It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle # 116

White to play and win

Not the best of puzzles, since Stockfish assesses the position as +2 after many moves, including 1 Nb6, which keeps the bind. But the most natural move is 1 Ba7 (examine all biffs) and indeed it is best, and the move Viktor played.

There are only two lines. Ignoring the threat, and playing 1….Bd7, but then 2 Bb8 Ba4 3 Qa2 overloads the Qe8: it can't capture the Bb8 without losing the Ba4.

So, instead, 1..Ra8 when 2 Nb6 Ra7[] 3 Nc8 is good enough, or 3Rc8 Nc8[] 4 Nc8 which is crushing.

This was the line played in the game, with White winning some moves later. The diagram below is from ChessBase online.

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