Sam Loyd : Tuesday’s chess puzzle

The following problem was created and published by Sam Loyd in 1876. White to play and mate in 3 moves. Test your skill! Sharpen your mind!

Sam Loyd , the foremost puzzle creator in the world–said to have created more than 10,000 during his lifetime, was also the father of the American chess problem. As a problemist, he won numerous prizes and gained an international reputation. His major contributions to the game appear in thousands of books and magazines thru out the world. He first became known by winning third prize in the chess problem tournament held at the same time as the 1857 New York Chess Congress where Paul Morphy exploded onto the scene. He is thought to have been of master strength in over the board play, but played so little, preferring to dedicate his genius to inventions. Numerous websites have been dedicated to this American legend.