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: examine 1 Kb7 Bd3 2 Kc8 Be2 3 Kd8

Darga v Spassky, Amsterdam 1964

Solution

3 Kd8?? would have been a blunder, and in the game White spotted why before playing it, playing 3 Kb7 and retracing his king’s steps.

3…Bc4! and if 4 Bc4, stalemate.

Darga managed to beat Spassky after another 30 moves.

FEN

8/8/1K1k2p1/2pP1pP1/2P2P2/1B6/4b3/8 w – – 0 64