Daily Puzzle 7/8/13-How crazy can you get?
Sort:
Doesn't 1. a7 also work? 1...Bxa7 2. c8=Q+ Bb8 3. Qc6#. If Black doesn't take, 2.axb8=Q+ and mate will be quick.
Jul 8, 2013
0
#3
1. a7 does not work. Bxc7 holds the draw with ease, as even if he lost his pawn and bishop it would still be drawn (incidentally the reason cxb8 can't be played)
I think the solution given in the diagram is wrong
After 1. c8=Bd6 2. a7?, Black can play 2... Bc5 3. Bxc5 g1=Q.
Now 4. Bxg1 is stalemate, while 4. Bb7+ Kxb7 5. Bxg1 Ka8 is the old "wrong rook's pawn" draw.
Instead, 2. Bb7+ Kb8 3. Bd5 (threatening a7+) wins.
I also wonder whether White could win (more slowly) with 1. c8=N?
caveatcanis wrote:
I think the solution given in the diagram is wrong
After 1. c8=Bd6 2. a7?, Black can play 2... Bc5 3. Bxc5 g1=Q.
Now 4. Bxg1 is stalemate, while 4. Bb7+ Kxb7 5. Bxg1 Ka8 is the old "wrong rook's pawn" draw.
Instead, 2. Bb7+ Kb8 3. Bd5 (threatening a7+) wins.
I also wonder whether White could win (more slowly) with 1. c8=N?
Try playing out 1. c8/N.
It will probably lead to a draw.
I'm pretty sure that White can win after 1. c8=N. The trick is to avoid taking Black's pawn, because that helps to avoid stalemate traps. Then he can reach a position like the following:
I
In that case, how can white mate after 7. Nxe5?
He can't move his bishop off the g1-a6 diagnol, or black queens on g1, unless he uses his knight. But then white's knight is stuck on either f3 or h3.
White probably loses or draws.
In that case, how can white mate after 7. Nxe5?
First he captures the g pawn, then it's a standard B+N mate.
caveatcanis wrote:
In that case, how can white mate after 7. Nxe5?
First he captures the g pawn, then it's a standard B+N mate.
How will he capture the pawn?
How will he capture the pawn?
8. Nf3 9. Ne1 10. Nxg2 is one of many ways. Black's king is too far away to interfere.
caveatcanis wrote:
How will he capture the pawn?
8. Nf3 9. Ne1 10. Nxg2 is one of many ways. Black's king is too far away to interfere.
What is black's 7th move?
What is black's 7th move?
It makes no difference what Black plays. It's not stalemate and he can't stop White from capturing the pawn.
How did you get to the position in comment #7?
Like this:
Notice that I've corrected the analysis; the Kc8 plan works when the Black bishop defends from a5, but not when it defends from g3.
[COMMENT DELETED]
8. Ke6?
What if black simply puts his bishop on a5?
9. Kd7 Bc3 10. Kc8 Bd4 11. Bxd4 g1/Q
12. Bxg1 is stalemate.
. Ke6?
What if black simply puts his bishop on a5?
9. Kd7 Bc3 10. Kc8 Bd4 11. Bxd4 g1/Q
12. Bxg1 is stalemate.
White's first priority is to put the knight on d5, so he would answer 9...Ba5 with 9. Nf6 and (assuming Black plays a waiting move) 10. Nd5.
Once the knight is on d5, Black has to decide how to defend c7. He can do this by putting the bishop on either a5 or g3. I have already explained how to break each of these defences. (My first attempt to break the g3 defence didn't work because of the stalemate defence, but simply moving the king to g4 does work.)
If Black doesn't keep c7 covered, then Nc7 (with or without check) followed by a8=Q+ will win.
Similarly, if Black varies earlier with 4... Ba5, White will play 5. Ne7 and 6. Nd5.
White's first priority is to put the knight on d5
Why?? What if black does not play a waiting move on move 9?