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

Furman v Kholmov, Leningrad, November 1963

Solution

Furman played 1 Qg4, and the game was eventually drawn.

Instead, 1 Rh6+! and if 1…Kg8, then 2 Rh8+!! is a standard tictac, 2…Kh8[] 3 Qh6+ and 4 Qg7 mate.

Therefore, 1…gh is better; 2 Qf5+ Kg8[] 3 Qg4+ Kf8

So far, so good: the rest took me a while to find.

4 Qg7+ Ke7[] 5 Qe5+ Kd8 (5…Kf8 6 Bc5+ Ne7 7 Qh8 mate; or 6…Re7 same; or 6…Qe7 same; or 6…Kg8 drops the Qd8) 6 Qb8+!

The key move, and hard to spot from the initial position. 6..Ke7[] 7 Bc5+ and the Q drops off, or Black is mated after 7…Rd6 8 Qd6 mate.

Very nice.

FEN

4q3/p2r1ppk/R6p/3n4/3B1Q2/4PP1P/6P1/6K1 w – – 0 30