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

Hayden v Samuel, Brighton 1946

Solution

The most obvious move is 1 Qg4+; then 1…Qd7??

2 Rf7! Qg4 3 Rc7 mate.

This is the basic idea of the position: how to get the Rh7 to c7.

But 1…Rd7! is considerably tougher, since the Q controls h7.

2 Be3? which was my first thought, diverting the Qe3 from looking at h8, is a mistake due to 2…Qd3+! hitting the LPDO Rh7. It is unclear: the Bc5 is also LPDO, and my engine suggests White is better.

But White has better than 1 Qg4; other options tomorrow.

FEN

1nkr4/1pp2p1R/1P6/2b3P1/3q1P2/8/1P2Q3/R1B2K2 w – – 0 1