White to move and checkmate in 3.
8/4p3/4P1Qp/1pPK4/1P2Np1P/5k2/4n1N1/3B4 w – – 0 1
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This one was pretty amazing, in my opinion. I had to try everything until I finally found the key idea- white must allow the knight at e4 be captured:
1. Kc6!! h5 (only legal move)
2. Qg5! Ke4(only legal move)
3. Qd5#
I found mate in 4 but not in 3. Impossible! I give up!
1. Kc6! h5 2. Qg5 Kxe4 3. Qd5#
1..Ke1+
2.Ke3 Qg2
3.f3 Qxf3++
3.h5 Qxe2++
3.Kg1 Qxg1++
3..Qd2++
3..Qf2++
Kc6 h5
Qg5
GM Yancey Ward
When I noticed that h5 would be stalemate, I spent some time trying to find a zugzwang motive, but had to give that up.
Then I reverted to simply play logical, and driving black king towards my own seems logical here:
1. Ne1+ Ke3
Now, since Qg1+ isn’t possible, I try something close to it:
2. Qg2!
Simply threats Qxe2#. This will happen both after h5 and after Kd3.
f3 fails to Qxf3#.
Remains to look at knight moves, but any knight move shall fail to Qd2#.
Nice puzzle!
I planned
1Ne1+ Ke3
2Qg2 followed by mate at f2 or f3 but 2… Nc3+ spoiled my plan.In the given position black does not have a move other than h5.Hence it is necessary to give some other move for black to avoid stalemate.
Next I had to think of giving up a place for king by offering either N but if N at g2 is given up black K goes scotfree.Therefore
1Kc6 h5
2Qg5 Kxe4
3qd5#
1.Ne1+,Ke3 (only move) 2.Qg2 (multiple options to mate ate2, f2 or f3 in the 3rd move)
1. Ne1+ Ke3
2. Qg2 Nc3+
3. Ke5 NxB
4. Qd2++
If 3..Ne2, 4. QxN++; 3..Ph5 4. Qd2++
Still haven’t found mate in three.
Hi Susan Polgar,
Who all suggested “Kc6” initial move,garlands as one of their master piece solution – Nice.
I neither came up with “Kc6” nor the alternative 3 moves mate solution,thats pretty bad.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]