Daily Puzzle Analysis for Monday 5.11.26

It’s time for a Monday Puzzle!

Legend:

• 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 equal on Rooks.

* We are up 2 Bishops.

* We are down a kNight.

* We are down a Queen.

* We are equal on Pawns.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity with Bgxb7+.

* We have an immediate capture opportunity with Rbxb7.

* We have an immediate checking & capture opportunity with Rbxa6.

* We have Black’s b pawn pinned to their King.

* Black has a Queen Rook battery on the h file.

* We face immediate checkmate on Black’s next turn.

* We have a remote Bishop covering b8.

* Black’s King has 1 escape squares, there is definitely a King Trap.

* It is our turn to move.

* The puzzle’s title is “Totally Undefended”.

* It is Monday.

The above observations inform potential strategies:

Today we have Black’s King pretty well trapped. He does have one escape square, that being a7. We face immediate checkmate, so we must use forcing moves or execute a defensive play. The title of today’s puzzle could go either way – Black’s King is presently totally undefended, but so is our own.

We have 2 checking opportunities, and a capture that sets up a discovered attack.

If we open with Rxb7, this is not a forcing move, and allows Black the opportunity to steal tempo. Black can now Qxh2#. That’s a no go.

If we open with Bgxb7+, this forces Ka7.
-----We can now Rxa6+, but this allows for Kxb7, losing our Bishop.

----------Our only remaining checking opportunity is now Rfb1+, which allows for Kxa6, losing our Rook. We are now down a Bishop and a Rook from our starting position, and we still face checkmate on our next play, forcing us to h4 to block. We emerge with a Rook and a Bishop against a Queen, 2 Rooks and a kNight. This is absolutely a no go.

If we instead open with Rxa6, this is checkmate, as Black’s b pawn is pinned to their King, preventing capture, and in place on b7, locking Black’s King in. He cannot advance on the a file, nor can he retreat to b8 due to our remote dark Bishop. The game is ours.

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

This plan cannot fail.

Ok, so is there a BETTER PLAN?

There is no better plan than checkmate, and this place achieves it in a single move.

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

Rbxa6 is correct, and the PUZZLE IS SOLVED!!!

A mighty Monday puzzle from a mystery puzzler.

Have an awesome day everyone!