Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the recent Shamkir Chess. The post was written a few days ago,  during the game.

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

Mamedyarov v Navara

Solution

1 Rh7! was a lovely tactic, exploiting the pin of the Be7 so that 1…Kh7 2 Ng5+ picks up the LPDO Re7.

But it is richer than this. Black could try 1…Re3. but this fails to 2 fe Kh7 3 Rc7, and the LPDO Nc6 falls or has to move, when the LPDO Be7 is captured.

In the game, David Navara played 1…Rb8, and is a pawn down in the resultant ending.

FEN

r5k1/p2Rb2p/2n1r1p1/2p5/8/4NN2/PP3PP1/2K4R w – – 0 24
wKc1,Ne3,f3,Rd7,h1,Pa2,b2,f2,g2/bKg8,Nc6,Be7,Ra8,e6,Pa7,c5,g6,h7