An amusing line I stumbled into ran: <1.Nb5 Qb8 2.Qa5 b6 3.Qc3 f6 <<extra protection for the Knight, plus gives the Black King an escape square, plus now Black can play cxb5; I thought White wanted to prevent [f6] at all costs, but the attack continues unabated>> 4.Bxe5 fxe5 <<If 4...Qxe5 5.Qxc6+ followed by 6.Qxa8>> 5.Qxc6+ Kf7 6.Nc7> Diagram:

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The White Queen and Knight double-attack both the rook on <a8> and the lonely Bishop on <e6>.

If Black tries the desperate <6...Qc8> protecting his Bishop on e6 while pinning White's knight, White blows this 'house-of-cards' away with <7.Ba6> diagram:

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If 7...Qxa6, then 8.Qxe6 mate

Reminds me of an anecdote from my life. It goes back many, many winters. I was the only kid ever from my village who had gone to college (40 KM away). In a manner of speaking my village were a tad awed & silently proud of me.

I had to stay in hostel. This being first ever separation from buddies, sure enough one day a bunch of them (10 or so) trudged into my hostel, with plans to see a famous, overly crowded movie in town. I was immediately under siege. For, for spare cash I had zilch.

Well, I have always been quite candid about my situation (penury) and told them I was hard put to even offer a cup of tea to so many.

You see the movie theatre where the film was showing was on their way to me, 6 km earlier (they had all walked from the village). I was about to say they could have seen it rather than come the extra 6km.

Before I could mouth my discomfiture, their leader, an elderly man of my father's age (but a buddy nonethe less), Naurata Ram by name, sensed my predicament accurately and readily rescued me. "You do not worry about any arrangements kakaji. We have seen to that aspect but we must have the pleasure of your company".

When we reached the theatre we saw that the ticket window that we could afford had a Q, a furlong long. I was relieved, thinking they would all go back to the village and I could peacefully return to the anonymous protection of my hostel room. Not so. Naurata wasn't fazed any. (I was to learn he never took a 'no' for an answer)

"Be assured we will get the tickets kakaji, and in super quick time. All you need to do is to follow me and just ape what I do".

He jumped the Q in a protesting undercurrent from the crowd and went close to the window, all 10 of us following suit in a single file. There was a god almighty hue and cry. He turned & assured the crowd not to worry. He would buy only in his turn, he was merely curious why the window was still closed. In the midst of the growing rumble we all stood there, may be 5 long minutes of tension and oppressive unease because of a restive crowd.

Naurata Ram pulled up his dhoti(loincloth) up to his knees as if making to run, shouted 'Khull gi oye khull gi' (the window has opened)for all to hear, and then ran to one side, all 10 of us running after him. We sensed the crowd hesitate briefly but then follow us.

Naurata Ram was a huge bulk, a hulk of a man but he ran a good race that day. We all had a catch up & ran round the whole theatre building to curiously arrive at the very same window we had just left. Eleven of us were at the head of the Q, now legitimately.

There were some embarrassed murmurs from red-faced people getting into the same 'Q' but no tangible protest. They all knew they had been had by the rustic's ruse.

A hairbreadth is the difference between good and bad play in this. Watch out.

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First move is classy, then s.o.p.

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sol 77902 <1...Ng3+ 2.Kh2 Nf1+ 3.Kh1 Qxh3+ 4.gxh3 Rh2+ 5.Nxh2 Rxh2 mate>

I like that final position: All three of white's heavy pieces bear down on <g7> but there's no time for them to get into the act: The final curtain has come down

sol 97195 <1...Qe2> Since you gave a clue with <2.Qe3> then <2...Rxd2+ 3.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 4.Kxd2 Ne4+> snares the rook and Black is a piece up.

But what about <2.Rg3>? so the White rook isn't hanging? I will have to look at this, this weekend

Sol#77902 is fine.

<sol 97195 <1...Qe2> Since you gave a clue with <2.Qe3> then <2...Rxd2+ 3.Qxd2 Qxd2+ 4.Kxd2 Ne4+> snares the rook and Black is a piece up.

But what about <2.Rg3>? so the White rook isn't hanging? I will have to look at this, this weekend.>

I think my so called hint disoriented you. It wasn't meant to do that at all. (I still do not follow 2. Qe3).

You missed the key move (classy). Your sequence allows 2. Qxf6 and White threatens 1-mate at g7. The Black R to d4 stops that vital access. (Now think hard and tell me why White felt obliged to make 2. Qe3)

The CT sol;

<1... Rd4> the key.
2. Qe3 Qxe3
3. fxe3 Rxd2+
4. Kxd2 Ne4+
5. Ke2 Nxg5 *

Part game score;

There's little chance anyone will go through the whole sol unscathed. (6 tough moves).

I had the advantage of the computer giving me second chances (for near good moves). You have trial and error. But there's a definite logical flow. The advantage gained is minimal.

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There are so many angles that appeal. In the end you will like the computer's line. Superior technical repertoire can help you find it as its the most logical.

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Very elegant and a well-known finish. I have loads of deja vu but not an iota of recall.

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The Q need not leave c3 immediately. The play goes;

1...Qe2 2. Rxf4 and there is a stand off, White's d2 is protected. If 2. Ne4 3. Rxf7+ and White Q commands the long diagonal.

Do you now see the fine job the R at d4 would have done w/o losing its other influences.

After a long, long time I found a problem that is going to appeal to my folks, methinks.

One extraordinary move puts White in a quandary; still it is rated at 2300+.

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or 3.Qc3 Qxc3 4.Nxc3 Rxe1

Black wins a piece in both cases

What wizardry! You drove a limo through the crowded streets as if it were a mini car; not a scratch, flags waving!

You sure leave me open-mouthed at times! This is the <morf> I seek.

FWIW: The two humans that played this game just aped you;

I've dropped quite a few in this set, 6 out of 23. Though tough this one makes sense.

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Much tougher but still very logical.

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CT sol.

1...Ng4 2. Ne6 Bxc4 3. Rxc4 Qd2 4. Qc3 Bxe3+ 5. Rxe3 Qxe3+ 6. Qxe3 Nxe3 *

Game part score;

( 1... Ng4 2. Ne6 Bxc4 3. Rxc4 Qd2 4. Qc3 Bxe3+ 5. Rxe3 Qxe3+ 6. Qxe3 Nxe3 7. Rxc8 Rxc8 8. Bf3 Rc1+ 9. Kf2 Nd1+ 10. Bxd1 Rxd1 11. Kf3 Rd2 12. h3 Rxb2 )

I still find it difficult to argue why the computer sol. is better. I guess its like asking of a human to add 2 to 9 and then 1746 to 1437. The first one will take no time. For the computer both will be equally easy.

As I said while setting the puzzle no one was expected to come out unscathed, these puzzles are easy only for the computer. For humans there are too many good alternatives and slippages become the norm. To be honest, as a puzzle its not a patch on #57627

Anyway, no intellectual work is ever wasted, it always facilitates a better understanding of the truth when it comes.

Here is an excellent puzzle with a flowing logic. But I must warn you, only 30 people out of 100 who tried it so far have succeeded. (Blitz 3/12).

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White.

Rating:
User: 2365 (+2.7)
Problem: 2401 (0)

I really thought I had this one under control, but was wide off the mark quite comfortably. Its obvious now my plan had to be much slyer and deeper. I will not reveal it but most likely you will go my way.

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