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Nice problem

Nice problem

Only Chess

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here's a very tricky problem i've taken from " The Chess Mind"
White to play and mate in 3. can you solve using just your brain power?

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Originally posted by Talisman
can you solve using just your brain power?
Is this a trick question?

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Is it Ne6 to e8 to g7#

I can't find anything for black to delay that..

edit: wait nevermind 1... Ng3 threatens taking the f5 pawn and thus no mate

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Originally posted by Talisman
[fen]3K4/Rp2B3/PP5p/4pP1k/3pN1nP/7b/4Q3/7n W 0 1[/fen]

here's a very tricky problem i've taken from " The Chess Mind"
White to play and mate in 3. can you solve using just your brain power?
1. Qd1! zugzwang A) 1...d3 2. Qa4 [3.Qe8] 2...Nf6 [or N~] 3. Nxf6# B) 1... bxa6 2. Bg5! [3.Nf6#] 2...hxg5 3. Rh7# C) 1... Nhf2 [or Ng3] 2. N(x)g3# D) 1... Bg2/f1 2. Nf6+ Kxh4 3. Qxg4#

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Great success 😀

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
[hidden][b]1. Qd1! zugzwang A) 1...d3 2. Qa4 [3.Qe8] 2...Nf6 [or N~] 3. Nxf6# B) 1... bxa6 2. Bg5! [3.Nf6#] 2...hxg5 3. Rh7# C) 1... Nhf2 [or Ng3] 2. N(x)g3# D) 1... Bg2/f1 2. Nf6+ Kxh4 3. Qxg4#[/hidden][/b]
Yes very nice SG. You are indeed a man of lateral thought! I spent an hour with it yesterday morning and couldn't find the solution.

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Originally posted by Talisman
Yes very nice SG. You are indeed a man of lateral thought! I spent an hour with it yesterday morning and couldn't find the solution.
The problem was tough to solve. You can see a zugzwang starting to happen, but it's hard to see how 1...d3 damages Black's position. I imagine the composer made this problem primarily to show the brilliant Qd1-a4 idea, covering the h4 pawn from afar once three (!) pieces leave the fourth rank.