White to move. How should white proceed?
Daily Chess Improvement: Attacking Tactic!
About Author
White to move. How should white proceed?
1. Nf5+ Kf6
2. g5+ Ke6
3. Rxd6#
It wasn’t easy to notice it.
1. Nf5+ gxf5
2. Qh6+ Kg8
3. Qh8#
One more line, now that Alena has offered the first move:
1) Nf5+, Kf6
2) g5+, Kxg5
3) Qh4#
Puzzle for Alena:
8/8/5B1N/3B4/3p1k2/7K/3P4/8 w – – 0 1 Loyd Mate in 3.
Another cute puzzle:
2B5/2p5/8/3P4/4P3/B4Pp1/6Pp/5K1k w – – 0 1 Find the shortest mate.
1. d6 cxd6
2. Bb2 d5
3. Bd4 dxe4
4. Be3 exf3
5. Bb7 f2
6. Bxf2 gxf2
7. g3#
I have solved Sam Loyd’s puzzle too. I liked it. The idea was beautiful.
Nope. There is something shorter.
At last I have found the solution.
1.Bc5 c6
2. Bh3 cxd5
3. Bd4 dxe4
4. Be3 exf3
5. gxf3 g2+
6. Bxg2#
And finally, here is a position where the second highest rated player in history failed to find the winning move:
1r4k1/5p2/1q1p1Qp1/3P2Pp/4P1P1/5P1K/1p6/1R6 b – – 0 1 Black to move and win.
1…h4 and white is hopeless. I will post full solution tomorrow.
Here is the full solution.
V-1
1…h4
2. Rxb2 Qxb2
3. Qxb2 Rxb2
4. Kxh4 Kg7
5. Kg3 f6
6. f4 Rb3+
7. Kf2 fxg5
8. e5 dxe5
9. fxe5 Rb5
10. d6 Rxe5
11. Kf3 Rd5
12. Ke4 Rxd6
13. Kf3
V-2
1…h4
2. Kxh4 Qf2+
3. Kh3 Rb3
4. Rxb2 Rxb2
5. Qxb2 Qxb2
Yes, Yancey, I did see your kind comment celebrating my return. Thanks.
I did, of course, notice that the puzzles had fallen off in subtlety, and that is too bad. The latest endgame was interesting though, and today’s puzzle has its points.
But if the object is to attract very young and inexperienced players, and to sharpen their as yet untried tactical skills, then maybe most of the puzzles printed here are more appropriate than not. I don’t suppose that it is the aim of the administrator to attract all the diehard 72 year old women chess fans like myself because there aren’t many of my ilk left. 🙂
In today’s puzzle, one notices first that the promising looking 1. Qh6+ is a mistake, since after 1… Kf6, the darn black g-pawn is in the way. So (not Wesley):
The main variation after 1. Nf5+ is probably:
1. Nf5+ Kf6
2. Rxd6+ Re6
3. g5+ Kxg5
4. Qh4 mate
It is important to notice that in this variation 3. Qh4+ would be a mistake:
3. Qh4+ ? g5
4. Qh6+ Ng6 (again blocking on that darn g6 square)
After
1. Nf5+ Kf6
2. Rxd6+ Kg5 leads to:
3. Qh6+ Kxg4
4. Rh4 mate (or Qh4 mate), but might as well let the rook shine after performing his useful supporting role)
After:
1. Nf5+ Kg8? 2. Qh8 mate
And finally:
1. Nf5+ gxf5
2. Qh6+ Kg8
3. Qh8 mate
I think that it’s hilarious that I turned a 3-mover into a 4-mover by omitting to play g5+ on the 2nd move, and only playing it on the 3rd move. I don’t suppose it will cut any mustard if I claim that I only got 4 hours of sleep last night, and looked at this puzzle before I even started breakfast????
You are seriously cutting into my morning, Yancey. The Loyd mate in 3 is cute. It isn’t everyday that one gets to undevelop a bishop and block it in the next move with the king.
1. Bh1 d3
2. Kg2 Ke4
3. Kg3 discovered check and mate