Eleventh Chess Lesson Problem

Fellow NESA Chess Players,

      The Tenth Chess Lesson Problem got solved in record time by one of our newest members, King_Zakadion, whom I had the pleasure to meet at Waltham Chess Club in Waltham, MA a couple of weeks ago.   The answer is that the move ... h6?? is a blunder because of the reposte Nd5!, which wins on the spot because if Black tries ... Qe8, White wins a piece with Bxf6! since Black cannot recapture without allowing a N fork.   Thanks again to aristarcos for submitting this problem.

       And now this same King_Zakadion has submitted the next puzzle.   In the diagram below, Black appears to have White on the ropes with checkmate threats arrayed at g2.  However, White has a saving grace in a very quiet move.

        Good luck solving!

xenophon98

c3

Hey zorawar13,

    OK, to quote John Travolta, tell me more!

Nick

this are very difficult, maby can i call with Carlson,haha,lol😎

Hey dirk-1966,

       hehehehehe, phone Norway: Magnus will tell you the answer in half a sec, bud!

xenophon98

maby: NF6, Qxf6,Qb8+

Hey dirk,

     Sorry, do you mean Ne6 instead?

xenophon98

sorry, yes, Ne6

Ne6, Qxe6,Qb8+

Hey dirk-1966,

     That is a possible alternative move - the one I first thought of - but not the move actually played.

xenophon98

maby this move: Nh5

is C3 correct for opening wbd

Hey Zorawar13,

      Yes, you have it, c3.  Now, how does the game continue?

xenophon98

Hey all,

      I'll reveal that the move played was c3, but I still need to read why.

xenophon98