Well, patzer eyes like mine light up at simple mates-in-two. This problem stumped me at first. Then I realized there must be a zugzwang element involved.
So I hit upon 1.Qh5.
That works for every Black reply except …g5. Dejection overwhelmed my old brain for a while until I saw that h1 square.
Solution is:
1. Qd8
if
1. g6 or g5
2. Qf6 mate
if
1. Nf7 or Nf5 or Ng4
2. Kf7 mate
1 Qh5
Qh1 – g6/g5
Qa1++
– Ng4 /f5
Ng6++
Qh1 – g6/g5
Qa1++
– Ng4 /f5
Ng6++
Qh1 – g6/g5
Qa1++
– Ng4 /f5
Ng6++
Qh1 – g6/g5
Qa1++
– Ng4 /f5
Ng6++
1. Qh1 Nany
2. Ng6#
1. … g6/g5
2. Qa1#
greets, jan
Qh5
Here I tried both:
1. Qh5? (good idea, but) g5!
and
1. Qd8? Ng8!
before realizing, of course it has to be:
1. Qh1!
pinning the h7 pawns through two knights!
1. … Nf7/Nf5/Ng4
2. Ng6#
1. … g6/g5
2. Qa1#
1.Qh1
If 1….,g6 or g5
2.Qa1 mate
and if blacks move the knight
2.kg6 mate
1.Qh1
If 1….,g6 or g5
2.Qa1 mate
and if blacks move the knight
2.kg6 mate
1.Qh1 a) 1…g6 2.Qa1# b) 1…Sg8 2.Sg6#
Qh5. After any Knight move Ng6 mates and after f6 Qe5 mates
Really, I can’t see any “checkmate in 2”. With the best and most tenacious defence for black there is a “checkmate in 3” though.
For example:
1. Qd4, Nf5 2. Nxf5, h5 3. Qxg7#
or
1. Qh5, g5 (not 1.- , g6 2. Qe5#) 2. Ng6+, hxg6 3. Qxh6#
or
1. Qe6, Nf7! 2. Qxf7, g6 3. Qg7#
Really, where is that “checkmate in 2”? I can’t find it here.
Ok, found it…
1. Qh1, Nf5 2. Ng6#
or
1. Qh1, g6 (or g5) 2. Qa1#
Well, patzer eyes like mine light up at simple mates-in-two. This problem stumped me at first. Then I realized there must be a zugzwang element involved.
So I hit upon 1.Qh5.
That works for every Black reply except …g5. Dejection overwhelmed my old brain for a while until I saw that h1 square.
Thanks for the puzzle.
1.Qa8! wins.
If 1…g6 or g5 2.Qa1#
If 1…Nf7 2.Kxf7#
If 1…Nf5 or Ng4 2.Kf7#
my wife who is a 700 player found this cook…1N-F5 also mates in 2
oops nf5 is wrong we overlooked looked the reply nf7
1. Nf5, Nxf5 (1. … g6 or g5 2. Qe5 mate) 2. Qg8 mate.
Forget that last one. 1. … Nf7 prevents mate next.
1.Nf5…
forcing Black to move. all remaining moves are bad
If 1…Nxf5, 2.Qg8#
or 1…Ng8, 2.Qxg8#
or 1…g6, 2.Qe5#
or 1…g5, 2.Qe5#
I had proposed 1.Nf5… zugzwang thinking of black, but had not seen 1…Nf7
1.Qh1… is the answer by the black zugzwang
1 Qh5? g5
Gah!
Typical. Black has six legal moves and I missed one of them. No wonder I’m not a g.
Hello. The answer is 1. Qh1!
Hello! The answer is 1. Qh1! The next move is mate.