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White to Play

Pete Tamburro on

Published in Chess Puzzles

Here’s a mate in two by a legendary composer, W. Grimshaw, from the Ilustrated London News in 1853.


Solution:

As we pointed out last time, problem solving is a bit easier (though not necessarily easy!) if you look at why each man is on the board. Obviously, the White pawns on c5 and d6 are attacking potential escape squares and the a5 pawn is there to prevent a5, giving the Black king an escape square, but why is there a pawn on a7? It blocks the king from heading that way. The key is the role of the B on b3. It masks a check, but is that all? That’s when you have to see that 1.Bd5 is double check and mate but for the queen being in the way. Ah! So, where do you put the queen? 1.Qe6 Bc6 2.Bd5+ Kxa8 3.Bxc6# is a mate in three; however, 1.Qg8 Qxg8 [1...Bc6 2.Bd5#; 1...Kxa8 2.Bd5#; 1...Kc6 2.Ba4#; 1...Qh5 2.Bd5#; 1...Bf7 2.Bd5#; 1...Bb5 2.Bd5#] 2.Bd5# and you have your mate in two.

 

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.


 

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