Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from a recent Sunday Times column by David Howell. I couldn’t immediately solve it on inspection, cut it out, and was pleased when the lightbulb moment occurred.

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

Mikalsen v Chatalbashev, Oslo 24/6/18

Solution

Not 1…bc(Q)+ which I kept trying to make work, but the “change the order of the moves” 1…Qg5!!

White resigned, since 2 Qg5 ba(Q); and 2 Bg5 ba(Q)+ 3 King moves Qe5

Part of the appeal of this position is that it was clearly (and TWIC confirms) from an opening line I enjoyed as a child: Austrian attack, 6 e7 7 h5, a very cave man line. My engine clearly doesn’t like the attack, giving a slight advantage to Black right away; and in the game soon growing to a decisive advantage.

FEN

rnbq2k1/pp3rbp/3pp3/4P1NQ/2B5/8/PpP3P1/R1B1K2R b KQ – 0 14