It’s Your Move: daily chess puzzle #230

Evaluate (i) 1…d2; (ii) 1…Qf1+ 2 Kf1 d2

Ermenkov v Sachs, Warsaw 1969

Solution

1…d2 first; the easier one. 2 Qa1+ controls d1 sufficiently to permit d8(Q) next move: White wins.

Much harder, and nicer, is what happens after 1..Qf1+ and 2…d2:

I messed up, playing 3 Qf8+ for a draw, but 3 Qf3! Rc1+ 4 Qd1!! wins beautifully.

Black has to move his rook, say to b1 (planning Rb8 if Kd2??) when White promotes, and the pawn ending is won.