BRILLIANT Chess Puzzle that Only a SELECT FEW Can Solve!

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In this video, GM Igor Smirnov shows you one of the most super-cool and brilliant chess puzzles ever! This puzzle is really difficult. Even the world champion Magnus Carlsen might not be able to solve it – if you ever meet him, ask him to try it out.

We can see that the white king is vulnerable on the h6-square and that the black king is somewhat exposed as well. Black has a huge material advantage as he is an exchange up and has two extra pawns. But, in a crazy position like this, the material advantage cannot be the most decisive factor.

Because there are so many hanging pieces and the kings are in danger, you know that you have to do something that is really forcing to stay in the game. And calculating a forced variation in such a position is a super difficult task. But, can you give a try?

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33 Comments

  1. What if after Rg8 black plays Ng7? How do we continue than?

  2. What if after Rg8 black plays Ng7? How do we continue than?

  3. This is actually played in a game between two grandmasters.. so ofcourse Carleen can solve it

  4. Rg6# then the queen on b1 would penetrate easily

  5. 3:18. If Rxd1 then we play Rg6+ then fxg6 forced but now Qxg6#. The answer of the puzzle if rook captured the knight.

  6. 1:38 double attack on Nd1 and Na5, but White can save Nd1, because if Black took the other, he would lose his Rook [EDIT2 (very late) it was my mistake, because of …Rd6+ Black would gain one tempo; but the endgame would be Q vs R+N]

    EDIT beautiful puzzle solution!

  7. i have never seen this endgame puzzle its very amazing, i am not a grandmaster by any means, thank you for sharing

  8. Question: what if the first move that white plays is Nxc6? How does black defend against Rh8#?

  9. Ah Igor, that was amazing!
    I so loved the rampaging knight at the end there; it actually had me laughing out loud for several seconds! Gobbling up so many pieces in succession; Wonderful.
    I mustn’t underrate the knight, as (unlike me!) he doesn’t think in straight lines; this can be powerful (plus of course only he can jump over pieces, only he can’t be blocked).
    Thanks for sharing!

  10. What if black plays 2….Kd6 instead if 2…Kf6.

  11. Will someone please tell me how this is not a winning combination: 1. Rh8+ Ke7 2. Rxd8 (Nxd8 or Rxd8) 3. Qf5 …

  12. I thought this puzzle was for mate but stockfish says to sac the queen and go for a rook knight vs queen knight endgame which is still wining but only +4, still a nice puzzle though

  13. The video title should be how to be mikhail tal

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