White to move and checkmate in 3. Can you solve it in less than 30 seconds?
7q/1Pp5/K1k5/8/2BPN3/8/7p/n6n w – – 0 2
Checkmate in 3
White to move and checkmate in 3. Can you solve it in less than 30 seconds?
7q/1Pp5/K1k5/8/2BPN3/8/7p/n6n w – – 0 2
1. Bc4-e6 threatening d4-d5+
If 1. … Qh8-a8+ then 2. b7xa8#
If 1. … Qh8xd4 then 2. b7-b8=N#
If 1. … Qh8-b8 then 2. d4-d5#
So black defends against multiple threats by 1. … Qh8-d8.
Then there are two possible lines after 1. Bc4-e6 Qh8-d8:
A>> 2. b7-b8=N+ Qd8xb8 3. d4-d5#
B>> 2. d4-d5+ Qd8xd5 3. b7-b8=N#
Any other defence by black loses faster.
–br
1. Be6
threat is d5#.
if 1…. Qxd4
2. b8(N)#
if 1… Qd8
2. b8(N)+ Qxb8
3. d5#
if 1… Qa8+
2. bxa8(Q)#
1. Be6.
Now if Q moves from the 8th rank, b8=N mate, else d5 mate.
If 1 .., Qd8, Then
2. b8=N+, Q x N,
3. d5 mate.
1. Be6 Qd8 2. b8K Qxb8 3. d5 mate
1.Be6 Qd8 2.d5+ Qxd5 3.b8=K X
1.Be6! (threatening 2.d5#) Qd8 2.d5+ (or 2.b8(N)+) Qxd5 3.b8(N)#
1.Bd6
1.Bd6
Be6 (threateaning d5#)
Now, if black plays Qxd4 then white plays pb8=N with a check and a mate.
Black can play Qd8 to try and stop the mate on d5 but white has pb8=N+ — forcing black’s Queen to take it. But then the move allows white to play d5+ with a mate.
Needed almost a minute, so I lost on time before I saw:
1 Be6! Qd8
2 d5+ Qxd5
3 b8=N#
Well, I got it, but not in less than 30 seconds!
be2, qd8
d6+, qxd6.
b8=n#
20sec for me
Yes
The relationship between the queening square and the black King is a hint …
1. Be6!
Be6 followed by d5 or if Q moves the b8K
yes
1. Be6 with d5 or b8N to follow depending on the BQ move.
1 be6 threatened d5 mate Qxd4 2 b8(N)+mate
1…Qd8 2 d5+ Qxd5 3 b8(N)+mate!
took me about 90 sec to work it out/lee
1.Be6 with the combined threats of d5 and b8=N.. not sure about the time, but was somewhere between 5-10 seconds 🙂
1.Be6 mates with d5 if Q moves to b8 if Qxd5 b8=N# if Q moves to a8+ bxa=bishop or queen# this cooks in two