I Think the idea is to solve the puzzle WITHOUT computers help, not WITH . It was a little mistake in typing the words below the puzzle. This is a construtive comentary.
I just spent a half hour looking at the position on a set without moving the pieces and worked out what I thought was a brilliant winning plan with Kb6 Nxc6 Rf1 going 17 moves deep. Then I looked back at the computer and saw I had left blacks rook off my board!???
Well, with every piece hanging but the bishop at h7, and black basically threatening to take away the only check white has with either Qc5 or Rf2, I am forced to look at Bf5 as the first move. The only other move that I can even envision working is Kb6 (I want to keep the c5 bishop and, but that seems to lose to Rf2, white is without an immediate check on the black king. So, back the Bf5:
1. Bf5
And black has three moves-Kb8, Kc7, and Qe6. I think we can dispense with Qe6, so let’s look at both king moves:
1. …..Kb8
Here, with the bishop covering d8, white has three checking moves-c7, Ba7, and Bd6. Let’s take c7 first since I think this actually draws or wins fairly quickly:
And, at first, when I started this line, I thought I had a win with Rd4, but I overlooked something awfully simple, black just exchanges the queen for the rook since the other rook is still hanging. Rd7 also seems to just loses for much the same reasons as Rd4 just never works in this line. So
5. Bb6 Kb8
And, again, I thought had a win with Red1, but after about a minute, I noticed b4 for black is actually mate, and an ugly one at that. So, white is forced, I think, to take the perpetual check draw:
6. Ba7 Kc6
Now, in this line above, black cannot avoid the repetition draw by playing the king to a8 at moves 4 or 6 since white does mate in this line, I believe:
4. …..Ka8 5. Rc3! Rc2 (Qc3 6.Be4 Qc6 7.Bc6#) 6. Rc2 and mate can’t be prevented. So, at move 2 in the main line, white should draw with c7+. I don’t think I missed a win for either player in this subvariation. So, back the white’s 2nd move alternatives in the variation with 1…..Kb8 in my next comment:
Here, again, Rc7 should fail to the inability to ever play a move like Rd4, Red1 still loses to b4, so
3. Bb6 Kb8 (again, Kc6?? 4.Bd7#) 4. c7
What else other than the draw? Continuing:
4. …..Qc7 (Ka8? 5.Be4 Qe4 6.c8Q#) 5. Bc7 Kc7 6. Rc3 and white should win this with ease, so, unless I have overlooked something really stupid (not impossible this morning, I am afraid) this line looks winning for white, so black must choose differently at move 2 above, or at move 1. At move 2 in this line
2. …..Ka8
And, while Rc3 move is obvious (black is threatening both b4 and Qc6) it took me a while to see that Rc3 does, in fact, work. Above, when I played this move, there was no c-pawn in the way:
3. Rc3
And black has the options of Qc3, Rc2, Rd2 (coming back to d8), or Qd5. The two important lines, obviously are Qc3 and Qd5 as they are the only ones that don’t simply concede decisive material:
3. …..Qc3 (Qd5 4.Bc8 mates in 2)
And here is where I got stuck for a while. I had planned on 4.Be4, and I had, in fact concluded this was a win, but as I was writing out the comment, I noticed something really, really simple- black can defend with Rc2:
4. Be4 Rc2 (covers Q at c6) 5. c7 Qc6 6. Bc6 Rc6 7. Kb5 Rc7 (best I think) 8. Rh1 and this should be a draw, but I don’t really care to analyze it. So, at move 4 in this line does white have anything better than Be4. Well, yes, he does, but you absolutely have to have a board to see it. If the queen and rook were reversed on the c-file in the line above, white wouldn’t have to exchange the bishop since a rook at c6 can’t take a bishop at e4. I would never have noticed this without having the position staring me in the face from my chessboard as I was randomly moving piece around:
4. Rc1!! Qc1 (Qf6 5.Bc8 #s in 2) 5. Be4
And white has two threats, c7# or c7, black takes at e4 and c8(Q)#. There are really only three moves to consider that aren’t just material sacrificial delays, Ra4, Rc2, and Qc4:
And this was the point of 4.Rc1 over 4.Be4. In the latter line, it is the queen at c6, and if white blocks the check with Bb6, black simply takes the bishop at e4. Continuing:
8. ……Bg3 (else, c8(Q)#) 9. c8(Q) Bb8 10.Qb7#
So, after 1.Bf5, I feel fairly confident that black loses with Kb8.
I had shown that 5. ….Ra4 loses. Also, black loses in the same way with
5. …..Rc2 6. c7 Rc6 7. Bb6 and this is almost the same position as before, but with the bishop at e4 instead of f3. There is no way to prevent mate starting with 8.c8(Q).
All the way back at move 1 for black, he should still lose with
1. Bf5 Kc7 2. Bb6 Kb8 (again, Kc6 3.Bd7#) 3. Ba7 and we have reached the same position as before, which I hope I have proven are wins for white.
Finally, the last 1st move alternative for black, which I dismissed out of hand, is definitely losing as nothing I have seen in this position changes with
Once you decide 1.Bf5 is the right move, I think this isn’t all that hard, but you really do have to be careful. I made really stupid mistakes at several points that I only noticed later on a second look as I was writing all this down. If I were playing this over the board, I definitely would have lost as white since I was far too confident in about 3 places that I had found a win and had not, even missing a really obvious mate in 1 for black. Yikes!
I solved the problem without the computer’s help (although I did use Houdini 1.03 to verify), but I certainly couldn’t solve it without moving the pieces!
It’s obvious that White needs to either give check or somehow drive the Black Queen away from c4. Otherwise, Black will take away White’s check by such as Rf2, and White won’t have any chance thereafter. Since Bf5+ won’t harm anything, we’ll do that first.
After 1 Bf5+, Black has two practical choices, Kb8 and Kc7.
After 1… Kb8, 2 Bxa7+ Kc7 (…Ka8 is covered later), 3 Bc6+ Kb8, 4 c7+ Qxc7 (otherwise Be4+ and C1=Q#), Bxc7 wins easily.
On 1 … Kc7, 2 Bb6+ Kb8, 3 Bxa7+ Ka8 (…Kc7 3 Bb6+ Kb8, 4 c7+ as above), and now White is out of checks. Therefore, Black’s Queen needs to be displaced. White does this by 4 Rc3! Qxc3 (otherwise, White has the deadly c7). Now, the immediate 5 Be4 doesn’t work, because of 5 …Rc2, e.g. 6 c7+ Qc6+ which leads to complications, but which Black can hold safe. For example, after 7 Bb6, Black can simply take the other Bishop with Bxe4.
Instead, White further displaces the Black queen with 5 Rc1!! Qxc1 (Moving the Queen out of danger to such as Qa6 leads to quick mate by Bc8, and other moves also lead to quick defeat). Now White can play 6 Be4, with the deadly threat of c7+ followed by c8=Q. Now 6 … Rc2 with the same principle as before loses to 7 c7+ Rxc6+ 8 Bb6, and now the Bishop on e4 is safe from capture, as the Queen had been able to do if White played 5 Be4 instead of Rc1. Black can do nothing to prevent C8=Q.
I did a sloppy job of explaining in the previous post. I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, If it were Black’s turn, mate would follow after 1 …b4+, 2 Kb6 (2 Kxa7 Qxc5+, 3 Ka6 Qb3#) Qb4+, 4 Kxa7, Qxc5+ followed by Qc6+ and QQb7#. In order to stop this, White has three choices: move the king, attack the Queen, or give check.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Black plays Rf2, which stops the KB from giving check and basically denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 is met simply by Qxc5, stopping the KB check. If 1 Rc3 instead, Black can simply take the Rook, and the d file is no longer covered by White.
So White must mount an attack, and the only good move that gives check is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies (as the silly 1… Qe6 simply gives away the Queen): 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6, and White has no good continuation. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#. So Black has to play
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Transposing into the same line that the original 1…Kb8 would have created.
Note that 3 c7+ will also win, but it will take a bit longer.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black is in serious trouble (and in fact will soon be mated. Even if the mate didn’t exist, the eventual Kxa7 would leave Black down a rook for two pawns and his King exposed.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+. Protecting by Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black settles for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check on the Black King. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen both threatens the pawn and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. A move such as Bc8 is met simply by Qxc3+. White needs to get the Queen out of the way.
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Nothing is better. If Black plays an innocuous move, White can either push the c Pawn or move Bc8.
Now, the pawn is no longer protected. It’s too early to play Be4, as 5 Be4, Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the Bishop on e4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, as White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
I did a sloppy job of explaining in the previous post. I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, If it were Black’s turn, mate would follow after 1 …b4+, 2 Kb6 (2 Kxa7 Qxc5+, 3 Ka6 Qb3#) Qb4+, 4 Kxa7, Qxc5+ followed by Qc6+ and QQb7#. In order to stop this, White has three choices: move the king, attack the Queen, or give check.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Black plays Rf2, which stops the KB from giving check and basically denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 is met simply by Qxc5, stopping the KB check. If 1 Rc3 instead, Black can simply take the Rook, and the d file is no longer covered by White.
So White must mount an attack, and the only good move that gives check is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies (as the silly 1… Qe6 simply gives away the Queen): 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6, and White has no good continuation. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#. So Black has to play
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Transposing into the same line that the original 1…Kb8 would have created.
Note that 3 c7+ will also win, but it will take a bit longer.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black is in serious trouble (and in fact will soon be mated. Even if the mate didn’t exist, the eventual Kxa7 would leave Black down a rook for two pawns and his King exposed.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+. Protecting by Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black settles for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check on the Black King. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen both threatens the pawn and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. A move such as Bc8 is met simply by Qxc3+. White needs to get the Queen out of the way.
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Nothing is better. If Black plays an innocuous move, White can either push the c Pawn or move Bc8.
Now, the pawn is no longer protected. It’s too early to play Be4, as 5 Be4, Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the Bishop on e4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, as White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, and Black also threatens b4+.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Rf2 denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 Qxc5, or 1 Rc3 Qxc3.
So White must check, and the only reasonable way is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#.
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Achieving the same position, had Black played 1 … Kb8 initially.
Note that 3 c7+ will also give White the advantage here, The main line is quicker.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black’s King is exposed, and he’s facing being drawn into a mating net as well as being down in material.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+ and b4+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+.
3 Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black must settle for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen threaten the pawn with immediate capture (which prevents a move like 3 Bc8) and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. White now deflects the overloaded Queen:
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Practically forced. Black must do something about the threats of c7 and Bc8.
It’s too early for 5 Be4, as Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the other Bishop with Qxe4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, since White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+. In either case, Black holds.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
5: Rc1!!
Renewing the threats of c7 and Be8 and more importantly, getting Black’s Queen farther out of the loop.
5… Qxc1
Not capturing the rook allows White, depending on what Black does, to either advance the pawn to c7 or move the Bishop to C8
5 … Qxc1, 6 Be4
At last White gets the Bishop on the long diagonal, while protecting the pawn on c6. White threatens the deadly c7+
6 … Ra4
Attacking the Bishop with the Rook, while keeping an eye on the pawn with the Queen. Note that 6 … Rc2 no longer has the same effect as it had before, because 7 c7+ Rc6+, 8 Bb6 lead to the same basic position as in the main line.
7 Bf3
White moves the Bishop away and renews the threat of c7+.
7 … Rc4
On almost everything else, White plays c7+ anyway, and Black can’t prevent both the discovered check and the promotion of the Pawn.
8 c7+ Rc6+,
As in the previous note, the only difference being that the Bishop is now in f3 instead of e4.
9 Bb6
Note the difference between this position and if White had played 5 Be4 instead of 5 Rc1. In the other line, Bb6 wouldn’t be possible, because the Queen would have been on C6 instead of the Rook, and Black could now simply take the King’s Bishop. By displacing the Queen to c1, it was no longer possible to double up the Queen and Rook on the same file, with the Queen in front, so it could interpose with check at C6 and threaten White’s King’s Bishop.
In the actual position, there’s nothing Black can do to prevent the pawn from promoting, and Black can only forestall mate by a move by
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, and Black also threatens b4+.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Rf2 denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 Qxc5, or 1 Rc3 Qxc3.
So White must check, and the only reasonable way is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#.
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Achieving the same position, had Black played 1 … Kb8 initially.
Note that 3 c7+ will also give White the advantage here, The main line is quicker.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black’s King is exposed, and he’s facing being drawn into a mating net as well as being down in material.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+ and b4+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+.
3 Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black must settle for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen threaten the pawn with immediate capture (which prevents a move like 3 Bc8) and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. White now deflects the overloaded Queen:
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Practically forced. Black must do something about the threats of c7 and Bc8.
It’s too early for 5 Be4, as Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the other Bishop with Qxe4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, since White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+. In either case, Black holds.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
5: Rc1!!
Renewing the threats of c7 and Be8 and more importantly, getting Black’s Queen farther out of the loop.
5… Qxc1
Not capturing the rook allows White, depending on what Black does, to either advance the pawn to c7 or move the Bishop to C8
5 … Qxc1, 6 Be4
At last White gets the Bishop on the long diagonal, while protecting the pawn on c6. White threatens the deadly c7+
6 … Ra4
Attacking the Bishop with the Rook, while keeping an eye on the pawn with the Queen. Note that 6 … Rc2 no longer has the same effect as it had before, because 7 c7+ Rc6+, 8 Bb6 lead to the same basic position as in the main line.
7 Bf3
White moves the Bishop away and renews the threat of c7+.
7 … Rc4
On almost everything else, White plays c7+ anyway, and Black can’t prevent both the discovered check and the promotion of the Pawn.
8 c7+ Rc6+,
As in the previous note, the only difference being that the Bishop is now in f3 instead of e4.
9 Bb6
Note the difference between this position and if White had played 5 Be4 instead of 5 Rc1. In the other line, Bb6 wouldn’t be possible, because the Queen would have been on C6 instead of the Rook, and Black could now simply take the King’s Bishop. By displacing the Queen to c1, it was no longer possible to double up the Queen and Rook on the same file, with the Queen in front, so it could interpose with check at C6 and threaten White’s King’s Bishop.
In the actual position, there’s nothing Black can do to prevent the pawn from promoting, and Black can only forestall mate by a move by
I Think the idea is to solve the puzzle WITHOUT computers help, not WITH . It was a little mistake in typing the words below the puzzle.
This is a construtive comentary.
Bf5
If Kb8 BXa8+ Kc7 (Ka8 Rd8#) Bb6+ KXc6 (Kb8 Rd8) Bd7#
If Kc7 (Bb6+ Same as above)
Hi Susan, thanks for the blog and the interesting problem. Here my solution:
Basic idea: Keep the black king busy by checks otherwise white’s winning.
So I tried 1. Bf5+, the move most promising on the first look and found some quick mates
for 1. … Kc7:
2. Bb6+ KxC6 Bd7++
2. … Kb8 3. c7+ Ka8 4. Rd8+ Bxd8 5. cxd8=Q+ Nc8 Qxc8++
now the line with the surprise develops from the other possibility the black king has:
1. … Kb8
The idea is to force the black king on a8 by Bb6 – Ba7 and checkmate by rook or white field Bishop, but there are some obstacles to be removed first:
2. c7+ Kxc7 (must take, otherwhise mate as described above) 3. Bb6+ KB8 4. Bxa7+ Ka8 5. Rxc3!
now there are many possibilities for black but the mate can’t be avoided.
(solution found without computer help)
Regards Peter
yes! that’s a big problem to a newbie chess player.
I just spent a half hour looking at the position on a set without moving the pieces and worked out what I thought was a brilliant winning plan with Kb6 Nxc6 Rf1 going 17 moves deep. Then I looked back at the computer and saw I had left blacks rook off my board!???
I give up.
The best I can do is a draw and I needed to use a board to check the lines (normally I just look at the diagram).
1. Bf5 Kb8 (Kc7 loses)
2. c7+ Kxc7 (Ka8 loses)
3. Bb6+ Kb8 (Kc7 allows mate in 1)
4. Bxa7+ Kc7 (Ka8 loses to the pretty Rc3)
with a draw by repitition.
There may be a win there but I can’t find it.
1.Bf5+ Kc7
[1…Kb8 2.Bxa7+ Kc6 (2…Ka8 3.Rd8#) 3.Bb6+ Kxc6 (3…Kb8 4.Rd8#) 4.Bd7#]
2.Bb6+ Kxc6
[2…Kb8 3.Bxa7+ Kc7 (3…Ka8 4.Rd8#) 4.Bb6+ Kxc6 (4…Kb8 5.Rd8#) 5.Bd7#]
3.Bd7#
– SS
Well, with every piece hanging but the bishop at h7, and black basically threatening to take away the only check white has with either Qc5 or Rf2, I am forced to look at Bf5 as the first move. The only other move that I can even envision working is Kb6 (I want to keep the c5 bishop and, but that seems to lose to Rf2, white is without an immediate check on the black king. So, back the Bf5:
1. Bf5
And black has three moves-Kb8, Kc7, and Qe6. I think we can dispense with Qe6, so let’s look at both king moves:
1. …..Kb8
Here, with the bishop covering d8, white has three checking moves-c7, Ba7, and Bd6. Let’s take c7 first since I think this actually draws or wins fairly quickly:
2. c7 Kc7 (Ka8?? 3.Rd8 Bd8 cd8(Q))
3. Bb6 Kb8 (Kc6?? 4.Bd7#)
4. Ba7 Kc7 (Ka8, below, is fun)
And, at first, when I started this line, I thought I had a win with Rd4, but I overlooked something awfully simple, black just exchanges the queen for the rook since the other rook is still hanging. Rd7 also seems to just loses for much the same reasons as Rd4 just never works in this line. So
5. Bb6 Kb8
And, again, I thought had a win with Red1, but after about a minute, I noticed b4 for black is actually mate, and an ugly one at that. So, white is forced, I think, to take the perpetual check draw:
6. Ba7 Kc6
Now, in this line above, black cannot avoid the repetition draw by playing the king to a8 at moves 4 or 6 since white does mate in this line, I believe:
4. …..Ka8
5. Rc3! Rc2 (Qc3 6.Be4 Qc6 7.Bc6#)
6. Rc2 and mate can’t be prevented. So, at move 2 in the main line, white should draw with c7+. I don’t think I missed a win for either player in this subvariation. So, back the white’s 2nd move alternatives in the variation with 1…..Kb8 in my next comment:
Continuation directly from my previous comment:
1. Bf5 Kb8
2. Ba7 Kc7 (Ka8 will follow)
Here, again, Rc7 should fail to the inability to ever play a move like Rd4, Red1 still loses to b4, so
3. Bb6 Kb8 (again, Kc6?? 4.Bd7#)
4. c7
What else other than the draw? Continuing:
4. …..Qc7 (Ka8? 5.Be4 Qe4 6.c8Q#)
5. Bc7 Kc7
6. Rc3 and white should win this with ease, so, unless I have overlooked something really stupid (not impossible this morning, I am afraid) this line looks winning for white, so black must choose differently at move 2 above, or at move 1. At move 2 in this line
2. …..Ka8
And, while Rc3 move is obvious (black is threatening both b4 and Qc6) it took me a while to see that Rc3 does, in fact, work. Above, when I played this move, there was no c-pawn in the way:
3. Rc3
And black has the options of Qc3, Rc2, Rd2 (coming back to d8), or Qd5. The two important lines, obviously are Qc3 and Qd5 as they are the only ones that don’t simply concede decisive material:
3. …..Qc3 (Qd5 4.Bc8 mates in 2)
And here is where I got stuck for a while. I had planned on 4.Be4, and I had, in fact concluded this was a win, but as I was writing out the comment, I noticed something really, really simple- black can defend with Rc2:
4. Be4 Rc2 (covers Q at c6)
5. c7 Qc6
6. Bc6 Rc6
7. Kb5 Rc7 (best I think)
8. Rh1 and this should be a draw, but I don’t really care to analyze it. So, at move 4 in this line does white have anything better than Be4. Well, yes, he does, but you absolutely have to have a board to see it. If the queen and rook were reversed on the c-file in the line above, white wouldn’t have to exchange the bishop since a rook at c6 can’t take a bishop at e4. I would never have noticed this without having the position staring me in the face from my chessboard as I was randomly moving piece around:
4. Rc1!! Qc1 (Qf6 5.Bc8 #s in 2)
5. Be4
And white has two threats, c7# or c7, black takes at e4 and c8(Q)#. There are really only three moves to consider that aren’t just material sacrificial delays, Ra4, Rc2, and Qc4:
5. ……Qc4
6. c7 Qe4
7. c8(Q)# Or
5. ……Ra4 (the trickiest move)
6. Bf3! Rc4 (Rf4 7.ef4 wins)
7. c7! Rc6
8. Bb6
And this was the point of 4.Rc1 over 4.Be4. In the latter line, it is the queen at c6, and if white blocks the check with Bb6, black simply takes the bishop at e4. Continuing:
8. ……Bg3 (else, c8(Q)#)
9. c8(Q) Bb8
10.Qb7#
So, after 1.Bf5, I feel fairly confident that black loses with Kb8.
And, I hope, the last loose threads. In my previous comment, I had shown the line up to white’s fifth move:
1. Bf5 Kb8
2. Ba7 Ka8
3. Rc3 Qc3
4. Rc1 Qc1
5. Be4
I had shown that 5. ….Ra4 loses. Also, black loses in the same way with
5. …..Rc2
6. c7 Rc6
7. Bb6 and this is almost the same position as before, but with the bishop at e4 instead of f3. There is no way to prevent mate starting with 8.c8(Q).
All the way back at move 1 for black, he should still lose with
1. Bf5 Kc7
2. Bb6 Kb8 (again, Kc6 3.Bd7#)
3. Ba7 and we have reached the same position as before, which I hope I have proven are wins for white.
Finally, the last 1st move alternative for black, which I dismissed out of hand, is definitely losing as nothing I have seen in this position changes with
1. Bf5 Qe6
2. Be6 Kb8
(Kc7 3.Ka7 any 4.Bb6 Kc6 5.Bd7#)
3. Ba7 Kc7 (Ka8 4.c7 Bg3 5.Bd5#)
4. Bb6 Kb8 (Kc6 5.Bd7#)
5. c7 Ka8
6. Bd5#
Once you decide 1.Bf5 is the right move, I think this isn’t all that hard, but you really do have to be careful. I made really stupid mistakes at several points that I only noticed later on a second look as I was writing all this down. If I were playing this over the board, I definitely would have lost as white since I was far too confident in about 3 places that I had found a win and had not, even missing a really obvious mate in 1 for black. Yikes!
Was this really a game, or was it a study?
@A and @All-round Freak: Rd8 is not mate, since the d8 square is covered by Bh4.
I solved the problem without the computer’s help (although I did use Houdini 1.03 to verify), but I certainly couldn’t solve it without moving the pieces!
It’s obvious that White needs to either give check or somehow drive the Black Queen away from c4. Otherwise, Black will take away White’s check by such as Rf2, and White won’t have any chance thereafter. Since Bf5+ won’t harm anything, we’ll do that first.
After 1 Bf5+, Black has two practical choices, Kb8 and Kc7.
After 1… Kb8, 2 Bxa7+ Kc7 (…Ka8 is covered later), 3 Bc6+ Kb8, 4 c7+ Qxc7 (otherwise Be4+ and C1=Q#), Bxc7 wins easily.
On 1 … Kc7, 2 Bb6+ Kb8, 3 Bxa7+ Ka8 (…Kc7 3 Bb6+ Kb8, 4 c7+ as above), and now White is out of checks. Therefore, Black’s Queen needs to be displaced. White does this by 4 Rc3! Qxc3 (otherwise, White has the deadly c7). Now, the immediate 5 Be4 doesn’t work, because of 5 …Rc2, e.g. 6 c7+ Qc6+ which leads to complications, but which Black can hold safe. For example, after 7 Bb6, Black can simply take the other Bishop with Bxe4.
Instead, White further displaces the Black queen with 5 Rc1!! Qxc1 (Moving the Queen out of danger to such as Qa6 leads to quick mate by Bc8, and other moves also lead to quick defeat). Now White can play
6 Be4, with the deadly threat of c7+ followed by c8=Q. Now 6 … Rc2 with the same principle as before loses to 7 c7+ Rxc6+ 8 Bb6, and now the Bishop on e4 is safe from capture, as the Queen had been able to do if White played 5 Be4 instead of Rc1. Black can do nothing to prevent C8=Q.
I did a sloppy job of explaining in the previous post. I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, If it were Black’s turn, mate would follow after 1 …b4+, 2 Kb6 (2 Kxa7 Qxc5+, 3 Ka6 Qb3#) Qb4+, 4 Kxa7, Qxc5+ followed by Qc6+ and QQb7#. In order to stop this, White has three choices: move the king, attack the Queen, or give check.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Black plays Rf2, which stops the KB from giving check and basically denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 is met simply by Qxc5, stopping the KB check. If 1 Rc3 instead, Black can simply take the Rook, and the d file is no longer covered by White.
So White must mount an attack, and the only good move that gives check is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies (as the silly 1… Qe6 simply gives away the Queen): 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6, and White has no good continuation. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#. So Black has to play
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Transposing into the same line that the original 1…Kb8 would have created.
Note that 3 c7+ will also win, but it will take a bit longer.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black is in serious trouble (and in fact will soon be mated. Even if the mate didn’t exist, the eventual Kxa7 would leave Black down a rook for two pawns and his King exposed.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+. Protecting by Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black settles for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check on the Black King. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen both threatens the pawn and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. A move such as Bc8 is met simply by Qxc3+. White needs to get the Queen out of the way.
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Nothing is better. If Black plays an innocuous move, White can either push the c Pawn or move Bc8.
Now, the pawn is no longer protected. It’s too early to play Be4, as 5 Be4, Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the Bishop on e4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, as White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
(continued)
I did a sloppy job of explaining in the previous post. I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, If it were Black’s turn, mate would follow after 1 …b4+, 2 Kb6 (2 Kxa7 Qxc5+, 3 Ka6 Qb3#) Qb4+, 4 Kxa7, Qxc5+ followed by Qc6+ and QQb7#. In order to stop this, White has three choices: move the king, attack the Queen, or give check.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Black plays Rf2, which stops the KB from giving check and basically denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 is met simply by Qxc5, stopping the KB check. If 1 Rc3 instead, Black can simply take the Rook, and the d file is no longer covered by White.
So White must mount an attack, and the only good move that gives check is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies (as the silly 1… Qe6 simply gives away the Queen): 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6, and White has no good continuation. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#. So Black has to play
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Transposing into the same line that the original 1…Kb8 would have created.
Note that 3 c7+ will also win, but it will take a bit longer.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black is in serious trouble (and in fact will soon be mated. Even if the mate didn’t exist, the eventual Kxa7 would leave Black down a rook for two pawns and his King exposed.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+. Protecting by Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black settles for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check on the Black King. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen both threatens the pawn and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. A move such as Bc8 is met simply by Qxc3+. White needs to get the Queen out of the way.
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Nothing is better. If Black plays an innocuous move, White can either push the c Pawn or move Bc8.
Now, the pawn is no longer protected. It’s too early to play Be4, as 5 Be4, Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the Bishop on e4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, as White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+.
(continued)
I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, and Black also threatens b4+.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Rf2 denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 Qxc5, or 1 Rc3 Qxc3.
So White must check, and the only reasonable way is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#.
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Achieving the same position, had Black played 1 … Kb8 initially.
Note that 3 c7+ will also give White the advantage here, The main line is quicker.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black’s King is exposed, and he’s facing being drawn into a mating net as well as being down in material.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+ and b4+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+.
3 Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black must settle for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen threaten the pawn with immediate capture (which prevents a move like 3 Bc8) and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. White now deflects the overloaded Queen:
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Practically forced. Black must do something about the threats of c7 and Bc8.
It’s too early for 5 Be4, as Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the other Bishop with Qxe4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, since White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+. In either case, Black holds.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
5: Rc1!!
Renewing the threats of c7 and Be8 and more importantly, getting Black’s Queen farther out of the loop.
5… Qxc1
Not capturing the rook allows White, depending on what Black does, to either advance the pawn to c7 or move the Bishop to C8
5 … Qxc1, 6 Be4
At last White gets the Bishop on the long diagonal, while protecting the pawn on c6. White threatens the deadly c7+
6 … Ra4
Attacking the Bishop with the Rook, while keeping an eye on the pawn with the Queen. Note that 6 … Rc2 no longer has the same effect as it had before, because 7 c7+ Rc6+, 8 Bb6 lead to the same basic position as in the main line.
7 Bf3
White moves the Bishop away and renews the threat of c7+.
7 … Rc4
On almost everything else, White plays c7+ anyway, and Black can’t prevent both the discovered check and the promotion of the Pawn.
8 c7+ Rc6+,
As in the previous note, the only difference being that the Bishop is now in f3 instead of e4.
9 Bb6
Note the difference between this position and if White had played 5 Be4 instead of 5 Rc1. In the other line, Bb6 wouldn’t be possible, because the Queen would have been on C6 instead of the Rook, and Black could now simply take the King’s Bishop. By displacing the Queen to c1, it was no longer possible to double up the Queen and Rook on the same file, with the Queen in front, so it could interpose with check at C6 and threaten White’s King’s Bishop.
In the actual position, there’s nothing Black can do to prevent the pawn from promoting, and Black can only forestall mate by a move by
9 ,,, Bg3, 10 c8=Q+ Bb8, 11 Qb7#
I’ll try to be clearer here.
Looking at the position, White is faced with several problems. Both Rooks and the Queen’s bishop are en-prise, and Black also threatens b4+.
If White plays the pointless Kb6, Rf2 denies White any counterplay. Attacking the Queen isn’t much better. 1 Rd4 Qxc5, or 1 Rc3 Qxc3.
So White must check, and the only reasonable way is 1 Bb5+. To this, Black has two reasonable replies 1… Kc7 or Kb8.
1 Bf5+, Kc7.
1… Kb8 leads to the same continuation a move sooner.
Now White can’t play Bd6+ or Rd7+ because Black simply takes the pawn at c6. Instead, White plays:
2 Bb6+
Now the pawn is immune, as Kxc6 is met by Bd7#.
2 … Kb8.
3 Bxa7+
Achieving the same position, had Black played 1 … Kb8 initially.
Note that 3 c7+ will also give White the advantage here, The main line is quicker.
3 … Ka8
3…Kc7 is met by 4 Bb6+ Kb8, 5 c7+ Qxc7 6 Bxc7+ Kxc7, 7 Rxc3+ and Black’s King is exposed, and he’s facing being drawn into a mating net as well as being down in material.
After 3 … Ka8, White is out of checks and both Rooks and the Pawn on c6 are en-prise. Also, Black threatens Qxc3+ and b4+. Protecting the pawn by Kb6 fails to Be7, threatening Qc5+.
3 Rd6 can still lead to an eventual draw, as 4 Rd6 b4+ 5 Kb6 b3 6 Bc8, and now Black must settle for perpetual check.
White’s two threats are to promote his pawn and to get his King’s Bishop on the long diagonal to unleash a deadly check. Unfortunately, Black’s Queen threaten the pawn with immediate capture (which prevents a move like 3 Bc8) and prevents White’s Bishop getting to e4. White now deflects the overloaded Queen:
4 Rc3!
Protecting the pawn and dislodging the Queen from its post.
4 … Qxc3
Practically forced. Black must do something about the threats of c7 and Bc8.
It’s too early for 5 Be4, as Rc2, 6 c7+ Qc6+. White can’t play 7 Bb6 as Black simply captures the other Bishop with Qxe4, and 7 Bxc6+ Rxc6+ holds, as there’s no time for Bb6, since White’s Rook is still en-prise. Play might follow 8 Kxb5,Rxc7 or 8 Kxa5 Bxe1+. In either case, Black holds.
Instead, White moves the Queen further out of the way.
5: Rc1!!
Renewing the threats of c7 and Be8 and more importantly, getting Black’s Queen farther out of the loop.
5… Qxc1
Not capturing the rook allows White, depending on what Black does, to either advance the pawn to c7 or move the Bishop to C8
5 … Qxc1, 6 Be4
At last White gets the Bishop on the long diagonal, while protecting the pawn on c6. White threatens the deadly c7+
6 … Ra4
Attacking the Bishop with the Rook, while keeping an eye on the pawn with the Queen. Note that 6 … Rc2 no longer has the same effect as it had before, because 7 c7+ Rc6+, 8 Bb6 lead to the same basic position as in the main line.
7 Bf3
White moves the Bishop away and renews the threat of c7+.
7 … Rc4
On almost everything else, White plays c7+ anyway, and Black can’t prevent both the discovered check and the promotion of the Pawn.
8 c7+ Rc6+,
As in the previous note, the only difference being that the Bishop is now in f3 instead of e4.
9 Bb6
Note the difference between this position and if White had played 5 Be4 instead of 5 Rc1. In the other line, Bb6 wouldn’t be possible, because the Queen would have been on C6 instead of the Rook, and Black could now simply take the King’s Bishop. By displacing the Queen to c1, it was no longer possible to double up the Queen and Rook on the same file, with the Queen in front, so it could interpose with check at C6 and threaten White’s King’s Bishop.
In the actual position, there’s nothing Black can do to prevent the pawn from promoting, and Black can only forestall mate by a move by
9 ,,, Bg3, 10 c8=Q+ Bb8, 11 Qb7#