Test your chess: Reitstein problem 219

Black to play and win

L Wilken v S Driman 1949

Solution

There are several candidate moves, such as Qh1+, Ne3+, Rf2+, but the one which stands out is 1…Nf2!

After 2 Bf2[] the obvious move is 2…Qh1+, but 2…Bg4! locks white's king in the box, with inevitable mate. In the game, black missed 2…Bg4, playing 2…Qh1+ and 3…Qg4+ and winning prosaically.

Stockfish adds a spoiler: it says 1…Ne3+! is even stronger, though it is only a question of degree, with both it and 1…Nf2 winning decisively. It gives 1…Nf2+ 2 Bh7+ Kh8 3 Ke2 as a better way for white to grovel: probably, the two first moves are equally good.

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