One might be forgiven if you glanced quickly and saw this as a Black to Play problem. White would have to play carefully, even though up in material, to hold the position; e.g., 1...Nf4 2.Kf1 Nh3 3.Qc2 Ng5 4.Qf2 Qh3+ 5.Ke1 Bf5 6.Rxf5 Rxf5 7.Bxf5 Qxf5 8.Qe3 Ne4 9.Qf4 f2+ 10.Ke2 Qe6 and chances are equal. However, it is White’s move and he can upset Black’s hopes with a remarkable first move.

Solution:

Wolf-Spielmann, 1923 finished with 1.h3 Qxh3 2.Qxf3 and Black resigned as taking the queen allows a back-rank mate. BTW, I dug this out of the newly published—first time translated into English—The Hypermodern Game of Chess by Tartakower. One of the greatest chess books ever written from Russell Enterprises, Inc.

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