Solve a Puzzle Post a Puzzle

L1m1tless

The correct answer gets the right to post the next puzzle

An easy one to start off with.



Black to Mate in 3 Moves

cdeb

Not a bad idea!

Does it have to be mate? Or is it enough to gain a winning advantage? The latter are far more common in real games, but the former get all the attention.

1. ... Rh1+ 2. KxR Qh8+ 3. Kg1 Qh2#

L1m1tless

Does not have to be mate puzzles, could even be a "white to play and draw" etc.

cdeb

Cool; here's one so. It's an analysis line from my game on Wednesday. I figured this was ok for me - but there was another variant that was bad, so I didn't go in for this. It's just as well though. How does white win here?

Sheridan v Burke.jpg

L1m1tless

is it

Qxf6 winning a piece?

cdeb

Yup.

Can't take back because of mate. It doesn't just win a piece - the attack is completely crushing too, with mate on g7 threatened for starters. Best reply for white I think is QxB!

I at least saw the move immediately in analysis afterwards!

L1m1tless

Nice one alright!



White to move and win here. a possible line from Anand Carlsen yesterday.

eclipsechaser

Nf6 wins the Queen. If gxf6, then Qg3+ followed by Bxf6#

White to play:

caissa007

Anastasia :-)

brilliantboy

@eclipsechaser

1.Ne7+ Kh8 2.Rxh7+ Kxh7 3.Qh4#

Useful pattern to know

White to play

puzz.JPG

eclipsechaser

Qh6. If Rh7, then Rd8+ wins instantly. If Kg8, then Qxg7 and no matter what way the Queen is captured, white can play fxg3 pinning the Queen to the King.

I found that one a bit tough. Good thing my girlfriend was able to figure it out for me...


Here's one for you. White to mate in 3 (specifically - there are other longer forced mates).

mikhail

The board's deliberatly turned around, i.e. Black's king is on a1. 1.Kc3 b1=N+ (1... b1=Q 2.Nc2+ Qxc2 3.Kxc2#; 1... b1=R 2. Nc2#; 1...b1=B 2.Kd2#) 2.Kc2+ Nc3 3.Bxc3#

White to play and mate in 1.

brilliantboy

mikhail wrote: »

The board's deliberatly turned around, i.e. Black's king is on a1. 1.Kc3 b1=N+ (1... b1=Q 2.Nc2+ Qxc2 3.Kxc2#; 1... b1=R 2. Nc2#; 1...b1=B 2.Kd2#) 2.Kc2+ Nc3 3.Bxc3#

Very creative solution but I think it's wrong

White would love to play Kf8 and Nf7# but Black doesn't have a move and would be stalemated, so White needs to give him one. 1.Bf6! gxf6 2.Kf8 f5 3.Nf7#

I'm completely stumped for your puzzle though. Loads of mates but can't find a mate in 1.

L1m1tless

Mikhail, Unless there is something I am missing, That looks impossible to mate in 1

brilliantboy

Neo_Ninja wrote: »

Mikhail, Unless there is something I am missing, That looks impossible to mate in 1

dxe6 en passant, a dirty trick

L1m1tless

hehe

brianhere

I think the key to that puzzle is that black has moved e7 to e5 in the previous move...

Valmont

White to play and draw

cdeb

Have to say there should be more puzzles like this one. Endings in general - including endings puzzles - are very neglected.

1. f4 is obviously nonsense - 1. ... gf and black wins. So it has to be a king move.

I'm trying to avoid getting my king to g3 without letting black's king to e3 - in that case 1. Kg4 Kf2 2. KxP KxP 3. Kf5 e4 and the pawn queens.

So I don't think white can be too aggressive here. Golden rule in endings is to take the opposition - what about 1. Kf1? Then 1. ... g5 needs to be considered. 2. fg e4 3. g5 e3 4. g6 e2+ and black will win.

But can white play 1. Kf1 g5 2. Kf2? Then 2. ... gf is a draw, as is 2. ... g3. But black has 2. ... Kd2, and then 3. Kg3 Ke3 and we're back to the first line.

But still not seeing it yet.

Is there any bit of reason in the above?

cdeb

Gave up and put it into Nalimov.

I was right in the idea, but way off in the sense of the moves!

Nice puzzle.

Won't put up the solution - even as a spoiler - as I haven't really earned it.

But it's exactly why I like (and fear!) these kind of positions.

brilliantboy

cdeb wrote: »

Gave up and put it into Nalimov.

I was right, but way off!

Nice puzzle.

Won't put up the solution - even as a spoiler - as I haven't really earned it.

But it's exactly why I like (and fear!) these kind of positions.

I got it immediately because I recognize the position from some endgame book or other. But I'm 100% certain I would make a mess of it if it came up in a game

cdeb

Just edited my post there for clarification - none of the lines I gave was the solution, but my thinking was along the right track. I just didn't consider all the moves.

eclipsechaser

Valmont wrote: »

White to play and draw

Excellent puzzle - I really enjoyed it. I think I have the answer...

White plays Kh1 to gain the distant opposition. White then mirrors black's moves along the f-file (and occasionally along the e-file if the black king moves onto the c-file). So if Ke2, white plays Kg2. If black plays Ke3, white plays Kg3. If black plays Kd3, white plays Kh3 etc. Importantly, if black plays Kd2, white should not take the opposition with Kf2 as the pawn on f3 will take away his opposition after Kd3. Instead Kh2 does the trick.

Is that correct?

cdeb

That's it

eclipsechaser

Black has just played Bh3. How should white respond?

brilliantboy

eclipsechaser wrote: »

Black has just played Bh3. How should white respond?

1.Rxd8+ Kxd8 2.Qd1+ Unless White has some spectacular win somewhere?

Valmont

Doesn't that still lose after

3...Qxd1 and the queen is going back to f3?

L1m1tless

The queen can't go back to f3 as its stalemate!

brilliantboy

Black to move


puzzz.JPG

Valmont

There are a few variations worth considering with this one. It's a very good example of some key endgame theory!

1. 1. Kd3…g5 2.fxg5…g4 3. Ke4!...Ke2 4.Kf4…Kf2 5.Kxg4 and if black takes the opposition the e pawn will promote while if he captures the e pawn the g pawn will promote.
2. 1. Kd3…Ke1 2. e2…g5 3. fxg5…g4 4.Kd4! (Ke4 gives black the opposition)…Kxe2 5. Ke4 -+.
3. 1. Kd3…Ke1 2. e2…g5 3. fxg5…g4 4.Kd4…Kd2 5.e1=Q…Kxe1 6. Ke3 with the opposition again to win.

brilliantboy

Valmont wrote: »

There are a few variations worth considering with this one. It's a very good example of some key endgame theory!

1. 1. Kd3…g5 2.fxg5…g4 3. Ke4!...Ke2 4.Kf4…Kf2 5.Kxg4 and if black takes the opposition the e pawn will promote while if he captures the e pawn the g pawn will promote.
2. 1. Kd3…Ke1 2. e2…g5 3. fxg5…g4 4.Kd4! (Ke4 gives black the opposition)…Kxe2 5. Ke4 -+.
3. 1. Kd3…Ke1 2. e2…g5 3. fxg5…g4 4.Kd4…Kd2 5.e1=Q…Kxe1 6. Ke3 with the opposition again to win.

Not quite

In the variation 1. Kd3 Ke1 2. e2 g5 3. fxg5 g4 4. Kd4 Kxe2 5. Ke4.. White can reach f1/g1 and take opposition whenever Black captures the g-pawn. I know something about triangles

Valmont

Crap!

L1m1tless

Any good puzzles?

eclipsechaser

Neo_Ninja wrote: »

Any good puzzles?

Yes.

If an arbiter has concerns relating to someone trying to enter their event, should the arbiter... :pac:

Here's one I found on the net recently. It's a puzzle from the 1800's. Suppose you’re playing White against an opponent who’s required to mirror every move you make — if you play 1. Nf3 he must play 1. … Nf6, and so on. Can you design a game in which your eighth move forces your opponent to checkmate you with a non-mirror move?

L1m1tless

haha!

ooh interesting one! Is the first Move Nf3 or was that just an example?

eclipsechaser

Neo_Ninja wrote: »

haha!

ooh interesting one! Is the first Move Nf3 or was that just an example?

Just an example. It's tough to say the least...

L1m1tless

It is! Its a good one too because you cant use an engine to cheat! lol I'll see how I go with it.

eclipsechaser

Neo_Ninja wrote: »

It is! Its a good one too because you cant use an engine to cheat! lol I'll see how I go with it.

I take it everyone gives up on this one then?

1. e4 e5 2. Ke2 Ke7 3. Ke3 Ke6 4. Qf3 Qf6 5. Ne2 Ne7 6. b3 b6 7. Ba3 Ba6 8. Nd4+ forcing 8... exd4#

Here's an "easy" one so. I have to admit, I hadn't seen this one before so it look me a minute to get it.

caissa007

Pretty finish .....

wine and final destination

Rf6+

riggsfitz

F5+

riggsfitz

wine and final destination wrote: »

Rf6+

Pawn will take the rook on f6.

cdeb

And then f5 is mate.

mikhail

I like the continuation 1.Rf6+ Kh7 2.Rh6#

eclipsechaser

Another easy enough one to get things going again. White to play.

riggsfitz

BF8

mikhail

riggsfitz wrote: »

BF8

That's the start. There's a second move to spot -

1.Bf8+ Bh5 2.Qxh5 gh 3.Rh6#

riggsfitz

Bh5 QxBh5+ Pawn h5 (takes Queen) Rh6++ (check mate).