Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the recent Bunratty chess festival

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

Tivakov v Bates, 25/2/18, Bunratty

Solution

This position was chosen since I watched the game live, being a fan of Tiviakov (because of the chapter on him in Sadler’s and Regan’s excellent book Chess for Life.

1 Rf6! and it is game over: 1…gf 2 Qh6 and mates.

FEN

r4rk1/p3qpp1/2p1b2p/2ppP2Q/7R/3P2NP/PPP3P1/5RK1 w – – 0 19