Queen Pawn Opening Mastery (…e6 set-ups)

The 20 Training Questions

GM Susan Polgar

Question 1.

White to play.

White has a winning

combination.

Can you find it?

Question 2.

White to play.

Should White capture on e5 with

the Bishop or the pawn?

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Question 3.

White to play.

White has a winning attack here

too.

What should he play?

Question 4.

White to play.

How should White continue the

attack?

2
Question 5.

White to play.

What is the best development

plan for White?

Question 6.

White to play.

How should White continue in

this position?

3
Question 7.

White to play.

Black just played Qb6 attacking

the b2 pawn.

How should White respond?

Question 8.

White to play.

What is the strongest move?

4
Question 9.

White to play.

Can you find a sacrificial idea for

White?

Question 10.

White to play.

How should White respond to

…g6?

5
Question 11.

White to play.

White wants to attack on the

Kingside but needs to improve
his pieces first.

What should his next move be?

Question 12.

White to play.

Any tactics here?

6
Question 13.

White to play.

How can White win in this

position?

Question 14.

White to play.

Black just played Ng6.

How did Carlsen respond to this

move?

7
Question 15.

White to play.

White made a very strong and

unexpected move in this
position.

Can you find it?

Question 16.

White to play.

Black just played Qb6 attacking

b2 and d4.

How should White deal with this?

8
Question 17.

White to play.

How can White finish the game?

Question 18.

White to play.

White has a strong continuation

here.

Can you find it?

9
Question 19.

Black to play.

Is it possible to capture the pawn

with Qxb2?

Question 20.

Black to play.

How should Black deal with the

threat of Nc7+?

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 The Solutions

1 White wins with 13.Bxh7+! Kxh7 14.Nxf7! Rxf7 15.Qh5+ Kg8 16.g6 Nf6 (Rf6
17.Qh7+ Kf8 18.Qh8 mate) 17.gxf7+ Kf8 18.Qg6.

2 It’s better to capture with the pawn 10.dxe5, kicking the Knight from f6.

3 Again 12.Bxh7+! is a winning sacrifice Kxh7 13.Qh5+ Kg8 14.Nf3 f6. (See next
puzzle).

4 With 15.Ng5! fxg5 16.hxg5 opening the h-file with a decisive attack. 16…Rf5
17.Qh7+ Kf7 18.g6+ Ke8 19.Qxg7 Bf8 20.Qg8 with the follow up g4 and then
g7, winning.

5 White should bring the Queen to the Kingside with 8.Qf3! then Qh3 to put
pressure on h7.

6 With the sacrifice 18.Nxf7! and if Kxf7 19.Qxh7+ Kf6 20.g4 g5 21.Bxg5+! Kxg5
22.h4+ Kf6 23.g5 mate. In the game, play continued 18…Bh4 19.Bg3 Kxf7
20.Bxh4 (Qxh4!) with advantage for White.

7 The best move is 5.Nc3 and if Qxb2? 6.Nb5! Na6 7.a3! with the idea of trapping
the Queen with Bc4 and Ra2.

8 With 10.Bc4! Qxc4 11.Nxd6+ winning the Queen.

9 With 12.Nxd6! Qxd6 13.Bb5! and White is winning thanks to the discovered
attack on the Black Queen. If 13…Kf8 14.Ng6+ or 13…Nc6 14.Nxc6.

10 The sacrifice 9.Nxg6! fxg6 10.Qe5 Rg8 11.Qxe6+ and Qxg8 winning.

11 White should bring his Queen into the attack with 18.Qe3 eyeing the h6
square, with the idea of Bf4.

12 19.Rxc5! Bxc5 (Qxc5 20.Nxe6 fxe6 21.Qg6 Rf5 22.g4+-) 20.Bxh6! gxh6 21.Qh4
Kg7 22.Qf6 Kg8 23.Qxh6 f5 24.Qg6 Kh8 25.Nxe6 winning.

13 With 22.Rc7! Qxc7 23.Bxg7 Kxg7 24.Nxe6+ forking King and Queen.

14 Magnus took the Knight with 13.Bxg6! hxg6 14.Bxd6 Qxd6 15.Ne5, securing
the outpost for his Knight after f4.

15 Carlsen played 17.Rf1! with the idea fxe3 18.Rxf6! gxf6 19.Qg4 Kh8 20.Rf1!
exd2 21.Rf4 and mate in a few moves.

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16 The right move is 6.dxc5, solving both problems.

17 29.Rxf7! and Black resigned as 29…Rxf7 30.Rd8+ Rf8 31.Qd5+ and mate.

18 17.Nxe4 fxe4 18.Bxe4! dxe4 19.Qxe6+ Kh8 20.Rxe4 with advantage.

19 No, 8…Qxb2 loses the queen after 9.Na4!

20 The right move is 5…Nd5! and Black holds. White can force a draw with Rb1
and Ra1 or play for the win with 6.a3 a6 7.Rb1 Qa2 8.Qc1 with an unclear
position.

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