Chess Solution no 21

The game continued as follows: 

1 …  Rg1+

2 Bd1  Rxc2+

3 Kb1  Rxd1+

4 Nxd1  Rc5+

5 Ka1  Rc1# 

Here is a slightly different solution:

1 …  Rxc2+

2 Kb1  Rg1+

3 Bd1  Rxd1+

4 Nxd1  Rc5+

5 Ka1  Rc1#

Chess Puzzle no 21

This position is from Tore Colas versus James C Mansson, Hastings 2005. Black to play and checkmate in five moves. There are two possible solutions:

 

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Solution to Sudoku no 719

Sudoku no 719 (Tough)

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Chess Solution no 20

1. ...  Rb2

2. g4  Na5

3. Rxa5  bxa5

winning the exchange.

Note that if:

4. Nxa5

then:

4. ...  Kb6

or:

4. ...  Rb5

and white's knight is lost.

Chess Puzzle no 20

The position below is from Walter Burnett versus Mark Broom, Glasgow, 2003. It is black's move. What should he play?

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Solution to Sudoku no 718

Sudoku no 718 (Easy)

Our younger son created this puzzle using a Javascript program which he wrote himself:

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Chess Solution no 19

1. Bb6!

Black then resigned.

If he had not, the game might have continued as follows:

1. ...  Qxb6

2. Nxe7+  Kh8

3. Nxc8  Qb7

4. Nxd6  Nxd6

5. exd6

or:

1. ...  exf5

2. Bxc7  Rxc7

or:

1. ...  Qd7

2. Nxe7+  Qxe7

3. Bxa5

Chess Puzzle no 19

The position below is from Feliks J Kwiatkowski (a member of Haywards Heath chess club) versus Jerry Humphreys, Birmingham, 2005. It is white's turn to play. What is his best move?

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Chess Solution no 18

 

Analysis suggests the following solution: 

 

1. ...  Qxf2+

2. Kh1  Qf3+

3. Kg1 (or Kh2)  Qxg3+

4. Kh1  Qh2#

 

However, the game continued like this:

 

1. ...  Qxf2+

2. Kh1  Qe1+

 

... and white resigned. It is not clear whether he thought he was going to lose his bishop by:

 

3. Kh2  Qxc1

 

... or whether he spotted two further solutions to my original problem:

 

1. ...  Qxf2+

2. Kh1  Qe1+

3. Kh2  Qxg3+

4. Kh1  Qh2#

... and:

1. ...  Qxf2+

2. Kh1  Qe1+

3. Qf1  Qxf1+

4. Kh2  Rf2#

Chess Puzzle no 18

This position is from Pierre Fox versus James C Mansson, Hastings, 2006. Black to play and checkmate in 4 moves:

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Solution to Sudoku no 717

Sudoku no 717 (Diabolical)

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Chess Solution no 17

1. b8=N+ 

Black then resigned.

You get no marks for the following answer:

1. b8=Q  Nc6+

2. Kd5  Nxb8

Chess Puzzle no 17

This position is from Ilya Smirin versus Tal Baron, Acre, 2013. It is white to play. What should he do?

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