Test your chess: Reitstein problem 58

Black to play and win

(a good puzzle today)

-(a) solve the puzzle;

-(b) how does white win after 1…Bd8??

BP Donnelly v P Kroom 1971

Solution

This one took me a while, but when I saw it, it gave me a smile of satisfaction.

Firstly, 1…Bd8?? loses nicely to 2 Qf8+ Kg5 [] 3 Ne4+ Kh4[] 4 g3 mate. Pretty.

My attempt at the solution started with thinking that black needed to make luft for his king: so 1…Qh2+??, which I couldn't make work, so it had to be something else, and moving the Bg5 didn't help, even to e7, which prevents Qf8+. So, examine all biffs and 1…Rf3! comes to mind, and, once seen, is 'obvious'. White can't take the rook (e.g. 2 gf Bf3+ 3 Kg1 Qg4+ etc) and so must move his queen, after which the Rd8 can be taken.

Very nice.

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