Chess Puzzles.

[LoyalSoldier]

Let's see if anyone can get these. The first one

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/8771/chesspuzzlepf9.jpg

White to move

Black has just threatened checkmate by moving the queen to D4 and will mate the next turn by moving the queen to F2.

Can you find one move that will allow you to turn the tide in your favor?

(Hint: There is a way you can take the black queen)

[Javalon]

D3 X H7 + (Haven't done notation in awhile but I'm sure you get it)

Bishop takes the pawn putting black in check. He has to move his king, taking the bishop and then queen takes queen.

[LoyalSoldier]

D3 X H7 + (Haven't done notation in awhile but I'm sure you get it)

Bishop takes the pawn putting black in check. He has to move his king, taking the bishop and then queen takes queen.

Yep. Right on the head.

[LoyalSoldier]

Ok here is the second one. White to move, Mate in 2.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/2169/chesspuzzle2vj9.jpg

[Rick]

Queen takes pawn at E6.

King moves back to D8 and is done in by bishop, takes queen at E6 and is done in by knight, moves to C7 and is done in by pawn, moves to C6 is done in by knight, takes Bishop at E7 is done in by queen.

That is what I have so far, but have to look more as the bishop at C8 can pose a problem I think.

Definitly no chess pro.

[Rick]

I think the final clincher is if the king moves to E8 then the white bishop moves to E6. Even though bishop can be done in by the pawn the king has to move as he is in check and no matter where he moves he is check mate.

[Rick]

The black bishop is still aprob for me at C8. I am not sure is he can wrech the deal by taking the queen.

I don't think he can but here is where I show my non proness.

[Rick]

Still with queen to pawn at E6.

If king moves to E8 then queen take bishop at C8, and if king takes rook at F7 he is done in by bishop. If king takes bishop at E7 he is done in by pawn or rook, any other direction done in by queen.

[Day1BroncoFan]

Ok here is the second one. White to move, Mate in 2.

http://img216.imageshack.us/img216/2169/chesspuzzle2vj9.jpg

I'm not a chess player but here's what I think.

White queen to E6. The only move for black is the king to E8, I would then check mate by moving the bishop from F8 to E7.

[LoyalSoldier]

There are at least two solutions to problem 2.

QxE6+ KE8
QxC8#

QxE6+ KE8
bF7#

Both start with the queen taking the pawn which forces the king up to E8 which is the only legal move. At that point either move finishes the job.

Those are the two forced mates I could come up with. There may be unforced mates, but looking for forced. An unforced mate is if the black bishop takes E7 the queen retakes E7 with mate.

[LoyalSoldier]

Ok puzzle 3.

Mate in 4. (Bonus points if you can find a faster mate.) ;) I have found 3 solutions to this problem.

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/9646/chesspuzzle3gq7.jpg

[Javalon]

Ok puzzle 3.

Mate in 4. (Bonus points if you can find a faster mate.) ;) I have found 3 solutions to this problem.

Hey LoyalSoldier,

I liked the idea for your thread but I think it got bogged down because that last puzzle had too many possibilities to easily answer. You can't make the black king move to a particular spot in one move so it's a pain to type out every possible combination of moves. You might try it again but with more direct mating moves. Just a suggestion...

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon/Inter1.gif

White to move, mate in 2.

[LoyalSoldier]

Hey LoyalSoldier,

I liked the idea for your thread but I think it got bogged down because that last puzzle had too many possibilities to easily answer. You can't make the black king move to a particular spot in one move so it's a pain to type out every possible combination of moves. You might try it again but with more direct mating moves. Just a suggestion...

Actually there is a forces mate that black has no control over. It has to do with the pawn. If you turn it into a rook or a queen then you can easily "stair step" the king over into the corner.

g7 K(doesn't matter)
g8=Q K(doesn't matter)
g8-Qb8 K(Forced over into the A file)


Now the last move is dependent on the king, but it is still a forced mate either way. If the king is on a4 then c5-Qb4# and if he is on any other spot on the a file then c5-Qa5#.

If the black king tries to run up early into the a5 square then it is actually mate in 3.

g7 Kb3
g8=Q+ Ka4
g8-Qc4#

So actually the king will want to try to avoid running up into the a4 square. At that point it is forced mate in 4.




http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon/Inter1.gif

White to move, mate in 2.

Qxh7+ Kxh7
f3-Rh3#

[Javalon]

Actually there is a forces mate that black has no control over. It has to do with the pawn. If you turn it into a rook or a queen then you can easily "stair step" the king over into the corner.

g7 K(doesn't matter)
g8=Q K(doesn't matter)
g8-Qb8 K(Forced over into the A file)


Now the last move is dependent on the king, but it is still a forced mate either way. If the king is on a4 then c5-Qb4# and if he is on any other spot on the a file then c5-Qa5#.

If the black king tries to run up early into the a5 square then it is actually mate in 3.

g7 Kb3
g8=Q+ Ka4
g8-Qc4#

So actually the king will want to try to avoid running up into the a4 square. At that point it is forced mate in 4.
That's my point. There was a solution but there was no simple way to describe it like most chess puzzles. ;)


Qxh7+ Kxh7
f3-Rh3#
You got it. :beer:

[Javalon]

Here's a little tougher one:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon/Advan1.gif

White to move, mate in 4.

[LoyalSoldier]

Here's a little tougher one:

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon/Advan1.gif

White to move, mate in 4.

(On a side note what chess program are you using?)

I found two solutions based off of the black's move, but both lead to forced mates.

Starts with

Nf7+

Now from here based off of what black does there are at least two different mates

Nf7+ Rxf7
Qd8+ Qe8
Qxe8+ Rf8
Qxf8#

In that solution you can mate one turn sooner if black plays Rf8 instead of Qe8.

In the second solution in place of playing Rxf7 after the first move black plays this

Nf7+ Kg8
Nh6+ Kh8
Qg8+ Rxg8
Nf7#


Those are the two I came up with. I actually found that one somewhat easy since there are only two moves to put the king into check and moving the queen was out of the question. ;)



Here is a classical problem of how to mate with two bishops. I have already moved it into a easier position where I believe all moves are forced. I found a mate in 8. See if you can find it or faster.


http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/9933/chesspuzzle4ly6.jpg

[Javalon]

That's tough because you have to avoid the stalemate while working the black king over into one of the corners. I don't believe you can do it much quicker than you said.

1. Kc6 Ke8
2. Bd5 Kd8
3. Bf7 Kc8
4. Be7 Kb8
5. Kb6 Ka8 (or else mate on next move)
6. Be6 Kb8
7. Bd6+ Ka8
8. Bd5#

(Okay, I had to get out my chessboard for that one. :D)

[Javalon]

Here's a similar one but with 1 knight and 1 bishop:
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/adam.bozon/Advan2.gif


White to move, mate in 5

[LoyalSoldier]

Those are some of my favorites puzzles.

Nf4 Kh7
Bg5 Kh8
Ne6 Kh7
Kf8+ Kh8
Bf6#


It takes a lot of work to force a mate with just two bishops, but is completely possible. It is so easy to lose a bishop or let the king escape. You also have to remember in competitive play if no pieces have been taken in 50 moves it is a stalemate.

The general rule to checkmate you need one of the following (from hardest to easiest):

2 Knights (Even though it is possible it is unlikely.)
1 Bishop 1 Knight
2 Bishops
1 Rook
1 Queen

Of course you have the king in all cases.