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

Kopylov v Karlson, Irkutsk 1961

Solution

Not too hard, and I think I have seen this position before. 1….Rd3! threatens 1…Rc3mate and 1…Na3mate, so 2 Nd3, when 2…Be6 is also mate.

FEN

3r2k1/1p4pp/2p5/pnP2b2/2K2N1P/P4P2/5BP1/7R b – – 0 1