Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the 1972 book “Chess Combination as a Fine Art”, a book based on articles published in the 1950s-1960s by Kurt Richter.

Since the start of 2018, I have decided to adopt the style of only saying which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.

White to play

Wachtel v Musiol, Poland 1953

Solution

1 Re5! and if 1…Re5 2 Be5 threatens 3 Bc3 mate, so 2..b5, met with 3 Bc7 mate.

If instead a random move like 1…Bg2, then 2 Rc5+ and 3 Bc7 mate.

FEN

4R3/8/pp6/k1r5/P3p3/K3PbB1/5P2/8 w – – 0 1