Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from an old edition of Chess Magazine. I don’t know which one, because, as is my habit, from time to time I photocopy a page to solve on walks or on trains etc; and my copy doesn’t show the magazine date.

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

Maiorov v Atalik, Kavala 2/8/2011

Solution

1 Rb7! and Black resigned. In Suat’s annotations in Megabase, he mentions 1…Re6 2 Rf7 and mate next move.

Better (in a sense) is 1…Rf8 when 2 Rf7+! simplifies into a winning ending.

It took me a moment or so to confirm that White was winning. It comes down to the principle of two weaknesses: White is a pawn up, and Black must defend the Pc6, so his bishop is forced to move to b5/a4. White then advances h4-h5. forcing Kf4-g5, and the White king can then advance.

FEN

4r3/8/2p1B3/2Pp3p/1RbP1k1P/5P2/5K2/8 w – – 0 48