Checkmate in 5

5 comments

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  pht says:

  March 28, 2014 at 9:42 am

  Initially I notice that my knight’s control of both f6 and d6 looks important, it should give me a mate if I also gain control of both 8th and 7th rank!

  So I first eliminate:
  Nf6+?
  Loosing control of f6 and d6.

  Next I reject this plan:
  Rh8+(?) Kf7
  R1h7
  This is answered with Qe6!
  Bg7 is well defended and white attack is heavily slowed down.

  But I will stick to my initial plan of gaining control of both 8th and 7th rank. An important issue here is that Rf5 must not get opportunity to be interposed!

  I should really have liked to have my queen on g6, so why not:

  1. Qg6!

  Not a check, but the threat Rh8# at first glance seems to give black no alternative to:

  1. … Kf8(?)

  Unpinning g7.
  Here I am well into my initial plan! I can even afford a sack:

  2. Rh8+! Bxh8

  Enforced. Ke7? Qe8#.

  3. Rxh8+ Ke7
  4. Qe8#

  Quite simple, if it wasn’t for the problem that 4 moves is one too quick so I must have missed something.

  Of course it must be:

  1. Qg6 Rd1+(!)

  Here it is pretty obvious that black looses, but can I make it a mate in 5?
  To avoid more delaying sacks, I must surely answer with:

  2. Rd1

  But without double rook in h file, my initial plan doesn’t work. Black seems to have several options to keep it going for a while.
  I have to ponder more on this….

• Reply

  

  pht says:

  March 28, 2014 at 10:01 am

  Well, of course it is:

  1. Qg6! Rd1+ (only delay)
  2. Nxd1! Kf8 (now only against Rh8#)
  3. Rh8+! Bxh8
  4. Rxh8+ Ke7
  5. Qe8#

  I think it’s now proved that mate in 5 is slightly more difficult than mate in 10…

• Reply

  

  pht says:

  March 28, 2014 at 11:30 am

  Also worth to mention is that the somewhat brilliant looking:

  1. Rh8+(?) Kf7
  2. Qxg7(?) Kxg7
  3. R1h7+ Kg6
  4. Rxc7 f3(!)

  Is probably winning for white with
  5. Nf2
  But very far from mate in 5….

• Reply

  

  Prof.S.G.Bhat says:

  March 28, 2014 at 2:45 pm

  This I can attempt,however mate in 10 is a project.
  1.Qg6 Rd1+(delay tactic)
  2.Nxd1 Kf8
  2…. Rh5 3.Nf6+ Kf8 4.Qe8#
  3.Rh8+ Bxh8
  3….. Ke7 4.Qe8#
  4.Rxh8+ Ke7
  5.Qe8#

• Reply

  

  Anonymous says:

  March 28, 2014 at 3:08 pm

  I can’t find it.