Test your chess: Reitstein problem 101

White to play and win

J Tsalicolgou v J Sadan 1980

Solution

Consider all biffs means that 1 Re7+ is virtually the first move that I thought of, when 1…Be7[] 2 Re1 Qd8[] 3 Qg6+ Rf7[] 4 Qf7 mate.

Not much more to say, except to say that there is a certain falseness in solving these puzzles, especially with Reitstein's background comments. Here, he said that white played 1 Rde1 and won eventually, but missed a way to end the game immediately. This points to the different between real play and problem solving: the former is far harder, and the latter is mere pseudo-practice for it.

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