Chess Quiz May 2022

 Morning Punters

I worked this one out, perhaps it was easy, or perhaps I was lucky, or simply it went well for me this time. I'll take you though it.

The puzzle is from the year before my birth by Matty Myllyniemi (in 1956), where he asks us to get checkmate in 2 moves by the White, on the board on the right hand side (above). Matti was a 'Chess Composer'. 

Here is the problem on my Cuban board:

You can see that I can't capture the Rook with the White Queen, otherwise stalemate erupts. Not in check but nowhere to go.

Also, can't move the b2 Bishop, as that results in check of the White King by the Black Rook.

My thoughts went to a vacant move which had no check consequences or a move of the White Queen to have her better placed for a 2nd move to checkmate (#) the Black King. But neither produced fruit for my mind. For example, if I moved the White Queen to a1, the Rook would capture her, and no next move would create #.

If I moved Q on a1 to a3, then Rook could capture B on b2, and either available capture by white of the Black Rook would not result in #. For example, 2...QxR+ 3.Kc1 he escapes.

Noting that the combo of White knight on g2 and Bishop on h5 blocked e1,2 and 3 from the Black King, I thought that would be a good combination to retain, so left those pieces untouched.

So I tried first move 1.Kc4

Available moves for Black are: Rook can capture the Bishop on b2, or move to a1, c1, d1, etc along the first rank. The Black King can't move also/instead, to anywhere - all squares are covered and would be into check.

So, let's explore that. Black Rook captures N on b2.

The answer for white's 2nd move is QxR#

OK, then instead, black Rook to c1 - with check (+) of the white King:

But white will answer with their 2nd move, Bc3 double checkmate (##)! At the same time blocking the black Rook's check of the white King. 

What else, thinks black? How about Rook anywhere else along the first rank (d1-h1 and all in between). Same white move, Bishop to c3 will give white a double checkmate of the Black King.

Try Ra1

Unsuccessful. White answers for their 2nd move with the double check mate move of Bc3

And nothing black can do will defeat that. Taking the white Queen still leaves an unanswered check by B on c3. Black King can't move on the E file due to the strong g Knight and h bishop, in combination with the the 2nd white move to be Bishop from b2 to c1 (double checkmate). Either act of the black Rook capturing Bishop or Queen leaves the survivor holding the black King in check, so would be an illegal move.

[no photo for that last move]. Have we missed anything?

PK. 28 May 2022