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 played 1 Qa8 and 1..Ra2! would have drawn: what should Capablance have played?

Capablanca v Sir George Thomas, Hastings 14/8/1918

Solution

1 Qb5! wins; even 1 Re8! Qe8[] 2 Qa4! wins, overloading the Black Queen.

After 1 Qb5 Rb8 2 Qb8 Kg8 3 Qb3+ is a double attack, winning the LPDO Rc2.

2..Rc1+ is just met by bringing the K up, to d1 or d3.

FEN

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