Black to move and checkmate in 6. No computer lines please.
2r4k/4Pp2/1Q6/P4ppp/4P3/6P1/1P1KR3/1q6 b – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Checkmate in 6
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Black to move and checkmate in 6. No computer lines please.
2r4k/4Pp2/1Q6/P4ppp/4P3/6P1/1P1KR3/1q6 b – – 0 1
i solved it by moving the pieces on the board until i solved it. can you give me a tip on how to solve a chess problem using the mind only? thank you.
To Gweluon:
This is about keeping a picture of a board inside your head, good enough that you can actually “move pieces” on it, without anyone can see it (since they can’t see inside your head).
This is not quite easy, of course, it needs a lot of training.
Chess players often train this special and rare skill.
Realizing what way the pawns move, helped me a lot here:-)
Likewise to realize that black should move, I first found mate in 5 for white:-)
1. … Rc2+ (better than starting with Q+)
2. Ke3 Qg1+ (better than Qc1+)
3. Kd3 Qd1+
4. Ke3 Rxe2+ (better than Qxe2+)
5. Kf3 Qf1+
6. Qf2 Qxf2#
Mostly enforced white moves.
The variation:
2. Kd3 Qd1+
is the same but one move faster.
1…Rc2+
2.Ke3
(2.Kd3 Qd1+ 3.Ke3 Rxe2+ 4.Kf3 fxe4#)
2…. Qg1+
3.Kf3 Qh1+
(3.Kd3 Qd1+ 4.Ke3 Rxe2+ 5.Kf3 fxe4# )
4.Kf2
(4.Ke3 Qxe4+ 5.Kf2 Rxe2+ 6.Kf1 or g1 Qg2#)
4….. Qh2+
5.Ke3
(5.Kf1 Qxe2+ 6.Kg1 Qg2#)
5… Qxe2+
6.Kd4 Qxe4#
1……..Rc2+!
A>2.Kd3.Qd1+.3.Ke3.(3.Rd2.Qxd2#!).Rxe2+.4.Kf3.Qf1+.. 5.Qf2.Qxf2#!
B>2.Ke3.Qg1+!.
B1>3.Kd3.then as in A-Qd1+ etc to 6.Qxf2#!
B2>3.Rf2.Qxf2+.4.Kd3.Qd2#!
B3>3.Kf3.Qh1+!
B31>4.Ke3.Qxe5+.5.Kf2.Qxe2+.6.Kg1.Qg2#!
B32>4.Kf2.Qh2+,
B321>5.Ke3/f3/e1.Qxe2#!
B322>5.Kf1.Qxe2+.6.Kg1.Qg2#!
Gweluon,
Takes practice. I almost always try to do them in my head, and as long as I don’t have to go more than 5 moves deep, I can usually do it, though I do often find minor errors once I go to writing down my solution for my comment and checking it by doing exactly what you do- moving the pieces on a board.
For problems that are clearly going to be beyond my useful memory window, I will try to find the right threads and ideas before resorting to the board.
As a useful practice beginning, I would just find, online, mates in 2, 3, 4, 5, etc. moves and see how well you can do without the board. Practice, practice, practice.
Gweluon,
Whether your solution is on board or in your mind it is better if it finds way to Susan.