White to move and checkmate in 2. No computer line please. How long does it take you to solve it? 🙂
8/8/N1n1n3/1N1k4/2n1n3/3N4/8/K2N4 w – – 0 1
(This is a chess composition. I forgot the name of the composer. I will list the name as soon as I can find it.)
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
1. Ka2
Black king has no legal moves, and hence has to move one of its knights. When a black knight moves, it gives the king a square to move to. Hence white moves a6 or d1 knight to simultaneously check the black king and attack the square vacated by black knight.
If c4 knight moves, 2. Ne3#
If c6 knight moves, 2. Nab4#
If e4 knight moves, 2. Ndc3#
If e6 knight moves, 2. Nac7#
Nice puzzle! Took me few minutes.
1. ka2
2. move whatever knight necessary to check the king and cover the square from which the black knight moved
1.Ka2!!!! Black is in zugzwang!
1…..Nc6~2.Na6-b4#!
1…..Ne6~.2.Na6-c7#!
1…..Ne4~.2.Nd1-c3#!
1…..Nc4~.2.Nd1-e3#!
Here I quickly got the impression that ALL knights (white and black) are in perfect positions and don’t want to move! Therefore the correct zugzwang idea plays itself:
1. Ka2! (“only” 2 checks available for black now)
There are 32 variations, I will give them as 4:
A) 1. … Ne4 moves (e.g. Nc3+) 2. N(x)c3#
B) 1. … Nc4 moves 2. N(x)e3#
C) 1. … Nc6 moves (e.g. Nb4+) 2. N(x)b4#
D) 1. … Ne6 moves 2. N(x)c7#
In all cases, the mating knight of course covers the field evacuated by a black night and the king can’t move.
Ka2
Na6-c7+…no choice but ne6-c7
Then Nb5 – f5 mate
Na6-c7+…no choice but ne6-c7
Then Nb5 – f5 mate
Na6-c7+…no choice but ne6-c7
Then Nb5 – f5 mate
Black K is immobile due to 6 N’s.So first black move is by a N.White’s 2nd move by a N must cover d5 and the square vacated by black N.As far as W is concerned, the N at d3 and b5 restrict black K and they should not be moved.Mate has to be delivered by N at d1 or that at a6. 1.Kb1 is met by 1… Nd2 + and white can not mate in 2 moves. So
1.Ka2 and now
(a) 1…. Nb6~ 2.N6b4#
(b)1…. Nc4~ 2.N1d3#
(c)1…. Ne4~ 2.N1c3#
(d)1…. Ne6~ 2.N6c7#
I am a great follower of Confusius and always remain confused. there are different categories of confusion.
(1)Those who are cofused but do not confuse others.e.g. Viswanathan Anand The virus is quarantined and safe.
(2)Those who are confused and confuse others e.g. our bloggers.Dangerous virus.
(3)Those who are not confused but confuse others.Well known example is Magnus Carlsen Higly dangerous and killing.
(4)Those who are not confused and remove the confusion of others e.g. YANCEY WARD They are virus doctors.
As told to me by my FiYANCEY
1.ka2
as there were no moves for black king , anyone of the horse has to move. If so, then
2. Nc3 or Ne3 or Nb4 or Nc7
1.ka2
as there were no moves for black king , anyone of the horse has to move. If so, then
2. Nc3+ or Ne3+ or Nb4 + or Nc7+
It took me a few minutes to solve this one after I realized that I didn’t have enough knights to go for a direct mate. One of black’s knights has to move. The black king is stalemated so white has to move his king to a square where if he’s checked he can recapture with mate.
1.Ka2
Now, black has an astonishing 32 different moves between all of his knights and they all lead to mate! Two moves check the white king but still lose in one. Here’s one possible continuation:
1. …Nb4+
2. Naxb4#
This puzzle was very interesting and fun!
P.H.WILLIAMS 1903
http://www.yacpdb.org/?id=32772&rev=665938
Philip Hamilton Williams according to yacpdb.org.