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.

Black to play

Tartakower v Euwe, Venice 1948

Solution

1…Nc4+! exploiting the fork 2 bc[] Ra4+ decoying the K out from cover 3 Kb4[] Qb2+ skewering the K and LPDO Q.

The Megabase quick analysis graph shows that the game was fairly topsy-turvy:

FEN

r7/1p3k2/1Qpn1p2/8/P3b3/KPP5/3q1P2/2R3R1 b – – 0 39