Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the March 1979 edition of Chess Magazine.

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 Karpov v R Huebner, Montreal 1979

Solution

Karpov missed that Huebner’s last move, Qd6-d7, was a blunder, putting the Q on a White square, and LPDO, so that a discovered check would be very harmful. He played 1 Qc4, and the game was eventually drawn.

But 1 Rg8+ Kh7 (a White square) 2 Rg6! and the rook can’t be taken.

FEN

2R5/3qb1k1/1r4pp/p2Bp3/1p2P3/1P1Q2PP/P5K1/8 w – – 0 39