White to move. How should White proceed?
R6R/2kr2p1/1p2bpB1/p2prN2/6P1/2P2K2/1P6/2b5 w – – 0 1
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1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Nd4+ Kc5
3. Rc8+ Kd6
4. Nb5+ Ke7
5. Re8#
greets, jan
White to move and mate in five
1. Ra7+, Kc6
2. Rc8+, Rc7
3. Rcxc7+, Kb5
4. Nd4+, Ka4
5. Bc2#
Greetings from Spain,
Miguel
Ra7+ Kc6
Rc8+ Kb5
Nd4+ Ka4
Bc2#
Hard to see any other starting move than
1. Ra7 Kc6
Here, I wasted a bit of time trying to make Nd4 work, but after black replies with Kd6, I don’t think white has time for anything other than Nb5 and black just plays Kc6 or Kc5 and the knight will have to move again. With that sidetrack out of the way, the only remaining continuation seems to be
2. Rc8 Kb5
Here, black is mated with Rc7 (Rc7 3.Rac7! Kb5 4.Nd6 Ka6 5.Ra8# or Ka4 5.Bc2#). However, now, with the c-file and d-file cut off from the black king, Nd4 is a nail, the bishop a hammer, and the a4 square a coffin:
3. Nd4 Ka4
4. Bc2#
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Rc7+ Kb5
3. Nd4+ Ka4
4. Bc2#
1 Ra7+, Kc6
2 Rc8+ followed by Nc4+ and Bc2 mate.
A set of forced moves to check-mate:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Rc8+ Kb5
3. Nd4+ Ka4
4. Bc2#
Interspersing
2. .. Rc7
3. Rxc7+
makes no difference
It looks like a mate in four after 1.Ra7+ Kc6, 2.Rc8+ Kb5, 3.Nd4+ Ka4, and 4.Bc2#.
Black can delay it for a move by playing 2…Rc7 3.Rcxc7+. Phil
This is one of the easier problems, although given that each white piece contributes the overall pattern is pleasant. Mate in 4 (technically 5 if you count 2. …Rc7).
1. Ra7+ Kc6, 2. Rc8+ Kb5 3. Nd4+ Ka4 4. Bc2#
Psyche / anonymous
Took me a while to figure it out, but I think I have forced mate:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Rc8+ Kb5
if 2. … Rc7, then 3. Rcxc7+ followed by Kb5
3. Nd4+ Ka4
4. Bc4#
White should win a rook with:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Nd4+ Kc5
3. Nxe6+ Rxe6
4. Rxd7
after
4. … Re3+
5. Kf2
black may well resign.
Here are other ideas trying to spin a mate net, but they are probably too slow?
My first line doesn’t work:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Nd4+ (too soon) Kd6
Better is:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Rc8+ Kb5
3. Nd4+ Kc5 (or Ka4 Bc2#)
4. Nxe6+ wins the rook.
Ra7+ Kc6
Rc8+ Kb5
Nd5+ Ka4
Bc2++
Rc8+ Kb8
Rb8+ Ka6
Ra8+ Kb5
Nd4+ Ka4
Bc2+ Check Mate
-HH
At third review this should be mate in 4:
1. Ra7+ Kc6
2. Rc8+ Kb5 (Rc7 3.R(either)xc7#)
3. Nd4+ Ka4 (only legal move)
4. Bc2#