Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is an “old” chestnut, which I recently saw on Twitter, and enjoyed solving afresh.

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

Krasenkow v Nakamura, Barcelona 19/10/2007

Solution

1…Qf2+!! is the spectacular first move. If White doesn’t take, then 2…Qf6; so 2 Kf2 Bc5+ 3 Kf3 (3 Kf1 c3+ and 4…c2) 3…Rf6+ 5 Kg4[]

This is as far as I could see clearly: though I had the stepping stone comfort of seeing there was a draw by repetition by the Rf6, so I had nothing to lose; and felt that 5…Ne5+ might win, with the idea of gaining a tempo for Bc8+.

In fact 5…Ne5+ does win: see e.g. the analysis by Ftacnik in Megabase.

FEN

4r1k1/3nbppp/bqr2B2/p7/2p5/6P1/P2N1PBP/1R1QR1K1 b – – 0 21