Test your chess: daily chess puzzle

Black to play: how to defend the Pb7?

Cau- AWB, 3 min blitz, ICC 2014

Solution

This is just a quick follow on from yesterday's puzzle. I made the mistake of responding to the threat by 1…b6??, to be floored by the response 2 Rd7!- see my posting.

Of course, it was only fast blitz, but the lesson here is to follow CJS Purdy's advice and, at least for a moment, presume the threat can't possibly be executed, what would you then want to play?

Here, that leads to 1…Be8! exploiting the back rank threats to white's king. The pawn doesn't need defending.

Insightful and instructive, showing yet again the value of the Purdy principles.

Posted with Blogsy