Only Chess
22 Sep 11
23 Sep 11
1 edit
Originally posted by hempsterHi Hempster
well all i can come up with is
white c2-c3 check
black d4xc3
white c1-b2 checkmate
its the only solution i can see
Your solution is not mate.
1.c3+ Kxc3 Bb2 + Black has 2..Kc2
In these problems the position must always be legal, White always
moves first and the first move is never a check.
If the there is a mate starting with a check then problem is deemed ugly,
cooked and unsound.
Stay with it though, solving these things is like unravelling a tight knot.
There is a genuine mate in two moves on the board infront of you.
No tricks. Now dig it out. Solving one of these always gives you a glow.
23 Sep 11
Originally posted by SwissGambitOk, I've got the first variation...
[hidden]Yosi Retter<br>StrateGems 2011[/hidden]
[fen]2Q1N3/2Np4/1p1p4/1P1P2p1/3k1bR1/K2P4/B1P5/2BR4 w[/fen]
Mate in 2 moves
a) diagram
b) move Ba2 to b1
Going to need a little time for the second I reckon 😉
King has to move because everything else is pinned. Ng7 is the first move, so that pesky e5 flight square is a dead end after Bb2#. So the other flight squares end up in checkmate if Kc5 then d4#, and if Kc3 then Ne6#. My God that was hard!
23 Sep 11
Originally posted by greenpawn34Not necessarily cooked and unsound, but yes, generally ugly.
If the there is a mate starting with a check then problem is deemed ugly,
cooked and unsound.
One exception to the rule is longer problems - some of those start with checks. Here is an example.
White to play and mate in 12
Starts with 1.Bc6+, but this is not considered a flaw.