Daily Chess puzzle: a Cracker for Boxing Day

White to play and win

Harm v Zieher, Germany 2001

Another puzzle given in Jacob Aagaard’s excellent 2001 book, “Excelling at Chess”

Solution

No solution today: instead, take as long as you wish to crack it. For me, despite several attempts, including moving the pieces around, I couldn’t solve it.

Having seen the solution, I know that even if I had spent many, many more sittings on it, I wouldn’t have solved it. But once you see the solution, it is obvious. Such is the joy or pain of chess.

In the game, White found the solution. Incredibly, I think.

FEN

8/7p/4N3/5p2/5P2/4K1k1/8/8 w – – 0 1