Chess Puzzles - Column by Pete Tamburro

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Chess Journalist of the Year, Pete Tamburro

Pete Tamburro, a well known chess writer, was recently named Journalist of the Year by the ...

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White to Play and Win

By Pete Tamburro

In browsing an old British Chess Magazine , I ran across a tale by D.J. Morgan who relates that this position is from Anderssen-Zukertort back in Breslau, 1862. In this position, Anderssen, who played some of the most brilliant games ever seen on a chess board, went for the draw with: 1.Qg5 Qd2 2.Nf5 Qxg5 3.Ne7+ Kh8 4.Nxg6+ Qxg6 [Black gets mated with 4...fxg6 5.f7+ c3 6.Bxc3+ Rd4 7.Bxd4+ Qf6 8.Bxf6#; 4...Kg8 5.Ne7+ Kh8 6.Rxh7#] 5.Bxg6 Kg8 6.Bxh7+ with a perpetual check. Pretty cool drawing line!

However, Morgan tells us that when Alexander Alekhine was shown this position, he not only found the draw right away, but then found a win in the position without even using a board and pieces! Here’s your chance to match a former world champ!

Solution:

1.Bxg6 hxg6 [White also wins after1...Qxe5 2.Bxh7+ Kh8 3.Bc2+ Kg8 4.Bxe5 Bc8 5.Bh7+ Kh8 6.Bf4 Nc6 7.Be4+ Kg8 8.Bh6 Ne5 9.Bg7 Ng6 10.Bxg6 fxg6 11.Ne4 Threatening Ng5 and Rh8 mate, thus Black must play: 11...Rxf6 12.Bxf6 Rf8 13.Bc3 Kf7 14.Rf4+ Ke8 15.Nd6+; or after 1...h6 2.Qxd6 Rxd6 3.Nf5 fxg6 4.Nxh6+ Kh7 (4...Kh8 5.f7+ Kh7 6.Ng4#) 5.Nf5+ Kg8 6.Nxd6 b4 (to play c3) 7.f7+ Rxf7 8.Rh8#] 2.Qg5 Qd2 3.Nf5 Qxg5 [3...Rfe8 4.Ne7+ Rxe7 5.fxe7 Qd6+ 6.Be5; however, the main line in bold shows you why 1.Bxg6 BEFORE 1.Qg5 changes everything] 4.Ne7# Alekhine, in an instant, saw the difference—pure genius! If you saw this in more than an instant, you may not be a genius, but your abilities have my respect!

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

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