Test your chess: Reitstein problem 196

Black to play and win

A good exercise: try to be precise

N du Pissanie v C Wolpe 1976

Solution

I felt that 1…Rf3! 2 gf[] Rh2 was the solution, and this indeed is Reitstein's solution.

I saw 3 Qb6! but felt that black would eventually win, which indeed he would.

After 3…ab 4 Kh2[] the above position is reached, and after say 4…h5 5 Rfe1 (threatening Re8+) Kf7 6 Re3, black will push his pawns and, barring a mishap, will win. 'Barring a mishap' means: in practice, I could fritter away the advantage.

Reitstein doesn't give the fairly obvious 3 Qb6, instead showing how white loses after 3 Kh2: fairly trivial, check, check., check…3…Qh4+ 4 Kg2 Qh3+ 5 Kg1 Qg3+ (the f pawn is pinned) and mate follows.

How can black play more accurately?

Solution

1…Rf3! 2 gf[] Rh3!! is a gloriously quiet move which is devastating. Of course, I didn't see it: Stockfish showed me, as I was entering the position in order to create this blog.

Stockfish says that white's best here is Qb6, and when such a move is best, you know white is bust. The difference of course is that the Q is lost whilst Black still retains his R. If instead 3 Rae1 (say) then 3…Rg3+ 4 Kh1 Rh3 5 Re8+ Kf7 6 Rc8 Qf4 (or Qe5) and the game is over. (Stockfish prefers 6…Qe5 to 6…Qf4, but only because after the latter white can sacrifice everything to get the Qs off: 7 Rf8+ and 8 Qb4+, but it is hopeless.

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