Chess Tactics: Study 1 – Mate in 2

I have written previously that tactics is a very important part of chess. In fact many chess games are being resolved due to some form of tactics: sacrifice, fork, pin, double attack, skewer, etc. Therefore, regularly practicing tactics will not only allow you to play better attacking chess, but will also make you see things your opponent is planning to do and hopefully to prevent it. You already may know that it is possible to solve tactical problems on this website by going here; these are pretty straightforward positions which are not very hard to solve.

The problems posted below are not exactly your ordinary tactical puzzles. The main difference is that you need to find the way to mate in the specified number of moves. Many of them are really easy to solve without this limitation. But they are very hard to solve in required number of moves, so our goal is to obey this rule. This week’s tactical studies will only include “mate in 2” problems. If you think it’s too easy, think again.  The solutions and next 7 problems will be posted next week. Good Luck.

#1 S. Lloyd “Sunny South” 1885. White to move and mate in 2.

#2 A. Galitsky “Niva” 1905. White to move and mate in 2.

#3 L. Cubel “Narodni Listy” 1903 White to move and mate in 2.

#4 M. Marble, G.Battman “Pittsburg Gassete Times” 1915. White to move and mate in 2.

#5 G. Vennink “Good Campanion” 1917. White to move and mate in 2.

#6 P. Leopold “Deutshe Schachzeitung” 1923. White to move and mate in 2.

#7 A. Kramer “Bohumer Anzeiger” 1926. White to move and mate in 2.

Solutions