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

Glenn Flear v K Bhatia, 4 NCL Reading 19/11/2016

Solution

1 Bf7+! was clearly the move, but finding why it worked took some effort. Today, I will deal with the move played in the game, 1….Rf7.

2 Re8+ Rf8[] 3 Rf8+ Kf8 4 Qd6+ forking the king and the LPDO Nb8: the point.

But better still,  Black is in a mating net, and after 4…Kg8 5 Qe7 decides: either mate by 6 f7, or 5…Bf6 6 Qf6, win.

FEN

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