Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the recent British Knockout in London

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

Jones G v McShane L, London 16/12/18

Solution

Watching live, I missed Gawain’s shot, and didn’t even consider it.

I should have: examine all biffs, although even if I had, it might have been too deep for me to see.

1 Bf7+!

Luke played 1…Qf7, and resigned a few moves later. The defence I struggled with, until eventually seeing it, was the alternate capture, 1…Kf7:

Gawain’s idea was 2 Rd6! Qd6[] 3 Ng5+ K moves 4 Ne4.

Forking the Q and R, and note that Black’s queen can’t move to d2 hitting the LPDO Re1, so White nets a good extra pawn, and Black’s king is exposed.

FEN

2b1r1k1/4qp1p/3b2p1/p1rBp3/2P5/Q4N1P/1P3PP1/3RR1K1 w – – 0 25
wKg1,Qa3,Nf3,Bd5,Rd1,e1,Pb2,c4,f2,g2,h3/bKg8,Qe7,Bc8,d6,Rc5,e8,Pa5,e5,f7,g6,h7