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

Paravyan D v Golubov S, St Petersburg Korchnoi Memorial op 20/8/2018

Solution

1 Bh6+! is the natural first move, its first point being 1…Kh6 2 Rh3+ and picks up the LPDO Qa4.

In the game, Black played 1…Kf6, met with by 2 g41

2….Bc2 3 Rf3+ Bf5[] 4 g5 is an unusual smothered mate.

FEN

r4r2/pp3pk1/3b1Np1/3p1b2/q2P4/1R6/P1QB1PPP/4R1K1 w – – 0 22