White to move. How should white proceed?
I have received a number of requests to publish this one again. Can you solve it without computer assistance?
n2Bqk2/5p1p/5KP1/p7/6Q1/8/8/8 w – – 0 0
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Brain challenge
1.Qc8!…(1…Nc7 2.Be7+ /+-/) 1…Kg8 2.gxh7+…(2…Kxh7 3.Qh3+ /+-/) 2…Kh8 3.Qc3!…
a)3…Qxd8+(or Qe4) 4.Kxf7Q+ /+-/
b)3…Qf8 4.Kf5Q+ /+-/
c)3…Qe6+ 4.Kg5Q+ Kxh7(or Kg8) 5.Bf6! /+-/
Yes, I can!! Now.
1.gxh7 Qe6+
2.Qxe6 fxe6
3.Kg6 Ke8
4.h8=Q
– Black resigned
if im not mistaken its 1.Qc8
1. Qc8 [threat 2. Be7+] Kg8
2. Bc7! Qxc8 (2. … Nxc7 3. gxf7+ Kf8 4. Qxc7!)
3. gxf7+ Kh8
4. Be5 Qc5 [the only move to watch e5 AND f8]
Now, where the heck do we put the White bishop???
5. Bb2 [not Ba1, because the bishop has to be on b2 when the a-pawn gets to a3]
5. … Nc7 [takes away e6 from the White king]
6. Ba1
OK. The knight can’t move because of Ke6+. The queen can’t move, since it has to continue to protect against the pawn promotion at f8 AND has to keep the White king from moving to the 5th rank with discovered check. And the h-pawn can’t move because of Kg6+. So by elimination, Black has to move the a-pawn.
6. … a4
7. Bb2 a3
8. Ba1 a2
9. Bb2 a1=Q
10. Bxa1 Zugzwang, and wins, but Black can try Nd5+
10. … Nd5+ (10. … Qc3+ 11. Bxc3 Nd5+ 12. Kf5+ Nxc3 13. f8=Q#)
11. Ke6 Nc3
12. Bxc3+ Qxc3 [ Black queen finally deflected from protection of f8 square]
13. f8=Q#
Piece of cake, right? Just kidding. I didn’t use the computer. My computer wouldn’t be able to figure this one out anyway. But I have to admit that I do remember some of this from when the problem was first posted. I figured out the first move (Qc8) then, but couldn’t find the correct continuation for White after 1. … Kg8. Small wonder!
1. gxh7 and then to defent the checks just hide the king behind the queen from the front… Kf5 Kf4 Kg3 Kh4, there’s no check by … Qf6 thanks to the bishop… and black is dead
1. Qc8 Any move will lead to mate!
1. Qc8!
Qc8 appears to do the job, with an eye toward Be7+. If blacks queen tries to give check, take it and grab pawn on h7.
Hi Susan Polgar,
For the past few days, I was unable to post a comment for that day’s chess puzzle,at this site,let me see,whether I could post the comments this day.
Well,when this puzzle has already been solved,why again ? Without thought,the moves can be given since its already been solved.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
Qc8 seems to do the trick?
My guess is Qc8.
Main thread is Be7+, and I cant see how Black defend the position.
The move gxh7 is optically overwhelming.
If gxh7 was the solution, this wouldn’t be a puzzle.
So therefore this should be two puzzles in one:
A) How does black save the game after 1.gxh7?
B) What should white play instead?
qc8 kg8
h7 kh8
qc3 qe6
kg5 kh7
bf6
m
gXh7 loses to QXd8+ followed by a series of checks after which black can force perpetual check or exchange of the queens on white. For e.g. Qxd8+;Kf5,Qf7+ Black can force exchange of queens and then the capture of h7 pawn by Kg7 and still be a pawn and night ahead.
The winning move appears to be Qc1 threatening Be7+ and capture of Black Queen and also stopping Qc6+ of Black. Black’s best response is Nc7 (Qe6+ loses to QXe6,f7Xe6;gxh7 after which White can queen the pawn). The game follows Nc7 as Be7+Kg8;gXh7+,Kh8;QXc7 white is a piece ahead
I think 1.gxh7 is a mistake, but how does black save the game after this move?
Clearly he answers with check.
And when white king moves, black king will eventually be movable as well.
Blacks would especially like to exchange queens and end up with knight and two pawns up.
1. … Qxd8+ (only logical move)
2. Kf5 Qd7+!
3. Kf6 (Kg5 Qxg4 Kxg4 Kg7 is worse)
3. … Qxg4
4. h8=Q Qg8
5. Qh6+ Qg6+
and queens are exchanged
or
2. Ke5 (only alternative to Kf5)
2. … f6+!
3. Ke4 (best move, only avoiding queen exchange)
Now the play is difficult, but black king can move now, and the immediate queening/mating threat is gone.
What should white play instead of gxh7?
It ought to be something enforcing.
Enforcing is:
1. Qc8! threating Be7+ capturing queen. Black must replay:
1. … Qe6+ (Kg8 gxf7)
2. Qxe6 fxe6
and now:
3. gxh7 winning
To give the full varieties after 1. Qc8:
A. (the basic threat)
1. … hxg6
2. Be7+ Kg8
3. Qxe8+ Kh7
4. Qxf7+ mating next
B.
1. … Kg8(?)
2. gxf7+ Kf8 (Kg8 fxe8=Q#)
3. Be7#
C.
1. … Q somewhere
2. Be7 doublecheck mate
D.
1. … Qe6+
2. Qxe6 hxg6
3. any B or Q check will mate next
E. (main line)
1. … Qe6+
2. Qxe6 fxe6
3. gxh7! Ke8
4. h8=Q+ Kd7
this is the longest lasting line
Oeh, thanks for posting it again… this problem is very nice indeed! 🙂
Dear pht:
Sorry to point this out. After:
1. Qc8 Kg8!
2. gxf7+ ???
you overlooked the obvious 2. … Qxf7+
Seems I should mention one more line here:
F.
1. Qc8 Nc7(?)
2. Be7+ Kg8
3. gxf7+ Kh8
4. fxe8=Q#