'Characteristic Puzzles in the Opening' series
Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Sergey Karjakin.
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)
Sergey Karjakin vs Sergei Saraikin, Tallinn, 1999
1r2kn1r/1p1b1p2/p2qpb2/2pP1pNp/2P4P/2N3P1/PP1Q1PB1/2KR3R w - - 0 1
[ Nxf7 Kxe7 dxe6+ Qxe6 Bd5 ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs A Kulikovsky, Alushta, 2000
1Rb1r1k1/2rp2pp/2p1pb2/2B5/p1B2P2/3Q2Pq/P1P1R2P/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bb6 if Rb7 Rxb7 Bxb7 Qxd7 ]
c)
Black mates in 4.
Nikolay Khomenko vs Sergey Karjakin, Alushta, 2000
6k1/4bppp/1Q2p3/2P2P2/4q1P1/5r2/1K1R3P/8 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf6+ Kc1 Qc4+ ]
d)
Black mates in 8.
M Gajduk vs Sergey Karjakin, Simferopol, 2000
b2r2k1/pq3p2/1p2p1p1/2p3P1/P1P2PKp/2P5/1PQ1R3/5RBr b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxg1+ if Kh3 Qh1+ Rh2 Rd3+ Qxd3 Bg2+ or if Rxg1 Qf3+ Kxh4 Kg7 ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Sergey Karjakin vs Alexander Areshchenko, Kharkov, 2001
1r6/1p3K1k/p3N3/P6n/6RP/2P5/8/8 w - - 0 1
[ Rg6 Nf6 Ng5+ Kh8 Rh6+ ]
1a)
Sergey Karjakin vs Sergei Saraikin
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Sergey Karjakin vs Viktor Komliakov, Kramatorsk, 2001
6k1/p2qb2p/8/1p2Pp1Q/1Pp2P2/P1B4P/5K2/8 w - - 0 1
[ e6 if Qxe6 Qe8+ ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Sergiy Zavgorodniy, Simferopol, 2001
3r2k1/pp3p1p/3q1npP/2pP4/5P2/1P4PB/PQ6/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re6 if Qxd5 Qxf6 Qd4+ Qxd4 cxd4 Re2 or if fxe6 Qxf6 Rd7 Bxe6+ ]
c)
Viktor Laznicka vs Sergey Karjakin, Chalkidiki, 2001
r3r1k1/1b3ppp/p3n1q1/4P3/2B1pB2/4Q3/1PP3PP/1R3K1R b - - 0 1
[ ...Nxf4 Qxf4 e3 ]
d)
Sergey Karjakin vs Georgy Arzumanian, Alushta, 2002
4rk1r/p2Q1n1p/8/2pp2p1/8/1P6/P1PqN1PP/R3R2K w - - 0 1
[ Rf1 if Re7 Qd8+ Re8 Qf6 ]
e)
Natalia Kovtoniuk vs Sergey Karjakin, Evpatoria, 2002
3r4/4qpkp/bp4p1/2p1p3/3rPP2/PPQ3P1/3R2BP/3R2K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Be2 ]
2d)
Sergey Karjakin vs Georgy Arzumanian
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 4.
Sergey Korensky vs Sergey Karjakin, Internet, 2002
6k1/6pp/pp1p3q/3P4/P1Q2b2/1NN1r2b/1PP4P/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg2+ Rxg2 Re1+ ]
b)
Alexandr Truskavetsky vs Sergey Karjakin, Kramatorsk, 2002
5bk1/BQ1Rrpp1/7p/4r2q/4p3/6P1/PP2PP1P/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qh3 Bb8 Rh5 ]
c)
Robert Ruck vs Sergey Karjakin, Panormo, 2002
2rqrbk1/5p2/6p1/pnnPp2p/8/1P1b2PP/4NPB1/RNBQR1K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxe2 if Qxe2 Nd4 or if Rxe2 Nxb3 Qxb3 Nd4 ]
d)
Anna Ushenina vs Sergey Karjakin, Sudak, 2002
b4rk1/5pp1/p6p/4pP2/2q1p1Pb/7Q/2P4P/R1B2RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...e3 if Qxh4 or Bxe3 Qe4 ]
e)
Sergey Karjakin vs Persson Hillarp, Benidorm, 2003
2b2rk1/2q3bp/p2N2p1/1pn1pp2/8/4BQ2/PPP3PP/3R1R1K w - - 0 1
[ Bxc5 if Qxc5 Qb3+ Kh8 Nf7+ ]
3e)
Sergey Karjakin vs Persson Hillarp
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part IV.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Sergey Karjakin vs Alexandra Kosteniuk, Brissago, 2003
4R3/5kpp/r2p4/P2bpp2/1P6/1B3P2/6PP/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Ra8 ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Maxim Pavlov, Simferopol, 2003
5bk1/3q1ppp/r2p3P/3P2P1/4Np2/1Q3P2/1P6/1K5R w - - 0 1
[ hxg7 if Bxg7 Qb8+ Bf8 Nf6+ or if Kxg7 Qc3+ f6 Rxh7+ Kxh7 Nf6+ ]
c)
Sergey Karjakin vs Friso Nijboer, Wijk aan Zee, 2003
1r5r/3bk3/4p1pp/n2pP3/1p6/1PqB1N2/P2Q2PP/1K1R2R1 w - - 0 1
[ Qf4 if Rf8 Qh4+ g5 Nxg5 mates ]
d)
Black mates in 4.
Oleg Kalinin vs Sergey Karjakin, Alushta, 2003
3k4/R7/5N2/1p2n3/6p1/P1N2bP1/1r6/5K2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bg2+ Ke1 Nd3+ Kd1 Bf3+ ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Sergey Karjakin vs Artyom Timofeev, Internet, 2004
5k1r/3b4/3p1p2/p4Pqp/1pB5/1P4r1/P1P5/1K1RR2Q w - - 0 1
[ Qa8+ if Kg7 Re7+ ]
4d)
mate in 4
Oleg Kalinin vs Sergey Karjakin
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part V.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Alexey Dreev vs Sergey Karjakin, Internet, 2004
2k4r/p2q2p1/Ppp5/5pN1/2nP4/2P2B2/5PPb/R3QK2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bf4 if Nh3 Nd2+ Kg1 Rxh3 ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Predrag Nikolic, Wijk aan Zee, 2005
2r5/pk6/1p1r4/q7/2Qn2R1/2PN4/2PK4/5R2 w - - 0 1
[ Rg7+ Kg1 Rf8 ]
c)
Sergey Karjakin vs Alexandra Kosteniuk, Wijk aan Zee, 2005
7k/p1p2rq1/4r1p1/2B1PbQP/8/8/2P2R2/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rh2 if gxh5 Rxh5+ Kg8 Rxf5 or if Kg8 Qd8+ ]
d)
White mates in 5.
Sergey Karjakin vs Lenier Dominguez, Dos Hermanas, 2005
5q1k/7p/5b1P/p4P2/PrB2Q2/1P6/KP4R1/8 w - - 0 1
[ Qd6 ]
e)
White mates in 4.
Sergey Karjakin vs Loek Van Wely, Nice, 2008
1n3k1r/r2b2p1/1q1P1pPp/p7/1p3Q2/4R2P/PPP2PB1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Qc4 if Bb5 d7 or if Be6 Qc8+ ]
5a)
Alexey Dreev vs Sergey Karjakin
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part VI.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Sergey Karjakin vs Alexei Shirov, Odessa, 2010
6k1/5p1R/p5p1/2p1b3/2pr4/2q2PP1/P3Q1K1/7R w - - 0 1
[ Rh8+ if Bxh8 Qe8+ or if Kg7 Qxe5+ ]
b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Evgeny Bareev, Mainz, 2010
5nk1/1p4p1/p1p1p2p/PrN1P1qP/1P1P2Q1/8/6P1/5RK1 w - - 0 1
[ Rxf8+ Kxf8 Nxe6+ ]
c)
Sergey Karjakin vs Peter Heine Nielsen, Beijing, 2011
r2qr1k1/pp3p2/6pp/n1pb4/3b1P2/5B1N/PPP3PP/R1BQ1R1K w - - 1 0
[ Bxd5 Qxd5 c3 ]
d)
Sergey Karjakin vs Alexander Grischuk, Astana, 2012
2r2n1k/4bq2/p6p/1r1pPp2/3P1P2/2BQ2RP/1P5K/6R1 w - - 1 0
[ Qxf5 if Qe6 Rg8+ or if Qxf5 Rg8+ mates ]
e)
Black mates in 4.
Anuar Ismagambetov vs Sergey Karjakin, Astana, 7/6/2012
1k6/p3qp1p/PB2p3/3bb3/2R1nP2/1Q6/1P4rP/5R1K b - - 0 1
[ ...Ng3+ if Qxg3 or hxg3 Rxg3+ ]
6b)
Sergey Karjakin vs Evgeny Bareev
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part VII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Viktor Bologan vs Sergey Karjakin, Astana, 2012
r2b1r2/pp3pk1/6p1/3Np1N1/4B3/2PP4/PP6/6RK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rh8+ Kg2 Bxg5 ]
b)
Liren Ding vs Sergey Karjakin, Beijing, 2012
4r2k/pp4p1/2p5/4P2p/4Qnq1/8/PP4PP/4R1NK b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxe5 ]
c)
White mates in 6.
Sergey Karjakin vs Dmitry Frolyanov, Moscow, 2013
3q2bk/6b1/2p4p/p7/1pP1Q3/3B4/PPP5/1K5R w - - 1 0
[ Rxh6+ if Bxh6 Qe5+ Bg7 Qh5+ ]
d)
White mates in 3.
Sergey Karjakin vs Quang Liem Le, Beijing, 2013
5r1k/Q4b1p/5pp1/2p1pN2/4P3/2P3RP/1q3PPK/8 w - - 1 0
[ Qe7 if Kg8 Qxf6 ]
e)
Hikaru Nakamura vs Sergey Karjakin, Stavanger, 2013
2r1r1k1/1p1q1ppp/4b3/1N1pP3/4n1P1/Pn1QP2P/1B4B1/3R1RK1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nbc5 if Qe2 Ng3 ]
7c)
mate in 6
Sergey Karjakin vs Dmitry Frolyanov
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part VIII.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Black mates in 3.
Fabiano Caruana vs Sergey Karjakin, Moscow, 2013
r1r3k1/5ppp/4p3/qb1pPPP1/1p6/1P1NbR1P/P3Q1B1/1K1R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Bxd3+ if Rxd3 Rc1+ ]
b)
Wang Yue vs Sergey Karjakin, Beijing, 2013
r1q1k2r/p3ppb1/1p1p3p/3Pn3/3N2pQ/1P4P1/P3PPKP/R1BR4 b kq - 0 1
[ ...Ng6 Qh5 Bxd4 Rxd4 Qc3 ]
c)
Black mates in 2.
Teimour Radjabov vs Sergey Karjakin, Beijing, 2013
4r1k1/1b3p2/1P4r1/6n1/5q2/3Q1P2/5KP1/1RR1BB2 b - - 0 1
[ ...Nh3+ ]
d)
White mates in 4.
Sergey Karjakin vs Teimour Radjabov, Berlin, 2015
6rk/p3Q1bp/4p3/1q1p4/3PpP1B/1P2P3/P6P/6RK w - - 1 0
[ Bf6 if h5 Rxg7 ]
e)
Bogdan-Daniel Deac vs Sergey Karjakin, Medias, 2017
2r3k1/p5pp/1p1Bpn2/8/3Pq3/1P2P1P1/P2Q3P/5RK1 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Rc2 ]
8b)
Wang Yue vs Sergey Karjakin
Sergey Karjakin Puzzles, Part IX.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
White mates in 3.
Sergey Karjakin vs Kamil Miton, Riyadh, 2017
q1rnr3/1b1R1pkp/1p6/p3N2p/P1P4Q/4p2P/5PPK/1B6 w - - 1 0
[ 1.Qg5+ if 1...Kf8 2.Rxf7+ or if 1...Kh8 2.Rxf7 ]
b)
White mates in 2.
Sergey Karjakin vs Anish Giri, Riga, 2019
2r2k2/p2q2p1/2nb2p1/5p2/7Q/1B3PP1/P2B3P/3R2K1 w - - 1 0
[ Qh8+ Ke7 Bg5# ]
c)
Black mates in 2.
Ernesto Inarkiev vs Sergey Karjakin, Nazran, 2019
7k/6pp/8/1p2P1N1/3pQ3/1P4b1/q4r2/4R1K1 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Rf1+ ]
d)
Sergey Karjakin vs Wei Yi, Jerusalem, 2019
r1b5/pp2k1pQ/6Bp/6q1/2Nbp3/P7/6PP/5R1K w - - 1 0
[ 1.Rf7+ Ke6 2.Qg8 if Qxg6 3.Rxg7+ ]
e)
Vladislav Artemiev vs Sergey Karjakin, Bucharest, 2019
6k1/5pp1/p6p/8/2Pn4/P5P1/1q1B1PKP/4Q3 b - - 0 1
[ 1...Qb7+ 2.Kh3 Qd7+ 3.Kg2 Qc6+ 4.Kh3 Nf3 5.Qd1 Qd7+ ]
9d)
Sergey Karjakin vs Wei Yi
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