Test your chess: Reitstein problem 114

Black to play and win

FN Barnett v G Dean 1961

Solution

On one level, fairly straightforward, and Reitstein doesn't give much detail in the answer: 1…Rd5! (examine all biffs) has to be looked at, and after the move played in the game, 2 cd, 2…Bd5 is decisive, and simply so.

White loses his queen, and there is no perpetual check.

A better defence is to decline the rook by 1 Rf7+! Then, 1…Kg8?, pretending to be safe, is a blunder, with equality after 2 Rg7+ Kf8 (2…Kh8?? 3 Rh7 and white wins) 3Rh7 Rd2![] with equality. Instead, black must play 1…Bf7! when 2 cd Qf5 is, according to the engines, -6 or so, but it looks more uncertain to me: plenty of scope to mess up if playing black against Carlsen. I can too why it is stated to be winning (3 d6 Qc5) but some scope to mess up.

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