Ilja Sirosh

And here’s a small puzzle before I go: Christmas tree shaped!🎄♟️
White to move and mate in 3!

Happy New Year!🎅🎉

#chess #chesspunks #Day365

That’s a wrap for 2025!♟️✨
Big thanks to everyone who followed and supported this page — I hope you enjoyed the content!🙏❤️

Unfortunately, I've decided to step away from Bluesky...
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♟DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟

Black can play 1...Bf3!(D), threatening Qg4:
- 1.Kh1 Ng4! 2.gxf3 Nxh2! 3.Kxh2 Qh6+ 4.Kg2 Qg6+ with a perpetual
- 1.gxf3 Qh3! 2.fxe4 Ng4 3.Bxg4 Qxh4+ 4.Kh1 Qf3+ also lead to a perpetual check

A nice drawing pattern!

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

The following position is from the analysis of Keymer-Wei (2025).

❓How can Black force a draw?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day364

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your attacking skills.

The following position is from Ribli-Kouatly (1985).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day363

♟DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟

White wins with a small combination:
1.Nf6+!(D) gxf6
2.Bd5! - double-attack on b3 and f7, winning the game

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your attacking skills.

The following position is from the analysis of Korchnoi-Miles (1984).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day362

♟DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟

Korchnoi finished the attack with a beautiful 1.Rc6!(D), destroying Black's defenses on the light colors:
- 1...Bxc6 2.Nxc6 Qd7 3.Bxd5 wins material
- 1...Nf6 2.Nxf7! Qxd4 3.Ng5+ Kh8 4.Bc3 forced Black's resignation

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your tactical skills.

The following position is from Korchnoi-Huebner (1981).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day361

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your understanding of the hanging pawns positions.

The following position is from the analysis of Korchnoi-Huebner (1981).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day360

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

A strong move for White is 1.Qa4!(D), threatening Nxd7 (winning the d5-pawn) or Nc6 (winning the bishop pair).

If Black plays 1...Nxe5, then after 2.dxe5 Ne4 3.Nxe4 dxe4 4.Rfd1, White is clearly better thanks to more active pieces and a weak e4-pawn.

Nope

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your understanding of the Queen's Indian positions.

The following position is from the analysis of Korchnoi-Huebner (1981).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day359

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

Black draws with the classic checks-from-the-front method:
1…Rh8! 2.b4 Ke6! 3.Rd3 Rb8!(D).

White can’t push the pawn without the king, and any king move runs into frontal checks.

Instead, 1…Ke6? loses to 2.Rd8! Rh7 3.b4!

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your rook endgame skills.

The following position is from Gukesh-Anand (2025).

❓What would you play with Black here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day358

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins with a simple but elegant 1.Bf7!(D), when a threat of Qg6+ followed by Qxh6# exploiting the pin is unstoppable.

1.Bf5+ Kg8 2.Qg6 doesn't threaten much... Black can play 2...Nc5, for example. Then 3.Qh7+ Kf7 4.Bg6 Ke7 5.Bxg7 Qg8! looks very unclear.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your attacking skills.

The following position is from Sindarov-Pragg (2025).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day357

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins by activating the queen with 1.Bh7+ Kh8 2.Qf5!(D)

The h5-bishop is hanging 2...g6 is met with 3.Nxf7+ Kxh7 4.Qxe6 winning material.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your tactical skills.

The following position is from Caruana-Anand (2025).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day356

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins with a simple 1.f4!(D)

After 1...Ng6 2.Rc4, Black's queen is trapped.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

The following position is from Lagno-Hou (2025).

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day355

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins material with an elegant 1.Bd5+!(D).

Now 1...Rxd5 runs into the intermediate 2.Qxc4! bxc4 3.Rxd5 with an extra exchange for White.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your tactical skills.

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day354

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

Black wins by forcing a winning pawn endgame:
1...h2! 2.Rxh2 (2.Kg2 Kc3 -+)
2...Rxh2 3.Kxh2 Kc3(D) and Black will win the f3-pawn and the game!

For example:
4.Kh3 Kd3
5.Kh4!? (5.Kg4 Ke3 -+) Ke2!
6.Kg4 Ke3 with a mutual zugzwang position.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your endgame skills.

❓What would you play with Black here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day353

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins by forcing a zugzwang with 1.Kf2!(D):
- 1...Kh3 2.Rh5#
- 1...gxf3 2.Kxf3 and the f4-pawn falls
- 1...Rb8 2.b7 asks Black to move again
- 1...g3+ 2.Kg2 Rb8 3.b7 is a decisive zugzwang and White wins

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE♟️

Test your rook endgame skills.

❓What would you play with White here?🤔

Drop your answers in the comments!👇

#chess #chesspunks #Day352

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

White wins with a study-like maneuver: carefully bringing the king to d7!
1.Ka6!(D) (1.Kb6?? Be3!=) Kg4
2.Kb7! Kf3
3.Kc8! (or 3.Kc7!) Ke2
4.Kd7! (threatening c6-c7-c8)

And if 4...Bd2 5.c6! Ba5 6.Nc4, the bishop runs out of squares and the pawn gets promoted.

♟️DAILY CHESS PUZZLE: SOLUTION♟️

The only drawing move is 1.Rd2!(D), when Black cannot improve the position:
- 1...Ke5 2.Rd5+! drops the h5-pawn
- 1...Rb7 2.Rd1 continues waiting strategy
- 1...Rc8+ 2.Kd4 d5 3.Rb2!, strong b-pawn secures enough counter-play