White to move and mate in 3 moves! (PLEASE no computer lines)
This was sent to me by Anna Zatonskih.
GM Vachier-Lagrave solved it in 1 minute. Others took longer…
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Checkmate in 3
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1. Kf6! (protects the e5 square)
… Qc4
2. Re5+ Kd4
3. Nf3#
1. Kf6! Na5
2. Rd3+ Nxc6
3. f3#
I could only find a mate in 4.
1.Rd3+ Ke5
2.Ng6+ Kf5
3.Bd7+ Ke4
4.f3#
Maybe I have missed something.
Rb1
1.Re1!
1…Qc4 2.Rd3+ Qxc6 (or 2…Ke5 ) 3.Rxe2 #
1…f3 2.Rg1! with 3.Rg4#
Marcelo
I found the first move in less than a minute. Of course, it took more than a minute to be absolutely sure I had it since there is a critical second move that took a lot longer than a minute to see. My very first thought was pushing f3, but I could see quickly that the problem would be preventing Kf2 at some point, so I looked to…..
1. Rf1!
This looks ridiculous, but it forces black’s hand- it threatens f3 followed by Ng2# (my first idea). Black has no real option other than to take at f1 or push f3:
1. …..ef1Q (e1N 2.Re1 Qe2 3.Re2#)
2. Nf3
The second of the two hard moves to find, and definitely the harder of the two in my opinion. I took over 20 minutes to find this. White is threatening a move of the rook along the fifth rank uncovering a mate from the bishop. Black can’t attack the bishop with plans to capture since white also has Re5 double checkmate, and the check with the queen from g1 is still mate since white blocks with Rg5. And, finally, black can’t take at f3 since Rd2 is mate as well.
Lastly, at move 1:
1. Rf1 f3 (to prevent f3)
2. Rg1
And there is no defense to 3.Rg4#.
Not possible.
Actually it is. Susan just posted a dousy of a puzzle. Rd3+, ke5 kng6, ke6 or f5, bd7 delivers checkmate..@genexerjake
The tempting 1. Nf3? (threatening 2. Rd~5) fails to 1. … Kxf3 and the king flees to f2. This brings the idea of:
1. Rf1!!! (threatening 2. f3+ Ke3 3. Ng2#)
1. … f3 2. Rg1 and 3. Rg4#
1. … e1=N 2. Rxe1+ Qe2 3. Rxe2#
And finally, the star variation:
1. … exf1=Q 2. Nf3 (threatening 2. Rd~5)
2. … Qg1(g2)+ 3. Rg5#
2. … Kxf3 3. Rd2# (that’s why you need 1. Rf1!!!)
1. Rg4! Qc4 ( or any) 2.Rf5+ Qxc6 3.Rgxf4#
Marcelo
1. Rg4 2. Ra5+ 3. Rf4++
Thank you,
Rolf
I give up! Solved it in 4 moves though 🙂
f3+ Ke3
Rd3#
Nf3 seems good. I dont like these puzzles with nothing real in them.
Maybe Rg3 before Nf3 and then discovered check wins.
Rg3 and Nf3 and discovered check.
Rg3 and Nf3 and discovered check.
OK this one seems simple but ridiculously difficult to find OTB. I finally looked up the computer line – sorry.
BUT I AM NOT POSTING THE COMPUTER’S SOLUTION HERE; instead, this is what I would have played probably:
1. Re1 Nc5
2. Rd3+ Ke5
3. Rxe2+ Ne4
4. Rxe4#
(I couldn’t find the checkmate in 3. The computer did.)
Good one.