"Sign of the Cross" Chess Problem

White to move and win

This problem appeared in Charles Godfrey Gumpuel's How the Devil Was Caught - A Chess Legend, written in 1878. According to the story, Satan played several games of chess in which he used the black pieces. When the position shown in the accompanying illustration was reached, he was warned that he would be mated in seven moves. On the seventh move, Satan fled with a despairing cry when he saw himself mated in the position of the sign of the cross.

ok just to clarify....from this position is it mate in one or mate in seven? Because if it's mate in one I just don't see it.

Originally posted by stockton1984
ok just to clarify....from this position is it mate in one or mate in seven? Because if it's mate in one I just don't see it.

If Satan had any class he would have resigned that lost game much earlier .. 😉

...I wonder what Satan's opening repertoire is...

Originally posted by Helder Octavio
[fen]N7/1Qp2kn1/2r5/2r1pN2/4P3/q3p3/4K3/2R3R1 w - - - 1[/fen]

[b]White to move and win

This problem appeared in Charles Godfrey Gumpuel's How the Devil Was Caught - A Chess Legend, written in 1878. According to the story, Satan played several games of chess in which he used the black pieces. When the position shown in the accom ...[text shortened]... ith a despairing cry when he saw himself mated in the position of the sign of the cross.[/b]

Very elegant, did put it in Fritz, liked it!

[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "N7/1Qp2kn1/2r5/2r1pN2/4P3/q3p3/4K3/2R3R1 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "13"]

1. Rxg7+ {Diagram #} Kf6 2. Qxc6+ Rxc6 3. Rxc6+ Qd6 4. Rxd6+ cxd6 5. Nc7 d5 6.
Nxd5+ Ke6 7. Re7# 1-0



Learux

Originally posted by YUG0slav
...I wonder what Satan's opening repertoire is...