'Tactics in the Sicilian' series



Here are some chess puzzles from the games of Alexander Kotov.
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)
Alexander Kotov vs Mikhail Yudovich, Leningrad, 1939
2r1b3/pp3p1p/1n3k2/2q2N2/2P1r3/1B4Q1/P5PP/3R3K w - - 0 1
[ Rd6+ if Kxf5 Qf3+ Rf4 Qh5+ mates ]

b)
Alexander Kotov vs Vladimir Alatortsev, Moscow, 1942
6k1/3r1pp1/1p5q/p2b4/PnBP1Q2/1P6/6PP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Re8+ Kh7 Qf5+ Qg6 Qh3+ Qh6 Qxd7 ]

c)
Alexander Kotov vs Nikolay Kopylov, Moscow, 1949
r4rk1/p4ppp/2p1pn2/qp3b2/3P4/PQn1PPB1/P2N2PP/R3KB1R w - - 0 1
[ Bd6 if Ncd5 Bxf8 or if Rfd8 Bb4 ]

d)
White mates in 8.
Alexander Kotov vs Andor Lilienthal, Budapest, 1950
5k2/p3Npb1/n6p/1Q6/1P2r3/P7/1qpR1PPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 1
[ Rd8+ Kxe7 Rxe4+ if Kxd8 Re8+ ]

e)
Alexander Chistiakov vs Alexander Kotov, Moscow, 1952
8/p5pk/2p1p1rn/2P1Pq2/1P3P1p/2P3P1/P2Q2RP/6K1 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qb1+ Kf2 h3 if Rg1 Ng4+ ]

1b)
Alexander Kotov vs Vladimir Alatortsev

Alexander Kotov Puzzles, Part II.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
S Kogan vs Alexander Kotov, Moscow, 1952
r5k1/p4pb1/6q1/2pPp3/2P1n1pR/PQ2P3/4B1K1/3R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf6 Rxg4 Qf2+ if Kh3 Qxe2 Rxe4 Qf3+ ]

b)
Gosta Stoltz vs Alexander Kotov, Saltsjobaden, 1952
6r1/Qp5k/8/3p3p/5q2/1P3p1B/P6P/5N1K b - - 0 1
[ ..f2 if Bg2 Qf3 ]

c)
Alexander Kotov vs Sultan Khalibeili, Yerevan, 1955
2r3k1/1p1q1pb1/p4np1/3pB1N1/3P3Q/P3R3/1P3PP1/6K1 w - - 0 1
[ Bxf6 Bxf6 Qh7+ Kf8 Ne6+ if Ke8 Nc5+ ]

d)
Alexander Kotov vs Jens Enevoldsen, Joenkoeping, 1958
r3k2r/p2qbp2/n3p2p/2pPPnp1/Pp3NQ1/4BN2/1P3PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 1
[ dxe6 fxe6 Rfd1 if Qc8 Qh5+ w/Ng6+ ]

e)
Alexander Kotov vs Yu Kots, Moscow, 1964
1r1r1k2/R7/1p4Rp/1Nn1b3/3p3P/3P2P1/4PPK1/8 w - - 0 1
[ f4 if Bh8 Rh7 ]

2a)
S Kogan vs Alexander Kotov

Alexander Kotov Puzzles, Part III.
The color disk on the diagram indicates who moves first.
a)
Rajko Bogdanovic vs Alexander Kotov, Sarajevo, 1966
rr4k1/2q2p2/5Bpp/8/p2NQ3/P1P5/6PP/1R5K b - - 0 1
[ ...Qf4 ]

b)
Levente Lengyel vs Alexander Kotov, Sochi, 1967
q5k1/p4pbn/1p2b1p1/1Q2p1Pp/2r1P3/B1N2N1P/PP3P2/1K1R4 b - - 0 1
[ ...Rxc3 if bxc3 Qxe4+ ]

c)
Black mates in 6.
Felix Ignatiev vs Alexander Kotov, URS, 1967
r5k1/p3Brb1/3p2p1/3Pp3/q3B3/1n1P2P1/1P5Q/1K1R3R b - - 0 1
[ ...Bh6 if Qxh6 (or Bxd6) Qa1+ Kc2 Nd4+ Kc3 Rc8+ ]

3c)
mate in 6
Felix Ignatiev vs Alexander Kotov

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