Chess Problem #494

 

1. I’ve “discovered” that it’s still a pin.

   White moves his horsey for check, but black “being unwilling to lose his queen” moves the king instead to escape. Not wanting to be trapped in the corner, the king moves forward.
   1. ng5+, kh6

   White moves the kniggit out of the way for another check, and sets up a threat on Black’s BLACK bishop. Black, still “being unwilling to lose his queen”, retreats the king.
   2. ne6: +, kh7

   Go for it: the 2 step kill:
   3. rxg7+, Kh8
   4. qh6++

   Naturally this solution is predicated on Black choosing to move the king forward in move 1. He doesn’t have to, he could choose h8. g8 is covered by White’s WHITE bishop, so it’s not a choice. But now that I know that’s it’s fine and dandy to be willing to lose the game so that I save the queen, this makes finding solutions ever so much easier.

   Posted by Drew458       03/01/2012  at  08:54 AM  



2. Would you quit with ‘unwilling to lose his queen’ crap. I wrote that based on comments in a previous problem. And no, you’re wrong on this one. Not a pin. It is a discovered attack. Indeed, it is a discovered dual attack on Black’s King.

   Posted by Christopher       03/01/2012  at  09:13 AM  



3. I’ll give you a hint: White’s first move is a Queen move. And, yes, White is willing to lose his Queen because it leads to mate.

   Posted by Christopher       03/01/2012  at  12:30 PM  



4. White wins with
   1. Q-h6+

   If black does not just resign he can accept the sacrafice
   1.  Bxh6
   2. N-g5+ K-h8
   3. R-h7++

   or he can choose to decline it with
   1.  K-g8
   2. N-g5+

   at which point black plays
   2.  Q-f7
   3. Q-h7++

   or
   2.  R-f7
   3. Q-h7+ K-f8
   4. R-d8++

   The only choice black has is how to lose.  He likely just resigns.  If it is me, I go for the small moral victory, and capture the white queen.

   Posted by JW       03/01/2012  at  12:38 PM  



5. But I still win the game, esoteric terminology notwithstanding.

   Black’s best first move is kf8. The discovery remains undiscovered and the game drags on at least a dozen more moves. Pretty sure White wins in the end, after killing most of Black’s pieces. Which makes this exercise rather moot, because the discovery only happens if Black makes the weaker move by choice. It is not forced on him.

   Posted by Drew458       03/01/2012  at  12:39 PM  



6. Actually, Drew, I analysied 1. … Kg8. It still loses.

   Posted by Christopher       03/01/2012  at  01:28 PM  



7. JW -
   i have to buy me a little chessboard.

   1. Q-h6+, k-g8
   2. N-g5+ (via the bishop), R-f7
   3. R-d8++ (from d1)

   seems to work too, and nobody loses a queen (U2LQ). And the discovery always happens. And it’s one move shorter than my first solution. And there’s a pin on the rook. That should make everybody happy! Well, except for Black.

   Posted by Drew458       03/01/2012  at  03:03 PM  



8. I see a Queen sacrifice

   1) Qh6! Bxh6
   2) Ng5! Kh8 check from both the knight and discovered check of the rook, blacks only move is into the corner
   3) Rh7#

   Posted by Al_in_Ottawa       03/01/2012  at  04:30 PM  



9. Drew, if you really want to purchase a decent chess set go here. I recommend the Marshall analysis set if all you want is a half-sized set that would fit next to your computer. But I would recommend you buy an analysis set AND a full-sized tournament set. You might get the chess bug and start playing in tournaments.

   You might also consider downloading some free chess software at this site.

   Posted by Christopher       03/01/2012  at  10:48 PM  

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