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

Hennings v Walter, DDR 1964

Solution

White’s idea is 1 g7 and 2 Bh7+; but Black prevents that by 1..f5. So 1 Bg5! exploits the LPDO Bd8 and if 1….fg, 2 g7 and wins.

FEN

3b2k1/3b4/1p3pPK/p1p1p3/P1P5/1P2B3/2B5/8 w – – 0 1