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 evaluate 1 Rd5, as played in the game.

Teschner v Portisch, Monaco 1969

Solution

1 Rd5? should have lost: 1…Qf2! and Black wins material, e.g. after 2 Re8 Qc2, protecting the Rc8.

In the game, Portisch missed 1…Qf2, and the game was eventually drawn.

FEN

k1r1r3/pp5p/1q6/3p1Np1/1b6/1P3P2/2Q1R1PP/3R3K w – – 0 1