Daily chess puzzle

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

Cording v Cassens, Emden 1975

Solution

1 Re7+! opens up the way after 1….Be7 for 2 Bd5+. Then if 2…Kf8 White mates by 3 Bh6+ Rh6[] 4 Qh6, so Black’s best is 2…Kg7.

Then 3 Bh6+!! all the same, since Black’s rook is tied to the eighth rank: 3…Rh6 loses to 4 Ne8+ forking Black’s king and queen.

FEN

5b1r/p1q1nk2/1r1p1Np1/1p3bBp/2pP1Q2/2P5/PP4BP/R3R1K1 w – – 0 1