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

Minic v Bukic, Yugoslavia 1967

Solution

One of my favourite tactical tricks, which I envision as “taking the feet from under someone”.

1 Re8+ and the rook can’t be captured, else the Qd5 is LPDO, so 1…Bf8[] when 2 Qd5 Rd5[] 3 Ra8 wins a rook.

FEN

r2r2k1/pp3pbp/5pp1/3q4/P2P4/1Q3N2/1P3PPP/R3R1K1 w – – 0 1