Chritsmas Tree Problem

Hi.

Composed by Heinzcat at my request especially for you guys.

White to play and mate in 4.



For two big clues see:

http://chessedinburgh.co.uk/chandlerarticle.php?ChandID=308

Originally posted by greenpawn34
For two big clues see:

http://chessedinburgh.co.uk/chandlerarticle.php?ChandID=308

The animated snow on the board alone is already worth a visit. 🙂

the board is invalid since both white bishops are on white squares.

Originally posted by progprinter
the board is invalid since both white bishops are on white squares.

Presumably white promoted a pawn to a bishop at some point earlier? Just for the Christmas giggles.

Originally posted by progprinter
the board is invalid since both white bishops are on white squares.

Hi
You are allowed to do these things in problems of this nature
just so long as it can be seen that an under promtion has legally taken place.

If you could prove that White never under-promoted to a white
squared Bishop ("for Christmas giggles" I like that phrase)
then it would be invalid.

Sometimes the beauty behind such a problem is not the solution itself,
But the idea behind it and the proof that the position is legal.

Composing such a position can be just as rewarding as playing a
good OTB combination. Even better in this case because I asked
the boys at The Problemist Forum to come up with a unique
Christmas Tree problem just for here, so all Heinzkat had was a blank
canvas and a set task.

Originally posted by progprinter
the board is invalid since both white bishops are on white squares.

What can I say, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas". 🙂 For me that was justification enough to place them...

The board is "invalid" from a composer's perspective indeed, as normally one does not use promoted force (i.e. three Knights, two Queens, two light-square Bishops). But it is a legal position - look, White has seven pawns on the board, the eighth one promoted to a LSB. I'd rather have used nine pawns to finish the construction, but hey then you would not be satisfied either.



😉

Perhaps slightly off topic, but how much longer will be enjoying the christmaspawn?
Will we see a newyearsevepawn? Perhaps a martini or something similar might do the trick.
And perhaps even a martini glass shaped problem?
The christmas tree one is great!

Originally posted by Meadows
[b]Presumably white promoted a pawn to a bishop at some point earlier?

yes, that would be true. I didn't take that into consideration.