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Funny puzzle

White to move and draw. Position from "Excel at chess calculations book". Interestingly, only a rather strange move draws.
Posted by Harish Srinivasan at 3/08/2007 02:42:00 AM
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8 comments:

  1. thechessdoctorMarch 8, 2007 at 1:41 PM

    I think it is Kb6! threating Bd6#.

    Saddly for black there is no time to queen. The only play is to check the black king with 1...Ba6#.
    If 2. Kxa6 f1=Q
    3. Kb5
    and there will by a repetition of moves as the only other queen check squares are covered by the knight or blocked by the bishop.

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  2. Harish SrinivasanMarch 8, 2007 at 3:52 PM

    i think you mean Kb6 threatening Bc6 mate. after 1.Kb6, black can play ...Ba5+ (i suppose you meant this), bishop sacrifice and then queen after white takes Kxa5. actually after this black can win. black has lot of checks.
    eg variation

    1.Kb6 Ba5+ 2.Kxa5 f1=Q 3.Kb6 Qg1+ and after this, there is no mate threat for white and black will the end game (slowly but definitely).

    There is a forced draw for white with a different move.

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  3. procykMarch 8, 2007 at 8:11 PM

    It is indeed interesting:
    Had to be: 1.Ka6 threatening mate with 2.Bc6
    1…f1Q+
    2.Bb5 Qf3 (to protect mate)
    3.Bc6+ Q:c6+
    4.Nb6+ Kb8 and stalemate.
    nice

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  4. thechessdoctorMarch 8, 2007 at 8:13 PM

    Sorry. Tried to do it quickly at lunch without a chess set available.

    The answer is 1.Ka6! (again threating mate on 2. Bc6#)

    So black responds as 1...f1=Q+ (only move which does not lead to checkmate.)

    2. Bb5 forcing the black queen to the h1-a8 diaganol to protect the c6 square. 2...Qh1 or Qg2 or Qf3.

    But 3.Bc6+! anyways.3...Qxc6(only move.)

    4. Nb6+ (only move)4...Kb8 (only move.) Stalemate! 1/2-1/2

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  5. procykMarch 8, 2007 at 8:14 PM

    Harish, can you bring this book "Excel at chess calculations book" with you to NCCC.

    ReplyDelete
  6. procykMarch 8, 2007 at 8:17 PM

    Chessdoctor said:
    So black responds as 1...f1=Q+ (only move which does not lead to checkmate.)
    It is not only move. 1...f1B+ also draws...
    So I posted 2 minutes earlier. So we are just working together but sepatatly...

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  7. Harish SrinivasanMarch 9, 2007 at 3:52 AM

    sure i will bring the book on Wednesday.

    and yes, the solution by both of you is correct. it amazes me again and again, that in end games, you should never go by intuition without calculation.

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  8. procykMarch 11, 2007 at 11:34 PM

    "you should never go by intuition without calculation" - true enough, but this one is exceptional. It teaches us that even in hopless situation we should not despair. Sort of spiritual aspect of the chess. Would be interesting to see who is credited with this puzzle.

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