Level
3-Bishop
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #59"][Date "2009.02.20"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/8/8/B7/4p3/1Q6/1K2kp2/3R4 w - - 0 1"]
Given you guys are going to play at the regionals this upcoming weekend, will continue our puzzle journey with another 2 moves mate one. It is a study composed by Leonid Kubbel in 1941, time when World War II was still spreading its devastation. Looking back at details of beauty like this one it makes us believe we have the power to keep everything in harmony and peace in the World. The above position gave me a sense of "deja vu" from the first moment I saw it. However in reality the truth is I have not seen it before, but it looks similar with other positions from endgame manuals. The overwhelming advantage White has can raise only one challenge: how to use it properly for the shortest way to win. Your task:
a) White to move and mate in 2 (5 points)
b) Which White pieces should not move at the first move and why? (5 points for each correctly identified piece and correct reason; total 3 x 5 = 15 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #60.
Puzzle #58 solution:
Karl's solution for last week:
a) See solution
b) I cannot move the King on the first move because then the Black Knight on e7 will check me, therefore giving me no time to checkmate. I cannot move the Knight on e3 on the first move because I need it to guard my Bishop, and get ready to move to c2. I cannot move my Bishop on the first move because I need it to defend the b5 and b3 squares. If I move it, then the Black King will take Nb5, or escape. I cannot move my Queen on the first move because I need it to prepare for checkmate on squares e7 and e1, depending on what Black moves. I moved my Knight to d4 because it provides me with chances of checks and checkmates, and it guards the squares b5, and b3.
[Event "Puzzle #58"][Date "2009.02.13"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/4n2K/8/pNp5/rkB4Q/n1p1N3/8/8 w - - 0 1"]1.Nd4!! cxd4 (1...c2 2.Qe1#) (1...Nxc4 2.Nec2#) (1...Nb1 2.Ndc2#) (1...Nf5 2.Nc6#) 2.Qxe7#
Correct solutions:
Joshua, John, Mark, Karl, Jeremy, Andy Y - 25 points
Andy Q, Humphrey - 24 points
Katerina, James - 15 points
Wilson - 14 points
Nathaniel, Jacky - 5 points
Each wrong try gets a 1 point deduction in case of providing the correct solution.
Standings:
John - 119 points
Joshua - 114 points
Jeremy - 112 points
Andy Qian - 111 points
Mark - 108 points
Andy Yee - 76 points
Karl - 72 points
Jacky - 65 points
Humphrey - 51 points
James - 45 points
Wilson - 39 points
Katerina - 25 points
Joanne - 21 points
Darren - 20 points
Marcus - 17 points
Nathaniel - 11 points
a) White to move and mate in 2 (5 points)
b) Which White pieces should not move at the first move and why? (5 points for each correctly identified piece and correct reason; total 3 x 5 = 15 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #60.
Puzzle #58 solution:
Karl's solution for last week:
a) See solution
b) I cannot move the King on the first move because then the Black Knight on e7 will check me, therefore giving me no time to checkmate. I cannot move the Knight on e3 on the first move because I need it to guard my Bishop, and get ready to move to c2. I cannot move my Bishop on the first move because I need it to defend the b5 and b3 squares. If I move it, then the Black King will take Nb5, or escape. I cannot move my Queen on the first move because I need it to prepare for checkmate on squares e7 and e1, depending on what Black moves. I moved my Knight to d4 because it provides me with chances of checks and checkmates, and it guards the squares b5, and b3.
[Event "Puzzle #58"][Date "2009.02.13"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/4n2K/8/pNp5/rkB4Q/n1p1N3/8/8 w - - 0 1"]1.Nd4!! cxd4 (1...c2 2.Qe1#) (1...Nxc4 2.Nec2#) (1...Nb1 2.Ndc2#) (1...Nf5 2.Nc6#) 2.Qxe7#
Correct solutions:
Joshua, John, Mark, Karl, Jeremy, Andy Y - 25 points
Andy Q, Humphrey - 24 points
Katerina, James - 15 points
Wilson - 14 points
Nathaniel, Jacky - 5 points
Each wrong try gets a 1 point deduction in case of providing the correct solution.
Standings:
John - 119 points
Joshua - 114 points
Jeremy - 112 points
Andy Qian - 111 points
Mark - 108 points
Andy Yee - 76 points
Karl - 72 points
Jacky - 65 points
Humphrey - 51 points
James - 45 points
Wilson - 39 points
Katerina - 25 points
Joanne - 21 points
Darren - 20 points
Marcus - 17 points
Nathaniel - 11 points
Mate in 2