A fun position to analyze
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danheisman
Dec 30, 2010
0
#1
This is one of the exercise positions I composed and use for lessons. It is instrutive to try to play both sides (maybe several times) against a similar strength opponent and see which side you think is better. As always, the truth can be found immediately with computer analysis, but that's the last resort - please don't publish the answer as that spoils the fun. From playing this out with many students, I can tell you that they give this exercise (and the position) very high marks for fun and instruction. Best wishes, NM Dan Heisman
This is deceptively hard! And fun, too. Thanks for sharing it.
This is easy. Just [DELETED] and its a mate.
urm I kinda didn't find it too hard but I'd certainly want to be white. Still really good though.
Very good, with some fine points to make the student work.
Jan 4, 2011
0
#6
The best move to begin analysis is 1.Rd1. And to juhweri: you posted the answer?! Hmm. Best probably to delete his entire reply because it is still too strong a hint; that minimizes the fun others would have.
I give up. If there's a correct answer, I don't see it. My guess is black has better chances of winning or at least making the game a draw. If anyone sees a way for white to force a mate feel free to send me a PM enlightening me. :)
To danheisman: I actually deleted it myself;)
White's queen to 6th on castle file next move checkmate. ( not v up on notation )
?
Gorgeous puzzle. It took me a while to navigate all the false trails and find, what looks to me at least, the correct path. Very instructive.
@niftynige: that was my initial conclusion. Then a friend pointed out that both black knights can fork the king and queen on g4. White can only take one of the knights with a pawn, then is forced to move the king letting the knight take the queen.
I hope this kind of discussion is ok on the thread. If it isn't and the OP wants me to delete my comment, just say so and I will.
@The_Knight_Master: instead of h5 for black, Neg4+, hxg4, Nfg4+. If white takes with his queen then she is out of position to attack the h-pawn later, giving black time to move his king back after taking the rook. If he doesn't take and moves his king instead, then the queen still can't attack h6 because the knight is covering it.
Jan 5, 2011
0
#13
The_Knight_Master wrote:
I see easy. You must teach elementary school students I guess. It's a forced mate puzzle. No reason to "play out" both sides.
SPOILER (because I hate puzzles with no answer):
Rd1
h5
Rd8+
Kh7
Rxh8+
Kxh8
Qh6+
Kh7
Qg7#
Hi! This is not the best defense (as you can verify if you check with a computer). After 1.Rd1 h5? White mates as you state. However, it's not so easy. If Black plays the complicated 1...Neg4+ with best play he can get a draw (I did not want to post this earlier and spoil the fun; I was hoping that anyone wishing the truth would not post answers but just check on the computer). As I noted at the start, my students get lots of fun playing both sides against me until they "strip away the skin of the onion" to finally see the right idea. The puzzle has an answer but the best way to learn from it is to try 
Jan 5, 2011
0
#14
Hi! I am not sure why you made such a remark. Most of my students are intermediate level adults. I am just reporting what they told me after I did this exercise interactively with about 100 students. Some of my puzzles and book suggestions are, as expected, better received than others. This is one of my highest rated puzzles. One of my highest rated book recommendations is the misleadingly named "Winning Chess Exercises for Kids" by Jeff Coakley. It is an excellent intermediate level puzzle book and I, as a master, have difficulty with some of the puzzles at the end. They are definitely not just for kids.
- NM and FIDE CM Dan Heisman - full time chess instructor since 1996
Chess Journalists of America "Journalist of the Year" for 2010
Gambitknight wrote:
Gorgeous puzzle. It took me a while to navigate all the false trails and find, what looks to me at least, the correct path. Very instructive.
...
5 mins passed...
10 mins passed...
...
i give up.
Jan 7, 2011
0
#17
Thanks. As noted earlier, rather than post the answer so that someone might accidentally see, if you give up, these days almost everyone has a chess engine (or can go to an online site that has a free one) and the computer will show you the answer in a sec. Hopefully the fun and instruction is in doing the analysis (just don't do more than is fun...see Chess, Learning, and Fun http://www.chesscafe.com/text/heisman43.pdf) BTW, this reminds me that if anyone is interested, I post a "chess tip of the day" on Twitter (same handle, "danheisman").
Wow, come on folks! Let's hold off on the negative commentary. This was a well crafted puzzle and it is not as easy as it looks. Black can raise a bit of a stink if you play it through a few times and run the analysis. Sorry about the responses Dan! Everyone who has published well received chess books and is a well known chess instructor raise their hands. Wait I see one hand up. Look at that, it belongs to Dan...
Jun 18, 2012
0
#19
Thanks. Of course, if you use a computer most every problem is trivially easy; however, I have seen masters (and experts) not only trip up on this problem but also enjoy the answer greatly once they understand (it is one of my highest rated problems in feedback from students). Of hundreds of students, I have never had an intermediate level one solve it immediately, so anyone that says it is an easy problem is either reading their computer analysis, mis-thinking they have an answer without checking, or is having a very good day Finally, if you don't like the problem then the answer is simple: go to another thread and find one you like!