I’m currently going through my old games looking for puzzles for my forthcoming book Chess Puzzles for Heroes. (I’ll write more about the Chess Heroes project in a separate post.) This was a game from 1972: I was playing for our  London League second team and had White against RK Lowen of Cavendish.

To answer the first question, it was an Exchange Ruy Lopez, as you probably guessed from the pawn formation. I should have played 39. Kh4 here (Kh3 also wins) when play might continue 39… Kf6 40. a5 b4 41. g5 hxg5 42. Kg4 and Black is in Zugzwang. I got the move order wrong, though. After 39. a5 my opponent could have drawn by playing Ke7 rather than Kf6, when White can make no progress. After, for example, 40. Kh4 Kf6 41. g5 hxg5 42. Kg4, the black b-pawn is on b5 rather than b4, so 42… b4 draws.

This week’s puzzle is from a 1977 game. White to play.

How should the game continue? You’ll need to provide the next three moves to score 100%.