By Lubomir Kavalek
Special to The Washington Post
Monday, April 20, 2009
Walther von Holzhausen (1876-1935), a German chess composer and player, wrote extensively on the theory of chess problems. In one of his compositions, white mates in two moves.
Can you find the solution?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
nice, R-a8
Ra8!
Ra1! Very nice!
Ra8!
Ra8!
I thought about 40 second and saw where king would scape. Yes, amazing.
1.Ra8!!
A) 1…Rxa8
2.Qf3++
B) 1…Kc6
2.Qb5++
C) 1…move bishop for anywhere
2.Qa6++
probly ra8
I got this one in less than five seconds though it took me just a bit longer to be certain of all the variations. It was very easy to see that every king move was mate with either 2.Qf3 if black plays Kxa8, and 2.Qb5 if black plays either Kb6 or Kc6. Finally, if black moves the bishop anywhere other than b6, white mates with Qa6- if black plays Bb6, white mates with Qf3 again.
1. Ra8!
a. 1. … Bb6 (c5, d4, e3, f2, g1 or b8) 2. Qa6#
b. 1. … Kxa8 2. Qf3#
c. 1. … Kc6 2. Qb5#
Ra8!
Ra8
Ra8
Ra8,
1.Ra8 if 1.– KxR 2. Qf3#; if 1– Kc6 2.Qb5# ; if 1. — B~~ 2. Qa6#. However the problem is heavily made up and even a child can mate black given more moves. I prefer the problem posted by Judith which is more elegant.
Ta8
1Ra8 mate next move
Qb5+
Qb5+
Ra8 should seal the fate right?
Ra8 should seal the fate right?
I must admit I got lucky 🙂
1. Ra8!!
(threatening Qa6+#)
If Black tries to prevent Qa6+# threat, it gets mated by other means.
1. … Bb6 2. Qf3+#
1. … Kb6/c6 2.Qb5+#
1. … Kxa8 Qf3+#
Amazing indeed!
1. Ra8! Zugzwang.
1. … Kxa8 2. Qf3#
1. … Kb6 2. Qb5#
1. … Kc6 2. Qb5#
1. … Bb6 2. Qf3#
2. … Bb8/c5/d4/e3/f2/g1 2. Qa6#
Ra8
if Kxa8, Qf3#
if Kc6, Qb5#
&c.
1. Ra8!!!
A 1….Kxa8 2. Qf3#
B 1….Kb/c6 2. Qb5#
C 1….Bb6…2. Qf3#
D 1..B-other 2. Qa6#
Harry
Ra8!!! Win with Q(f3(Ka8 or Bb6), b5 and a6 (Bb8 or Bc5 etc)
Ra8..Qf3# Ra8..Qa6#
Ra8..Qf3#
Ra8..Qa6#
Ra8..Qf3#
Ra8..Qa6#
Ra8!