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

Zuckerman v Suttles, New York 1965

Solution

1 Nc6!! a real surprise move. I wondered if Duncan Suttles expected it, or was shocked by it?

Black played 1…Nba4 and lost after 2 e5 and 3 Rd6 etc.

I spent more time on 1…Kc6 2 e5+ Kb5 3 Bf1+

3..Ka4 (3…Nc4+ is also possible; at each turn, Black has several options. In Kotov’s terms, the tree of analysis is very thick and branched. 4 ab; and I got to my limit here, but felt White should have something (though, in practice, easy to throw everything away). My engine confirms White is winning.

One for my readers to explore by themselves, given the number of branches.

FEN

6r1/1kq5/bn6/p1n1NQ1p/1p2P3/P5P1/5NBP/3R2K1 w – – 0 30