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White to Play and Win

Pete Tamburro on Jun 12, 2009

Published in Chess Puzzles

A great way to start the weekend with this composition by Afansiev and Duisov, 1967. All you have to do is win!

Solution:

OK, confess! How many of you fell for 1.g4+, winning the rook? Looked just too simple, huh? You only draw that way: 1.g4+ Kg6 2.Kxh5 Kg6 and, now, because White can't afford to lose his bishop (the Black pawn will queen), he has to move it along the diagonal, say 3.Bc3. Then Black plays 3...a1=Q and 4.Bxa1 is forced and stalemates the Black king!! The solution is a mate in four! 1.Kf7 Rh1 (1...Rg5 2.e4 mate) 2.e4+ Kg5 3.Bf6+ Kh5 4.g4 mate! A very misleading problem ... even the "play and win part."

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

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