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 Rd2, as played in the game

Hulsmann v Engert, Dusseldorf 1965

Solution

1…Ng2!

Now White should accept the much worse game by 2 Be6 fe 3 Qg2 Qf3, but in the game played 2 Kg2 (2 Qg2 would also have been better, down a pawn and with the worse game) met by 2…Bh3+!! 3 Kh3[] Qf3.

It is mate after Nf4+ and Qh5.

FEN

r4rk1/ppp2pp1/3pbqnp/4p3/2B1Pn2/P1P2NB1/1PP2PPP/R2R1QK1 w – – 0 1