2002.03.02 Mates on h9

The existence of the h9-square has huge consequences on the theory of chess. The first which comes to mind is the modification of mating patterns.

How many games were unjustly won with a pseudo-backrank mate because nobody saw that the king could still go to h9? That's a complete new field to explore for arbiters. The whole chess history should be put under scrutiny.

And then, we have patterns which have been ignored for so long.

Here a first example: White to move and mate.

Sorry if it looks messy. That's all the fault of chess.com: they seem to refuse the existence of h9 and don't give any technical help for diagrams including that square, I had to create it myself. Next diagram look better :)

Qd9 mate?

Hum, interesting, but as far as I know, there is no d9 square. Who told you about its existence? I was more thinking to a mate in 2 moves.

Qh7ch then , but that pre-supposes there is no g9 .

Yes, that was the idea: a smothered mate of an other kind.

Nf8+#

Hum, shame on me, Nf8 directly works. I'll have to correct it and put the black Queen on h6.

I`m sorry, my vegetable friend, I didn`t mean to spoil your puzzle.  But you gave me an idea! Would you be willing to play the very first game with the h9 square? If so, we could open a new forum and play there. Each of us would post a comment with his new move (diagrams would be the best way how to do it).

I admit it`s a pity there`s no h0 square but I`d like to see what the extra square would do with a game. You would just toss a coin and tell me who`s gonna play as White.

You start then :)

Agreed. It`s your move, friend.