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: evaluate 1 Nf5+ Kf6

Padevski v Kolarov, Sofia 1955

Solution

The best move, and played in the game: I would have decided between 1…Kf6 and, as it happens, 1…Kf8??; and quite likely chosen wrongly. I did though see 1…Kf6 2 Ra6+!

the idea being 2…ba? 3 Ra6+ and mates. But 1…Rc6! defends, and after 2 Rc6+[] bc[] 3 Qf3 the game was soon drawn.

FEN

3q3r/1pr2pk1/6p1/R2p4/3P2Q1/2n1N3/5PPP/R5K1 w – – 0 1