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I can’t even find the solution after 10 minutes.
I got it 🙂 Rd8, Rh7+, Qe5 mate, forced all the way…
Seems like 1…Bf8 is in the way. The king seems more or less safe on h6. Quite hard
Qxe6
May be for the first time I spotted this within the stipulated time and I could still be wrong
1. Rd8+, Kg7 (Bf8 makes no difference due to Rxf8+)
2. Rg8+, Kxf6 (or Kf7 makes no difference)
3. Qxe6#
Qxe6
Qg8!
Qxe6
Qg8!
Well, the right continuation is easy to spot – I did it almost instantaneously and instinctively – it is 1. Rd8+!! Working out all the variations took substantially more than 10 seconds though. Here it goes:
1. Rd8+!! Bf8 (1… Kg7? 2. Rg8+ K~ 3. Qxe6#)
2. Rxf8+ Kg7
3. Rf7+! Kxf7 (3… Kh8 or Kh6 4. Rh7#)
4. Qxe6+ Kg7 (4… Kf8 5. Qf7#)
5. Qf7+ K~
6. Qh7#
The move that sent me on a tangential track and made me waste some time was 3. Rg8+. It still is a forced checkmate, but much longer. 3… Kxf6 or Kf7 both lead to 4. Qxe6#, so it would continue:
3… Kh6
4. Rh8+ Kg7
5. Rh7+ Kf8 (5… Kxf6 6. Qxe6#)
6. Rf7+ Kxf7
and we are back at the previous variation 3 moves late.
1.Qxe6 and mate in two, after 1. … Ne4+ 2.Kh3 Nxc4 3.Qg8++ or 1. … Ne4+ 2.Kh3 exf 3.Qg8++
1rd8 rg8 qe5 mate
I spotted the first move, and the main mating idea instantly, and the broad lines were pretty clear to me in under 10 seconds, but it took me another minute to actually solve the second of the lines below. Rd8 plays itself:
1. Rd8 Kg7 (Bf8 below)
2. Rg8 Kf6 (Kf7 3.Qe6#)
3. Qe6#
So, at move 1, black could try opening the h6 square for a retreat, but it won’t work either, though this is more difficult (for me at least) to see instantly:
1. Rd8 Bf8
2. Rf8 Kg7
3. Rf7! Kf7(Kh6 4.Rh7#; Kh8 4.Rh7#)
4. Qe6 Kg7 (Kf8 5.Qf7#)
5. Qf7 Kh6/h8
6. Qh7#
Guys, Qe6 is going to lose most likely. You are overlooking the check black has on white’s king from a8:
1. Qe6?? Qa8+!
And, now, black has the back rank protected. Tell me how you continue the attack? I don’t see a way, though I have only looked at it for a few minutes.
1.qxe6 is met by ..qa8+ and black has other checks also.
1.rd8+ bf8 2.rxf8 kg7 3.rf7+ (vicious attack!)
3…kxr 4.qe6+ kg7 5.qf7+ kh6 6.qh7 mate.
3…kh6 (or h8) 5.rh7 mate.
Solution has taken about 30 sec. including checking.
A bit too difficukt to calculate through in 10 seconds.
What one should see in 10 seconds though, is blacks counter threat Qa1+!. So, it obviously must begin with Rd8+ to protect against this!
1. Rd8+ Bf8 (Kg7 is one move shorter)
2. Rxf8+ Kg7
3. Rg8+! Kxf6/Kf7
4. Qxe6#
So the first move suggested by severals, was actually the right last move (after the horse is eaten).
Some other slower move orders (allowing delaying checks etc.) may also win. A non checking Qxe6 is strangely appealing here….
But starting with something else than Rd8 looses!
Maybe I should also explain why 1. Qxe6? does not work. It doesn’t, because:
1… Qa8+!!
2. Bd5 Qc8
and with that, all threats white had conjured fizzle out.
Oh, I was a bit quick in my first post (illustrating that 10 seconds is far too little here).
Clear so far is:
1. Rd8+ Bf6 (Kg7? Rg8+ Kxf6/Kf7 Qxe6#)
2. Rxf6 Kg7
Here I suggested 3.Rg8+, but this becomes more tricky than it should after Kh6! Black doesn’t necessarily want to take the offered knight.
I think a more powerfull sacking (bringing the lady into play with check) can speed this up!
3. Rf7+!! Kxf7 (Kh6/Kh8 Rh7#)
4. Qxe6+ Kg7 (Kf8 Qg8#)
5. Qg8+! Kxf6 (Kh6 Qh7/h8#)
6. Qf7/f8#
The rook sack 3.Rf7 must be the key to what Susan calls “rapid fire chess”!
I claim this to be mate in 6.
1.Rd8ch ! Kg7
2.Qxe6 wins easily!
Mathur
Qxe6 is losing.
1. Qxe6 Ne3+ 2. Kh3 (2. Kf2 Nxd1+ 3. Kg2 Qa8+) (2. Kf3 Qa8+)
(2. Kg1 Rxd1+ 3. Kf2 Qd2+ 4. Kf3 Qg2+ 5. Kxe3 Re1+) 2. … Qa8 -+
The right continuation is
1. Rd8+ Bf8 (1. … Kg7 2. Rg8+ Kxf6 3. Qe5+) 2. Rxf8+ Kg7 3. Rg8+ Kh6 4.
Rh8+ Kg7 5. Rh7+ Kf8 6. Rf7+ Kxf7 7. Qxe6+ Kg7 8. Qf7+ Kh6 9. Qh7#
1.Rd8+ Kg7
2.Rg8+ Kxf6
3.Qxe6 mate
It took me less than 10 seconds to go for Rd8+
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,I prefer “Rd8+” as White’s initial move.
Example [ Variations exist ]
=======
1.Rd8+ Kg7
2.Ne8+ Kh7
3.Q*b2 Bg7
4.N*Bg7 N*Ng7
5.B*e6 N*Be6
6.Qh8++ Mate
White’s win can be assured with “Rd8” initial move.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
It took me less than 10 seconds to go for Rd8+n
1.Rd8+,Kg7:2.Rg8+,KxN:3.Qe5+,Kf7:4.Bxe6++
This took me considerably longer than 10 seconds, however:
1. Rd8+ Bf8
1. … Kg7?
2. Rg8+! Kxf6/Kf7
3. Qxe6#
2. Rxf8+ Kg7
3. Rg8+ Kh6!
4. Rh8+ Kg7
5. Rh7+ Kf8
6. Rf7+ Kxf7
7. Qxe6+ Kg7
7. … Kf8
8. Qg8#
8. Qg8+ Kxf6
8. … Kh6
9. Qh8#
9. Qf7/f8#
What about:1.Rd8+,Kf7:2.Rg8+,KxN:3.Qe5+,Kf7:4.Bxe5++
1. Qxb2
I think I got it now. Not in 10 seconds though.
1. Rd8+ Bf8 ( …Kg7 2. Rg8+ etc.)
2. Rxf8+ Kg7
3. Rf7+ Kxf7 ( …Kh6 or h8 4. Rh7#)
4. Qxe6+ and mates