Cordingley puzzle 167 #chess

White to play and win

Solution

Not one of my better efforts. Sure, I saw the winning move- or one of the winning moves- 1 Rh1, but I discounted it after 1…Bg4, not looking hard enough. I think there is a standard thinking error here, not looking a half move deeper, giving up and looking elsewhere after first impressions.

The move I chose, very quickly, was 1 Rc8+. I was able to calculate the line deeply, and assessed the Q+P ending as winning, but Houdini tells me white is only somewhat better. I don't know: what I do know is that 1 Rh1 is far better, as are each of Houdini's 1 f5!!, 1 Qd5, 1 Rc5! (exclamation marks partly for originality).

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