Chess
By Lubomir Kavalek
Monday, December 21, 2009; 10:10 AM
Vasily Smyslov, 88, became the world chess champion in 1957, defeating Mikhail Botvinnik. Aside from having a great career as a practical player, Smyslov also produced more than 100 endgame studies, the most of any world champion. In his teens he tried his hand at composing problems. In 1935, at age 14, Smyslov created the following (above) problem (White: Kf8, Qa8, P:c4,d3,e3,g4; Black: Kf6,Nf1,P:a7,c5,e6,f7,g5) in which white mates in three moves.
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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1, Qh1! Ke5
2. Ke7 f5
3. Qh8#
if black does not move 1… Ke5, e.g., if 1… Nxe3 or 1… Ng3 or 1… a5 then
2. Qh8+, Kg6 3. Qg7#
after 1. Qh1, Ke5 2. Ke7, if black does not move 2… f5, the threat is 3. Qe4#
if 1. Qh1, Ke5 2. Ke7, Ng3 (guarding e4), then 3. Qa1#
same for 2… Ne2 (instead of 2… Ng3)
Notes:
The following doesn’t work:
1. Qxa7
the threat is:
2. Qa8+ e5, 3. Qa6#
or
2. Qa8+ Kg6, 3. Qg7#
Black can only move the N, or e-pawn, or the King.
if black moves the N on move 1 (to any square), 2. Qa8+ will mate on next move.
if 1… e5, 2. Qa6#
however, the following prevents mate in 3:
1… Ke5, 2. Ke7, Nxe3
now if 3. Qxc5+ Nd5+
or if 3. Qa1+ Kf4 so no mate in 3.
Continuing with the previous solution, after 1. Qh1, if 1… Nh2 (obstructing the h file), then
2. Qa1+ e5, 3. Qa6#
This theme is well known. It took me some time, though.
1. Qh1! and here are some lines.
The threat is 2. Qh8+, Kg6 3. Qg7
1. -, Nh2 2. Qa1+!, Kg6/e5 2. Qg7/Qa6!#
1. -, Ke5 2. Ke7 threatening Qe4#.
2. -, Ng3 (or Nd2) 3. Qa1#
The white queen appears in all four corners.
Merry christmas to everyone there are only two days left. 🙂
Jochen
1)Qh1! Ke5
2)Ke7!
@Alexandre: Qa6 is followed by Rg8, it doesn’t work.
I propose
1. Bc4 and mate follows straightforwardly.
1.Qf3+ Kg6
2.Qxf7+ Kh6
3.Qg7#
focusing on mate didn’t even see the pawn…
Qa7, Qa1, Qg7 mate
1.Qf3+ Ke5
2.Ke7 and mate follow
munich solution Qa7-Qa1-Qg7, greets
1. Qh1 Ke5
2. Ke7 Ng3
3. Qa1#
q-d8 followed by k-f7
Let’s see if I can get this right 🙂
1 Qh1! Ke5
(1 .. e5 2 Qc6#)
(1 .. Ng3/Nxe3/Nd2 2. Qh8+ Kg6 3. Qg7#)
(1 .. Nh2 2 Qa1+ e5 3 Qa6# – nice queen manouver 🙂 )
(1 .. Nd2 2 Qa1+ Kg6 3 Qg7#)
(1 .. Kg6 2 Qh8 and 3 Qg7#)
2 Ke7! f5
(2 .. Nd2/Ng3/Nh2 3 Qa1#)
(2 .. Nxe3 3 Qe4#)
(2 .. f6 3 Qe4#)
3 Qh8#
Qh1!
Qh1! with mates on either h8, h6 or a6 (via a1)
Am I missing something? Qh1 cannot possibly be white’s first move, because black can just respond with e7#. The first move should rather be Qf3, I think.
Asbjørn has the complete solution.