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Deductive Puzzle #24
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omnipaul wrote:
Interesting.... Black's Bishop is a promoted one. Following from WW's analysis, Black's last move MUST have been bxa6, which means the Bishop couldn't have escaped from c8.
I'd missed this -- you are, of course, correct.
derUbermensch wrote:
o?
Yes -- I see. What if the Knight on a1 is actually a Black Knight and was created via a pawn promotion on the last move? This would mean that bxa6 isn't the only possible last move (and that Black's light squared Bishop need not be a promoted pawn).
If this is the case, then it is necessarily the a1 and a3 Knights that have swapped armour. Now, why must this have been the last move instead of bxa6? I think disproving the Bishop promotion may be key here.
The problem with bxa6 as the last move is the Bishop on g8. It could not have gotten there if bxa6 was just done. However, if it is a promoted piece, then we're missing a capture as the c8 Bishop had to have been captured on its home square. I think you've got it, TheGrobe.
Yes -- I think, actually, that you got it. That last puzzle piece was the key. Good teamwork throughout.
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No matter which Knight is Black's, the only possible last move for Black (prior to Na1 or Na3) was bxa6. Every other possible move (all Knight moves -- cue Bob Seger) would have required White to have left his King in check on the previous move.