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White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Mar 11, 2022

The diagram is one of the most heartbreaking moments in chess. In the 1940 U.S. Championship, Weaver Adams had this position against Simonson and missed the mating attack. Instead, he chose an attack that lost. Can you find the right one?

If you tried 1.Bxh7+, as did Adams, you would have lost. His chance at an immortal game would have come with 1.Rxg7+ Kf8 2.Rg8+ Kxg8 3.Rg1+ Kf8 4.Bg7+ Kg8 5.Bf6+ Kf8 6.Rg8+ Kxg8 7.Qg2+ Kf8 8.Qg7#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

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