I found this puzzle some years ago. Cant remember exactly where or when. White to move. Mate in something like 9 or 12. Here are a couple different perspectives to massage your egg head. It can be frustrating, which is why Ive never solved it. No screen punching and leave your answer in the comments please.
2 comments:
Since the Rook on b4 can move, the checkmate must occur with a Knight on d3 hitting b4 and c5. The King has to shut down d5, but e6 won't work since White has to give Black a free move and ...Nd8 would cover that square. So the solution has to end up with the White King on e4 and the Knight on d3. None of Black's pieces are in a position to threaten either of those squares (so long as c5 is occupied and White does not take d3 too early (in which case a later push of the d4 pawn opens the Rook on c4 up against the e4 square.
The problem, then is that while none of Black's pieces are able to threaten these squares, his pawn on d3 can push forward, but as long as White can keep d6 under lock and key without allowing Black to put a defender on d3, he still wins.
So my solution (White moves only, Black's moves are forced) is:
Nf4+,Ne6+,Nxc7+, Nxa6+ (otherwise ...Bc8+ becomes a problem later), Nc7+,Ne6+,Nf4+,Ke4 (threatening Nxd3++ and forcing ...d5),Ke5 (forcing ...Bc6+), Ke6 (forcing ...Nd8+),Kd7, and there is no defense to Nxd3++
(I did this without moving any pieces, but that's 12 moves and I don't see any other options).
Wow, thats an impressive analysis of a rough position. For a moment their it didnt look like any one was going to brave it and it would remain a lonely blog post desperate for companionship.
Friday Ill go through your set of moves and double check it all. But really, Im sure its right.
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