Cordingley puzzle 96

White to play and win

Solution

8 out of 10 for me, if this were a school test. I got the move played, 1 d5! instantly, by an immediate comparison with Cordingley puzzle 30 which I had spent a lot of time on, being awed by the computer's choice of 1 c5!, a line opening move of which the point is very deep- but is similar- to give a white queen on the fourth rank the ability to sweep over to the queenside. I am pleased that I remembered this motif.

Less pleasing, and hence my docking of two marks, is that I didn't even look at 1 Re6, which is also good enough to win, if prosaically. I think I was just pleased to have found a pretty solution, but I should have mirrored game conditions and followed the maxim of, once you have found a good move, look for an even better one.

Also, CJS Purdy would not be proud of me: examine all smites would have found Re6, as would look for ties (his word, encompassing pins such as the f7 pawn being pinned by the Queen, and also other things like requirements to defend back ranks, etc), and examine all jump checks would have found 1 Qb4.

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