Daily Chess Puzzle

My ‘book of the year’ for 2018 may already be decided, or at least there is a contender which will prove hard to beat.

I am writing this blog whilst on holiday in Turkey, and I had great pleasure during it reading Jan Markos’ new book ‘Under the Surface’, publishes by Quality Chess.

It is one of those books which merits a re-read, and I think if I do so, I will gain fresh insights. Markos, a Slovakian GM who before learning of this book I had not heard of, writes really well, insightfully, and has ‘something to say’ to his readers. Highly recommended.

Today’s puzzle is from the book

White to play and win

ansa v Geller, Budapest 1970

Solution

A really interesting position from page 176 of the hardback decision, in which Markos talks about chess culture. I didn’t know the concept of ‘Lasker’s stairs’, so doubt If I were in practice faced with this position I would have solved it. I would have fairly aimlessly checked and checked and hoped.

Out of respect for the newness of publication, I won’t give the solution. Either buy the book, or look at the game in Megabase or similar. Or, the game is here

The solution is both memorable and pretty.