ArcaMax

Register for your free account:

Subscribe to any feature and receive your newsletter directly in your inbox.
Easy email subscription management.
Claim your rewards from the Reader Perks section!

White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Feb 28, 2022

A very instructive position as White has a great position, but only one way to win! Black can capitalize on a white mistake and draw or even in one case, win! Hint: Watch that g-pawn!

1.Qe5+ The rook check doesn’t work1.Rb8+ Kg7 2.gxh5 (2.Qe5+ f6 3.Qe7+ Kh6=) 2...Qxh3+ 3.Kg1 Qg4+ 4.Kh1 Qh3+= 1...f6 2.Qe8+! Kg7 3.Qe7+ Again, the rook check doesn’t work. The rook is needed on b5 3.Rb7+ Kh6 4.g5+ Kxg5 5.Rb5+ Kh4 and Black wins! 3...Kh6 4.Rxh5+! gxh5 5.Qxf6+ Qg6 6.g5#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

More Chess Puzzles

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / May 09, 2025

Queen sacrifices are always entertaining to chess players. This game, Potter v. Anonymous, London, 1870, is unique because Mr. Potter sacrificed his queen before the game started! Queen odds! His opponent may very well ...Read More

Black to Play

Chess Puzzles / May 07, 2025

From a 100+ year old game between two anonymous players in England. Still, a lovely finish.

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / May 05, 2025

This is from a 5-minute game I recently played. I had about 20 seconds to make my move here, and there are some bad choices here.

White to Play

Chess Puzzles / May 02, 2025

A very important lesson on why you should not have weak dark squares.

Black to Play

Chess Puzzles / April 30, 2025

Some of you more experience solvers will realize that the white queen has just taken a rook on h8 leaving a bishop that can’t move because of the loss of yet another rook; however, if you don’t know this theme, then ...Read More