This puzzle was sent in by Michiel. Thanks Michiel! It is Black to move. How should Black proceed?
1rb4Q/p1knQ3/5p2/2p3q1/8/8/P4P2/3R1K2 b – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Saturday morning chess tactic
About Author
Sorry for polluting a thread with a non topic thread, but cant find the contact admin section.
In Australia it has come to our attention that Zong Yuan Zhao’s acheivement of getting the GM title in 2 months via the three norm/2500 route might be some kind of record for shortest time?
Can anyone help out on this matter, perhaps it could even be the next blog piece asking for help on this matter: 🙂
My solution began with 1.Qxc8+, which does in fact win pretty quickly, but there’s a crisper way to get the job done.
but it is black to move not white
Good thing I post anonymously, so nobody knows who the idiot is 🙁
Fairly straight-forward. Check and keep checking.
1. … Ba6+
2. Ke1
2. Rd3 Bxd3+ 3. Qe2 (3. Ke1 Qc1 mate) Rb1 mate
2. Qe2 prevents immediate mate, I think, but 2. … Bxe2+ 3. Kxe2 Rxh8 wins overwhelmingly.
2. … Qg1+
3. Kd2 Qxf2+
4. Qe2 Qxe2+
5. Kc1/Kc3 Qb2 mate
But that’s too easy, so I’m evidently missing something.
Bob
Nope, you aren’t missing anything, Bob. This isn’t a very difficult problem to solve, but I like the position that’s shown.
The moves that prolong mate the longest are 1…Ba6+ 2.Qe2 Bxe2+ 3.Kxe2 Rxh8. Black has practically won by now.
big