5r2/6k1/b2ppq2/3n1pN1/p2n3P/8/P2Q1PBN/1R4K1 w - - 0 1

More Challenging Problem - White To Play (188 )

You can probably guess from looking at the position that Black is busted. All of White's pieces are pointing at his queenside, which is in tatters. So in how few moves can White force mate? Note that there are some very fast mates, but they're not forced and other mates which are forced, but a little more lengthy than is necessary. So which forced mate is the quickest?

2k3r1/q2b1p1p/8/p4Q2/P2pPBn1/3B4/6PP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1

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— Dr Kate Strasdin (@kateStrasdin) July 29, 2019

(the larger view is better)

Greetings from Bulgaria

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Solutions Update


Easy Problem - White To Play

r5b1/p6p/8/1R6/1P1Rp1k1/P5P1/4rPK1/8 w - - 0 1

Answer:

1.Rxe4+ Rxe4
2.f3#

A Little More Difficult Problem - White To Play

5r2/6k1/b2ppq2/3n1pN1/p2n3P/8/P2Q1PBN/1R4K1 w - - 0 1

1.Qxd4 Qxd4
2.Nxe6+ Kf6
3.Nxd4

Knight fork! White is a knight ahead, which should be enough to win.

More Challenging Problem - White To Play

2k3r1/q2b1p1p/8/p4Q2/P2pPBn1/3B4/6PP/1R4K1 w - - 0 1

Black's queen is guarding the b8 square to prevent Rb8#, so much of White's strategy is to try to dislodge it.

This is the fastest variation sub-tree:

1.Qxa5 Ne5 (1...Qxa5 2.Rb8#)
2.Qxa7 Rxg2+ (2...Kd8 3.Rb8+ Bc8 4.Bxe5 Rxg2+ 5.Kxg2 f6 6.Bxf6+ Ke8 7.Rxc8#)

3.Kxg2 Kd8
4.Rb8+ Ke7
5.Qc5+ Kf6
6.Qxe5+ Kg6
7.Qg5#

If 1.Qc5+ then 1...Qxc5 results in 2.Rb8#

So better is

1...Kd8
2.Qxa7 Ke7
3.Rb7 Rd8
4.Bb5 Kf6
5.Bxd7 Rxd7
6.Rxd7 Kg6
7.Rxf7 h6
8.Rg7+ Kh5
9.Qf7+ Kh4 (9.g3 Ne5 10.Bxe5 d3 11.Qf7#)
10.g3+ Kh3
11.Qh5#

Hope to see you all next week!

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Note: that cryptic line of letters and numbers you see underneath each board diagram is a representation of the position in what is known as "Forsyth-Edwards Notation", or F.E.N. It's actually readable by humans. Most computer applications nowadays can read FEN, so those of you who may want to study the position, you can copy the line of FEN and paste into your chess app and it should automatically recreate the position on its display board. Or, Windows users can just "triple click" on it and the entire line will be highlighted so you can copy and paste it into your chess app.

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So that about wraps it up for this week. Chess thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to my yahoo address: OregonMuse little-a-in-a-circle yahoo dott com.

posted by OregonMuse at 05:18 PM

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