Cordingley puzzle 99

White to play and win

When you think you have found the solution, consider playing this as white against an engine: yes, white is winning in all lines, but black can put up resistance.

Solution

This is one of those puzzles where the solution was obvious to me: 1 Qg5, preventing any possibility of freeing by g5, followed by Nf5: and black's attempted defence was obvious too: Nb4, to try to get the N into the game: and so in the game.

Houdini shows there is more to it: 1…Bg4! with the point of defending h5, so that if 2 Nf5?? then gf. Houdini's solution to 1…Bg4! was a surprise to me- one of those moves which to me, only become obvious once you have been shown them- 2 e5!, the idea of which is, I think, simply to bring more pieces to the party.

I haven't fully explored 1…Bg4! yet: but intend to do so, but first just with pieces and board, rather than using an engine: I think there is understanding to be gained from researching this position first myself: after I have done so, I will post again.

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