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La Bourdonnais' Curious Positions
From Louis-Charles de La Bourdonnais New Treatise on the Game of Chess

Louis-Charles de La Bourdonnais (1797-1840), widely considered the unofficial world champion in the 1830s, wrote one book : 'Nouveau Traité du Jeux des Echecs' ('New Treatise on the Game of Chess'). The book covers chess fundamentals -- openings, simple endgames -- and other topics for beginners. The longest chapter, 'Positions curieuses' ('Curious positions'), was a collection of 60 tactical examples which La Bourdonnais considered particularly interesting.

Click on a thumbnail for a larger board and the solution to the puzzle. Solutions are between the brackets on each puzzle. Use your mouse to drag your cursor between the brackets and reveal the answer. There are five pages with 12 positions per page, making a total of 60 positions. Most, but not all, are White to play and win.

025
025
Black to play and win
Solution: [ 1...Rh3+ 2.Kxh3 Qg2+ 3.Kh4 Qxh2+ 4.Kg5 Qh6# ]

025
026
026
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Qh8+ Rxh8 2.Nf6+ Kg7 3.Nxd7+ Qc3 4.Bxc3+ Kh7 5.Rf7+ Kg8 6.Rg7# ]

026
027
027
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Rf8+ Nc8 2.Qxb7+ Kxb7 3.a6+ Kb8 4.Nc6+ Ka8 5.Rxc8# ]

027
028
028
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.g3 b3 2.h3 g6+ 3.Kxf6 g5 4.Kf5 g4 5.hxg4# ]

028
029
029
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Qg8+ Kxg8 2.Ne7+ Kh8 3.Nf7+ Rxf7 4.Rxc8+ Rf8 5.Rxf8# ]

029
030
030
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Nd7+ Rxd7 2.Qe5+ Qxe5 3.Rxa7 Nc7 4.bxc7+ Rxc7 5.Ra8# ]

030
031
031
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Qh6 Qf8 2.Qxh7+ Kxh7 3.Rh1+ Qh6 4.Rxh6+ Kxh6 5.Rh1# ]

031
032
032
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Nh6+ Kh8 2.Nf7+ Kg8 3.Qxg7+ Kxg7 4.Rh7+ Kg8 5.Nh6# ]

032
033
033
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Rf8+ Kg7 2.Bh6+ Kxh6 3.Rg8 a2 4.Rh5+ Bxh5 5.g5# ]

033
034
034
White forces Black to mate in 5
Solution: [ 1.Rg8+ Kh4 2.Bg5+ Kg4 3.Ng1+ Nxd1 4.Be3+ Kh4 5.Bf2+ Nxf2# ]

034
035
035
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Nb3+ (faster than 1.Nc6+ Ka6 2.Nxb8+) 1...Ka6 2.Nc5+ Ka5 3.Bc3 Be5+ 4.Rb8+ Bxc3 5.b4+ Bxb4 6.axb4# ]

035
036
036
White to play and win
Solution: [ 1.Rg5+ (faster than 1.Nh3+ Kh1 2.Nf2+ Kg1 3.Rg5+ Bxg5 4.Nh3+ Kh1 5.Bxc6 Qg1 6.Qf1) 1...Bxg5 2.Nh3+ Kh1 3.Bxc6 Qg1 4.Qf1 c1=Q 5.Nf2+ Kh2 6.Qh3# ]

036

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