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.

Black to play

Silber v Suetin, Leningrad 1957

Solution

White is threatening 1 Bd4; Black has (at least) two defences. 1…f6! unpinning the  LPDO Re8, and after 2 Qf6 Nf5 hits the Be3 and at the same time prevents 3 Bd4. Or the more spectacular move played in the game, 1…Bh3!

If the B is captured, then 2..Nf5, now that the Re8 is defended; and then Black captures the Be3. So 2 Bd4 Qg2+ 3 Ke1

And now either 3…Qe2+ or the slightly better 3…f6 4 Qf6 Qe2+ 5 Ke2[] Nd5+ 0-1.

FEN

r1b1r1k1/pp2np1p/6p1/4Q3/2P2P2/4BN2/P3BKPP/7q b – – 0 1