Super difficult puzzle
Today's post is about a puzzle which is very difficult -or near impossible- to solve in its entirety.
I'd say that only chess engines could figure out the entire solution.
Take 10 minutes and try to see as much as you can in the initial position. I will describe the solution and the key variations below. The first moves can be found but the main line is INSANE !
Super Difficult Puzzle Initial Position
Black to play and win - Position I
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This would be a good position to ask an IM or GM to solve and see how much she/he would find.
Hints:
Clearly Black has to do something right away, as Qh8# is a major threat. The material is level but White's king is in the middle of the board, so it sounds like giving a check and trying for checkmate is the theme.
Lets proceed and look at checks, which are the most basic forced moves in chess.
1..Qg7+ is a check but 2 Rxg7 is the end of it.
1..Qb2+ is a better check and after 2 Ke4 Qe2+ 3 Kd4 Rd3# Black wins but the problem is that White has 2 Rc3! After that 2..Qf2+ is a check exchanging queens which means White wins.
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Therefore the solution is another check.
1..Nc6+!! White has to capture the knight. After 2 bxc6 Qb2+ works simply because the pawn in c6 prevents the Rc3 defense. Let see the variation
Variation after 2bxc6
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So from the start position 1..Nc6!! 2 Rxc6 is the way to go for White ( instead of 2bxc6).Now Qb2+ is met by Rc3 so we need another check 2..Qg7+3 Ke4
We reached the second position in our puzzle solution . Can you find the best move here ?
Position 2 : Black to play
Black needs to find a great idea as the White's king attacks the rook.
3..Bd5+!! giving up material -we are an entire rook down- but bringing the king into the middle of the board. 4Kxd5 Rd3+
And we are at our 3rd critical position , White to play
Position 3: White has a choice . Where should the white king go ?
Hint: One square is more resilient than the other for the King. Can work out which one is the best defense ?
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lets see the variation if White plays 5Ke6
While this is hard to find from position 1, this is after all a 10-move variation. Quite difficult but nowhere near the INSANE word before.
The insanity is to find out what the engine says is the best way to play for Black after 5 Ke4. I do do not have a supercomputer nor Leelachess or Sesse type of computer but if you do I'd be curious to see an A.I like LeelaChess or NNUE solve this.
At any rate below is the solution after 5Ke4 based on Stockfish12 chess engine. This variation is absolute madness.
I do not know if this is a study or composition. at any rate, one of the longest line I have seen. Quite incredible to see Black win being a rook down in 36 moves. There is no shorter way to win I believe. Also the start position doesnt feel completely superficial.
I am posting below the main line from start to finish with no variations.
Let me know your thoughts and if you have a strong computer set-up, is there a shorter win for Black ?
