Chess Puzzle of the Week (171): Solution

May – Hollis British Universities Championship 1959

Last week I asked you what would have happened if Black had played 15… h6 in this position.

The answer is that White could sacrifice a knight and a queen to force mate.

Some sample variations:

15… h6 16. Nxf7! Kxf7 17. Qxe6+!! Kxe6 18. Bc4+ Ke5 (18… Nd5 19. Bxd5+ Ke5 20. f4+! Kxf4 21. Rhf1+ Ke5 22. Bf7! Qc6 23. Bh4! Qxe4+ 24. Nxe4 Kxe4 25. Bxg6+ Ke3 26. Rd3+ Ke2 27. Re1#) 19. f4+! Kxf4 20. Rhf1+ Ke5 21. Bh4! Rf8 22. Bg3+ Rf4 23. Bxf4+ Kf6 24. Bxh6+ Ke5 25. Bxg7+ Nf6 26. Bxf6#

Well done to all of you who worked all this out!