Another puzzle for an easy Reitstein day

White to play and win

 

 

I Saric v T Nabaty Warsaw 2013

Seen in Chess magazine

 

Solution

 

At first, I was bemused by the odd constellation of pieces, with the B somehow on a7, and the N on e1: I thought the position was simply winning for white, a piece up in a variety of ways, before realising that black was the exchange and a pawn up. Poor of me. Less poor was that despite my mis-counting, I immediately saw 1 Bf7+!, knowing that the Rf8 was tied to defending the Q, so that black's only two alternatives are 1…Kh8 and 1…Kf7.

If 1…Kh8, 2 Ne5 is crushing with black's only try being 2…g5 to give luft to the king, but then 3 Bd4 is horrible.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, 1…Kf7 2 Ne5+ Ke6[] (2…Ke7 just invites white to improve his bishop, 3 Bc5+ Ke6[]) 3 Qg4+ Ke5 4 Qg7+ Ke6.

 

 

Here, my analysis ended, appraising the situation as clearly winning, and I think that is right. I would always play 5 Re1 here, but for some reason, which I can't fathom, Stockfish strongly prefers 5. Qg6+ first! suggesting that 5…Ke5 6 Re1 is a far improved version as compared with 5 Re1. Personally, I don't see it (and if readers can explain why, perhaps they would like to comment).