Daily Puzzle Analysis for Tuesday 4.7.26

It’s Time for a Tuesday 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 equal on Rooks.

* We are equal on Bishops, ours the light and theirs the dark.

* There are no kNights.

* There are no Queens.

* We are down 2 Pawns.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity with Rxh8+, but it’s a Rook sac.

* We have an immediate checking opportunity with Be4+.

* Black has a pawn downfield on the b file.

* With but 1 escape square, there is a King Trap.

* It is our turn to move.

* The puzzle’s title is “Capture? Hard Pass!”

* It is Tuesday.

The above observations inform potential strategies:

Examining our immediate checking opportunities:

Opening with Rxh8+ almost certainly prompts either Bxh8 or Kxh8, I would assume the latter as it would place Black’s most important pieces both on the dark squares, making our Bishop ineffective at targeting. From here we can Bxa6, but that’s about it. Black can then Bxe5, and almost certainly push at least one pawn to promotion. This is a no go.

Opening with Be4+ forces f5 to block, as we’ve eliminated the sole escape square for Black’s King with our attack, and no other piece can intervene. As f5 is a two square initial pawn jump, this gives us the option to en passant. Exf6 removes the blocker, delivering a revealed attack from our Bishop, which is checkmate. What a lovely move!

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

Well today we open with a forcing move, allowing for only one response option, then we deliver checkmate, via a discovered attack exposed by en passant. Flashy, but effective!

Ok, but is there a BETTER PLAN?

Not today.

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

Be4+ is correct, and Black is forced to block with f5.

exf6# is correct, and the PUZZLE IS SOLVED!

A terrific Tuesday puzzle from a mystery puzzler.

Have a great day everyone.