September 16th, 1872 , John Blackburne announced mate-in-16

[MikeB]

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

r5r1/p4p2/2ppb1kp/7N/qp2RPB1/7P/PP1Q1B2/n5K1 w - - 0 1

But later it was discovered to be mate-in-8 with best play. Solution not posted so you can try the brain teaser yourself. If you want the solution, almost any engine will provide it in less than second, so please, let others enjoy the puzzle as you did.

[MikeB]

Here's an end game composition by GM Jan Timman - I like it because it is instructive as well as its natural look.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3R4/B7/8/8/p7/n7/pp5K/k7 w - - 0 1

one clue - it's a mate-in-5.

Again, please don't post the solution so others may enjoy it as well.

[Ferdy]

Here's an end game composition by GM Jan Timman - I like it because it is instructive as well as its natural look.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3R4/B7/8/8/p7/n7/pp5K/k7 w - - 0 1

one clue - it's a mate-in-5.

Again, please don't post the solution so others may enjoy it as well.

What do you want me to do, PM my proposed solution .

There is players' forum, I think it is more appropriate if this is posted there.

[Dann Corbit]

I admit defeat. I can't find it.

[MikeB]

I admit defeat. I can't find it.

The trick is to use the bishop and the king in a series of blocking moves , blocking the check from the black's rook ,and walk the black king over to the white King ensnare the mate. Don't feel bad , crafty could not find it either in the couple of minutes I allowed it

[MikeB]

Take an old version of crafty and turn off null move - "null 0" at the command line

[Dann Corbit]

I will do a few more tries myself before I ask the computer for help.
I am reinvigorated to try it.

[zullil]

I admit defeat. I can't find it.

The trick is to use the bishop and the king in a series of blocking moves , blocking the check from the black's rook ,and walk the black king over to the white King ensnare the mate. Don't feel bad , crafty could not find it either in the couple of minutes I allowed it

Crafty-25dev got it almost instantaneously here:

Code: Select all

Crafty v25.0 (20 cpus)

White(1): setb r5r1/p4p2/2ppb1kp/7N/qp2RPB1/7P/PP1Q1B2/n5K1 w - - 0 1
White(1): d

       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    8  |<R>| . |   | . |   | . |<R>| . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    7  |<P>|   | . |   | . |<P>| . |   |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    6  |   | . |<P>|<P>|<B>| . |<K>|<P>|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    5  | . |   | . |   | . |   | . |-N-|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    4  |<Q>|<P>|   | . |-R-|-P-|-B-| . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    3  | . |   | . |   | . |   | . |-P-|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    2  |-P-|-P-|   |-Q-|   |-B-|   | . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    1  |<N>|   | . |   | . |   |-K-|   |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

White(1): st 300
search time set to 300.00.
White(1): go
        time surplus   0.00  time limit 5:00 (5:00)
        depth     time       score   variation (1)
starting thread 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 <done>
         16     1.11/5:00    Mat09   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qd7+ Kg8
                                     7. Bd4 Kf8 8. Bxh5 Nc2 9. Qf7#
         16->   1.11/5:00    Mat09   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qd7+ Kg8
                                     7. Bd4 Kf8 8. Bxh5 Nc2 9. Qf7# (s=2)
         17     1.32/5:00    Mat08   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qe7+ Kg6
                                     7. Bxh5+ Kxh5 8. Qf7# (s=2)

[Robert Flesher]

Here's an end game composition by GM Jan Timman - I like it because it is instructive as well as its natural look.

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
	a	b	c	d	e	f	g	h

3R4/B7/8/8/p7/n7/pp5K/k7 w - - 0 1

one clue - it's a mate-in-5.

Again, please don't post the solution so others may enjoy it as well.

Mate in 5 or 9 ?

[zullil]

I admit defeat. I can't find it.

The trick is to use the bishop and the king in a series of blocking moves , blocking the check from the black's rook ,and walk the black king over to the white King ensnare the mate. Don't feel bad , crafty could not find it either in the couple of minutes I allowed it

Crafty-25dev got it almost instantaneously here:

Code: Select all

Crafty v25.0 (20 cpus)

White(1): setb r5r1/p4p2/2ppb1kp/7N/qp2RPB1/7P/PP1Q1B2/n5K1 w - - 0 1
White(1): d

       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    8  |<R>| . |   | . |   | . |<R>| . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    7  |<P>|   | . |   | . |<P>| . |   |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    6  |   | . |<P>|<P>|<B>| . |<K>|<P>|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    5  | . |   | . |   | . |   | . |-N-|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    4  |<Q>|<P>|   | . |-R-|-P-|-B-| . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    3  | . |   | . |   | . |   | . |-P-|
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    2  |-P-|-P-|   |-Q-|   |-B-|   | . |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
    1  |<N>|   | . |   | . |   |-K-|   |
       +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
         a   b   c   d   e   f   g   h

White(1): st 300
search time set to 300.00.
White(1): go
        time surplus   0.00  time limit 5:00 (5:00)
        depth     time       score   variation (1)
starting thread 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 <done>
         16     1.11/5:00    Mat09   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qd7+ Kg8
                                     7. Bd4 Kf8 8. Bxh5 Nc2 9. Qf7#
         16->   1.11/5:00    Mat09   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qd7+ Kg8
                                     7. Bd4 Kf8 8. Bxh5 Nc2 9. Qf7# (s=2)
         17     1.32/5:00    Mat08   1. Rxe6+ Kh7 2. Qd3+ Rg6 3. Rxg6 fxg6
                                     4. Qxd6 Qd1+ 5. Bxd1 gxh5 6. Qe7+ Kg6
                                     7. Bxh5+ Kxh5 8. Qf7# (s=2)

Oops. Sorry for posting a solution...