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

Iturrizaga Bonelli v Warmerdam, Vlissingen, 9/8/2018

Solution

This took me a couple of sittings to solve, but, when I got the light-bulb moment, it was a moment of pleasure.

1 Nc6! disrupts Black’s counterplay sufficiently that Black is overpowered, typically by Qg5+.

FEN

2r1b1k1/1p2pp2/1q1p1b2/3P1PpR/3N2P1/1P3P2/3Q2K1/B7 b – – 0 36