It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle # 35

Black to play: evaluate 1…f4+ 2 Ke4

Pilskalnieti v Berzinsh, Riga, 1962

Solution

1…f4 is fine, after white should play 2 Ke2, with a probable draw. 2 Ke4 is a losing blunder after 2…Rd6!

If the rooks and exchanged, the white king is eventually pushed back, and black will shoulder white's king away from the defence of the f3 pawn. So 3 Ra7+ Ke6 and…white's king is in a mating net.

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