White to Play
Pete Tamburro
on
Published in Chess Puzzles
Solution:
Normally, the Legal Mate has this pattern: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 d6 3.Bc4 Bg4 4.Nc3 g6 5.Nxe5 Bxd1 6.Bxf7+ Ke7 7.Nd5 mate. This game is a bit different: 1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Bc4 c5 4.Nf3 d6 5.0–0 Nc6 6.c3 d3 7.Re1 Bg4 8.e5 Nxe5 (see diagram) 9.Nxe5 Bxd1 10.Bb5+ Ke7 11.Bg5+ f6 12.Ng6+ Kf7 13.Nxh8# Thus, Nxe5, sacrificing the queen, is the key move, but the follow-ups still can require some imagination.
Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.