First, lets see if the skewer can be made to work:
1. Bf2 e3 (only move, of course) 2. Qb8 Ka5 (Kc5? 3.Be3 and 4.Qa7) 3. and now what? This looks completely lost for white. Before moving on, however,
1. Bf2 e3 2. Be3! Qe3 (forced) 3. Qf2 Qf2 (also forced) 4. a5 draws for white by stalemate.
Moving on:
1. Qb8 Ka5 (Kc5 2.Bf2 and 3.Qa7) 2. ab5 ab5
And what can white do here that isn’t already losing? I see no mating net, which is the only thing that could save this position.
Alternatively:
1. a5 Ka5 (why not?) 2. Qc7 Ka4 and I think white is again lost. He could try a trick to draw by playing
3. Bf2 Qf2?? 4. Qa5! Kb3 (Ka5 is stalemate) 5. Qc3 and white will gain a draw by perpetual as far as I can tell since the king, at best can get to the 1st rank, but his queen alone cannot provide a shelter from the checks. Basically, all I see in this position is the forced draw I outlined above that starts with Bf2 and continues Be3.
Since Susan rarely posts puzzles to draw, I suspect I am missing something pretty damned clever here.
White is nicely lined up on the dark squares, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to win. Therefore White should bail out with 1.Bf2 e3 2.Bxe3 Qxe3 3.Qf2 Qxf2 5.a5+ with a draw by stalemate.
very nice stalemate puzzle. there is just enough play with the q and b to distract from the stalemate plan. but it is fairly quickly seen that there are too many safe spots for the black king.
I tried hard for a few minutes to find a win for instance 1.Qd8+ Kc5?? 2.Bf2 e3 3.Bxe3 Qxe3 4.Qa7+ 1-0. But since I couldn’t find anything I realized that I had to look for a draw, in this case stalemate.
1. Bf2 e3 2. B:e3 Q:e3 3. Qf2 Q:f2 4. a4+ is stalemate whether or not black takes.
Can anybody find a win?
First, lets see if the skewer can be made to work:
1. Bf2 e3 (only move, of course)
2. Qb8 Ka5 (Kc5? 3.Be3 and 4.Qa7)
3. and now what? This looks completely lost for white. Before moving on, however,
1. Bf2 e3
2. Be3! Qe3 (forced)
3. Qf2 Qf2 (also forced)
4. a5 draws for white by stalemate.
Moving on:
1. Qb8 Ka5 (Kc5 2.Bf2 and 3.Qa7)
2. ab5 ab5
And what can white do here that isn’t already losing? I see no mating net, which is the only thing that could save this position.
Alternatively:
1. a5 Ka5 (why not?)
2. Qc7 Ka4 and I think white is again lost. He could try a trick to draw by playing
3. Bf2 Qf2??
4. Qa5! Kb3 (Ka5 is stalemate)
5. Qc3 and white will gain a draw by perpetual as far as I can tell since the king, at best can get to the 1st rank, but his queen alone cannot provide a shelter from the checks. Basically, all I see in this position is the forced draw I outlined above that starts with Bf2 and continues Be3.
Since Susan rarely posts puzzles to draw, I suspect I am missing something pretty damned clever here.
Bf2 and black looses his queen.
White is nicely lined up on the dark squares, but there doesn’t seem to be a way to win. Therefore White should bail out with 1.Bf2 e3 2.Bxe3 Qxe3 3.Qf2 Qxf2 5.a5+ with a draw by stalemate.
very nice stalemate puzzle. there is just enough play with the q and b to distract from the stalemate plan. but it is fairly quickly seen that there are too many safe spots for the black king.
Bf2 e3: Bxe3 Qxe3: Qf2 Qxf2: A5+ draw by stalemate
Ah, I think white has to be content with a draw here. He can play Bf2 – e3, Bxe3 – Qxe3, Qf2 – Qxf2, a5 and after Kxa5 white can claim the draw! 🙂
I don’t see how white can win…
On Bf2 there is e3 and it’s over. On Qb8+ there is Ka5 etc.
Bd8+ wins!
I tried hard for a few minutes to find a win for instance 1.Qd8+ Kc5?? 2.Bf2 e3 3.Bxe3 Qxe3 4.Qa7+ 1-0. But since I couldn’t find anything I realized that I had to look for a draw, in this case stalemate.
1.Bf2! e3 2.Bxe3 Qxe3 3.Qf2 Qxf2 stalemate.
Black king will be safe at a8.
White has to sacrifice everything and try getting stalemated. 1)Bf2 e3 2)Bxe3 Qxe3 and 3)Qf2.
I can see black puking on the board in disgust.
Bf2 e3 Be3 Qe3 Qf2 Qf2 a5+ and draw by stalemate. If Bd8+ then Kc5 and you lose.
easy to say that Bd8 wins, but I cant see it, nor can Fritz!!!, no
win here for white
1. Bd8 Kb7!
2. Qc7 Ka8-+
I don’t see a win immediately. All I see is
1. Bf2 e3
2. Bxe3 Qxe3
3. Qf2 Qxf2 (There is no refuge)
4. a5+ Stalemate.
Best that white can get is a draw, I think.
By the way, 1. Bd8 Kc5 and black should win easily.
So …
1. Bf2! e3
2. Bxe3! Qxe3
3. Qf2! Qxf2
4. a5+ Kxa5
and white has no move 🙂 — resulting in a draw.
White can only hope for a draw at best here…
1. Bf2! e3 2. Bxe3 Qxe3 3. Qf2! Qxf2 4. a5+ K any move…stalemate
1. Bf2 e3 2. Bxe3 Qxe3 3. Qf2 Qxf2 4. a5+ Kxa5 1/2-1/2
1 Bf2 e3 2 Be3 Qe3 3 Qf2 Qf2 4 a5 Ka5 Draw if 3 Qc5 ?? a5 4 Ka5 Qc5 +-
1. Bf2 d3 2. Bxd3 Qxd3 3. Qf2 Qxf2 4. a4+ XXX Stalemate
Bf2Pe6,BxpQxB, Qf2QxQ, Pa5+ any draw stalemate
David