Happy Summer Vacation from Benko!

Kick off the summer with these checkmate puzzles composed by GM Pal Benko. Can you solve all six?

Puzzle #1: Sum

White to move and checkmate in 3 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #1"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/6Kp/5Q2/6P1/7N/5Bk1/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "5"]1. Bh5 Kxh4 2. Qf3 Kxg5 3. Qg4# *[/pgn]

Puzzle #2: Vac

White to move and checkmate in 3 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #2"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/1R3K2/2k1N3/3R4/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "5"]1. Rdb4 Kd5 2. Ke7 $1 Kxe5 3. R6b5# *[/pgn]

Puzzle #3: SV1

White to move and checkmate in 2 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #3"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/8/8/2p5/4p3/1Nk1N3/Q3K3 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]1. Nd3 $1 Kxd3 (1... cxd3 2. Qa2#) (1... Kb3 2. Nd4#) 2. Qb1# *[/pgn]

Puzzle #4: SV2

White to move and checkmate in 2 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #4"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "b7/5p2/5R1K/4k2N/8/3Q4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]1. Ng3 Bd5 (1... Be4 2. Qd6#) (1... Kxf6 2. Qd6#) 2. Qc3# *[/pgn]

Puzzle #5: SV3

White to move and checkmate in 2 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #5"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/4K2B/4pp2/2pPk3/2P1P2R/8/1b6/3Q4 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]1. Qe1 $1 Kd4 (1... Bd4 2. Qg3#) (1... Bc1 2. Qc3#) (1... exd5 2. exd5#) (1... f5
2. exf5#) 2. e5# *[/pgn]

Puzzle #6: SV4

White to move and checkmate in 2 moves.

Show Solution

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Puzzle #6"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/4B3/1p2B1K1/4k3/4p3/7Q/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "3"]1. Qa2 Kd3 (1... e2 2. Qxe2#) (1... Kf3 2. Bd5#) (1... b4 2. Qd5#) 2. Bf5# *[/pgn]