Test your chess: daily chess puzzle # 196

White to play and win

S Lewis v R Rubin 1961

Solution

A nice puzzle again today, the main line relying on a tactic which is always nice when you see it, a double attack with the e pawn. 1 Qd7! Rc7 2 Qc7! Rc7 3 e7 and the game is over.

If 1…Qd7, 2 ed Rb8 3 Re8+ Kf7.

Black can't promote one of his queen side pawns- even if he played 2…Ra8 instead, so white slowly pushes forward on the king side, whilst black is always in zugzwang. He will never be able to benefit from Rb7 Rd8 Ke7 Rg8 since the rooks will then come off, and white will promote on the king side. Nice.

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