Chess challenge by Ugren. White to move. What is the absolute best continuation for white?
1R6/6pK/5p2/4p3/1B1p3n/8/p1p1pp2/1k3b2 w – – 0 1
Hint: It is EXTREMELY long! See if you can solve in your head without computer assistance. Have fun 🙂
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Be7+, Kh8, Bf6++
Ba3+ Ka1 Bb2+ Kb1 Bxd4+ Kc1 Bb2+ Kd1 Rd8+ Ke1 Bc3#.
I think thats the solution.
1. Be7+discov Kh8
2. Bf6++
I think it’s 1. Be7+ dis check Kh8
2. Bf6+ mate
Oops. I just realized, that Kd1 isn’t forced, and I have to amend my previous solution.
Hmm. I think I got it, but I’m too lazy to write out all the repetitions. Basically cycle via Kd1 Bb4+ Kc1 Kb1 Rb8+ Ka1 Bb2+ Ka1 Bx. Until you remove the pawns. Then play Be7 after Ba3+ Ka1, followed by them promoting and Bf6+ (Q/R)e5 or (Q/R)c3 and Bxe5#/Bxc3#
1. Bd2+ Ka1
2. Bf3 mate
Looks like the comment about it being long is wrong or the position is incorrect.
NOTE: WHITE is at bottom of board (as is traditional but often not followed on Susan’s blog!?)
(reposted with correction)
1. Bd2+ Ka1
2. Bc3 mate
Looks like the comment about it being long is wrong or the position is incorrect.
NOTE: WHITE is at bottom of board…
Bc3 does not mate because of dxc3. It’s easy to confuse which direction the black pawns move.
Ok, here we go. The key is for the White bishop to check from the long diagonal after herding the Black king into the corner. Can’t do that immediately as c3 is protected by the Black pawn at d4. Once you remove that pawn, you still can’t do it from c3 or e5 because Black can promote at e1 when you move the Bishop into position. You can’t do it easily on d4 or g7 either because Black can move the knight to guard those squares. Thus, the best square from which to check is f6 — but first you have to get rid of that pawn chain d4-g7, picking them off one-by-one, doing everything by check so that the Black king can’t escape.
Thus: mate in 38. Is that right?
1. Ba3+ Ka1
Now repeat an eight move sequence four times, to eliminate those four pawns.
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bxd4+ Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Bb4+ Kc1
8. Ba3+ Kb1
9. Rb8+ Ka1
One pawn down.
10. Bb2+ Kb1
11. Bxe5+ Kc1
12. Bf4+ Kd1
13. Rd8+ Ke1
14. Bd2+ Kd1
15. Bb4+ Kc1
16. Ba3+ Kb1
17. Rb8+ Ka1
Two pawns down.
18. Bb2+ Kb1
19. Bxf6+ Kc1
20. Bg5+ Kd1
21. Rd8+ Ke1
22. Bd2+ Kd1
23. Bb4+ Kc1
24. Ba3+ Kb1
25. Rb8+ Ka1
Three pawns down.
26. Bb2+ Kb1
27. Bxg7+ Kc1
28. Bh6+ Kd1
29. Rd8+ Ke1
30. Bd2+ Kd1
31. Bb4+ Kc1
32. Ba3+ Kb1
33. Rb8+ Ka1
Four pawns down. Now everything is in place. Black can promote twice, but that only delays the mate.
34. Be7 c1=Q
35. Bf6+ Qb2
36. Rxb2 e1=Q
37. Rb8+ Qc3
38. Bxc3 mate
Once you spot that eight move pattern, forcing the Black king from a1 to e1 and then back again while picking off a pawn, it’s relatively easy.
Unless I’m missing something. 🙂
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bd4:+ Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Bb4+ Kc1
8. Ba3+ Kb1
9. Rb8+ Ka1
10. Bb2+ Kb1
11. Be5:+ Kc1
12. Bf4+ Kd1
13. Rd8+ Ke1
14. Bd2+ Kd1
15. Bb4+ Kc1
16. Ba3+ Kb1
17. Rb8+ Ka1
18. Bb2+ Kb1
19. Bf6:+ Kc1
20. Bg5+ Kd1
21. Rd8+ Ke1
22. Bd2+ Kd1
23. Bb4+ Kc1
24. Ba3+ Kb1
25. Rb8+ Ka1
26. Bb2+ Kb1
27. Bg7:+ Kc1
28. Bh6+ Kd1
29. Rd8+ Ke1
30. Bd2+ Kd1
31. Bb4+ Kc1
32. Ba3+ Kb1
33. Rb8+ Ka1
34. Be7 c1Q
35. Bf6+ Qb2
36. Rb2: e1Q
37. Rg8 Qe5
38. Be5:++
Whew!
The setup reminds me of the mate in 25 from several months back in which the theme was a series of discovered rook checks followed by bishop checks that moved the black king from one side of the board to another, and then back again. The very first thing I would look at here is removing the d4 pawn with the following maneuver:
1. Ba3 Ka1
2. Bb2 Kb2
3. Bd4 Kc1
And, now, the question is, what can white do to continue this without letting black queen a pawn? I see only the checks from e3 and b2. After 4.Bb2, I think Kd2 and the black king escapes. So, lets look at 4.Be3:
4. Be3 Kd1
5. Rd8 Ke1
6. Bd2 Kd1
Now, the question is, what now for white? He has a draw right now by just moving the bishop between d2 and e3 with a perpetual check, but can he win? For a win, about the only thing I can think of is that first maneuver that forced the black king to a1 followed by Bb2 and the capture at d4 is the right maneuver again, but this time removing the pawn at e5, then f6, then g7. So, this is long. We need to walk the black king back and forth, just like I thought. I am just going to skip through this without comment since it should be apparent what I am doing:
7. Bb4 Kc1
8. Ba3 Kb1
9. Rb8 Ka1
10.Bb2 Kb1
11.Be5 Kc1
12.Bf4 Kd1
13.Rd8 Ke1
14.Bd2 Kd1
15.Bb4 Kc1
16.Ba3 Kb1
17.Rb8 Ka1
18.Bb2 Kb1
19.Bf6 Kc1
20.Bg5 Kd1
21.Rd8 Ke1
22.Bd2 Kd1
23.Bb4 Kc1
24.Ba3 Kb1
25.Rb8 Ka1
26.Bb2 Kb1
27.Bg7 Kc1
So, we have removed all the pawns on the long diagonal by walking the king back and forth. What now? For now, I am just going to walk the black king back to the queenside and think for a bit:
28.Bh6 Kd1
29.Rd8 Ke1
30.Bd2 Kd1
31.Bb4 Kc1
32.Ba3 Kb1
33.Rb8 Ka1
Got it now. With the pawn on the long diagonal gone, we can start threatening mate on the king in the corner:
34.Be7!
Threatens Bf6#. The longest delay on the mate is to queen the c-pawn:
34. …..c1(Q)
35. Bf6 Qb2
36. Rb2!
Now threatening the mate with a discovered check. Queening the e pawn will allow a block at either e5 or c3, but the bishop captures on both for #. And the knight can be maneuvered to block the bishop from e5 or d4, but again the bishop captures with mate. There is no defense- black will be mated. Tomorrow, when I have time, I will try to find the previous puzzle that used this same theme- it was actually a far superior version on this theme.
I solved it pretty quickly, and had I wanted to, I probably could have done it in my head since the solution was so systematic, but I am not 100% sure I could have easily seen the final mating method without having the position just prior to delivering it staring me in the face.
If Susan will post it, a hint is that is is mate in 38 moves. So you need to do more than post a couple moves and claim a win for white. You don’t necessarily have to post the entire line, but you need to explain how the mate is delivered.
Ba3+ Ka1 Bb2 + Kb1 Bxd4+ Kc1 Be3 + Kd1 Rd8+ Ke1 Bd2+ Kd1 Bb4 + Kc1 Ba3+ Kb1 Rb8+ Ka1 Bb2+ Kb1 Bxe5 then proceed to take all the pawns including the f2 pawn.
Blindfold!
IM Young
thanks for the hint. this sick problem really has a long solution. as far as i could figure it out, it might go like this:
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bxd4+ Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Bb4+ Kc1
8. Ba3+ Kb1
9. Rb8+ Ka1
10.Bb2+ Kb1
11.Bxe5+ Kc1
12.Bf4+ Kd1
13.Rd8+ Ke1
14.Bd2+ Kd1
15.Bb4+ Kc1
16.Ba3+ Kb1
17.Rb8+ Ka1
18.Bb2+ Kb1
19.Bxf6+ Kc1
20.Bg5+ Kd1
21.Rd8+ Ke1
22.Bd2+ Kd1
23.Bb4+ Kc1
24.Ba3+ Kb1
25.Rb8+ Ka1
26.Bb2+ Kb1
27.Be5+ Kc1
28.Bf4+ Kd1
29.Rd8+ Ke1
30.Bc7 c1Q
31.Ba5+ Qd2
32.Rxd2 Nf3
33.Rd8+ Nd2
34.Rxd2 a1Q
35.Rd8+ Qc3
36.Bxc3#
of course, this doesn´t work, if the pawns go the other way. 🙂
greets, jan
It is not difficult to find a nice row of enforced moves for a start:
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bxd4 Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
King nicely parked for a moment.
But what now?
All I can find here is:
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Be3+ Ke1
8. Bd2+ Kd1
9. Be3+ Ke1
is draw by repetition.
This isn’t extremely long yet, but other plans picking more pieces just seem too risky too me…
Pff, okay… let’s see if I can manage it by writing it down:
Ba3+ – Ka1, Bb2+ – Kb1, Bxd4 – Kc1, Bb2+ – Kb1 (no Kd1, because of Rd1+ and Bc3#), Bxe5+ – Kc1, Bb2+ – Kb1, Bxf6+ – Kc1, Bb2+ – Kb1, Bxg7+ – Kc1, Bb2+ – Kb1, Ba3+ – Ka1, Be7! – c1Q, Bf6+ – Qb2, Rxb2 – e1Q, Rb8+ – Qc3, Bxc3#
Eh, I hope! 😛
Ah, it’s all wrong… black can simply walk away via d2. 🙁
To do this all in mind is very hard, but with a board it is OK.
Strange situation as 3 black pawns are about to promote, but prove to be useless.
Idea is to eat all the a1-h8 pawns and than mate on a1:
1. Ba3+ Ka1 2. Bb2+ Kb1 3. Bxd4+ Kc1 4. Be3+ Kd1 5. Rd8+ Ke1 6. Bd2+ Kd1 7. Bb4+ Kc1 8. Ba3+ Kb1 9. Rb8+ Ka1 10. Bb2+ Kb1 11. Bxe5+ Kc1 12. Bf4+ Kd1 13. Rd8+ Ke1 14. Bd2+ Kd1 15. Bb4+ Kc1 16. Ba3+ Kb1 17. Rb8+ Ka1 18. Bb2+ Kb1 19. Bxf6+ Kc1 20. Bg5+ Kd1 21. Rd8+ Ke1 22. Bd2+ Kd1 23. Bb4+ Kc1 24. Ba3+ Kb1 25. Rb8+ Ka1 26. Bb2+ Kb1 27. Bxg7+ Kc1 28. Bh6+ Kd1 29. Rd8+ Ke1 30. Bd2+ Kd1 31. Bb4+ Kc1 32. Ba3+ Kb1 33. Rb8+ Ka1 34. Be7 c1=Q 35. Bf6+ Qb2 36. Rxb2 e1=Q 37. Rb3+ Qc3 38. Bxc3#
Nice study!
Solving chess positions based on real games, yes. Based on bogus positions, especially of this type, NO!
1. Ba3+ Ka1 2. Bb2+ Kb1 3. Bxd4+ Kc1 4. Be3+ Kd1 5. Rd8+ Ke1 6. Bd2+ Kd1 7. Bb4+ Kc1 8. Ba3+ Kb1 9. Rb8+ Ka1 and now the same procedure to eliminate the other pawns: 11. Bxe5+ … 19. Bxf6+ … 27. Bxg7+ … 33. Rb8+ Ka1 34. Be7! ~ 35. Bf6+ followed by mate.
Muller, you missed the possible Kd2 move after the Kc1 Bb2+.
First you have to catch that the board is aligned to White at the bottom 🙂
Then you must find the special mechanism:
Ba3+ Ka1
Bb2+ Kb1
Bxd4+ Kc1
Be3+ Kd1
Rd8+ Ke1
Bd2+ Kd1
Bb4+ Kc1
Ba3+ Kb1
Rb8+ Ka1
Bb2+ Kb1
Bxe5 …
And at least you have to find the solution after collecting all the pawns on that a1/h8 diagonal.
Ba3+ Kb1
Rb8+ Ka1
Be7 – no check!!!!!
Black now can queen his e and c pawn. For example
Be7 c1Q
Bf6+ Qb2
Bxb2! e1Q
Rb3+ Qc3
Bxc3 mate
The Knight on h4 has probably the sense to reduce the number of bishop moves only to Be7, because f6 is the only square which cannot be attacked by the knight with Nf3 or Nf5.
The white bishop prevents the blocks the f-pawn.
I hope all that is right and make sense.
To Anonymous @ Wednesday, March 16, 2011 10:22:00 PM CDT
Thanks for pointing out that Bc3 is not mate because the Black pawn can just take the Bishop… duh!
Perhaps this explains a lot about my usual over the board results too? lol
I like how the hint states the solution is extremely long and people post two move answers.
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bd4:+ Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Bb4+ Kc1
8. Ba3+ Kb1
9. Rb8+ Ka1
10. Bb2+ Kb1
11. Be5:+ Kc1
12. Bf4+ Kd1
13. Rd8+ Ke1
14. Bd2+ Kd1
15. Bb4+ Kc1
16. Ba3+ Kb1
17. Rb8+ Ka1
18. Bb2+ Kb1
19. Bf6:+ Kc1
20. Bg5+ Kd1
21. Rd8+ Ke1
22. Bd2+ Kd1
23. Bb4+ Kc1
24. Ba3+ Kb1
25. Rb8+ Ka1
26. Bb2+ Kb1
27. Bg7:+ Kc1
28. Bh6+ Kd1
29. Rd8+ Ke1
30. Bd2+ Kd1
31. Bb4+ Kc1
32. Ba3+ Kb1
33. Rb8+ Ka1
34. Be7 c1Q
35. Bf6+ Qb2
36. Rb2: e1Q
37. Rb8+ Qe5
38. Be5:++
My basic idea is to move the bishop to b2 with checks, then picking up all the pawns on the a1-h8-diagonal, then forcing the king to a1 and after that moving the bishop to e7, where it threatens mate on f6:
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bxd4+ Kc1
4. Bb2+ Kb1
4. … Kd1 does not work here because of
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bc3#
5. Bxe5 Kc1
6. Bb2+ Kb1
7. Bxf6+ Kc1
8. Bb2+ Kb1
9. Bxg7+ Kc1
10. Bb2+ Kb1
11. Ba3+ Ka1
12. Be7!
Black can do nothing against Bf6 with mate. f6 is the only square on the diagonal that the black knight cannot cover. Black can only delay, e.g.
12. … c1=Q
13. Bf6+ Qb2
14. Rxb2 e1=Q
15. Rb8+ Qe5
16. Nxe5#
In move 15 black can also delay the mate with knight-moves to b6, f5 or f3, to block the check with the knight.
From this blog last November.
4K3/7R/8/N7/8/7B/1p1p1p1p/k1n5 w – – 0 1
Zacharov, 1976
This one was a mate in 25, and a superior version of this kind of mating theme.