Did you find the only way to save the game?

White to move

1. Rxg8 Kxg8  2, Rg3+  Qxg3  3. Qb8+  Kg7  4. Qg8+ Kxg8  with Stalemate

Even the very best players can sometimes miss defensive resources. Our position is from a game between GMs Efim Geller and Mark Taimanov, the White King is caught in a mating net and in fact Geller resigned here.

Can you find the only way to save the game?

White to Move

My apologies for having no new content for a few days, a case of just feeling under the weather, fortunately just a bad case of ‘man flu’

Our game this week is from the recent Paris Rapid & Blitz event where most of the world’s elite players battled for first prize. The overall winner was Wesley So but I couldn’t resist choosing a French Defence, played in Paris, and, against the number 1 French player.

We have, with the White pieces Maxime Vachier-largrave and playing Black, the challenger to Magnus Carlsen’s crown Ian Nepomniachtchi

Please just enjoy the game with my ( very light ) notes.

 White:  Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime       Black:  Nepomniachtchi, Ian

Paris Rapid & Blitz

     1. e4 e6 {   Playing the French against MVL!} 2. d4 d5 3. e5 c5 4. c3 Nc6 5. Nf3 Bd7 6. Be2   {Both sides have played standard moves in the Advanced variation} Nge7 7. h4 {   Grabbing space on the Kingside} f6 {An unusual move with Black's pieces quite   cramped, MVL doesn't help by pushing the h pawn} 8. h5 Qb6 9. g4 {This looks   dangerous but the White King is quite safe} Ng8 {Retreating but allowing the   dark squared Bishop to move} 10. Na3 cxd4 {Releasing some central tension} 11.   cxd4 fxe5 12. dxe5 Bc5 {Attacking f2 but MVL ignores the threat and moves his   Knight to a dangerous square} 13. Nb5 Nxe5 14. Nxe5 Bxb5 {Black has won a pawn   but White has space and the initiative} 15. O-O Nf6 16. Bxb5+ Qxb5 {The White   Knight is very strong on e5 and makes up for the pawn deficit} 17. g5 Ne4 {   Attacking f2 with another piece} 18. Qg4 Qb6 {Black had to defend the e6 pawn}   19. g6 O-O-O {Looking to get the King to safety} 20. Bf4 {A great move, the   White Bishop and Queen ain at the Black King} hxg6 21. Rac1 {A good move   pinning the Bishop} gxh5 22. Qg6 Rhf8 23. Bh2 {Otherwise Black can sac the   exchange but the Bishop is the better piece} Rf6 24. Qxg7 Rxf2 {This looks   very dangerous and it is.......for Black} 25. Rxf2 Nxf2 26. Nd7 {An incredible   move to finish the game, work out how White wins after either Rxd7 or Nh3   double check} 1-0           

White to Move

The winning idea includes the moves Ng5 and Qxh7+. This plan would fail straight away as Ng5 would allow Black to capture the Queen. Therefore the winning move is…

1. Rg6!!

Chess players are very lucky to be living in an age where the number of superb books, DVDs and excellent YouTube videos, showing chess calculation, has never been better.

Our puzzle today is very difficult, I originally saw the position during a video presented by the world renowned coach GM Jacob Aagaard.

Can you find the move that forces a winning attack?

White to Move