White to move and checkmate in 4. No computer please 🙂
Zepler 1935
8/1p3K1p/8/5p2/2Q2P2/k1P4B/3R4/1q6 w – – 0 1
- About Us
- Chess Improvement
- Chess Puzzles
- Chess Research
- College Chess
- General News
- Home
- Major Tournaments
- News
- Polgar Events
- Privacy Policy
- Scholastic Chess
- SPICE / Webster
- Susan’s Personal Blog
- Track your order
- USA Chess
- Videos
- Women’s Chess
- Contact Us
- Daily News
- My Account
- Terms & Conditions
- Privacy Policy
1 . Qa6+ Kb3 2. Qb5+ Ka3 3. Qxb1 any 4. Ra2#
2…Kxc3!?
Scratch that, any can’t include h8N+
3. Qa5+ Kb3 4. Qb4#
Even worse for your solution is that you have omitted the black pawn at b7.
He had the pawn there alright, he just thought both sets of pawns were moving up the board. It’s almost as daft as trying to take your own pawn 🙂
1.Bg2 (said James accidentally getting the board the right way round)
1…. Qb3 2.Bd5 Qxc4 3.Bxc4 and 4.Ra2#
1…. Qb2 2.Bd5 Qb1 (2…. Qxd2 3.Qb3#/Qb4# or 2…. b5 3.Qa2+ Qxa2 4.Rxa2#) 3.Q/Ra2+ Qxa2 4.R/Qxa2#
1…. b5 2.Qc5+ Ka4 (2….. Qb4/Kb3 3.Qxb4#/Qb4#) 3.Ra2+ Kb3 (3.Qxa2 Qb4#) 4.Bd5#
1.Bg2 b5 2.Qc5+ b4 3.Qa5+ Kb3 4.Qxb4#
After
1. ……….b5
2. Qc5 Ka4
3. Ra2 Qa2 occurs with check. White still win, but there is no mate in 4.
1.Bg2 b5 2.Qc5+ Ka4 3.Bd5 (threatening Qa7#) b4 4.Ra2+ Qxa2 5.Qxb4# so 1.Bg2 wasn’t so bad, just a move over in one line.
1. Kf8! Avoiding WQ being pinned against the WK at f7 and also prevents checks by the BQ. And Threatening 2. Ra2+. Qxa2. 3. Qb4#. Hence Black Queen has to protect a2.
A-1…….Qa1/a2. Allows 2. Qb4#. Hence BQ has to protect as well as the b file.
B-1….Qb4+ allows 2. Qxb4#
C-1…..Qb3. 2. Qc5+. Ka4. 3. Ra2+!. Qxa2. 4. Qb4#
D-1…..Qb2. 2. Qc5+.
D1-2…..Ka4. 3. Rxb2. Any move 4. Qb4#
D2-2…..Kb3. 3. Qb4+. Ka3. 4. Qxb2#
D3-2…..Ka2. 3.
Yes, the D3-2 line is the critical one, and white can’t mate in 4.
Usually when mate is announced, isn’t it supposed to be checks (forced moves) throughout? Cos this mate in 4 definitely doesn’t start with a queen check
1. Bxf5 Qxf5+
2. Ke7 Qb1
3. Ra2+ Qxa2
4. Qb4#
or
1. Bxf5 Qb2
2. Be6 h6
3. Qa2+ Qxa2
4. Rxa2#
or
1. Bxf5 b5
2. Qc5+ Ka4
3. Bxb1 b4
4. Qxb4#
i can’t see anything wrong with that because the K on f7 in the diagram is blocking the check against the K on e7 after 1.Bxf5 Qxf5+ 2.Ke7 Qxh7
Black can’t take his own pawn at h7.
Sorry Alena
Alena found the solution. This problem by the great Zepler is included in his and Adolf Kramer’s book Im Banne des Schachproblems, one of the very best collection of chess problems you could find before the age of the internet. I bought my copy in a used book store in Chicago when I was in graduate school in the early 90s. You can probably buy on Amazon, though it will likely be a used copy.
A remarkable solution, and not easy to find because the first move violates a basic principle- don’t let the enemy queen get at the king with endless checks if you can help it- or it only appears to allow a lot of checks. I remember vividly the first time I encountered this problem- I didn’t even bother to check to see if black even had another check if the king walked over to e7 on the 2nd move.
Always check your assumptions!