Test your chess: Reitstein problem 216

Black to play and win; or draw?; or lose?

JF Smith v AE Motyer 1961

Solution

Not too hard today, but only because desperate times require desperate measures. Threatened with mate in two ways, and with checks doing nothing, and the Bc5 pin also failing, 1…Be5! is an only move, and, as it happens, wins.

If the rook takes the bishop, then. 2…Qd1+ mates. If the bishop takes, then 2…Qf2+ and 3…Qe1 mate. So 2 Qe3 is forced, when the bishops are exchanged, and then: hg; there is no mate, with Bh7+ always being possible after Q-h file checks.

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