What a mess. 49 possible first-moves. Can you find the one?
There’s also one that’s quite similar, why not that move?
You know how it works. As usual, you need to find a move that White can play now – a move that guarantees checkmate on the next turn, no matter how Black reacts. This is the winning move. Found it? Great! Now think ahead: what will be your checkmate move on the second turn?
Be careful – quite a few moves may look like winners, but they are not… and this time you will also have a crazy dilemma between the real solution and the move that is ‘just next to it’.
So take a moment to think about how Black might try to defend, and make sure you have the right checkmate ready for every eventuality. Good luck – and have fun!
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Of the 49 possible first-moves, 16 are check on Black.
To our surprise, the winning move is actually one of those that risks White getting check.
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White’s idea is to promote the b-pawn on b8=♘#.
To clear the square he first moves his ♔, and that single step lets the black ♛ deliver one of two possible checks.
Whichever check Black chooses, White can interpose with either his ♗ or his ♘; the very act of blocking uncovers a line for another attacker (either the ♕ or the second ♗) which now bears straight down on the black ♚, and checkmate.
Black still has a second pair of defences: well-timed ♝ moves that hope to give the king a flight square on e6 or e8. Yet each of these tries is calmly answered by a capture with the ♖. #.
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White’s attempt to play more cautiously (and give Black only one chance to threaten check) will lead him to what is ‘only almost’ a solution: after 1.♔a8? Black has ♛f3! , pinning ♟b7 and still focusing on both ♕ and ♗. the attack is stalled.
💙We especially liked:
In chess, promoting to a ♘ is always cool 🐎
Here, there’s even more to enjoy. The sophisticated way the composer forces the ♔ to step onto a7 instead of a8 really won our admiration 👏.
And even though Black lost in the end (since you managed to win by solving the puzzle 🏆), special credit goes to the ♛ and the square f3 — they truly did everything they could 🎖️