Test your chess: daily chess puzzle

Black to play and win

A calculation exercise. Try and find a clear and clean win.

Alana L'Ami – Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, 4/10/14, Isle of Man

Solution

The conclusion of a nicely played round one pairing. I had logged on to Playchess to watch Mickey Adams and Nigel Short, but to fill the screen, added one or two others. MVL had gained the advantage when I logged on, but converted what might have become messy by very simple means, and here he converted neatly.

I suspect around here, and perhaps before, he saw 'everything' because he played all his remaining moves instantly. Watching live, I couldn't keep up, and each time as I calculated and almost got there, he moved: showing to me the great class difference. The top players really do play a different game.

1…Rg2! 2 Kg2 Qe4+ 3 Kh3 Be6+ 4 g4 Qf3+ 5 Rg3 (5 Kh4 g5+! 6 Kg5 Qf6+ 7 Kh5 Qh6 mate)

…and whilst I was calculating 5….Qf1+ 6 Kh4 g5+ and 7 Rg2 Bg4+, MVL played the far better 5….Bg4+!

If 6 Kh4 black can choose either g5+/Qf5+/Qh5mate or Qf6+/Qf5+/Qh5 mate, both equally nice and efficient.

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