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 after 1…Rc8 in the diagram position

Enigk v Effel, corres 1957

Solution

1…Rc8?? 2 Ra8! Ra8[] 3 Qa2+! and stalemate after 3..Qa2.

Black can’t escape the draw by 3..Kf8: White has a perpetual by careful checking.

FEN

5rk1/R5p1/6Pp/5p2/3p1P2/4nP1q/5Q2/6K1 b – – 0 1