1/R3R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qg7+ Bxg7 hxg7+ Kg8 Nh6# ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Zdenko Kozul vs Arnaud Hauchard, Charleville, 2000
4k3/p5p1/3Q4/3n1P2/1pB5/3K3P/PP2p1q1/8 w - - 1 0
[ Bb5+ Kf7 Qe6+ ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Oleg Korneev vs Fabian Serrano, Collado Villalba, 2000
3q1r2/rb1np1bQ/pp1n1kBp/3Pp1p1/P2P4/2N2N2/1P2RPPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe5 if Nc5 Re6+ or if Nxe5 dxe5# ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Lev Psakhis vs Kristian Hovmoller, Copenhagen, 2000
rn2rb2/1q3pkp/ppNp4/2nPp1PQ/4P3/4B2B/PP5P/2R2RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Bf5 ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz vs Rudy Tia, Dallas, 2000
5rk1/pr2n1p1/3p2P1/2pNpPR1/4P3/1P5R/P6P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxe7+ Rxe7 Rgh5 ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. v.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Gyula Sax vs Shaali Al, Dubai, 2000
5rk1/1p5p/p3PRp1/2rqp3/3nQ3/3B4/PPP3PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxg6+ ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Sebastian Bogner vs Alexander Fink, Germany, 2000
3n1Q2/3r3p/6p1/7k/P1PP4/2n4P/5PP1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ g4+ Kg5 Re5+ ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Andrey Shariyazdanov vs Krishnan Sasikiran, Guntur, 2000
r2r1n2/pp3Q2/3b3k/3N4/6P1/1B5P/PP6/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ g5+ Kxg5 Qf6+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Yuri Razuvaev vs Zoltan Medvegy, Hungary, 2000
rnq3kr/p2pQpp1/1p1P4/2p3P1/8/6P1/P3P1bP/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxf7+ Kh7 Rf6 ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz vs Pablo Zarnicki, Internet, 2000
3r1r1k/p1R4p/6p1/4N3/3p2Q1/P7/1q3PKP/5R2 w - - 1 0
[ Nxg6+ if hxg6 Qh4+ or if Kg8 Nh8+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. vi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Aleksander Wojtkiewicz vs Artur Kogan, Internet, 2000
3qrk2/7Q/bp2n3/p2pPN2/Pb1P4/1pr2N1P/6B1/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Bf1 if Qg5 Rxg5 ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Garry Kasparov vs Alexander Karman, Internet, 2000
r3rk2/5pn1/pb1nq1pR/1p2p1P1/2p1P3/2P2QN1/PPBB1P2/2K4R w - - 1 0
[ Qf6 Qxf6 gxf6 ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Christian Bauer vs M Mattes, Metz, 2000
1r2n1k1/R6p/6p1/p1p3N1/2P5/6P1/Pb2rPBP/2B2RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd5+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Vladimir Kramnik vs Ljubomir Ljubojevic, Monaco, 2000
7r/Q3R3/2qP1Rbk/6pp/2p2P1b/2P4P/P5P1/7K w - - 1 0
[ Rxg6+ Kxg6 Re6+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Gyula Sax vs Luca Nelli, Montecatini Terme, 2000
5r2/1bpnNpk1/1b1p2pp/p5N1/1qP1P3/3P1Q2/6PP/R4R1K w - - 1 0
[ Qxf7+ Rxf7 Rxf7+ ]

'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. vii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Gilberto Milos vs Abhijit Kunte, New Delhi, 2000
3q1r2/r6R/pp3kp1/1bbP1p2/4p3/2N4Q/PP1B2PP/3R3K w - - 1 0
[ Qh4+ if Ke5 Bf4# or if g5 Qxg5+ ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Curt Hansen vs Stellan Brynell, Reykjavik, 2000
1Q2R3/1p3qp1/p4r1k/3p1P1p/P5P1/1P6/2P5/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ g5+ Kxg5 Qg3+ ]

c)

White mates in 3.
Pavel Tregubov vs Bogdan Lalic, Saint Vincent, 2000
r7/pp3Nkp/1q4pb/3B2B1/8/6P1/PP2b2P/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Bxh6+ Kg8 Nd8+ ]

d)

White mates in 3.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Eduard Gorovykh, Serpukhov, 2000
4kb1r/Q4q1p/6p1/6p1/b1P5/6P1/PP3P1P/3R2K1 w k - 1 0
[ Qb8+ Ke7 Qd6+ ]

e)

White mates in 3.
Zvulon Gofshtein vs Mikhail Botvinnik, Tel Aviv, 2000
4r2Q/q3k3/2R1p3/pP1pB3/P2b4/8/5P1P/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rc7+ if Qxc7 Qg7+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. viii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 3.
Alexander Morozevich vs Smbat Lputian, Wijk aan Zee, 2000
r3kr2/pbq5/2pRB1p1/8/4QP2/2P3P1/PP6/2K5 w q - 1 0
[ Bf7+ Kxf7 Qxg6+ ]

b)

White mates in 3.
Axel Bachmann vs Gabriel Becker, Bento Goncalves, 2000
5k2/5p1p/p2pqQ2/8/1P5P/P5R1/4r1P1/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qd8+ Qe8 Qxd6+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Jan Timman vs Zdenko Krnic, Amsterdam, 2000
1rb5/8/p1R5/1p3pkp/4pb1q/3Q2p1/PP4B1/1K3R2 w - - 1 0
[ Qd8+ Kg4 Rg6+ if Qg5 Qd1+ or if Bg5 Qd1# ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Igor Khenkin vs Dimitri Anagnostopoulos, Athens, 2000
r4rk1/pp2pn1p/2p5/n2q2pP/3B4/2PB1Q2/P1P2PP1/2KR3R w - - 1 0
[ Bxh7+ Kxh7 Qd3+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Eugenio Torre vs Maksum Firdaus, Bali, 2000
r1br3k/pp4b1/2p3Pp/2P1np2/2BPp3/2R1PP2/PP1K1P2/6QR w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ Bxh6 g7+ Bxg7 Qh1+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. ix.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Jozsef Horvath vs Robert Schweizer, Basel, 2000
b2q1rk1/4R3/1p4p1/p1rP1p1p/P3Q3/6P1/5PBP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe6+ Kh8 Qe5+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Huzman vs RB Ramesh, Biel, 2000
1r3r2/p4kpQ/3P3p/q1P5/3bB2P/Pp4P1/1P2RP2/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bd5+ Kf6 Re6+ Kf7 Re5+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Igors Rausis vs Kidambi Sundararajan, Cairo, 2000
3r3k/pp6/5RK1/2P5/1PQ5/P2p3q/7P/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rf8+ Rxf8 Qd4+ ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Emil Sutovsky vs Rustem Dautov, Essen, 2000
1q1r1bk1/7p/4NQ1p/1Bp1P3/1p2p3/r7/5PPP/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Nxd8 if Bg7 Qf7+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Artur Jussupow vs Rustem Dautov, Essen, 2000
5r1k/1b1P3p/1p2Qq2/pBb5/P1P5/1P4R1/4p1PP/7K w - - 1 0
[ Rg8+ Rxg8 Qxf6+ Rg7 d8/Q+ ]

"Tactics in the Queen's Gambit" by wtharvey.com

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. x.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Jan Krejci vs Filip Maly, Frymburk, 2000
1rr3R1/4kP2/3p1p1p/2q1p3/4Q3/PB6/1PP4P/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ f8/Q+ Rxf8 Qh7+ Ke8 Qf7+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Volzhin vs Oyvind Pedersen, Gausdal, 2000
2r4r/3kbR2/p2p2Qp/8/1pqNP3/4B3/PPP5/2K5 w - - 1 0
[ Rxe7+ Kxe7 Nf5+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Peter Svidler vs Lev Psakhis, Haifa, 2000
4Rrk1/pp4p1/2nN3p/2P5/q2p4/P2Q4/2P3PP/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qf5 if Rxe8 Qf7+ Kh8 Nxe8 ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Boris Gulko vs Jon Viktor Gunnarsson, Internet, 2000
3r3k/3r3p/pp1bQ1pB/5p2/1P3P2/7P/6P1/4R2K w - - 1 0
[ Qxd7 if Rg8 Qxd6 ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Grigory Serper vs William Paschall, Internet, 2000
r5k1/1b3p2/pp1q2pQ/3p1n1N/1P6/P7/2B2PP1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Bxf5 if gxh5 Qh7+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. xi.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Ivan Sokolov vs N A Hussein, Istanbul, 2000
5k2/2n1b3/2PnP1Qp/5B2/q6P/6P1/5P2/1R4K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rb8+ if Nce8 Rxe8+ ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Jeroen Piket vs Boris Gelfand, Monaco, 2000
r3rk2/p3n3/4R2p/4N1pN/1p6/6P1/5PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rf6+ Kg8 Rf7 if Nd5 Rg7+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Zdenko Kozul vs Stanko Kosanski, Neum, 2000
1r3r2/4Rp1p/p2P4/1p1P1k2/P3N1R1/7P/1n4PK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Ng3+ Kf6 Nh5+ Kf5 Rg7 w/b4# ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Vladislav Tkachiev vs Halid Bajramovic, Neum, 2000
r5r1/5pQp/1qb1k3/pp1p1p2/3P4/P1PB4/1P4PP/R5K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe5+ Kd7 Bxf5+ Kd8 Qd6+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Sergey Ivanov vs Tuomas Nivala, Oulu, 2000
2kr4/1b1n1p2/1Pp4p/pQ1N4/P2q4/B4pP1/5P1P/2R3K1 w - - 1 0
[ Rxc6+ if Bxc6 Qxc6+ or if Kb8 Bd6+ Ka8 Qxa5+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. xii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Vigen Mirumian vs A Ionescu, Plzen, 2000
6k1/5p2/1p1r3p/3P2p1/5P2/1P6/rBR1BK1P/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rc8+ Kh7 Bd3+ if Rg6 Rh8# ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Wouter Spoelman vs B Van Os, Rijswijk, 2000
7k/2p1N2p/1p1p3K/3P4/1P4PP/2P5/8/8 w - - 1 0
[ b5 ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Ian Nepomniachtchi vs Maxim Matlakov, Serpukhov 2000
2rr1b1k/1bq5/p2p1NPp/5P2/2P1PpQ1/7R/6BP/7K w - - 1 0
[ g7+ Bxg7 Qg6 Bxf6 Rxh6+ ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Ruslan Sherbakov vs Oleg Loskutov, Smolensk, 2000
4kr2/1p2q3/3pP1p1/Q1b4p/4B3/6P1/P4PK1/3R4 w - - 1 0
[ Qa4+ Kd8 Qa8+ Kc7 Qxb7+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Alexander Vaulin vs Aleksei Kireev, Smolensk, 2000
3r3r/pp5k/1n1pBb1B/2pPp3/2P5/1P4P1/P4PK1/R6R w - - 1 0
[ Bf7 if Bg7 Bg5+ Bh6 Bxh6 ]

'Tactics in the Sicilian' series

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. xiii.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 4.
Evgeny Gleizerov vs Iweta Radziewicz, Stockholm, 2000
4rr1k/p1p4p/1p6/4Np1q/2P5/P1N3R1/1P1Q1Pn1/4R1K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qd4 if Qg4 Nf7+ Kg8 Nh6# ]

b)

White mates in 4.
Mihail Marin vs Dennis De Vreugt, Tel Aviv, 2000
7k/n5Np/q2pQ3/3P4/4bBP1/7P/5R1K/4r3 w - - 1 0
[ Qe8+ Kxg7 Bh6+ Kxh6 Qf8+ ]

c)

White mates in 4.
Vladimir Epishin vs Viesturs Meijers, Werther, 2000
2r5/1b3k2/p3RP2/1q1p2P1/5Q2/2p5/pP3P2/K3R3 w - - 1 0
[ g6+ if Kxg6 Qg4+ or if Kg8 f7+ Kg7 Qf6+ ]

d)

White mates in 4.
Igor Stohl vs Boguslaw Sygulski, Zakopane, 2000
3r3k/1p2p2r/p2p1pP1/3N4/2P1qP2/1P6/PQ3K2/7R w - - 1 0
[ Qxf6+ if exf6 Rxh7+ or if Kg8 gxh7+ ]

e)

White mates in 4.
Georgy Timoshenko vs Vitaly Bardjuzha, Alushta, 2000
4Rrkr/pb6/6Pp/1NnpB2P/2pp4/8/PPP5/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ g7 Rxe8 gxh8/Q+ Kf7 Nd6+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. xiv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 5.
Andrei Istratescu vs Mikhail Simantsev, Bucharest, 2000
2r2k2/4Rpnp/3p1NpQ/2qP4/1pp1P3/1P3PP1/6KP/8 w - - 1 0
[ Rd7 if Rc7 Nxh7+ w/Nf6+ ]

b)

White mates in 5.
John Nunn vs Markus Stangl, Germany, 2000
r5k1/1p3R2/p4Prp/8/5p2/1B6/PPP2bPP/2K1R3 w - - 1 0
[ Rg7+ Kh8 Ree7 if Rxg7 fxg7+ ]

c)

White mates in 5.
Stanislav Savchenko vs Sergey Anapolsky, Ordzhonikidze, 2000
7k/p4prb/1p1R4/8/2pQN3/P6P/1P3PPK/4q3 w - - 1 0
[ Rd8+ Bg8 Rxg8+ Kxg8 Nf6+ ]

d)

White mates in 5.
Igors Rausis vs Zsivko Bratanov, Porto San Giorgio, 2000
3Q4/1pN2kbp/8/P1B2qp1/1Pb1pp2/7P/5PP1/6K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qe8+ Kf6 Bd4+ Qe5 Qxe5+ ]

e)

White mates in 5.
Ilia Smirin vs Karsten Rasmussen, Saint Vincent, 2000
b1r2bk1/p4R1p/1p6/4Q3/2PP3q/8/P5PP/5RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Rg7+ Bxg7 Qe6+ Kh8 Qxc8+ ]

Chess puzzles from top rated games of 2000, pt. xv.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)

White mates in 5.
Alexei Fedorov vs Alik Gershon, Saint Vincent, 2000
1r4R1/4bk1p/3pN3/p3p3/4P3/q4P2/1PPQn3/1K5R w - - 1 0
[ Rxh7+ Kxe6 Qd5+ Kd7 Rxe7+ Kxe7 Rg7+ ]

b)

White mates in 5.
Gilberto Milos vs Sergei Movsesian, Shenyang, 2000
4r1k1/5Npp/1B6/PP6/8/2rq4/5QPP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ Nh6+ gxh6 Qf7+ Kh8 Qxe8+ ]

c)

White mates in 5.
Viktor Bologan vs Mikhail Rytshagov, Tallinn, 2000
3k1r2/2q2P1p/4B1pP/1R1P4/7r/4Q3/1P6/1K6 w - - 1 0
[ Qg5+ Qe7 d6 ]

d)

White mates in 5.
Roeland Pruijssers vs R Prins, Zwolle, 2000
r1bq1r1k/ppp2p1p/2np1npQ/8/3PP3/2NB1N1P/PPP3P1/R4RK1 w - - 1 0
[ Ng5 if Bf5 Nd5 ]

e)