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

Borik v Novak, Czechoslovakia 1969

Solution

Not too hard, but smothered mates are always nice.

1 Nf7+ Ke8[] 2 Nd6+ Kd8 3 Qe8+ Ne8 4 Nf7 mate.

FEN

rnbk4/pp1pb3/2p2nQ1/4N3/3PpB2/2N5/PPP1KP1P/q7 w – – 0 18