Think about who has an interest in a space far away from him. And then of course think about who else.
The challenge is to find the checkmate in 2 moves.
That is, try to find the move that White can play now that will allow him to win by checkmate in the next move. This is the winning move. Did you find it? With what checkmate move do you plan to win in the second move? Note that there are moves that only look like a winning move but are not… Then try to think about Black’s defensive attempts as well and find the appropriate checkmate move for each of them. Good luck and enjoy!
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In the given position, the ♖ on e1 pins the ♜ on e5, which itself pins the ♖ on d5.
Moving the ♗ from the h-file opens a path for the ♕ toward h8…
If Black tries to defend by moving the ♜ vertically — opening a line for the ♛ toward h8 — then the ♖ on d4 becomes unpinned and delivers mate on d8.
Another defensive idea for Black is playing ♟b3, which opens a line for the ♝ to f8 (where it could block after ♕h8+).
To make the response ♕a4# possible, White must preemptively block the path of the ♝ from f1 to b5.
Therefore, the first move must be ♗e2 — a move that blocks the ♖ on e1 and lifts the pin on the ♜, allowing it to capture the ♖ on d5 and give check.
In reply, ♗b5# blocks the check while delivering a double check — from both the ♖ and the ♗ — checkmate.
💡We especially liked:
💙How ♚ stands in the open, two entire rows just for him, and the entire attack happens “by remote control”.
And the elegance of moving the pieces from side to side of the board in all sorts of directions… We enjoyed it.
I liked this scene: He opens the door for her. She goes out. He closes it. Game over.
Thank you Victor for the response! But… did you mean to comment specifically on this puzzle? Your cool response seems really appropriate there 🙂
Oh, I think this system doesn’t like me. I thought for a long time and checked carefully.
My move – takes the bishop standing on the left to the C5 square.
and … – That tells me “almost solution” ???
Hi King Alexander,
Excellent reasoning — you’re absolutely circling the right idea here.
What makes it an “almost” is fascinating: the very move that refutes your plan is closely tied to the key move that creates the winning idea in the actual solution. Subtle and elegant — just the kind of twist we love to see.
– The ChessAPit Team
Yes!! I did it!
I found the right solution.
What a genius
puzzle! A really beautiful solution.
But
still – does anyone know why B to C5 is not another good solution??
Hi King Alexander,
Brilliant work — we’re thrilled you found the full solution! 🏆
And your follow-up question about ♗c5 is an excellent one: it’s so close to working that it almost echoes the real idea.
That fine distinction between the two moves is what gives this puzzle its special charm.
– The ChessAPit Team
How do you block Nf4+? I mean: Why isn’t that the solution?
Hi Sonicizi,
You’ve touched on something very real — to be honest, we hadn’t seriously considered ♘f4+ during. We’re often so focused on the more “artistic” or non-check first moves that the obvious checks sometimes get overlooked at first glance 🙂
But you’re absolutely right to test them — and this one comes surprisingly close!
As for why it’s not the solution: we’re confident that Shlomi Yerushalmi always double-checks to avoid unintended sidelines. We’ll leave it to other solvers to spot the subtle refutation… 🕵️♟️
– The ChessAPit Team
A diamond of creation. And whoever understands will understand 🙂
Hi Eitan,
Thank you — that’s a beautiful compliment 💎✨
And yes, we believe we see the “diamond” you’re pointing to — the way certain moves seem to trace a geometric pattern on the board adds a special layer to the composition.
We’re glad you appreciated it so keenly 🙂
– The ChessAPit Team
This is the second puzzle I’m solving here. I think I’ll be spending many more hours in this art gallery 🙂 Well done, Shlomo! And the interactive board is excellent, too.
یک حرکت خوب برنامه ریزی شده مانند ۱۰۷۳ آخرین حرکت نیست… و مشخص است که چه کسی در شطرنج قوی تر است.