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.

Today’s problem is from the currently ongoing Batumi Olympiad. I am writing this message live as I watch the games, though it will be posted on my site in several days’ time, since I write my blogs some days in advance.

White to play: where is Black’s mistake in the following moves: 1 Ra6 Rd8 2 Kf3 Rd7 3 Ke4 Ke6; and why?

Tiviakov v Abdulla, Batumi 25/9/18

Solution

I always enjoy playing through Tiviakov’s games, liking his positional style. This game was a smooth performance from his habitual 2 c3 Sicilian.

2…Rd7?? blundered the game away: 4 Rb6 and the Black rook can no longer play Rb8 defending the b5 pawn. 2…Rd7 is such a natural move, defending the seventh rank, but other moves would have given a chance to hold on: 2….Bc5!? is the engine move, if necessary dropping the Pe5 but maintaining the Pb5.

FEN

5r2/5kpp/3b4/1p1Np3/1P6/2P3P1/6KP/R7 w – – 0 39
wKg2,Nd5,Ra1,Pb4,c3,g3,h2/bKf7,Bd6,Rf8,Pb5,e5,g7,h7