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.

Black to play : what was wrong with yesterday’s line 1…Ng4 2 hg Rd4 3 Nf6+

Rodriguez v Andersson, Calella 1978

Solution

White’s third move isn’t best:

3 Nc5!! instead, a move I would never see.

If the Nc5 is captured, White checks on e6 and then takes the Rd4; so 3…Rd6, and say 4 Kh1 or 4 b4, and Black is better, but the game goes on.

I wonder if Ulf Andersson saw Nc5? It wasn’t mentioned in Chess magazine.

FEN

3r2k1/pp4b1/1qp3bp/4n1p1/3NN1P1/1PP1Q2P/P5B1/5RK1 b – – 0 1