The week’s instalment of Checkmate Monday features the checkmating queens.
Start your week with some checkmating practice, with positions from the games of the three Polgar sisters, as part of our ongoing celebrations for the 2021 International Women’s Day, which included more examples from Judit’s games in our post on Friday.
Some of the checkmates are easier and faster than others and there are no clues from me!
Today’s victims include the 12th World Champion, Anatoly Karpov, and Yasser Seirawan, one of our most popular Chessable authors. Can you match the skills of the checkmating queens?
Highlight the space underneath each of the position to reveal the answers.
Cathy Forbes – Sofia Polgar
Novi Sad Olympiad, 1990
Black to Play
32…d4+ 33. cxd4 Nd5 checkmate.
Yasser Seirawan – Judit Polgar
Amber Rapid, 1993
Black to Play
25…Nf3+ 28. Kf2 Qxh2+ and Yasser resigned, due to 29.Kxf3 Bg4+ 30.Kxg4 Qh5 checkmate.
Zsuzsa Polgar – Hans Duistermaat
Utrecht 1986
White to Play
38.Qh6+ and Black resigned, due to the forced 38…Kg8 39.Nxf6 checkmate.
Jean Luc Costa – Judit Polgar
Biel, 1987
Black to Play
22…Qf3+ and White resigned, due to the inevitable 23.Kc1 Nb3 checkmate.
Zsuzsa Polgar – Anatoly Karpov
Roquebrune 1992
White to Play
36.Qh7 checkmate.
Judit Polgar – Isabelle Kientzler
Rio Gallegos, 1986
White to play
34.Ne7 checkmate, exploiting the pin on the rook.
Chessable Course
If you enjoyed the games from the checkmating queens, you may like to know that there are many more beautiful checkmating patterns in our course, The Checkmate Patterns Manual, by International Master John Bartholomew and CraftyRaf. This course won third place in our Chessable Awards for 2020.
There is a shortened, free version of the course here.
Don’t forget to pick up a bargain in our 2021 International Women’s Day sale!
