This week’s puzzle was taken from a game played in the Israeli Championship earlier this month between Alexey Streltsov and Benny Aizenberg.

White won by sacrificing both his rooks:

1. Rxh7!! Kxh7 2. Rh1+! Kg8 3. Bxg6! Qe7 4. Bh7+ Kh8 5. Bf5+ Kg8 6. Rh8+!! Kxh8 7. Qh1+ Kg8 (7… Qh4 8. Qxh4+ Kg8 9. Qh7+ Kf7 10. Qxg7+ Ke8 11. Qxd7#) 8. Qh7+ Kf7 9. Bg6#

To score full marks you needed to see at least as far as White’s 6th move. If you did so, congratulations! Sacrificing two rooks on the h-file to make way for the queen is a fairly standard idea which you might want to remember. You never know when it might come in useful.

Many thanks to everyone who has solved or commented on our weekly puzzles in 2022 and best wishes for the New Year.