White to move and checkmate in 5. No computer lines please.
8/8/6b1/1N6/1n5p/5P1k/2P4P/6K1 w – – 0 1
Troitzky, 1792
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
A classic challenge
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1.Nc3 bxc2 2.Kh1
etc.
The white knight can mate on f2 or f4. Possible is c3-d1-f2 or c3-d5/e2-f4. Black is not able to discover the d1/e2/d5-squares:
1. Nc3 Bxc2
2. Kh1 Bd1
3. Nxd1 Nd3
4. Kg1 N anywhere
5. Nf2#
All black moves (without the last) are forced to avoid a faster mate.
Nice,
1. Nc3 (threatens Nd1-f2) Bxc2
2. Kh1! (zugzwang) Bd1!
(If 2…Nd3 3.Ne4 threatens mate on f2 and g5)
3. Nxd1 Nd3
4. Kg1!(zugzwang) Ne5
5. Nf2#
Nc3 Bc2
Kh1
Arctic Knight
I can’t find the answer.
1. Nc3 Bxc2 (to prevent 2. Nd1 and 3. Nf2X) 2. Ne2 Nd5 (to prevent 3. Nf4X) 3. Kh1 and I do not see defense against 4. Ng1X
The two main lines appear to be:
1. Nc3 Bxc2
2. Ne2 Nd5
3. Kh1 any
4. Ng1++
and
1. Nc3 Bh5
2. Nd1 Bxf3
Nf2 ++
Phil
My first post will not work because of 2… Nd3 for black (instead of 2…Nd5) watching F2, F4 and threatening Nf2+ if white plays Kh1.
The correct moves are:
1. Nc3 Bxc2 2. Kh1!!! (zugzwang)
Now 2… Bd1 or 2…Be4 loses to simple 3.Nxd1 or 3.Nxe4
If 2…Nd3 then 3. Ne4 and mate on the next move.
One move longer defends 2…Nd3 3.cxd3 Be4 4.Nd1 Bxf3 5.Nf2X
1. Nc3 B:c2
2. Ne2 Nd3
3. Kh1 Nf2+
4. Kg1 Nd3 and where are you?
Nowhere. It’s necessary to make the black N commit itself first.
1. Nc3 B:c2
2. Kh1
Now 2… Nd5 loses the N, and 2…Nd3 blocks the B from guarding e4, so 3. Ne4 threatens mate on both f2 and g5, and 3…Nf2+ just forces 4. N:f2 mate.
So black must move the B instead. And it must prevent 3. Ne2. But 2… Bd3 allows 3. Nd1 and black cannot prevent 4. Nf2#. So the only move is 2…Bd1, then 3. N:d1 Nd3 4. Kh2 and the N must move, allowing 5. Nf2#.
Wow, beautiful.
Hmm, “Troitzky, 1792”: 60+ years before the great composer was born ;).
Seriously, though, why mate in 5? I think the posted lines (by vrankov and Phil) must be missing comething, but I don’t know what.
–gb
“I think the posted lines (by vrankov and Phil) must be missing comething, but I don’t know what.”
I think they’re missing
1. Nc3 Bxc2
2. Ne2 Nd3
Troitzky wasn’t quite that obvious. 🙂
1. Nc3 Bxc2
2. Ne2 Nd5
3. Kh1 any
4. Ng1++
doesn’t work, cause of 2. … Nd3 and draw. 3. Kh1 Nf2+ and so on.
But 2. Kh1! and Zugzwang:
1. Nc3 Bxc2
2. Kh1 Bd1
3. Nxd1 Nd3
4. Kg1 and Zugzwang again: N anywhere
5. Nf2#
Well, I actually corrected my solution by proposing 1.Nc3 Bxc2 2. Kh1!! with several possible 4 or 5 move checkmates.
My second post was not published though.