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.

Black to play: examine 1…Bc3 2 Qd3, as played in the game

Castellanos v Planas Cuba 1965

Solution

2 Qd3? is a mistake, albeit in a lost position: 2…Rf2+! and if 3 Kf2 Be1+ and 4…Qc2

Having said the above, Komodo thinks 1…Be1 is just as good, the Black king finding safe harbour on d8.

FEN

2r2rk1/1pqb2pp/p3pb2/3p4/8/P1N3P1/1PBQ1PK1/1R2R3 b – – 0 1