This took me longer than it probably should have, mostly because of the plethora of candidate moves.

34 Re8+

does the trick. Black can choose between

- 34 Rxe8
- 34 Kg7
- 34 Qf8

I'm guessing you're a glass half empty sort of chap?

Each day is what we make of it. An easy puzzle leaves more time to dream, write poetry, rewind the position to a more interesting variation, wonder "what if", let your imagination soar, make mad passionate lurve to the man or woman of your dreams (whether they are in the room with you or not).

So in today's POTD, sure the answer is Mondeasy. The moorish monarch protected only by a rook. Deflect rook. Win queen. As the meerkat says, simples.

But look a little deeper and there is something of interest here. 34. Re8+ Kg7 35. Rxe8

click for larger view

And we have a cute little x-ray where the white rook and queen protect each other through the black queen. And that is kinda funny.

Or rewind one move to the position after 33. fxg5 and wonder why black didn't play 33...Qxg5. And had he played that, how would white have won? Doesn't look clear-cut to me.

Or rewind a little bit further back to the position after 29. Qxd3

click for larger view

Here black spotted that he could not play Qxd6 and played 29...Qg7 instead. But if he spotted the tactic then how come he forgot it later? I'm guessing time trouble as the decisive tactic came in the mid 30s.

Or watch white's play generally. As the higher rated player he doesn't want a draw. So he makes threat after threat, needling black, pushing him, giving him problems to solve. Eventually black cracks, and white is on hand with his tactical acuity to punish him.

Fritzie doesn't think that white has much of an edge right until the last mistake. It probably should have been a draw. But white wasn't happy with this, so he bullied and he caused trouble and eventually created an opportunity. Or rather, he created the conditions were black was flustered into giving him an opportunity.

Or read the kibitzing and enjoy the concept of the rook on d8 being unable to protect both the queen and itself. Pieces are not en prise - they are simply protecting themselves. Apparently.

Interesting are the various tid-bits and insight offered up by today's <solvers>. Monday puzzles can benefit one's chess knowledge.

<Once> I imagine, even for you, there are rare times when subject matter is scarce and perhaps, since its a Monday, the motivation to produce a short story is lacking; Not today though! Never Fear! Lets key-off a simple short post and run with it, and so again, we are treated!

with two options depending on how Black moves:
34... ♔g7 35. ♖xd8
or 34... ♖xe8 35. ♕xd6

Black threatens 34... Qxd3, 34... Qxe7, 34... Qxh2+, 34... Qf4+, etc.

The white queen attacks her black colleague directly and the black rook indirectly. This suggests 34.Re8+, forking the black king and the rook:

A) 34... Rxe8 35.Qxd6 + - [Q vs R+P].

B) 34... Kg7 35.Rxd8 Qxh2+ 36.Ke3 Qg3+ 37.Kd4 and the king will march behind the black queenside pawns or stop the checks with a royal fork from c3 or d4 with the white queen.

<Jussu> you cannot 'not find' the solution today. You made the key move and a few spite checks should not stop you.

Tal vs W R Chandler, 1974