Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the April 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 going 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, after White played 1 Qf5

Titov v Kovalev, Tashkent September 1978

Solution

1…Rg2+ 2 Kf1 Rg1+! 0-1

White must capture, when 3…Rg2+ 4 Kf1 Ba6+ overloads the Nd4 (and also mates).

FEN

r5rk/pb2p2p/5p1R/4q3/3N2Q1/8/PP3PPP/R5K1 w – – 0 21