Special Prize, W. Preiswerk MT, 1950
A problem which presents a curious variation on a standard theme.
1.Bd4 threatens 2.Sc6 followed by 3.Se7 mate.
Black’s best defence is 1...Ra2, when White sacrifices his
rook to decoy the black bishop – 2.Re1 Bxe1. White continues
3.Be3 with threats 4.Sf7 5.Sh6 and 4.Sc6 5.Se7 which
Black cannot counter. By-play variations are 1...Rc4 2.Sf7 Bg5 3.Re1
or 3.Sxg5, and 1...Ra6 2.Rd2 or Sf7. 3.Be3 could be described as an
‘advance Nowotny’, closing the approaches to h6 and e7.
Dafydd Johnston: Another tough one to solve. It’s not easy
to spot that e3 will be the critical square after peri-critical decoys
of the two black pieces.