Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the recently concluded Gibraltar chess congress, which I enjoyed watching from home: but I thoroughly intend to visit again, as I once managed to do to spectate some years ago. Stuart Conquest and his team run a thoroughly top-notch tournament.

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

Composed problem: I don’t recall if Akobian gave the composer’s name {if I listen to the lecture again, I will watch out for the name, and update this post)

Solution

I highly recommend the Gibratar chess MasterClasses, which are on YouTube.

Today’s puzzle is from the same lecture as yesterday’s, by the Armenian/American GM Var Akobian.

Really high class; whilst I  personally liked the “route to the candidates” lecture by my friend Nigel Short the most, I quickly realised that Var Akobian had the knack of lecturing. The link to his MasterClass hosted by Tania Sachdev is here. It didn’t surprise me at all to learn later in the lecture that he now gets much of his income from chess training, including lecturing at the St. Louis club.

Here, I was pleased to find the solution: having paused the lecture, as Akobian suggested. 1 f4 forces 1…Kc7 (or 1..Kc8) else White wins (but not straightforwardly: worth setting the pieces out, and seeing how: I will only cover the “main line”).

Then 2 fg a5 3 Kg3 a4 4 Kh4 a3 5 g3 a2 Stalemate.

FEN

1k6/8/p5p1/6p1/6P1/5P1P/6PK/8 w – – 0 1