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Rb3 Bd4 Bb7 Bf3 Be5
I’ve never seen a windmill of this sort.
1. Rb3+ (the only square) Ka7
2. Bd4+ Ka8
3. Bb7+ Kb8
4. B:f3+ Kc8 (if …Kc7 5. Be5+ kc8 6. Bb7#)
5. Bb7+ Kb8 (not…Kc7 6. Be5#)
6. B:g2+ Kc8
7. Bb7+ Kb8
8. B:h1+ Kc8
9. Bb7+ Kb8
Now that all the extraneous wood is gone, White can focus on mate.
10. Be4+ (blocking Q checks on the e-file) ….Kc8
11. Rc3+ Q:c3
12. B:c3 and white mates easily with the two bishops.
I wonder why he didn’t put another pawn on e4?
Draw is easy.
1. Rb1+ Ka7
2. Bd4+ Ka8
3. Bb7+ Kb8
4. Be5+ Ka7
5. Bd4+ 1/2-1/2
Can’t find a win yet…
This isn’t all that hard, but I would never have predicted how this was going to turn out by looking at the starting position, at least unless I am missing a forced mate in the first 8 move.
1Rb3+ka7 2Bd4+kr1 3Bb7+ kb8 4Bf3+
kc7 5 mate in two.
If kc8 bb7+ Bxn+ kc8 Bb7+ kb8 Bxr
kc7 mate in two again.
Another typical day in the life of Lucy Lasker.
HEY, LUCY!
What, Zack?
DO YOU WANT TO TRY MATING WITH TWO BISHOPS?
That’s disgusting, Zack. No, I mean, Zack, that’s too easy.
YOU WANNA BET? JUST TRY THIS ONE!
No, Zack.
AW, COME ON.
Oh, all right.
ATTA BABE! HERE’S THE POSITION.
Uh, Zack. This ain’t just 2 bishops, but I think you’ve already given me the solution, you dumbhead!
YOU CAN’T BE SERIOUS!
Just try me.
Mainline
1. Rb3+ Ka7 2. Bd4+ Ka8 3. Bb7+ Kb8 4. Bxf3+ Kc8 5. Bb7+ Kb8 6. Bxg2+ Kc8 7. Bb7+ Kb8 8. Bxh1+ Kc8 9. Rc3+ Qxc3 10. Bxc3 Kc7 11. Bd4 Kd6 12. Kf7 Kd7 13. Be4 Kd6 14. Kf6 Kd7 15. Be5 Kc8 16. Ke6 Kd8 17. Kd6 Ke8 18. Bg6+ Kf8 19. Ke6 Kg8 20. Kf6 Kf8 21. Bd6+ Kg8 22. Bf5 Kh8 23. Kg6 Kg8 24. Be6+ Kh8 25. Be5#
Deviating from the mainline:
(YOU’RE ALWAYS BEING DEVIANT, LUCY!)
(That’s better than always setting pieces up on diagonals like you do, Zack. You play much Checkers?)
THAT’S REALLY LOW, LUCY
4. .. Kc7 5. Be5+ Kc8 6. Bb7#
5. .. Kc7 6. Be5#
6. .. Kc7 7. Be5+ Kc8 8. Bb7#
7. .. Kc7 8. Be5#
8. .. Kc7 9. Be5+ Kc8 10. Bb7#
12. .. Kc7 13. Ke7 Kc8 14. Bb6 Kb8 15. Kd6 Kc8 16. Kc6 Kb8 17. Bd5 Kc8 18. Be6+ Kb8 19. Bd4 Ka8 20. Kb6 Kb8 21. Be5+ Ka8 22. Bd5#
There. Any more brilliant ideas, Zack?
I’M GONNA CATCH YOU IN A MATING NET YET.
Just try me.
CraigB, and d5, too!
Reminds me of a lovely problem which had left me fascinated as a kid. I still more or less remember the position.
The problem was White (K+Q only) to play and win against Black (All pieces on board!).
Here is the position:
Row 8: 6r1
Row 7: 2pp1n1p
Row 6: 8
Row 5: 3Q1b2
Row 4: 2K5
Row 3: p1b1p1p1
Row 2: kp3p2
Row 1: q4r1n
Not super difficult, but gives you nice bragging rights 🙂
Susan, please publish it on your blog if you like it 😉
Hi Anand, What’s the solution to your problem? I can capture everything but some pawns, which don’t allow White to put Black in a zugzwang after which he can be mated. Is the solution something completely different? Thanks.