8/2p5/2p5/k1K5/8/3Q4/8/3b4 w – – 0 1
White to move and checkmate in 3.
Lloyd
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1.- Qa3+ Ba4 2.- Kxc6 Ka6 3.- Qxa4#
1Qg3 This is vital move to have access to a3,g8 and c7 as the position demands.
1… Ka6 2Qxc7 &3Qb6#
1…. Ka4 2Qc3 and 3Qb4#
1… Ba4 or Bc2 or Bf3 2Qg8 Now 2… Ka4 3Qa2# else 3Qa8#
1… Be2 or Bh5 or Bg4 2Qa3#
1… Bb3 2Qxc7+ Now 2… Ka6 3Qb6# else if 2… Ka4 3Qa7#{This is possible because b3 is occupied by bishop.}
Once you hit upon Qg3-g8 link variations follow easily.
Boy, these simple looking puzzles are amazingly tough to solve. Took me forever to finally ask answer the right question here- how to deal with the two king moves on move #1 of Ka6 and Ka4? Dealing with 1. …Ka6 helped narrow it down white’s first move to Qh7, Qd7 or Qg3- the squares from which white can reply to Ka6 with Qxc7 trapping the king on a6 with an unstoppable Qb6# to follow. With that theme in mind, it was obvious that only 1.Qg3 also allows the mirror image trapping of the black king on a4 with 2.Qc3 with an unstoppable 3.Qb4#. So, we have:
1. Qg3
And with Ka6 and Ka4 eliminated as options for black, then we only need deal with the bishop moves of Bc2, Bb3, and Ba4 since white will mate with Qa3 if the bishop leaves the a4/d1 diagonal. Let’s take each in order:
1. …..Bc2
Now, again, white needs to answer the question of how to deal with the two kings moves of Ka6 and Ka4 with a queen move. If white moves the king on move 2, then any king move of black will extend the line beyond three moves, so he must move the queen from g3. From e5, the queen can still reach c3 and and c7 as a reply to Ka6 and Ka4, but, of course, this is not going to lead to mate in 3 total, even if black does move the king- it would be a mate in 4 at best. However, the queen can now reach a square to threaten the mates on the side of the board from either side of the black king:
2. Qg8! with an unstoppable 3.Qa8# or 3.Qa1# coming no matter what black does with his king or bishop.
So, now, we need to deal with Bb3 which covers the g8 square, but this is easy:
1. …..Bb3
2. Qc7!
Takes advantage of the bishop taking away the b3 square from his king:
2. …..Ka4
3. Qa7#
And, finally:
1. …..Ba4
2. Qc7!
Of course, Qg8 will no longer work since black can put the bishop at b5 and shield the king from both checks of Qa8 and Qa1. with 2.Qc7, white is now taking advantage of the fact that black’s bishop is taking a4 away from his king. 3.Qb6# follows.
Qa3+ – La4
Kxc6 – Ka6
QxL++
1. Qg3 works better in this puzzle 🙂
1. … Ka6 2. Qxc7 and 3. Qb6#
1. … Ka4 2. Qc3 and 3. Qb4#
1. … Ba4 2. Qxc7+ and 3. Qb6#
1. … Bb3 2. Qxc7+ Ka4 [2. … Ka6 3. Qb6#] 3. Qa7#
1. … Bc2 (or Bf3) 2. Qg8 B-moves [2. … Ka6 Qa8#] [2. … Ka4 3. Qa2#] 3. Qa8#
1. … Bg4 (or Bh5 or Be2) 2. Qa3#
wow, this took me some time, because the queen has terribly many possible moves to choose from. i think, the right one is:
1. Qg3 Ka6 (Bf2/g4/h5, 2. Qa3#)
2. Qxc7 any
3. Qb6#
1. … Ka4
2. Qb3 any
3. Qb4#
1. … Bb3
2. Qxc7+ Ka4 (Ka6, 3. Qb6#)
3. Qa7#
1. … Ba4
2. Qxc7+ Ka6
3. Qb6
1. … Bc2
2. Qg8 Ka4/Bd3 (other, 3. Qa8#)
3. Qa2#
1. … Bf3
2. Qg8 Ka4/Bd1/Bd5 (other, 3. Qa8#)
3. Qa2#
greets, jan
1. qg3
with idea 2. qg8 and mate
1..bc2
2 qb6 and mate
if black king moves than qc3 or qb6 and mate
Qh7 is the first move
1.Qg3 [ (a)1. … Ka4 2.Qc3 *** 3.Qb4#] [(b)1. … Bc2 2.Qg1 Ka6 3.Qa8#] [(c)1. … Bc2 2.Qg1 Ka4 3.Qa2#] [(d)1. … Ba4 2.Qc7 Ka6 3.Qb6#] [(e) 1. … Bf3 2.Qg1 Ka4 3.Qa2#]
1.Qg3 [ (a)1. … Ka4 2.Qc3 *** 3.Qb4#] [(b)1. … Bc2 2.Qg1 Ka6 3.Qa8#] [(c)1. … Bc2 2.Qg1 Ka4 3.Qa2#] [(d)1. … Ba4 2.Qc7 Ka6 3.Qb6#] [(e) 1. … Bf3 2.Qg1 Ka4 3.Qa2#]
1. Qg3 aiming c7 pawn to capture it if king moves to a6 and giving mate on b6. If king moves to a4, then Qc3 giving mate in next move on B4. If any bishop move, capture on c7 and then give mate on a7.
Sorry. Against 1. Qg3, Bishop can move to C2 (if Bishop goes to a4 then Qc7 is okay) but if it goes to C2 then 2Qg8 threatens Qa8 mate and king has to move to a4, then Qa2 mate.
1.Qa3 Ba4 2.Kxc6 is illegal.
1.Qg3 works though. Idea is 2.Qxc7 against most moves. 1…Bb3 then 2.Qg8 and 1…Ka4 2.Qc3. Think that covers it.
1, Qg3 Ka6
2. Qxc7 mate next move
1. Qg3 Bc2
2, Qg8 mate next move
Qa8 or Qa2
1. Qg3 Ka4
2. Qc3 mate next move
this is called triangle mate
Qg3 – Qc3 and Qc7
IM Young
1.Qg3!…
a)1…Ka6 2.Qxc7 /whatever/ 3.Qb6#
b)1…Ka4 2.Qc3 /whatever/ 3.Qb4#
c)1…Bb3 2.Qxc7… (2…Ka6 3.Qb6#) 2…Ka4 or B any 3.Qa7#
d)1…B any except b3 2.Qg8…(2…any except Ka4 3.Qa8#) 2…Ka4 3.Qa2#
Full references:
Loyd, Samuel
Detroit Free Press, 1877