Chess.com daily puzzle

KarmaGarda

Hi all,

[font=wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif]I'm trying to improve my chess skills from beginner to somewhat intermediate so excuse my stupidity here if I am wrong. [/font]

[font=wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif]I use the iPhone app from chess.com and they have this daily puzzle to work your mind. I have attached today's puzzle, of which I think the answer is slightly disputable. You play white and it's your move.[/font]

[font=wf_segoe-ui_normal, 'Segoe UI', 'Segoe WP', Tahoma, Arial, sans-serif]Rest is spoiler so if you want to solve first stop reading.[/font]

Firstly, my gut to solve this was get the knight off h6 and it's game over. So I played Nf5. His options are attack with pawn and I take the knight, followed by Qg8#, or black moves the knight (takes mine) and it's still checkmate with Qg8.

Computer says no! The quoted answer is this:

Qh1 g6 Qa1#

Now I know it's a doomed situation regardless of what you do, but why on earth would black move the pawn to g6? It opens up an immediate checkmate. Why not instead move the knight to g4?

Mod edit - spoiler tags added to spoiler bit.

checknraise

Hi Karma,

In many puzzle's it is about find the quickest checkmate.

Nf5 is checkmate but only in 3 moves - NF5, Nf7, QxN, h6, Qg8#

After Qh1 it is checkmate in 2 moves - if the knight moves Ng6# or the solution you have above.

Ficheall

Reason:

If you move the Knight, White wins with Ng6#.

Damn you, checknraise :P

KarmaGarda

Ah, of course. I missed the reveal due to Qh1!

Thanks guys, that clears that up.