Another position where the first move is tricky with the second move a surprise. If Christopher had not talked about the perpetual check it would have been easier I think. I spent a lot of time examining Queen moves and continuations and did not find a mate. I gave up on the problem and looked again the next day without solving it. I turned it over to Rykba---now I feel like an idiot.
That wasn’t Christopher talking Wes, that was how the problem is presented in the book. Direct quote. I suspect Pilnik was short of time when he accepted the draw.
I would use the Queen to hound the King. The black rook has to cover h8 to prevent the white queen advancing into the corner to threaten the black king unless the white king is kept constantly in check.
1)....., Qg4 check
2) Kf2, Qf4 check
3) Ke1, Qe4 check if Kf2 or f1, Rf4 mates
4) Kd1, Qd5 check
5) Ke1, Re4 check
6) Kf2, Qf5 check
7) Kg3, Qg4 check
8) Kf2, Qe2 check, if Kh2, Qh4 mates
9) Kg3, Rg4 check
10) Kh3, Rxg5 check,
11) Kh2 or h4, Qh5 mates
if
10) Kh2, you’re back at the beginning!
Al, as soon as you do
2) ... Qf4 check
as White I will eat your queen with my pawn at g5:
3) pxf4
Drew, White’s pawns can’t move backwards. Nor can they capture backwards. So 3. pxf4 is not possible.
Just another hint, which I’m sure Wes already knows via Rybka. Black has mate-in-3, forced.
And Wes, don’t feel like an idiot. If these weren’t difficult, they wouldn’t be problems.
I am so clearly not Grandmaster material. Mate in three? I cannot see it.
OK.
...R-h3+
K-f4...Q-e6
Oh, crap, I just gave away the Queen.
Stupid.
I will help out:
1. R-h3+ Q-f4 ---- Now it is mate in 2!
Wes, I hope you meant 1… Kf4. I fail to see how Qf4 would help.
K-f4 it is. Even after this forced move the next move for black and the white response do not seem “natural”.
Time to move on to the next problem. Black had a forced mate-in-3:
1. … Rh3+
2. Kf4 Rf3+
3. Qxf3 Qe5#
Mate. Again, I think Pilnik was short of time. He surely would have found a mate-in-3.