1. In attack
    Joined
    02 Mar '06
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    30132
    22 Sep '11 20:47
    Ruthlessly stolen from Godfrey Heathcote, of American Chess Bulletin, 1911-12 fame.
    But it stumped me for a good hour, and the solution is brilliant, so I thought I was puzzle you guys with it too:

    White to play in mate in 2 moves.



    A hint if you're stuck:

    Reveal Hidden Content
    the first move is the same in each of the variations for mate in 2


    A big hint if you're really stuck:

    Reveal Hidden Content
    the first move does not result in a check!


    Answers PM'd or hidden too please
    You hide comments like this, but without the capital letters: [HIDDEN] ta da [/HIDDEN]
  2. Joined
    22 Aug '08
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    9361
    22 Sep '11 20:524 edits
    Had a beer and spotted this almost straight away, I should play all chess slightly tipsy!


    Reveal Hidden Content
    Qb3


    If it's wrong, I'll never drink again...

    Edit: Spotted Reveal Hidden Content
    Qg7+
    This is a sad day, what I said earlier about quitting drinking was the alcohol talking

    Edit Edit: Reveal Hidden Content
    Kh5 - Now that\'s just plain silly
  3. In attack
    Joined
    02 Mar '06
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    30132
    22 Sep '11 20:57
    Maybe a beer more then it will come 😉

    Reveal Hidden Content
    Right ballpark but Qg7+ means you can't do it in two...
  4. Joined
    22 Aug '08
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    9361
    22 Sep '11 21:06
    Yeah, think my new edit is right though - time for a beer to celebrate!

    Unless you're going to dash my hopes?
  5. In attack
    Joined
    02 Mar '06
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    30132
    22 Sep '11 21:13
    Celebratory beer will have to be the next one (I think). Thaughbaer PM'd the same idea.

    Reveal Hidden Content
    h6 in response to Kh5 means you're still looking for the same mate in two combo as before...
  6. Joined
    15 Jun '06
    Moves
    16334
    22 Sep '11 21:183 edits
    Originally posted by morgski
    Ruthlessly stolen from Godfrey Heathcote, of American Chess Bulletin, 1911-12 fame.
    But it stumped me for a good hour, and the solution is brilliant, so I thought I was puzzle you guys with it too:

    White to play in mate in 2 moves.

    [fen]8/qQ5p/3pN2K/3pp1R1/4k3/7N/1b1PP3/8 w - - 26 36[/fen]

    A hint if you're stuck:

    [hidden] the first move is the ease
    You hide comments like this, but without the capital letters: [HIDDEN] ta da [/HIDDEN]
    Reveal Hidden Content
    1.Rh5 zugswang
  7. In attack
    Joined
    02 Mar '06
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    30132
    22 Sep '11 21:23
    Originally posted by tomtom232
    [hidden]1.Rh5 and black is in zugswang the queen cant move away from current/ diagonal or rank because of Nf2# and Qxh7# respectively the bishop can't move/ because of Qb1# and the pawn is pinned so it can't move[/hidden]
    Again, we're getting closer, but that doesn't work because:

    Reveal Hidden Content
    black can still prolong the agony past 2 moves by playing Qe3+. The reason this last one doesn't work is a big big hint
  8. Joined
    22 Aug '08
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    9361
    22 Sep '11 21:431 edit
    Reveal Hidden Content
    Ng7


    Nope because of Reveal Hidden Content
    Qe3
    again
  9. Joined
    22 Aug '08
    Moves
    9361
    22 Sep '11 21:464 edits
    Reveal Hidden Content
    Ng1 zugswang


    If this is wrong, I will literally cry

    Edit: Sadness
  10. Joined
    15 Jun '06
    Moves
    16334
    22 Sep '11 21:465 edits
    Reveal Hidden Content
    I was 100% not debunked by velvetears but I suddenly noticed that my continuation after his reminding of the d4 move doesn't work but I think I almost have it.
  11. Joined
    22 Aug '08
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    9361
    22 Sep '11 21:486 edits
  12. Joined
    15 Jun '06
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    16334
    22 Sep '11 21:52
    Originally posted by VelvetEars
    Defence to [hidden]Qe3[/hidden]?
    See my edit if you want the answer... I'm 100% sure of it and I thought of it earlier but was stymied because it opened up a new move for black and I missed the continuation.
  13. Joined
    22 Aug '08
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    9361
    22 Sep '11 22:02
    Can't see the path after Reveal Hidden Content
    d4 with the follow up d5
  14. In attack
    Joined
    02 Mar '06
    Moves
    30132
    22 Sep '11 22:03
    Hi guys, I feel bad that this is so hard 😕
    I won't hide the comment this time:

    Ng1 and Nc7 don't work because the Queen just eats the Queen and danger is gone because the king still has the f5 flight square.
    QxQ can be counteracted by giving the king another flight square (d4)

    All of the reasons why the previous suggestions haven't worked are all clues (e.g. escaping via check, having a flight square, swapping queens) can be solved by this one magical move.

    Final clue (and I'm off to the pub so next response will be a bit delayed).

    Reveal Hidden Content
    there are 5 plausible possible moves for black after this magical move, each resulting in a DIFFERENT checkmate move by white. Hence the brilliance of this puzzle.
  15. Joined
    18 Jun '11
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    1179
    22 Sep '11 22:05
    Reveal Hidden Content
    Surely, Nd4 is the move.
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