Here is the first composition I ever did. I was 16 and very proud that none of my family could solve it. It should prove quite easy for chess buffs though!
I found an alternative: [ 1. a8=Q Kxb5 2. Qa6+ Kc5 3. Rc4+ Kd5 4. Qc6# ] Highlight between the braces to read. Pandolfini calls this the "Rook 'n Roll" technique.
I'm curious now, how long have you been playing chess?
Yeah, I was a little bummed when I found this other method. Supposedly, great compositions only have one answer, right? That's what they say. I still included the given line because it seems a little more elegant and it was the line I originally envisaged.
I have been playing chess since some guy taught my third grade class one day. I won the class tournament and then beat my teacher. He thought I was some sort of genius, but I think he was just horrible at chess! Nonetheless, this gave me the incentive to dive in head first, and I'm still swimming.
i had no errors, but great puzzle anyway
3.Kf5 Kd5 4.Qe6# is an alternative too ,
I kept trying Pandolfini's method and it wouldn't work on this puzzle. I probably spent a minute realizing that wasn't the solution. But good alternative!
Nice , but don't puzzles normally have a forced line and then the other options either lose the game forthe player or drag on the game for much longer . After 1.a=Q does it really matter how many moves it takes to mate black ?
4...Kc5
There are all types of puzzles. For mate-in-x puzzles, the number of moves taken is the important point, not finding a win out of an even or losing position.
Join Chess.com for free to add your comment! Already a member? Then login now to comment.
