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

Plater v Piechota, Polish Championships 1956

Solution

Fairly easy today, though for some reason I had a blind spot and couldn’t see that 1 Ne7+and 2 Bh7+ win; I saw these moves immediately, and yet didn’t appreciate that they were winning. But they do. Whichever piece captures on e7 blocks Black’s escape. And if none do, and 1..Kh8 instead, then 2 Qh7+ and 3 Rh7 mate.

FEN

4rnk1/2nq1rpp/p3b3/1p1ppN1Q/2pP4/2P4R/PPBB2PP/5RK1 w – – 0 1