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: evaluate 1 Qb7, as played in the game (but don’t take too much time on this problem, for reasons discussed)

Furman v Viatcheslav Osnos, Leningrad 1964

Solution

1 Qb7 a6 2 Rac1 Nd5 3 Nc3 Nf3+! and the double attack wins: Bh2+ or Qh4 win.

Alas, the position is cooked 2 g3 and White is fine; and 3 g3 or 3 Rc7, and again the game goes on.

FEN

r4rk1/ppb1qppp/4pn2/4n3/NP6/P3PQ2/3B1PPP/R2R1BK1 w – – 0 1