Test your chess: Reitstein problem 63

Black to play and win

Solution

A few weeks back, I posted a blog of a very similar puzzle, and for anyone who has read that posting, the solution to this problem should be easily attainable.

I played the Philidor as black several years ago in countless blitz games, and on numerous occasions reached positions materially similar to the present problem, which meant I could immediately recognise the solution. In this line, white has sacrificed his white squared bishop on f7, followed up with Nf3-g5+-e6-c7-*Ra8, being met by Qd8-e8-g6-g2 and then an explosion of his minor pieces, Ng4, Bh4, Be6-c4: in blitz, white in my experience normally collapsed quickly, either losing his Rf1 or being mated. So here, the mate was more or less immediately found.

The Heidenfeld-Wolpert game is in Megabase 2012, so the attached game file gives some analysis of the line.

http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2014/2/8/Game1870510687.html

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