Test your chess: Reitstein problem 30
White to play and win
J Gluckman v S Steel, 1987
Solution
I find rook and pawn endings difficult to calculate. Perhaps it is because the open board means there are too many possibilities. Here, the first two moves are obvious, what I found hard was to visualise to the end. Eventually I got there: 1 Rh7+ Kg8 ( Kf8 is similar- 2 Rh8+) 2Rd7 f2 2 Rc8 f1(Q) 3 Rg8+! Kg8[] 4 c8(Q)+.
The above was as far as I could visualise from the initial position: 'might be a win' and 'can't be losing' were my assessments. In fact, with this position on the board, it can be seen to be winning. One particular point is 4…Qf8 5 Qe6+ Kg7 (Kh8 6 Qh3+! and 7 Qh7 mate) 6 Qd7+! planning 7 Qh7 mate. So black is forced to play 4…Kg7 when white checks the queen closer, than plays Qh7+, then the pawn promotes.
A good exercise.
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allanbeardsworth 
I can’t imagine the black queen just sitting there. Perhaps some chance of a draw might be introduced by:
4. c8(Q)+ Qf8
5. Qe6+ Kh8
6. Qe5+ Qg7
from there black may be able to fend off attacks temporarily at least. Might be helpful if White is in time trouble. But I suspect White should eventually win.
Marvin
in your line, 5…Kh8 loses to a nice switch by the queen, to the h file. 6 Qh3+ and Qh7 mate next move.
Allan
“I see, said the blind carpenter, as he picked up his hammer and saw.”
Cool. Thanks!