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 (not a problem to spend much time on today, for reasons in the solution)

Zamora v G Garcia, place/date unknown

Solution

I quickly found 1…Bd4, and ‘knew’ it was the solution. And Komodo gives it as -4. But it gives -9 to 1…Ba6 and if 2 Ra6 Bc3, running amok on the Black squares.

So cooked.

Having said the above, in the further time taken to write up the post, Komodo has given both moves as -7. Who knows what AlphaZero would assess the position as? -100%, I presume.

FEN

2b3k1/5pbp/Bn4p1/2q5/2p2P2/R1P1r3/5QPP/R5K1 b – – 0 1