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White to Play

Pete Tamburro on

Published in Chess Puzzles

This is a real first-class grandmaster attack which starts out with one of the most useful moves in the GM toolbox and finishes with a flourish. You might have to sit down and really think this one out. Here’s a hint: indirect attack and vacating!


From Samisch-Engel, 1928. The indirect attack hint refers to the white bishop indirectly attacking the king’s castled position at h7, so White “vacates” the square e4 with the first move pawn sacrifice to increase the range of the bishop. Then the second part of the attack now presents itself: how do you use that to actually calculate the finish? 1.e5 dxe5 2.Rh4 h6 3.Rxh6 also good, but a bit slower is 3.Qg4 Bxf5 4.Bxf5 g5 5.Rxh6 Qg7 6.Be6+ Rf7 7.Bxf7+ Qxf7 8.Rf3 Ng7 9.Qh3 Kf8 10.Rhxf6 3...Nd6 Alternatives don’t help 3...Bxf5 4.Bxf5 gxh6 5.Be6; 3...gxh6 4.Nxh6+ Kg7 5.Nxf7 Kxf7 (5...Rxf7 6.Qe3 a5 7.Qxc5 Kg8 8.Bg6 Rg7 9.Bxe8 Bxe8 10.d6) 6.Qxe5, just delay 4.Ne7+ Qxe7 5.Rh8+ Kxh8 6.Qh5+ and Black resigned because of 6...Kg8 7.Qh7+ Kf7 8.Bg6#

 


Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

 

 

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