Chess Puzzle #35598

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CHESS PUZZLE, FEN r3k1N1/P1bnp1K1/1B6/3pp3/B7/3Q4/8/8 w q -

Added by:	kingdawar
Added on:	27-Feb-11
Description:
Difficulty:	chess puzzle r3k1N1/P1bnp1K1/1B6/3pp3/B7/3Q4/8/8 w q -
Attempts:	823
Solved:	546 (66%)


White to move, mate in 2

Comments: (8) » Last

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aidanbh
31-Aug-21, 01:19

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Slightly deceptive

This puzzle should perhaps not be in the "easy" category, since while the solution itself IS very easy, it presumes a piece of information not conveyed, viz. that Black can castle. If we make the presumption that Black CAN castle, then 1.Qd5 is the only solution; if we are not informed that Black can castle, then 1.Qf5 is also available. There is no 'rule' within the world of puzzles that we must presume one status over the other. However, it is true that the comment "White to move, mate in 2" necessitates the former proposition, as long as we accept that a compiler could not possibly have made an error (a belief that cannot historically be supported), but again this is not the usual 'question' that is considered in the "easy" problems.

kingdawar
31-Aug-21, 02:10

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"There is no 'rule' within the world of puzzles that we must presume one status over the other."

"Castling is permitted unless it can be proved that it is not permissible."

See: www.wfcc.ch

myrydin
31-Aug-21, 04:30

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I think that’s a good rule; why shouldn’t the possibility of castling be something you need to think about, when it’s part of the game? Compare it with the en passant rule, it looks to me like they’ve thought carefully about these things.

The difficulty of this puzzle seems to be checking that there’s no way black can wriggle out of trouble.

monroe_hales
31-Aug-21, 08:27

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Black cannot castle. It would have to cross the pawn and that would nullify castle

lavacouch
31-Aug-21, 08:39

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If you're referring to the white pawn on A7, a rook is allowed to cross an attacked square when castling.

schizoidman
31-Aug-21, 10:35

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lucky

I did not even consider castling. I was fortunate in that I saw the Qxd5 move first.

kingdawar
31-Aug-21, 10:45

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"Black cannot castle because it would have to cross the pawn"

Castling is legal because the black king doesn't cross b8. That's not as much a convention as it's a hard rule of chess

snailmate
15-Jan-25, 06:54

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I admit it; I thought I had an alternate solution, and did not see the castling possibility. I knew about the rule that castling is always possible in a problem unless it can be shown otherwise; I just didn't think of it.

I would hazard a guess that many solvers hit upon the correct key move without even thinking about the castling response until afterwards.

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