Daily Puzzle Analysis for Monday 5.4.26

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 up a Rook.

* We are up a Bishop, both being light squared.

* There are no kNights.

* We are down a Queen.

* We are equal on Pawns.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity with Be7+.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity with Be1+.

* Our Bishop is pinned to our Rook.

* Black’s King has 2 escape squares, but there isn’t really a current King Trap.

* It is our turn to move.

* The puzzle’s title is “Let Me At ‘Em”.

* It is Monday.

The above observations inform potential strategies:

While up a physical piece, we are technically down 1 point of material, as our Rook and Bishop combined are worth 8pts to the 9pts for Black’s Queen.

While a Queen is powerful, she’s just one piece. She can do two things at once, sometimes even three, etc. but not in this position. We cannot be forked or skewered, although our Bishop is presently pinned. And importantly, it is not Black’s turn to play, giving us the tempo advantage.

We must use our quantitative advantage to assign roles and responsibilities to our pieces. Give them different jobs to do, and have them execute their assignments simultaneously.

To that end, while our Bishop is pinned – it is not without options. Normally if we moved it Black would then capture our Rook, but not if we perform a forcing move that forces Black to respond. And we have two such forcing moves at our disposal.

Let’s examine them both in turn and see how they play out.

Opening with Be1+ gives Black a few different options. They could block with either their Queen or their g pawn.

-----If Qf2, we can Bxf2, winning their Queen and a decisive material advantage.

-----If g3+ however, Black has turned the tables on us, not only blocking our attack, but doing so with a forcing move of their own, forcing us to respond. Our options are Kh1 or Kg1. And in either case, Black can then Qxb1+, another forcing move that wins our Rook and a decisive material advantage. That’s certainly a no go.

Opening with Be7+ on the other hand allows for no blocking option, and forces Kh5.

-----We can now Rxb6, winning Black’s Queen, and a decisive material advantage.

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

Well, we open with a forcing move, allowing for only one response. Black cannot slide to block, as their e pawn prevents it, and even if they could we could BxQ. This plan cannot fail.

Ok, so is there a BETTER PLAN?

Not today, this wins a Queen and allows us to continue to checkmate shortly thereafter.

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

be7+ is correct, and Black is forced to Kh5.

Rxb6 is correct, and the PUZZLE IS SOLVED!!!

A magnificent Monday puzzle from a mystery puzzler.

Have an awesome day everyone!