This is a real hard one (not as easy as it looks on the first look). Unfortunately (?) I have seen this study before and I remembered the key move immediately now. Finding the variations after this move was “easy” then…
Susan, don’t publish positions I know, then I have nothing to search for. 🙂
Wow! I looked and looked, and couldn’t get this one — it was the nice stalemate with the queen and bish covering all the squares and blocking the pawn that I never saw. Well done.
“Another difficult variation to work out is after the moves
1.Nd4 Qd8 2.? “
Doesn’t look that difficult. Just check the King with the Rook on the a and b files. The King cannot cross over to the c-file without losing the Queen.
The King can’t get to c4 except by way of b4 (since b5 is guarded by the Knight), and … Kb4 allows Nc6+.
… Kc5 or … Kc7 allow Ne6+
… Kc8 (after a Rook check on the b-file) allows Rb8+, Kxb8; Nc6+.
I think 1. Nc5+ followed by the perpetual rook check which can only be stopped by the queen exchange draws. i almost fell for the Re6 thinking i could follow up with Nc5+ but the knight will be pinned as somebody already pointed out!
Very elegant: assuming this is a study, an acknowledgment of the composer and source would be good. If we wanted to look up the answer in a database of studies, we could anyway. 1.Nd4 prevents Qe6+ and the threats are Ra3, Rb3 and now Re6. Qxd4 leads to the bK hiding behind the Q but, as noted above, Rd3 and Qxd3 lead to stalemate. A gem. I needed FRITZ 10 to show that after Qxc6, Black has a mating attack.
What about 1.Nd4 Qd8 2.Ra3 Kb7 3 Rb3 Kc8 4 Rc3 Kd7 5.Rd3 is no check because the white knight is in the way Then the Black Q can do some king checks to reposition itself
Re6
Re6 and the Kb3 is pinned after Qe6
I am stumped, cannot see it.
This is a real hard one (not as easy as it looks on the first look).
Unfortunately (?) I have seen this study before and I remembered the key move immediately now. Finding the variations after this move was “easy” then…
Susan, don’t publish positions I know, then I have nothing to search for. 🙂
Greetings
Jochen
1. Nd4!! draws:
1. – Qxd4 2. Ra3+ Kb~ 3. Rb3+ Kc~ 4. Rc3+ Kd~ 5. Rd3!! Qxd3 stalemate
1. – Bxd4 2. Ra3+ Kb7 3. Rb3=
1. Re6 Qxe6
2. White resigns
Another difficult variation to work out is after the moves
1.Nd4 Qd8
2.?
anon_6:01 said…
“1. Nd4!! draws:
1. – Qxd4 2. Ra3+ Kb~ 3. Rb3+ Kc~ 4. Rc3+ Kd~ 5. Rd3!! Qxd3 stalemate
1. – Bxd4 2. Ra3+ Kb7 3. Rb3=”
Wow! I looked and looked, and couldn’t get this one — it was the nice stalemate with the queen and bish covering all the squares and blocking the pawn that I never saw. Well done.
“Another difficult variation to work out is after the moves
1.Nd4 Qd8
2.? “
Doesn’t look that difficult. Just check the King with the Rook on the a and b files. The King cannot cross over to the c-file without losing the Queen.
The King can’t get to c4 except by way of b4 (since b5 is guarded by the Knight), and … Kb4 allows Nc6+.
… Kc5 or … Kc7 allow Ne6+
… Kc8 (after a Rook check on the b-file) allows Rb8+, Kxb8; Nc6+.
Very pretty puzzle!
Re6 pins the queen. If Qxe6 then Nc5+ with a royal fork and white can pickup the queen. 🙂
what the hell are u guys thinking, rxe6 hangs a rook, you are PINNED. I seen this puzzle before, very cute!
I think 1. Nc5+ followed by the perpetual rook check which can only be stopped by the queen exchange draws. i almost fell for the Re6 thinking i could follow up with Nc5+ but the knight will be pinned as somebody already pointed out!
Very elegant: assuming this is a study, an acknowledgment of the composer and source would be good.
If we wanted to look up the answer in a database of studies, we could anyway.
1.Nd4 prevents Qe6+ and the threats are Ra3, Rb3 and now Re6. Qxd4 leads to the bK hiding behind the Q but, as noted above, Rd3 and Qxd3 lead to stalemate. A gem.
I needed FRITZ 10 to show that after Qxc6, Black has a mating attack.
What about
1.Nd4 Qd8
2.Ra3 Kb7
3 Rb3 Kc8
4 Rc3 Kd7
5.Rd3 is no check because the white knight is in the way
Then the Black Q can do some king checks to reposition itself
Nevermind I should read all of the comments looks after 4Rc8+ instead of 4Rc3 looks like the night can get a fork K-Q fork.
A month later..
Very nice puzzle. I did not see the pin so I played 1. Re6???
But the line with the stalemate on d3 is great.