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

Taimanov v AN Other, simul USSR 1964

Solution

1 Bc4! Qc4[]

2 Rg7+! Kh8 (if 2…Kg7, 3 Be5+ wins the queen)

3 Be5! flashy, and wins, though the engines say Rb7 or Ra7 is ‘better’ (in the sense 12>6) Qc2 (3…Qf1+ also loses, prosaically).

and the finale will be tomrrow’s puzzle.

FEN

2r1r1k1/1R4bp/p5p1/2pqn3/8/2B5/1PQ1B1PP/5RK1 w – – 0 1