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 Rb8 Ra2. as played in the game

Wehnert v Liess,  Savnitz 1962

Solution

1 Rb8 Ra2??

2 Re1!! shades of Torre-Adams

2…Rd8 3 Qb5!! further shades of Torre-Adams

Black resigned, but 3…c6 4 Qb7!! completes the Torre-Adams mirror.

Note that Rg2+ desperadoes are always met by Kh1 and if then Rh2+ Kh2, and Black doesn’t have a perpetual.

FEN

4r1k1/2pq1ppp/3p4/1R1P4/1Q3P2/8/P3r1PP/5RK1 w – – 0 1