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.

(i) White to play after 1…Rg7[] 2 Nh6+ Kh8

Blumenthal v McGunnigle, corres 1962

Solution

3 Rf7! is obvious, met by 3…Qf7 4 Rf7[] Rcg8

White to play and win

5 Rd7!! (5 Re7 also wins, more slowly) and after 5…Bd7 6 Nf7 mate.

FEN

2r3k1/2qr2Qp/p5n1/1b1p1N2/1ppB4/3P1R1P/1PP3P1/5RK1 b – – 0 5