Test your chess: Reitstein problem 82

White to play and win

AO Lewinberg v M Euwe 1955

Solution

White missed the chance to beat Max Euwe: 1 Rb8, and the queen is overloaded. If 1…Qa7, 1…Qd7, 1…Qe7, 1…Qf7, then 2 Qg2 or 2 Kg2 wins a piece, since 2…Re5?? 3 Qg6 mate. So 1…f4 2 Qg4 Qf7 3 Bg7! wins the exchange. Or 1…f4 2 Qd3+ and if Qe4 or Be4, Qd8 mates. All the above as in Reitstein's book.

When I entered the position into Stockfish in order to write up the blog, the engine showed 1 Re8! as even better. Probably it is right, its point being 1…Re8 2 Qg6+ and Qe8+, the Re8 being LPDO; then Qg6+ and Qg2: it is 'simpler'.

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