Mate in four.

White is to move and mate in only four moves.



Perhaps it helps if you know that this position can be reached in actual play with leagl moves only.

Originally posted by FabianFnas
White is to move and [b]mate in only four moves.

[fen]rnbkqbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/8/RNBQKBNR[/fen]

Perhaps it helps if you know that this position can be reached in actual play with leagl moves only.[/b]

This Position cannot be reached with legal play-how are the king and queen supposed to have switched without moving a pawn?

Originally posted by FabianFnas
White is to move and [b]mate in only four moves.

[fen]rnbkqbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/8/RNBQKBNR[/fen]

Perhaps it helps if you know that this position can be reached in actual play with leagl moves only.[/b]

SOLV'D

Isn't this one COOK'D?

It is cooked, but that's not really important. Good puzzle.
'olved.

It is an O.K. puzzle indeed. Is this a FabianFnas original composition? [it appears somewhat familiar]

Originally posted by heinzkat
It is an O.K. puzzle indeed. Is this a FabianFnas original composition? [it appears somewhat familiar]

No, this is not a composition of my own. It's called "Lord Dunsany's Chess problem".

SwissGambit was first t solve this problem, he sent me the correct solution in a PM. (Thank you for not spoiling it for other solvers.)

I also got the correct solution via PM from Jirakon. Well done, you too.

I leave the solution for a while, giving more interested solvers to find the solution.

to answer your question, black was originally at the bottom of the board , so queen/king would be on correct squares