Not so hard if you don’t fall too deeply into the wrong second move in one of the lines. The first move is pretty obvious:
1. Rf7 Kg8 (Ke8 will follow below) 2. Ne7
It is tempting to try Rg1, but black blocks effectively with the bishop/queen combo, and the mate threat of a1(Q) is decisive in black’s favor, I am pretty confident now. Continuing:
2. …..Qe7 3. Rg1
Now, with the bishop gone, there is no block of the mate that holds- white will capture sequentially at g4 and g5 with the rook and mate in 5 total.
Back at move 1, black can survive one extra move with Ke8:
In this last variation, the bishop interpose on move 3 or 4 only delays the checkmate by one move.
The thing that I like about this variation is the way the Black king is forced to move from e8 to f8 to g8 to f8 to e8 to f8, all in order that White can maneuver her rooks to the proper squares before delivering checkmate.
And aren’t double-checks and discovered-checks nice? The king ALWAYS has to move on a double-check, no interposes satisfying the rules of chess. Twice in this problem, the Black king was on e8 and a White rook moved off of f7, the first time delivering discovered-and-double-check, second time discovered check, setting up for the checkmate next move.
I know when I play, I don’t often get these sort of mates, but I have often thought that part of it is that when Susan posts a problem like this, I am mentally primed to look for nothing other than the mating net. When I am playing, I think I have more on my mind than a quick mate, like not losing.
1. Rf7+
a)
1. … Kg8
2. Nxe7+ Qxe7
3. Rg1 mating in next two moves
b)
1. … Kg6
2. Rxe7+ Kf8 (it was double check)
3. Rf1+ Kg8
4. Nf6#
Rf7+ and you will win eitherways
I think white should do
Rf7+…
Black has 2 moving chances, both leading to lose:
a)
… Ke8
Rxe7+ Kf8
Rf1+ Kg8
Nf6++
b)
… Kg8
Nxe7+ Qxe7
Rg1+ Bg4
Rxg4+ Qg5
Rxg5++
Sorry if any mistake, I don´t have a chessboard now
Zam
1.Rf7+
if 1. … Ke8, then 2.Re7#
if 1. … Kg8, then 2.Nxe7+ Qxe7 3.Rg1+ with a mate after taking the bishop and queen.
Thanks for your blog!
1.Rf7+ Ke8
2.RxB+ Kf8
3.Rf1+ Kg8
4.Nf6+ Kf8
5.Rf7 mate
or
1.Rf7+ Kg8
2.NxB+ QxB
3.Rg1+ Qg5
4.RxQ mate
Not so hard if you don’t fall too deeply into the wrong second move in one of the lines. The first move is pretty obvious:
1. Rf7 Kg8 (Ke8 will follow below)
2. Ne7
It is tempting to try Rg1, but black blocks effectively with the bishop/queen combo, and the mate threat of a1(Q) is decisive in black’s favor, I am pretty confident now. Continuing:
2. …..Qe7
3. Rg1
Now, with the bishop gone, there is no block of the mate that holds- white will capture sequentially at g4 and g5 with the rook and mate in 5 total.
Back at move 1, black can survive one extra move with Ke8:
1. Rf7 Ke8
2. Re7
A powerful double check. Continuing:
2. …..Kf8
3. Rf1 Bf5 (Kg8 follows anyway)
4. Rf5 Kg8
5. Nf6
White mates, too, with the sequence 5.Rg5/6.Rf7/7.Rh7/8.Rh8#, but is 2 moves longer than 5.Nf6, and not quite as pretty:
5. …..Kf8
6. Rf7#
Hi Susan Polgar,
Why again so simple puzzle at this best site – Are there many beginners currently visiting / members of this site ?
Anyway,Susan just place tough puzzle please.
Coming to this puzzle,White wins the game,slight variations exist but still white wins the game with ease.
Example one
===========
1.Rf7+ Kg8
2.Ne7+ Q*Ne7
3.Ra1f1++ Mate
Example Two
===========
1.Rf7+ Ke8
2.R*Be7+ Kg8
3.Rf7+ Ke8
4.R*h7+ Kf8
5.R*Rh8+ Kg7
6.R*Qd8 Kh6
7.Rh8+ Kg5
8.Ra1g1+ Kh4
9.Bf7++ Mate
Hi Susan Polgar,
Why again so simple puzzle at this best site – Are there many beginners currently visiting / members of this site ?
Anyway,Susan just place tough puzzle please.
Coming to this puzzle,White wins the game,slight variations exist but still white wins the game with ease.
Example one
===========
1.Rf7+ Kg8
2.Ne7+ Q*Ne7
3.Ra1f1++ Mate
Example Two
===========
1.Rf7+ Ke8
2.R*Be7+ Kg8
3.Rf7+ Ke8
4.R*h7+ Kf8
5.R*Rh8+ Kg7
6.R*Qd8 Kh6
7.Rh8+ Kg5
8.Ra1g1+ Kh4
9.Bf7++ Mate
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
1Rf7+ Kg8
2Nxe7+ Qxe7
3Rg1+ Bg4
4Rxg4+ Qg5
5Rxg5#
else
1Rf7+ Ke8
2Rxe7 dbl+ Kf8
3Rf1+ Kg8
4Nf6+ Kf8
5Rf7#
1. Rf7+ Ke8
2. Rxe7+ Kf8
3. Rf1+ Kg8
4. Nf6+ Kf8
5. Rf7++
If
1. … Kg8
2. Nxe7+ Qxe7
3. Rg1+ Bg4
4. Rxg4+ Qg5
5. Rxg5++
1. Rf7+ Ke8
2. Rxe7+ Kf8
3. Rf1+ Bf5
4. Rxf5+ Kg8
5. Nf6+ Kf8
6. Rf7 mate
OR
1. Rf7+ Kg8
2. Nxe7+ Qxe7
3. Rg1+ Bg4
4. Rxg4+ Qg5
5. Rxg5 mate
kf7+ Now it is your option to walk into discovered ch or not before being mated.
1.Rf7+
1…Kg8
2.Nxe7+ Qxe7
3.Rg1 Bg4
4.Rxg4+ Qg5
5.Rxg5#
1….Ke8
2.Rxe7+ Kf8
3. Rf1+ Bf5
4. Rxf5+ Kg8
5. Nf6#
Lucymarie asks, “Why don’t I get these positions in my games?”
There are 2 fruitless defences to 1. Rf7+
1. … Kg8
2. Nxe7+ Qxe7
3. Rg1+ Bg4
4. Rxg4+ Qg5
5. Rxg5#
1. … Ke8
2. Rxe7+ Kf8
3. Rf1+ Kg8 (or Bf5)
4. Rg1+ Kf8 (or Bg4)
5. Rf7+ Ke8
6. Rh7+ Kf8
7. Rh8#
In this last variation, the bishop interpose on move 3 or 4 only delays the checkmate by one move.
The thing that I like about this variation is the way the Black king is forced to move from e8 to f8 to g8 to f8 to e8 to f8, all in order that White can maneuver her rooks to the proper squares before delivering checkmate.
And aren’t double-checks and discovered-checks nice? The king ALWAYS has to move on a double-check, no interposes satisfying the rules of chess. Twice in this problem, the Black king was on e8 and a White rook moved off of f7, the first time delivering discovered-and-double-check, second time discovered check, setting up for the checkmate next move.
Lucymarie asks:
“Why don’t I get these positions in my games?”
I know when I play, I don’t often get these sort of mates, but I have often thought that part of it is that when Susan posts a problem like this, I am mentally primed to look for nothing other than the mating net. When I am playing, I think I have more on my mind than a quick mate, like not losing.
1.Rgf7+ Ke8
2.Rxe7+ Kf8
3.Raf1+ Kg8
4.Nf6+ Kf8
5.Rf7#
OR
1.Rgf7+ Kg8
2.Nxe7+ Qxe7+
3.Rag1+ Bg4
4.Rxg4+ Qg5
5.Rxg5#
1.Rgf7+ Ke8
2.Rxe7+ Kf8
3.Raf1+ Kg8
4.Nf6+ Kf8
5.Rf7#
OR
1.Rgf7+ Kg8
2.Nxe7+ Qxe7
3.Rag1+ Bg4
4.Rxg4+ Qg5
5.Rxg5#