Daily Puzzle Analysis for Friday 4.17.26

It’s Time for a Friday puzzle! 

Legend: (Color Version)

• Observations in Yellow

• Strategies in Purple

• Responses (Unforced, Anticipated or Actual) in Orange

• Fails (Potential or Actual) in Red

• Successes (Potential or Actual) in Green

On setting up the board, we observe:

* We are down a Rook.

* We are down a Bishop, the light squared.

* We are equal on kNights.

* We both have Queens.

* We are up 4 Pawns.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qd2+.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qe4+.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qb1+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qe2+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qd1+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qf1+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qe3+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Bb4+, but it’s a Bishop sac.

* With but no current escape squares, there is definitely a King Trap.

* It is our turn to move.

* The puzzle’s title is “Here Comes The Sun”

* It is Friday.

The above observations inform potential strategies:

We have White’s King completely trapped at the moment, and if we move our Queen to attack we open up escape squares. Our only other pieces capable of delivering immediate check are our Bishop and Rook, but Bb4+ fails to Qxb4, and Re8+ fails to Qxe8.

We have a two quiet moves available, both of which threaten checkmate on our next play. Let’s examine these and see where they might lead.

Opening with Nc1 prepares for Qe2#. White can respond with Bxc4+, not only covering e2 and the line upon which our Queen stands while protected by their kNight and Queen, but checking our King and forcing a response. This will lose our Queen for a Bishop. Being already down a minor and a heavy piece, this is a no go.

Opening with Rd8 prepares for Qd1#, but similarly allows for Bxc4+, winning our Queen for a Bishop. This is also a no go.

So that Bishop is quite the problem. What if we take it out straight away?

Opening with Rxa6 wins the Bishop, and threatens White’s Queen, almost certainly prompting Qxa6 in response, capturing our Rook.
-----We could follow with Nc1, threatening Qe2# on our next play, however White can respond with Qxc4+, again covering e2 and checking our King, forcing a response.
----------If we Qxc4, White will undoubtedly Nxc4, making it an exchange. We emerge from the encounter down a Queen and a Rook for a Queen and a Bishop, and now down 2 heavy pieces. That’s a no go.
-----We could alternately follow with Bxa3, almost certainly prompting Qxa3 to maintain White’s material advantage.
----------If Qxa3, we cannot Nc1, as this fails to Qxd3, and we’ve lost our Queen. So that’s a no go.

What if we change the order of operations?

Opening with Bxa3 almost certainly prompts Qxa3.
-----We can follow with Rxaa6, almost certainly prompting Qxa6.
----------We can now Nc1, and if White plays Qxc4 she is unprotected and we Qxc4. We emerge with a Queen and a kNight against 2 Rooks, and with good position to mate on our next play.

Ok, it’s a plan – but how could it fail?

Well White does not have to cooperate with this play, they can refuse to capture either our Bishop or our Rook, or both. But would that save them?

Opening with Bxa3, we expect Qxa3, but what if they make a different choice?
-----Qxb3 ruins our mating attack, but fails to either cxb3 or Qxb3, giving us a decisive material advantage.
-----Bxc4+ still forks our Queen and King however, now protected by White’s Queen. So that’s still a no go. Back to the drawing (playing) board…

What about our initial checking opportunities?

Opening with Qd2+ forces Kf1.
-----We can follow with Qd1+, forcing Kg2.
----------We can next Qf3+, forcing Kh2, Kg1, or Kf1.
---------------If Kh2, we are out of checking options. This looks like a no go.
---------------If Kg1 or Kf1, we can return to d1 and continue checking, but this leads to a draw by 3 fold repetition. That’s a no go.

Opening with Qe4+ forces Kd1, or Kf1.
-----If Kd1, we can Rd1#.
-----If Kf1, we can Nd2+, forcing Kg1.
----------We can then follow with Nf3+, forcing either Kg2 or Kf1.
---------------If Kg2, we can Nxh4++, a double check that wins us one of White’s Rooks, forcing Kh2, Kg1, or Kf1.
--------------------If Kh2, we can now Qg2#.
--------------------If Kg1, we can now Qg2#.
--------------------If Kf1, we can now Qxh1+, winning White’s remaining Rook, and forcing Ke2.
-------------------------We can follow with Qf3+, forcing Kf1, Ke1, or Kd2.
------------------------------If Kf1, we can Qd3+, forcing Ke1 or Kg1.
-----------------------------------If Ke1, we can Nf3#.
-----------------------------------If Kg1, we can Nf3+, forcing Kg2 or Kh1.
----------------------------------------If Kg2, we can Rh8, preparing for Rh2#. What could White do here to stop us? Well we’ve landed our Queen back where she started, so they can Bxc4+, winning our Queen. Darn, I thought we had them here. Perhaps I’ve miscalculated the attack. Let’s rewind…
----------When Kg1, we could alternately Qe1+, forcing Kg2 or Kh2.
---------------If Kg2, we can only Qe4+, tempting draw by 3 fold repetition. That’s a no go.

Ok, so we Nf3+ instead, so then…
---------------If Kf1, we can Qe1+ forcing Kg2. But now we’re out of checking opportunities. So that’s a no go.

Ok both the Kg2 and Kf1 response options seem to kill this attack line. Let’s move on. What have I missed?

Well there is our Bishop check, didn’t initially look promising, as it’s a Bishop sac, but let’s see where that leads.

Opening with Bb4+ almost certainly prompts Qxb4. Hmmm, now we’ve removed protection from White’s light squared Bishop. Ok.
-----We can follow with Rxa6, but White could still follow with Qxc4+, protected by their kNight, and emerge up a piece. That’s a no go.

-----We could alternately check Black’s King with either our Queen or our Rook. If we move our Queen however, we open an escape square for White’s King. So the Rook it is. Re8 can be blocked twice, but once we own the e file checkmate is inevitable. Brilliant!

Ok, again, it’s a plan – but how could it fail?

Well White actually HAS to capture our Bishop here, there is no choice not to do so, as there is no blocker available and their King can’t move. This forces Qxb4, drawing White’s Queen away from covering our e8 attack square. This plan cannot fail.

Ok, but is there a BETTER PLAN?

Well this delivers checkmate, and there is no better plan than that.

Confident in my plan, I set the board aside and engage with the puzzle online.

Bb4+ is correct, and Black is forced to Qxb4.

Re8+ is correct, and Black chooses to Be5.

Rxe5# is correct, and the PUZZLE IS SOLVED!

A fun Friday puzzle from a mystery puzzler.

Have a great day everyone.