Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the C.H.O’D. Alexander’s 1973 book”The Penguin Book of Chess Positions”, a book I devoured (and loved) as a child.

I thought I would use it for more of my daily training.

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

Eliskases v Hoelzl, Innsbruck 23/9/1929

Solution

1 Re5! a nice decoy/overload. 1-0.

Strangely, 1 Re5! is Komodo’s third best choice. It favours 1 Rd5! which is mate in 7; or 1 Qf7 which is mate in 9; to 1 Re5, which apparently is only mate in 10. I haven’t bothered/won’t check these “mates in”, though I was pleased to find both 1 Re5 and 1 Rd5, the latter being in my view prettier.

FEN

3r3k/4Qp1p/p3p3/1pR4P/3qb3/P5R1/1P3PP1/6K1 w – – 0 43