Chess puzzle

[Super Teds]

This is doing my head in, I'm not convinced it's possible. White to win in 2 moves whatever black does.. Help please!

[Quickenthetempo]

Pawn at E2 takes F3.

Then the king moves into E2

[fatboy47]

or king to F1
rook to H5 ?

sorry...no.thats 3 if black knight checks

[Super Teds]

e2-f3 but black defends knight b1-d2 Then can block check from the queen. Or rook c3-c2

[StuffyClaret]

e2-f3 but black defends knight b1-d2 Then can block check from the queen. Or rook c3-c2

In that case the second white move is e1-e2 taking Knight.... Checkmate

[AfloatinClaret]

e2-f3 but black defends knight b1-d2 Then can block check from the queen. Or rook c3-c2

So King goes to d2 (knight gone) rather than e2

Sorry, StuffyClarets post didn't show on my screen; why not?

[Super Teds]

yes true. I should have just said rook c3-c2. so the king can't move

[StuffyClaret]

Yes. King to e2 if Knight is left at b1. King takes Knight if it moves to d2

[Super Teds]

doesn't work because if white e2-f3 then black c3-c2. So the King can't move into check

[Zlatan]

can do it in 3 moves in various ways, but cant see how to force in 2... if anyone solves it I need to know!

[conyoviejo]

White E1-F1

White G5-g1

Checkmate

[AfloatinClaret]

Got it! Re-run the problem on the basis that it's black's move next rather than white's and you can do it easily, maybe only one move.

[andyh]

White E1-F1

White G5-g1

Checkmate

f3xe2+ and the king has to break check

[Quickenthetempo]

Got it! Re-run the problem on the basis that it's black's move next rather than white's and you can do it easily, maybe only one move.

If black moves first you can do it in one move.

Or impossible depending on their move.

[Zlatan]

Got it! Re-run the problem on the basis that it's black's move next rather than white's and you can do it easily, maybe only one move.

go on then... take me through it.

pawn f3 can only go e2 - then King e1-e2 Checkmate
pawn a1 cant move
Knight b1 can go either a1 or d2 - d2, then King e1-d2 Checkmate; a1, King e1-d2 Checkmate

Rook however can do many different options, for example c3-c5 to threaten the white rook - White king cant just e1-d2 because of knight so can really only move white rook to either take black rook or move out of line.

I'm struggling here

[bfcjg]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GvBrU1Cofms
They'd know

[Funkydrummer]

Who has the first move ?

[KateR]

C1 - B1

E1 - D2

[FactualFrank]

Move the Queen (white) into B2 (Move 1)
If black pawn takes white pawn and moves into F3, then White Queen moves to B7 for checkmate (Move 2)
However if black moves their Rook anywhere, then White queen moves to H8 instead (Move 2)
If the black horse is jumped to d2 or a3 instead then White moves the king to D2 (Move 2)

[Funkydrummer]

C1 - B1

E1 - D2

That's nailed it as far as I can see.

[Buxtonclaret]

To whom it may concern...
Had this scenario on my board shortly after the OP.
Am now burning my chess set.

[FactualFrank]

I thought it meant 2 moves for White, not 1 move each.

[FactualFrank]

C1 - B1

E1 - D2

Can't the black pawn move forward twice (take white pawn then reach the end of the board) and block the check?

[bfcmik]

C1 - B1

E1 - D2

Mate in 2 stopped by c3-d3 - then it can defend the checkmate (for 1 move) by d3-d1

[dsr]

C1 - B1

E1 - D2

C1-B1 would be followed by A2-B1, taking off the white queen and promoting the black pawn. Or possibly c3-b3 so that black's next move after the king move, b3-b1 takes the queen.

[AfloatinClaret]

That's nailed it as far as I can see.

'F'raid not, having moved the Queen to B1, it falls to the pawn, so you'd still need two more white moves.

FactualFrank's B2 move seems to be the answer.

[Funkydrummer]

Oh, stuff this, I'm off to see if the roof's still on.

[KateR]

yes I was wrong


white has 2 moves and goes first so that means black has only one move to prevent white moving to checkmate, blacks second move is meaningless as he can not stop the checkmate on whites second move, this is the scenario.

Quite right I would have lost white queen to black pawn, therefore the move I suggested does not work at all doh!

[dsr]

Move the Queen (white) into B2 (Move 1)
If black pawn takes white pawn and moves into F3, then White Queen moves to B7 for checkmate (Move 2)
However if black moves their Rook anywhere, then White queen moves to H8 instead (Move 2)
If the black horse is jumped to d2 or a3 instead then White moves the king to D2 (Move 2)

For the first option, I think you mean B7?

But with the balck horse option, if the queen is at B2 and the king is at D2, then the black king isn't even in check and the black horse can skip about the board so there can't be a checkmate. Can there?

[FactualFrank]

'F'raid not, having moved the Queen to B1, it falls to the pawn, so you'd still need two more white moves.

FactualFrank's B2 move seems to be the answer.

C1 to B2
Then there's a move for White to checkmate, regardless of what Black does.

That's my more simplified version

[FactualFrank]

For the first option, I think you mean B7?

But with the balck horse option, if the queen is at B2 and the king is at D2, then the black king isn't even in check and the black horse can skip about the board so there can't be a checkmate. Can there?

Yeah, I did, just edited it.

[Funkydrummer]

yes I was wrong


white has 2 moves and goes first so that means black has only one move to prevent white moving to checkmate, blacks second move is meaningless as he can not stop the checkmate on whites second move, this is the scenario.

Quite right I would have lost white queen to black pawn, therefore the move I suggested does not work at all doh!

Oh, cheers Kate !!!

Led right up the garden path there.

[FactualFrank]

But with the balck horse option, if the queen is at B2 and the king is at D2, then the black king isn't even in check and the black horse can skip about the board so there can't be a checkmate. Can there?

Not sure now, my brain is fried.

[Zlatan]

Move the Queen (white) into B2 (Move 1)
If black pawn takes white pawn and moves into F3, then White Queen moves to B7 for checkmate (Move 2)
However if black moves their Rook anywhere, then White queen moves to H8 instead (Move 2)
If the black horse is jumped to d2 or a3 instead then White moves the king to D2 (Move 2)

thanks Frank - I think you have it

[kendaldave]

Move the Queen (white) into B2 (Move 1)
If black pawn takes white pawn and moves into F3, then White Queen moves to B7 for checkmate (Move 2)
However if black moves their Rook anywhere, then White queen moves to H8 instead (Move 2)
If the black horse is jumped to d2 or a3 instead then White moves the king to D2 (Move 2)

If black knight moves to A3 and king moves to D2 then returning black knight to B1 prevents checkmate.

[FactualFrank]

thanks Frank - I think you have it

I don't think I have, and think dsr.

If we start with what I suggested by moving queen to B2, the black horse can move to a3.
The Queen can't do anything for the second move to make it checkmake.

If the King moves to D3, then all the black horse has to do is move back to its original spot, to black the castle checking the King.

[FactualFrank]

As what kendaldave said.

[Dougall]

White g5-h5 check
white f4-h2 Mate ?

[FactualFrank]

White g5-h5 check
white f4-h2 Mate ?

King can move to G2 as castle is no longer where it was.

[kendaldave]

White g5-h5 check
white f4-h2 Mate ?

Black king to G1 and returns to H1.

[fatboy47]

C1 to E3

Queen takes pawn..checkmate.?

[kendaldave]

C1 to E3

Queen takes pawn..checkmate.?

Black rook takes pawn and then takes queen.

[Zlatan]

I don't think I have, and think dsr.

If we start with what I suggested by moving queen to B2, the black horse can move to a3.
The Queen can't do anything for the second move to make it checkmake.

If the King moves to D3, then all the black horse has to do is move back to its original spot, to black the castle checking the King.

SHUT IT FRANK... we could've fooled them all

back to the squared drawing board...

[claretblue]

I don't think it's possible

...It's a weird one because all of the blacks moves are so unnatural in that they just lose pieces but technically after pawn takes f3, black can take the c2 pawn with their rook and delay checkmate by a move

its checkmate in three in a number of ways but no way to mate in2!

[Zlatan]

I had a 3 hour Zoom meeting with Splunk today, and then this. I've got no work done at all, TGIF...!

[Zlatan]

This is doing my head in, I'm not convinced it's possible. White to win in 2 moves whatever black does.. Help please!

where did you find the puzzle? any clues to the solution there?

[Dougall]

King can move to G2 as castle is no longer where it was.

Then Bishop moves to h2?

[KateR]

ok, my brain is officially hurting now

[Super Teds]

where did you find the puzzle? any clues to the solution there?

http://www.theproblemist.org/wcbcsc/wcb ... ct=starter

no, it's a competition entry, also on guardian sport page. If I had a life, I'd have wasted it today. Please someone solve it!

[duncandisorderly]

There's more than one way I think depending on what the black player does, but the first move is queen to B2.

From there it's either;
1) black rook moves - queen to h8
2) black pawn at f3 moves to e2 - queen to b7
3) black knight moves to d2 - king takes black knight
4) black knight moves to a3 - king castles with rook