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

Gupta v Ivanchuk, Gibraltar 30.1.18

Solution

A sparkling victory against the great Ivanchuk.

1 Rg8+!! and the pin after 1…Kg8[] 2 Qd5 is devastating.

Watching it live, it wasn’t immediately obvious at this stage, but the point is that 2..Kf7 3 Qf5+ leads to a lost ending after 3…Rf6 4 Qf6+ or 4 Qh7+: 4 Qf6+ being easiest.

If 2…Qc6, then 3 Qe6+ Qe6 4 Re6 Ba3, but the engines say White is winning:

I imagine it is; at my level, I could well mess up as White, but hopefully if I kept calm I could control the a and b pawns with my king; then win on the kingside.

FEN

4qb1k/p6p/1p2r3/3r1p2/7P/P4QR1/5PP1/4R1K1 w – – 0 31