Interesting Chess Puzzle: "Don't Touch The Pawn" - Rating 3010 - Pass Rate 2.60%

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“If a ruler does not understand chess, how can he rule over a kingdom?”

Sassanian King of Kings, Khusros II (Ruled Persia from 590-628 A.D.)

A Chess Puzzle!!! Don't scroll Down If you're Confident you can solve it

_{Black to play and win. Hint in the post Title}

It's actually a 3000+ rated puzzle with a pass rate below 3%. I just came across it and felt it would be interesting to share. I actually was able to get the puzzle because of the puzzle title and I'm not going to be suprised is if someone was able to solve it too.

Puzzle Solution!

Qg4+

After this move it is very interesting because it is a logical move. Black can play this move for so many reasons. One of the obvious reason is to maybe get a perpetual check. Another might be to hope the king moves to the f-file, which in that case black wins outright.

Let's explain what happens when the king moves to the f-file.

After let's say Kf1,Rf8+ wins as black is forced to give up the queen by blocking the check. Or lose by checkmate.

Here white still can't prevent the checkmate!

White's best Defense

After 1.Qg4+

White replies Kh1

Now Black checks again with Qh4+

Then after Kg2!

It's important to ignore the pawn capture on g5 and act with force with Rf8!

This threatens Rf2 mate ideas.

White responds with Rf1

Then black plays Qg4+ ignoring the g5 pawn again

Kh2

Rxf1, Qxf1

And the final blow by black comes with Nd2 where ultimately white has to decide between getting checkmated or losing a queen

Nf3! Threat for black is unstoppable.

Conclusion

I love puzzles like this that explains how piece coordination works and also explain how sometimes ignoring pawn captures sometimes helps stay focused.

Puzzle source - https://www.chess.com/article/view/the-hardest-puzzles-on-chess-com