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.

Black to play and draw

Daniel Fernandez v J Jackson, Newport Pagnall 5/11/2016

Solution

Black played the move I would have played, 1…Ke2, and lost: a pawn queens.

But 1…Rb3 or, I suspect technically better, 1…Rb2 and check-check-check.

For instance, 1…Rb2 2 f5 Rg2+

and 3 Kf6 Rh2, or 3 Kh5 Rf2.

If I were playing either colour, I wouldn’t know the correct evaluation: I would be in “play and pray” mode, thinking I should have studied Dvortesky’s endgame manual. But by playing around on my laptop, always hitting the unprotected pawn, I can see that the harassment causes the position to be drawn.

FEN

8/8/1r5P/p5K1/P4P2/8/8/3k4 b – – 0 50