Test your chess: daily chess puzzle # 73

White to play and win

CC De Villiers v T Gannholm 1974

Solution

Since the position is 'messy', a bit of work is needed to find the answer, though it isn't too hard. 1 Rh7+! and only one recapture, 1..Nh7, makes sense (though 1…Qh7 2 Qf8 needs a glance: white wins because 3 Ng6+ is coming, with the Ne5 also defending the Bd3). Then after 1…Nh7, 2 Ng6+ Kg7[] 3 Qe7+, the point is that next (after 3…Rf7) white plays 4 Qe5+, removing his queen from attack, after which black's queen can be taken, and the rest is a mop up.

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