White to move and mate in two.

I'm not going to try to claim the glory for this one, it was composed by T. Taverner in 1881. I'll be very impressed if anyone sees the solution.

See move list for all 19 variations...

Got it in 3 goes!! Think i blundered into it to tell the truth! Certainly a stinker!!

Bloody hard isn't it! - I've added the variations to the move list now - sit back and drool

I guess Nd5 would work, right?  First one I saw.

Any other move and black escapes from the trap?

Nd5 wouldn't work. d5 covered by Bg8. I tried taking Bg8 with my Bh7 and THEN moving Nd5 (mate) but my Nc7 could have first taken Nc7 with Bd8. Good puzzle though.

Wait...are we playin' black or white here?  I'm confused.

Solving it in more than 2 is easy. Solving it in 2 is nearly impossible to see. Sorry, that's no accomplishment, Gerjay.

i solved it with a few educated guesses

I've already seen this puzzle.  I got it in just an instant.  Where did you get it?  Is it from the chessmaster program?

Now, I remember!  That's the puzzle I solved when I was learning about the "tempo."

Great puzzle I just saw solution How impatient of me!!

19 posibilities and still he gets killed, what a puzzle!

Rh1 wins in 2.  Creates a zugzwang.  Any move black makes interferes with the defense from another piece.

This is from Chessmaster X or XI, Grandmaster edition. Still fun nonetheless

why couldn't the rook just move two squares up and say #?

Bishop on d8 takes it off

! Amazing work from Taverner :)

ive seen this puzzle in Chessmaster. It is one of John Nunn's 50 favorite puzzles. I really like this one

I have seen this puzzle on Chestmaster9000. Checkmate in 2 no matter what black does - very good.