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Daily Puzzle Analysis for Monday 4.13.26

Daily Puzzle Analysis for Monday 4.13.26

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BrandOfAmber
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It’s Time for a Monday 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 both Rooks.

* We are up a Bishop, the light squared.

* There are no kNights.

* We both have Queens.

* We are down a Pawn.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Bdxg7+, but it’s a Bishop sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qh7+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qxg7+, but it’s a Queen sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity, with Qxh6+.

* We face immediate mate on our opponent’s next play with Qe2#.

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

* It is our turn to move.

* The puzzle’s title is “Not a Queen Sacrifice”

* It is Monday.

 

The above observations inform potential strategies:

Examining our immediate checking opportunities in turn:

Opening with Bdxg7+ forces Bxg8. we now have no follow up checks that do not sacrifice our Queen. Qh7+ fails to Kxh7, and Qxe8+ fails to Qxe8, and Qxf7+ fails to Kxg7. So this looks like a no go.

Ok, on to the Queen sacs…

Opening with Qh7+ forces Kxh7.
-----We can not follow with Bbc2+, as this fails to Rcxc2. And even if we could, it would fail to Kg8, and we’d be headed towards a draw by 3 fold repetition. That’s a no go.

Opening with Qxg7+ forces Bxg7.
-----We cannot follow with Bxg7+, as this fails to Kxg7, and we’re left with a sole Bishop to stand against 2 Rooks and a Queen. This is a no go.

Opening with Qxh6+ looks like a sacrifice up front, but as we have Black’s g pawn pinned to their King with our dark squared Bishop, they cannot capture. As our light square Bishop prevents flight to g8, and as Black has no blocking option, this is checkmate. Golden.

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

Today we play a one move checkmate that cannot be blocked and where our attacking piece cannot be captured. This plan cannot fail.

Ok, but is there a BETTER PLAN?

Well there is no better plan than checkmate, and this plan ensures it.

 

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

 

Qxh6# is correct, and the PUZZLE IS SOLVED!

A mighty Monday puzzle from a mystery puzzler.

Have a great day everyone.