White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Feb 14, 2025

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A good many chess puzzle sites give mating challenges that are of a few moves. I do that, too. However, I also like to throw in one like today’s puzzle. This is what I call a “step back” puzzle. I take what could be a challenging mating attack and then go back some moves before that to challenge you to find how the first steps took place. This one is an old classic. Can you guess which member of the White team will be delivering the mate?

This was from Steinitz-Chigorin, match, Havana 1892 1.d4 exd4 2.Nxd4 Bxd4 3.Rxd4!! Nxd4 4.Rxh7+!! Kxh7 5.Qh1+ Kg7 6.Bh6+ Kf6 7.Qh4+ Ke5 8.Qxd4+ and now Black resigned because mate is next after 8…Kf5 9.g4#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.