Test your chess: Reitstein problem 73

White to play and win

Black's last move, the last move before the time control, was Bf6*g5.

W Heidenfeld v KV Grivainis 1957

Solution

Fairly straightforward, I think. If it were a time scramble, then maybe you would play 1 fg?, but with time to think, I think most players would be cautious about freeing the black pieces: 1…Qh2+ 2 Kf1[] Rd5 and 3…Rf5, and white is better, but the game still has to be won.

So, better the zwischenzug 1 Rb7! (I saw this immediately, but had it not been obvious, Purdy's consider all biffs would have included fg, Qg6+?? Qc6+?? Rc6?? and Rb7) which takes the wind out of black's sails. Two rooks and a queen come off, then the bishop, and the win is trivial thereafter. Either the c6 pawn will drop off, and the pawns roll, or the Bf2 will be activated, and it will be murder on the dark squares.

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