Black to move. Can you find the best continuation for Black in 30 seconds or less?
8/kb3RQ1/p1q5/2p5/2P4P/7n/PP1r2P1/4RK2 b – – 0 1
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… Q-d7
Rxd7 R-f2##
or
gxh3 Qxh3#
K-g1 Q-h2#
K-f1 Q-h1#
winning
it took me 15 seconds.. i must be getting rusty.. ive playing checkers a lot..beating checkers computer engines.. i havnt looked at chess that much
No! Took me several minutes to discover Qd7.
Besides being counter-intuitive (putting one’s queen in danger), it requires seeing that Rf2# is an alternative mating move to Bxg2+. It also requires seeing that, although it can capture the black bishop after Bb7xg2+, the white queen is helpless after black responds Qd7xf7. Too many conditionals for my tiny little brain.
It’s easy to see the powerful queen and bishop pair on the diagonal attacking g2, and that either one could mate the white king, but the bishop is pinned by the rook at f7.
I suppose that is a hint of what to look for, keeping the alternative Rf2 mate possibility in mind. That is, look for something that will either unpin the bishop to allow Bxg2 or will free up the f-file for the Rf2 mate.
Very Easy.
1…Qxg2+ 2Qxg2,Bxg2#.
Qd7. I couldn’t find it. Nice.
Qd7. I couldn’t find it quickly. Nice.
1. Qxg2+ Qxg2
2. Bxg2#
Took me a full 5 mins
30 seconds answer:
1. Qxg2+ Qxg2
2. Bxg2++
But, what is wrong with the simple:
1 … Qxg2+ 2. Qxg2 Bxg2#
Looks like all enforced mate in 2 to me, though the mate “picture” is rare.
What have I overlooked here?
1. … Qd7 is probably also good, and very creative, but wouldn’t be the best if some simpler move wins quicklier.
Yeah, really simple hay…Qxg2, Qxg2 and Bxg2. So, there’s a new rule in chess? Checkmate while being on check… Please look again and puzzle!