White to move and checkmate in 9.
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White to move and checkmate in 9.
No answer yet? Hmmmm…
I am quite sure it starts with 1. Qd5+, Kc8 2. Qa8+, Kd7 3. Qa7+!(?) Kc6 [Nb7 4. Qxb7+ 5. Qb8+ 6. Qc7#] and now white can activate the white bishop with Bg2+ or first capture a6.
Hmmm, perhaps/probably I am wrong and at this late time (half mast midnight in Germany!) I am unable to find more.
I am looking forward to reading more posts tomorrow.
Too difficult!
Jochen, the capture with 4.Qxa6 leads to mate just as well but not in nine moves. This is where i was stumped. I found a mate in 11 moves so I dont feel so bad. But the Bishop check is the way to go. Ill let you finish the problem when you are fully rested. Cheers! LukeinAZ
Yes, 4. Qxa6+ leads to mate in maximum 9 moves.
1.Qd5+ Kc8
( 1…Qd6 2.Qxd6+ Kc8 3.Qc7# )
2.Qa8+ Kd7 3.Qa7+ Kc6
( 3…Kc8 4.Qb8+ Kd7 5.Qc7# )
( 3…Nb7 4.Qxb7+ Kd8 5.Qb8+ Kd7 6.Qc7# )
4.Qxa6+ Kd7 5.Qb5+ Nc6
( 5…Kc8 6.Qb8+ Kd7 7.Qc7# )
6.Qb7+ Kd8 7.Qb6+ Kc8
( 7…Kd7 8.Qc7# )
8.Bxe6+ Qxe6 (or Qd7) 9.Qc7# *
I missed 4…Kd5 variation:
1.Qd5+ Kc8
( 1…Qd6 2.Qxd6+ Kc8 3.Qc7# )
2.Qa8+ Kd7 3.Qa7+ Kc6
( 3…Kc8 4.Qb8+ Kd7 5.Qc7# )
( 3…Nb7 4.Qxb7+ Kd8 5.Qb8+ Kd7 6.Qc7# )
4.Qxa6+
( 4.Bg2+ Kb5 5.Bf1+ Kc6 6.Qxa6+ Kd7 7.Bb5+ Nc6 8.Qxc6+ Kd8 9.Qa8# )
4…Kd7
( 4…Kd5 5.Be5 Qxh4
( 5…Ke4 6.Qe2+ Kd5 7.Bg2# )
6.gxh4 Rf8 7.Bg2+ Rf3 8.Bxf3# )
5.Qb5+ Nc6 6.Qb7+ Kd8 7.Qb6+ Kc8 8.Bxe6+ Qxe6 (or Qd7) 9.Qc7#
First I was toying withe the idea of 1.Qe5 with a mare on c7 but the I realized that black just moves his rook and black’s king escapes. Not until I saw this mate..
1.Qd6+ Kc7
2.Qa8+ Kd7
3.Qa7+ Kc6
4.Qxa6+ (you could also try 4.Bg2+ Kb6 5.Bf1+ Kc6 [5…..ka5 6. Bc7+ Ka4 7.Qxa6#; or 6…QxB 7.QxQ Ka4 (7…Kc5 8.Bf1+ Qc4 with mate to follow)
4…….Kd7
5.Qa7+ Kc6
6.Bg2+ Kb5
7.Bf1+ Kc6
8.Qa6+ Kc7 (8….Kd5 9.Qc4+ Ke4 10.Bd3#)
9.Bb5+ Nc6
10.Qxc6#
Well, that is the main line. There might some mistakes since I just solved this without a comp.
~Henryk
Yeah, I had to set up the board now but I think I found the whole variation now (with moving the figures it was a thing of a few minutes).
1. Qd5+, Kc8 2. Qa8+, Kd7 3. Qa7+, Kc6 as predicted
4. Bg2+, Kb5 5. Bf1+, Kc6 (last night I thought of black playing Ka5 here (read below) but of course Qxa6 mates here directly) 6. Qxa6+ (finally!) and now there are two variations:
6. -, Kd7 ends in a very cute mate which I already had in mind yesterday.
7. Bb5+, Nc6 8. Qxc6+, Kd8 9. Qa8# (!)
6. -, Kd5 ends up in another nice mate:
7. Qc4+, Ke4 8. Qd3+ (!), Kd5 9. Bg2#
Pouh!
Reading your posts now…. I see that directly playing Qxa6 seems to mate, too!? (I haven’t verified ano-5:44’s solution)
Henrik:
“4.Qxa6+ (you could also try 4.Bg2+ Kb6 5.Bf1+ Kc6 [5…..ka5 6. Bc7+ Ka4 7.Qxa6#; or 6…QxB 7.QxQ Ka4 (7…Kc5 8.Bf1+ Qc4 with mate to follow)”
5. -, Ka5 6.Bc7+ was what I was thining yesterday, too (without the board) but Qxa6 at once is possible (Bf1 defending a6) and not just possible but the only way.
I thought similar playing Bc7+? but after Qxc7 7. Qxc7+ Ka4 8. Qc4 (this, too, was what I was thinking of) black can play Nc6/b7 and there is no mate!
That was one of the main problems for me! Fortunately Qxa6# is possible.
Best regards (and extra cheers to LukeinAZ)
Jochen