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 R7e5 Qe5 2 Qa7! Qd6 from the last two days

Denes v Faur, Arpad 1966

Solution

1 Qa1!! is the only move that wins, but does so, convincingly.

1…Qc5 2 Kg2 and there is no good way to stop 3 Qc1 mating.

The Queen march: Alphazero would be proud

FEN

7r/Q7/1r1q2p1/1p1p4/2p2kPP/2P2P2/1P3K2/4R3 w – – 0 3