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.

Black to play: examine 1…Qb3, as played in the game

Solution

1..Qb3? throws away the win: 2 Qb8+ Kg7[] 3 Nh5+! exposes the king too much.

(not 2 Nh5? because 2…Qd1+, 3…Qd2+ before capturing the N).

If 3…Kh6?? White mates with 4 Qf4+; so 3…gh[] and then endless checking on the black squares.

FEN

6k1/p4p1p/1p2p1p1/1q1bQ3/3P1N2/1P3P2/6PP/6K1 b – – 0 32