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

D Yevseev v A Goganov, St. Petersburg 19/3/2013

Solution

I failed this one, not finding anything convincing; and Komodo tells me that I was right, except for the one move played in the game, 1 Rab1, which gives White a winning advantage. Even when I saw the solution I didn’t fully appreciate it.

1 Rab1

I thought 1…Qa3, but 2 Nb5! and the LPDO Ra8 means at least an exchange is won.

If 2…Bb5 then 3 Qd8+ Bf8[] and 4 Rb5 (4 Bh6 e6 is apparently still easily winning, at +4.7, but for some reason 4 Rb5 is +5.6: nonsense, of course, both are winning easily).

FEN

rn4k1/pp1bppbp/6p1/8/3N4/2rQB1P1/Pq2PPBP/R4RK1 w – – 0 15