Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the March 1979 Chess magazine. I have hundreds (many hundreds) of magazines on my book shelves, and I thought I would dip into them; and thought I would start with this magazine from forty years back.

As is my custom, I only say 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

Sindik v Cebalo, Zagreb 1978

Solution

White played 1 R7c3? losing most of his advantage, and it all whittled away until later Black blundered, resulting in yesterday’s position.

Instead the creeping move 1 Qf6 would have broken the back of Black’s defences: hitting the LPDO Bd6. If for instance 1…Bd6 2 Rc7 Qb4 another creeping move 3 Qf5! wins.

Also, 1 ed adds to the pressure, being near zugzwang, and White is winning.

Thanks to Chessbase 15’s auto-analysis graph which showed me there had been something a few moves before yesterday’s puzzle.

FEN

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