Daily Chess Puzzle

Something slightly different today, because it is my birthday. A finish of a recent blitz game which caused me lots of pressure, since I saw the potential for the finish many moves before.

Black to play: White has just played 1 Rfc1, offering to swap rooks and take control of the c-file; noting that the Black Qd6 is tied to defending b4; and also noting that if Black’s rook moves, the c5 square looks convenient for White’s Rook.

What did I envisage might happen?

allanbeard v Kubinator, Chess.com 3 minute blitz, 9/6/18

Solution

The game finished as I had hoped: 1…Rc1+ 2 Qc1 g6 3 Qc8+ Kg7

4 Qh8+!!! (an extra exclam or two because its my birthday)

and the f7 pawn drops off, and for good measure and by good fortune, the b5 pawn too.

I had plenty of time to convert the ending.

Qh8+ reminded me of Petrosian v Simagin, Moscow 1956; during the game, even though it was 3 minute blitz, I thought of the motif of this game. Maybe my daily blogs do help.

FEN

2r3k1/5pp1/3qpn1p/np1pN3/1p1P1P2/1P2P1N1/P2Q2PP/2R3K1 b – – 0 1