It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle # 144

White to play and win

One worth spending time on: I didn't, getting the solution wrong.

Sokolov v Rushnikov, corres 1965-6

Solution

After a short while, I found the idea: Q to the h4-d8 diagonal, and if 1..b1(Q), then Re1 dis+. I then figured 'not 1 Qg5 because of 1…h6, and if 2 Qh4 g5 0-1’, and thought I had the solution, so entered the position into Stockfish, to write this posting. I therefore chose 1 Qh4

1 Qg5!:

So, firstly, I checked that 1 Qh4 was the same, but almost when entering the changed position, I realised 1…Rf4!; whereas after1 Qg5 there is no 1…Rf5 biff due to 2 Nf5. But what after 1….h6?

Stockfish played 2 Rb7+!!

2…hg 3 Nc6+ Ke8[] 4 Re7 mate. Lovely.

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