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

A Smith v M Prasath, Hinckley 5/5/2013

Solution

Knowing it is problem position, 1 Rh5+ springs to mind immediately, as does 2 Qg7 after 1…Kh5[].

It is not too hard to see that Black is helpless. If 2…Qh8, to prevent 3 Qh7 mate; then 3 Nf4+ overloads the Ng6.

FEN

r1bq4/ppp5/2r3nk/4R2p/4Pp1P/1BQ2P2/PPP1N3/2K3R1 w – – 0 23