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We all know that under its civilised surface chess is like hand-to-hand combat with broken bottles, but this page is for those gentle souls who prefer the more aesthetic side of chess to the gladiatorial arena. Here we will provide splendid puzzles to frustrate and fascinate you. So, throw another log on the fire, pour yourself a generous single malt, and away we go! (All answers at the foot of the page) Let's start with a nice four-part puzzle.... 1.) In each of these very similar positions white has just made a move, but suddenly realises that a different move would have delivered mate. Your task is to work out for each position what move white just played and what the overlooked winning move was. a. b. c. d.
2.) Now two unusual puzzles: a. First an easy one....White to play and not mate in one
3.) A classic 2-in-1:
a). First the easy part. White to play and mate in 2. b). Now if you solved that you will realise there are two possible solutions. But, if you treat this as a position in a real game then only one of these can be the correct solution. Which is it and why?
Now two endgame studies:- 4.) White to play and draw
5.) White to play and draw ( the drawing method here is really simple and funny too!)
- P A G E U N D E R C O N S T R U C T I O N - (Contributions welcomed)
A n s w e r s (spread out, so no peeking!)
1. a). White had played c2-c4 but should have played d5++ b). White had played b4xc5 but should have played d5xc6 en passant ++ c). White had played b5xc6 en passant but should have played d7++ d). White had played c7 but should have played d8=N++
2. a). 1.Rc6+ is the only non-winning move (1....Rxh7) b). The game continues 1.c4+ Rxc4 2.e4+ Rxe4 3.Ne7+ Rxe7 4.Nc7+ Rxc7 and white has stalemated himself !!
3. a). The winning move is gxf6 en passant with mate to follow. b). cxd6 en passant couldn't be the right answer if this was a proper game. If you count the number of captures the white pawns must have made to get into this position then you can see that every missing black piece has been captured by a white pawn. If d5 was black's last move then white could not have taken black's white squared bishop with a pawn. Therefore gxf6 e.p. is the only way.
4. 1.Ba4+ Kxa4 (or Kc4 Bb3 etc with perpetual check) 2.b3+ Kb5 3.c4+ Kc6 4.d5+ Kd7 5.e6+ Kxd8 6.f5 and the position is completely locked up. White merely declines any offered sacrifices.
5. 1.c6 bxc6 2.Kxc6 Rd8 3.Kc7 Ra8 4.Kb7 etc etc. The white king chases the black rook around it's little enclosure. Leaving the rook on a8 while the black king heads off gobbling pawns doesn't work either (whites king reaches d5 before blacks gets to e3).
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