Fascinating puzzle

[rabbits23]

Mikhael Tal apparently solved this puzzle but Komodo11 and Stockfish 8 can't
work it out . Any programs out there that can find the mate?
[d] 8/3P3k/n2K3p/2p3np/1b4N1/2p1p1P1/8/3B4/W- - 01

1)Nf6+ kg7 2) Nh5+ kg6 3) Be2+ kxh5 4) d8(Q) nf7+ 5) Ke6 nxQ 6) Kf5! e2 7) Be4 e1(n) 8) Bd5 c2 9) Bc4 c1(n) 10)Bb5 ne2 11)Be8+ nf7 12)Bxn mate

[rabbits23]

Sorry ;don't know why the picture didn't happen. Maybe someone can explain?
rabbits

[JVMerlino]

Sorry ;don't know why the picture didn't happen. Maybe someone can explain?
rabbits

Bad FEN. It should be:

[D] 8/3P3k/n2K3p/2p3np/1b4N1/2p1p1P1/8/3B4 w - - 1

[rabbits23]

Apologies again! Am very embarrassed. White places 3) Bc2+ not Be2.
rabbits

[MikeGL]

Mikhael Tal apparently solved this puzzle but Komodo11 and Stockfish 8 can't
work it out . Any programs out there that can find the mate?
[d] 8/3P3k/n2K3p/2p3np/1b4N1/2p1p1P1/8/3B4/W- - 01

1)Nf6+ kg7 2) Nh5+ kg6 3) Be2+ kxh5 4) d8(Q) nf7+ 5) Ke6 nxQ 6) Kf5! e2 7) Be4 e1(n) 8) Bd5 c2 9) Bc4 c1(n) 10)Bb5 ne2 11)Be8+ nf7 12)Bxn mate

I think the diagram has no photo because this position was already analyzed gazillion times?
But seriously it's because of your /W at the end of your fen notation I guess. Just compare above.

[d]8/3P3k/n2K3p/2p3np/1b4N1/2p1p1P1/8/3B4 w - - 0 1

[pgn][Event "Computer chess game"]
[Site "Talkchess"]
[Date "2017.06.27"]
[Round "?"]
[White "?"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[BlackElo "2400"]
[TimeControl "0+2"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/3P3k/n2K3p/2p3np/1b4N1/2p1p1P1/8/3B4 w - - 0 1"]
[Termination "unterminated"]
[PlyCount "14"]
[WhiteType "human"]
[BlackType "human"]

1. Nf6+ Kg7 2. Nxh5+ Kg6 3. Bc2+ Kxh5 4. d8=Q Nf7+ 5. Ke6 Nxd8+ 6. Kf5 e2
7. Be4 e1=N *
[/pgn]

Mate in 8 after e1=N but that is the beautiful main line, the stronger defence for black is different and would be longer than Mate in 16.

I think if a part of the fen "2p1p1P1" is used to searched the thread here at talkchess, there would be many hits for this position.

[rabbits23]

Thanks John. I'm just learning
rabbits

[rabbits23]

Thanks Mike. I'll work on sorting it out.
rabbits

[MikeGL]

Thanks Mike. I'll work on sorting it out.
rabbits

My apologies, I tried searching using a part of the fen string, but the search function of talkchess doesn't function like the grep utility of the open source world. It doesn't return useful results, or maybe I need to learn some search tricks on this forum too.

[peter]

Hi Mike!

Probably you didn't find the fen because there's one more pawn on h5 then in the orignal Van Breukelen- study, that has been discussed already here several times.
It just doesn't matter after 2.Nh5+ (Nxh5+)

[rabbits23]

Thanks Peter ;you're right, there should not have been a black pawn on h5. It
was late at night and I was tired when I wrote up the position. I was unaware it had been exhaustively analysed either.
Cheers rabbits