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: an ending to explore, to see what best play is after each of Black’s possible defences.

Ding v Mamedov, Shamkir 27/4/18

Solution

1 Kg3 is of course the first move.

1…Rff2

2 Rh8+ Kg5[] 3 h4+! Kf5 4 Rf8+ skewers the king and Rf2.

This skewer is a main motif.

1…g5

2 Re6+ Kh5 3 Rh7 is a pretty mate.

1..g5

2 h4+! and if 2…Kf5, 3 Rf8+ skewers as before, else if 2…Rh4 3 Ra5+ picks up the Rh4.

1…Rf6, as played in the game

2 h4!! not an obvious move, but once seen, its reason becomes apparent: a mating net.

2…g5 3 Rh8+! Kg6[] 4 Rg8+ Kf5 5 Rg5+ 1-0

5…Ke6[] 6 Re5+ Kd6[] 7 Ra6+ skewers and wins the rook in a different way.

Very nice. For White. Not for Black.

FEN

4R3/R7/6pk/8/3Ppr2/7P/1r3PK1/8 w – – 0 38
wKg2,Ra7,e8,Pd4,f2,h3/bKh6,Rb2,f4,Pe4,g6