F. Stamma, 1737, presented by Andreas
White to move and … No computer analysis please. This is a good one. Good luck in finding the solution.
8/8/p5r1/1p6/1P1R4/8/5K1p/7k w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Ancient chess puzzle
1.Rd1+ Rg1 2.Rf1 a5 3.a5 b4 4.a6 b3
5.a7 Rxf1 or 5…b2 6.a8(B)# 6.Kxf1
b2 7.a8(B)#
Ah, not so hard. That pawn set up on the queenside, and the setup on the kingside, sort of gives the main idea away if you have seen similar puzzles before. You will want to set up zugzwang where black is forced to move a5. The only real puzzle is how to get rid of the rooks, but even that is straightforward:
1. Rd1! Rg1 (only move)
2. Rf1! Rf1 (a5 3.ba5 transposes)
3. Kf1 a5 (only legal move)
4. ba5 and white will promote (queen or bishop) with mate when the black pawn sits on b2.
Oops!
1. Rd1+ Rg1 is obvious.
But then there is this cute move.
Black is left in zugzwang after
2. Rf1!!
LOL!!!!
White escapes by 1R-g4 RxR stalemate.
Re1 & Rf1
1.Rd1+ Rg1
2.Rf1 Rxf1
3.Kxf1 a5
4.bxa5
1. Rd1+ Rg1 2. Rf1 Rxf1+ 3 Kxf1 h5 4. gxh5
and the pawn goes on to queen (or bishop) with checkmate
1. Rd1+ Rg1 2. Rf1 nails the K to h1 forever. With or without ….R:f1+ K:f1, black must play a5, when White eventually promotes (to a B!) with mate.
Rd1+ Rg1
Rf1 Rxf1 (if not, will be forced to play a5 anyway)
Kxf1 a5
bxa5 b4
a6 b3
a7 b2
a8=Q# or =B# for good sport.
/
check and Rf1
1.Rd1+ Rg1 2.Rf1 a5
(2…Rxf1+ 3.Kxf1 a5 4.bxa5 b4 5.a6 b3 6.a7 b2 7.a8=Q#)
3.bxa5 b4 4.a6 b3 5.a7 Rxf1+ 6.Kxf1 b2 7.a8=Q#
Nice puzzle, thanks.
If you miss the neat win, there is still a lot to be learned looking at the delicate manoeuvring needed to draw!