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"Sign of the Cross" Chess Problem

Original post by Subscriber Helder Octavio on 17 Apr '07 01:49
  1. Subscriber Helder Octavio
    Luso-brasileiro
    17 Apr '07 01:49


    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.
  2. Standard member stockton1984
    17 Apr '07 02:03
    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.
  3. Subscriber Helder Octavio
    Luso-brasileiro
    17 Apr '07 02:07
    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.
    "...he was warned that he would be mated in seven moves...".
  4. Standard member idioms
    17 Apr '07 02:46
    If Satan had any class he would have resigned that lost game much earlier ..
  5. Standard member YUG0slav
    17 Apr '07 03:44
    ...I wonder what Satan's opening repertoire is...
  6. Standard member Ice Cold
    17 Apr '07 03:57
    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]
    What if you're Jewish?
  7. Standard member Learux
    17 Apr '07 04:14 / 1 edit
    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
  8. Standard member Zander 88
    17 Apr '07 04:54
    Originally posted by YUG0slav
    ...I wonder what Satan's opening repertoire is...
    Well, if you look at the diagram, it is pretty obvious.
    God opened with 1. e4 (best by test!)
    and Satan played the objectively best reply, 1...e5.
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