White to Play
Pete Tamburro
on
Published in Chess Puzzles
Solution:
If you went with 1.Rd1, Black can castle; however, if White puts the rook on d1 by means of castling, then Black’s castling to avoid the mate on d8 is to no avail:
1.0–0–0 0–0 2.Ne7+ Kh8 3.Qxh7+ Kxh7 4.Rh1# Although this position, composed by Mirko Degenkolbe in 1992, is contrived, it happens in practical play. Next time out, we will look at an example of this.
Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.