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 and mate Black

Christoffel v Muller, Zurich 1965

Solution

1 a5+! examine all biffs and if 1…Kb5? 2 R7c5+ Ka4[] 3 Ra3 mate; so 1…Ka5 2 Rb7!

2…Nb5 (or insert a spite-check 2…f4+ first)

3 Ra3+! Na3[] 4 b4+ Ka4[] 5 Nc5 mate. A very nice smothered mate.

FEN

4r3/2R3pp/pk1r4/4pp2/P2n4/2RNK1P1/1P3P1P/8 w – – 0 1