Study by Robert Pye, 1997
Robert just sent me this puzzle. Enjoy and thanks Robert!
White to move and win!
Hint: The long pattern is very similar to one of the puzzles I put up recently.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Nice chess puzzle by Robert Pye
Looks like Kf5 opens the door.
Kf5 Kh8 and then what?
It “feels” as though the solution would start
1. Kf5 Kh8 (if … e6+ 2. Qxe6 soon transposes)
2. Qc8+ Qg8
3. Qc3+ Qg7
4. Qh3+ Kg8
5. Qb3+ Kh8 (if the e pawn were missing, Black still can’t play … Kf8 because of 6. Qb8+ Ke7 7. Qc7+ Kf8 8. Qd7 mate)
6. Qb8+ Qg8
7. Qb2+ Qg7
8. Qh2+ Kg8
9. Qa2+ Kh8
10. Qa8+ Qg8
and now since the long diagonal is not blocked (the c8-h3 diagonal is blocked by the White king and the b8-h2 diagonal is blocked by the Black pawn) White can force the Black king to move to a more precarious position by
11.Qh1+ Kg7
12. Qa1+
but now I bog down. 🙁
12. … Kf8
13. Qa5 suggests itself, e.g.,
13. … Qh8
14. Qd8+ Kg7
15. Qxe7+ Kh6
16. Qh4+ Kg7
17. Qf6+ Kg8
18. Qf7 mate
or
13. … e6+
14. Kg5 Qh8
15. Qd8+ Kg7
16. Qf6+ Kg8
17. Qf7 mate
or
13. … Qc4
14. Qd8+ Kg7
15. Qxe7+ Kg8 (… Kh6 or … Kh8 16. Qh7 mate)
16. Qh7+ Kf8
17. g7+ followed by
18. g8=Q
But what about 12. … Kh6?
I don’t see anything conclusive against that, which suggests I’m missing something obvious or one of my earlier moves was wrong. 🙁
Boy, that was stupid. Let’s try
1. Kf5 Kh8
2. Qc8+ Qg8
3. Qc3+ Qg7
4. Qh3+ Kg8
5. Qb3+ Kh8
6. Qb8+ Qg8
7. Qb2+ Qg7
8. Qh2+ Kg8
9. Qa2+ Kh8
10. Qa8+ Qg8
11.Qh1+ Kg7
12. Kg5!!
Now a pawn move allows 13. Qh6 mate and 12. … Qe6 allows 13. Qh7+ Kf8 14. g7+ and 15. g8=Q.
So let’s try
12. … Qh8
13. Qa1+ Kg8
14. Qa2+ Kg7 (14. … Kf8?? 15. Qf7 mate)
15. Qb2+ Kg8
16. Qb3+ Kg7
17. Qc3+ Kg8
18. Qc4+ Kg7
19. Qd4+ Kg8
20. Qd5+ Kg7
21. Qe5+ Kg8
22. Qe6+ Kg7
23. Qf7 mate
So that leaves us with
12. … Kf8
13. Qa8+ Kg7
14. Qa1+ Kf8
15. Qe5
Maybe. I need to look at this some more.
Aha! There it is! In that last line, instead of 15. Qe5, let’s try
1. Kf5 Kh8
2. Qc8+ Qg8
3. Qc3+ Qg7
4. Qh3+ Kg8
5. Qb3+ Kh8
6. Qb8+ Qg8
7. Qb2+ Qg7
8. Qh2+ Kg8
9. Qa2+ Kh8
10. Qa8+ Qg8
11.Qh1+ Kg7
12. Kg5!! Kf8
13. Qa8+ Kg7
14. Qa1+ Kf8
15. Kh6!!! Qd5
to guard the a8 square, and now
16. Qh8+ Qg8
17. Qd4 Ke8
is there anything else that doesn’t also lose immediately?
18. Qa4+ followed by 19. Qa8+ mating or winning the queen.
Does that do it?
Well, I’m doing this without a chessboard, so I’m probably making a mistake somewhere.
i think bob has it…seeing as how this motif is similar to a previous puzzle i managed to calculate up to 16.Qh8 Qg8 but then went down the wrong path with 17. g7+ Kf7 18. Qh7 etc..completely missed the Qd4 Qa4 idea.