Test your chess: daily chess puzzle # 77

Black to play and win

E Erwee v S Bhawoodien 1995

Solution

Funny thing, memory. I bought this book (Reitstein's second collection of chess puzzles from South Africa) in 2008, and dipped into it then. One puzzle I looked at then was this one, which I had marked as 'x' as not having found the game continuation, 1…Nc5!, and instead scribbling the question 'does 1…b5 win?‘.

Now, in 2014, I instantly saw 1….Nc5!, seeing that white's pieces are uncoordinated, pinned, and helpless, due ultimately to the jump check Rd8-d1, and also the Bd2 being tied to the Nh6. After 2 Rc5 Rd3 3 Rc2 black's best is the quiet 3…Bd7.

White might try 4h3, but 4…Rc8 decides.

1…b5! also wins, and in fact is Stockfish's preference. 2 a3[] b4! 3 ab Ba6! 4 Bb5 Rd2 0-1.

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