This puzzle was created by my long time friend GM Pal Benko. It is the fifth one of the Holiday series.
White to move and checkmate in 2. No computer lines please! Have fun 🙂
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Benko Christmas Tree Brain Challenge
looks like there’s mate in 2 after:
1.Nxd6 Re4 Nd4 and also
1.Qc5 dxc5 Re5
Dear Susan,
We do not know each other, but even though I want to wish Merry Christmas to you and your lovely family.
Your blog and your work are simply wonderful.
Edson Dias
Brazil
Kd6
Re5 +
From Spain…
1)Nf4+,Kf5
2)Bg6#
Greetings from Spain
I broke my head but .. Success!!
Must be right 1. Qc5!!
1..Bxe4
2. Nf4! X
1.. dxc5
2. Re5 X
1..Kxf5
2. Qxd5 X
1..Rxe4
2.Qxd5 X
Fantastic!!
No hard feelings Sir Benko !!
82 years of age and your thinking is like crystal clear water! I wish it for myself.
Happy Christmas!!
Appendix:
After 1. Qc5
1..Rxc5
2. Nd4 X
1. Qc5
1…Rxc5 Nd4++
1…dxc5 Re5++
1…Bxe4 Nf4++
1…Rd4 Qc8++
1…Kxf5 Qxd5++
Great puzzle!
Greeting from Norway!
Qc5
Qc5 etc
1.Qc5!! This move has many effects
-it sets up a mating threat by 2.Qxd5 Mate ! and if 1….Kxf5 2.Qxd5 mate !
-if Black was to remove his bishop even taking the d4 knight, the queen in her position would defend the f5-rook, thus enabling 2.Nf4 mate !
Thus the bishop is “pinned”
So Black has to take the queen
I)1…dxc5 2.Re5 mate ! : the pawn was deflected from the control of the e5 square
II) 1….Rxc5 2.Nd4 mate! the rook was deflected from the fourth rank
LOL! Nice looking Christmas Tree puzzle!
If not for the pawn at d6, white would mate with Re5. So, if one could take the pawn, pin it, or divert it to c5, white could mate on the next move. The options are Nd6, Bd6, Qb6 and Qc5. Only one of the four mates in two:
1. Nd6
Here, black has only the two moves to block the check from the queen:
1. …..Re4
2. Nd4#
But, if black plays the other blocking move
1. …..Be4 then I can find only several mates in two more moves, but there are no moves that mate in just one more move, so 1.Nd6 is no solution.
Or
1. Bd6
And, to stop Re4, black can simply play Kf5:
1. …..Kf5 and the shortest mate I can find from here is
2. Qf4 Ke6
3. Qg4
Or
1. Qb6
And black can simply play
1. …..Re4 (Kf5 again works)
Covering the Re4 mate threat directly, and pinning the other knight to the king. From here, I can’t find any mates in 3 more moves or less.
Finally,
1. Qc5
A multipurpose move. If the rook takes the queen, Nd4 mates on the next move. If the pawn takes at c5, Re4 mates on the next move. Qc5 threatens Qd5#, and this mate still happens if the black king takes at f5. If the black bishop moves anywhere, white will mate with Nf4 since the white queen will then be protecting the rook at f5, and, of course, the bishop can’t be protected with Rd4 due to the already mentioned move of Nd4#.
I think this covers every possible reply by black.
Q c5
Sergio
Q c5 follows mate
No sure about my solutions since the kids toy have hijacked my board and I am solving in my head.
Obviously f5 is an unprovided escape square, so this simplifies matters a bit. The key must contain a threat and provide for the escape:
1. Qc5 ( threatening 2. Qxd5 # and Qxd6) with the variations:
a) 1… Kxf5 2. Qxd5 # (the line against the unprovided escape)
b) 1… dxc5 2. Rd6 #
c) 1… Rxc5 2. Nd4 #
d) 1… Bc6 (b7-a8) 2. Nf4 #
e) 1… Rd4 2 Nxd4 #
f) 1… Rxe4 (b4-a4) 2. Qxd5 #
I think that’ll be it, but may have missed some lines (hopefully not the key though)
Dc5!!!!!
1. Nf4+ Kf5 2. Bg6 Ke5 no mate there.
Nxd6+ Re4 Nd4++ mate or
Qc5 dxc5 Re5++ mate
Nxd6+ Re4 Nd4++ mate or
Qc5 dxc5 Re5++ mate
Nxd6+ Re4 Nd4++ mate or
Qc5 dxc5 Re5++ mate
Nxd5+ followed by Nf4#
First, I would like to greet you Happy Holidays!!!
The key move to this puzzle is: Qc5
if 1. ….dc5
2. Re5 mate
if 1. ….Rc5
2. Nd4 mate
if 1. ….Be4
2. Nf4 mate
if 1. …c7
2. Qd5 mate
if . ….Kf5
2. Qd5 mate
Hope I covered all moves
WHITE key move is: Qc5
HAPPY HOLIDAYS TO ALL!!!
Knight to c5
king takes rook…
blam mate with the queen
Anonymous at 1:32,
I thought it was Nxd6 too at first:
1. Nxd6+ Re4
2. Nd4#
But then,
1. Nxd6+ Be4
2. Nf4+ (Rxd4 if Nd4+)
King can now capture the d5 knight since it is no longer protected by the bishop. Seems like Qc5 is the only answer.