Visualization Training Puzzle

[Cyberchess]

Here’s a nice little training puzzle someone posted on chess.com.

White to play...


[fen]1k1r4/pbp2n1r/1p3p2/4Pp2/P2N1nPq/1PQ3b1/2PRBN2/3RBK2 w - - 0 1 [/fen]

Deep Thought Regards,
John

[ricard60]

As i am not using a computer of course and as my first quick thought (at night my brain gets lazy but i am very tempted to write something about this position ) i see the following:
White is almost in checkmate, the knight on f2 it is keeping alive the white king but not for much time, black bishop can be exchanged for this knight and goodbye white king

I believe the move is 1.Qxc7+ the only quick attack for white if 1..KxQ then 2.Ne6+ then the black King is in trouble

Only 2 moves ahead at overnight regards
Ricardo

[trontreez]

Spoiler Alert!!!

1.Nc6+ Bxc6
2.Rd8+ Kb7
3.Qxb6+ Kxb6
4.Bf3+ Nd5
5.Bxd5+ Kc5
6.b4#

1.Nc6+ Ka8
2.Rxd8+ Bc8
3.Rc8+ Kb7
4.Na5+ bxa5
5.Bf3+ Nd5
6.Bxd5+ Ka6/Kb6
7.Qc6#

I'm not a 100% sure btw. 5-10 minutes all visualization No board

[trontreez]

Very nice puzzle John. You got my neurons firing! Even if I'm wrong.

Thank-you

Line 2 second variation? I guess there's holes in my attack again as per usual.

1.Nc6+ Ka8
2.Rxd8+ Bc8
3.Rc8+ Kxc8
4.Ba6+ Kb8
5.Rd8#

Unconvincing regards,

Your Pal
tt

[Cubeman]

Qxc7+ won't work, the follow up with Ne6+ not work since Nxe6 (there is a black Knight on f4).

[Cyberchess]

Greetings all!

Like Ricardo, my initial impression was that 1.) Qxc7+ followed by 2.) Ne6+ would lead to mate, however, after looking at the position a bit longer, I came to realize that Bc8 foils the mating net.

As of this writing I am unable to find a mate, though I think I’ve found a perpetual after sacrificing the queen (necessary in all lines I believe) and white’s remaining knight.

1.) Nc6+ Bxc6
2.) Rxd8 Nxd8
3.) Rxd8 Kb7
4.) Qxc6+ Kxc6
5.) Bf3+ Kc5
6.) Nd3+ Nxd3
7.) Rd5+ Kc6
8.) Rd6+ Kc5 (repeat 3 times)

Will ponder more tonight regards...
John

[trontreez]

It's late here and I'm not sure want went wrong in my earlier calculations:(

1.Nc6 Bxc6
2.Rxd8+ Nxd8 (I missed this knight earlier wtf?)
3.Rxd8+ Kb7
4.Qxc6+ Kxc6+ (I mistakenly called this the b-file earlier)
5.Bf3+ Kc5 (5...Nd5 makes it easier for white)
6.Ne6+ Nxe6
7.b4 Kc4
8.Be2#

Just visualizations once again. Hope it's right this time ...

Scrambled brain regards,

Your pal
tt

[Cyberchess]

It's late here and I'm not sure want went wrong in my earlier calculations:(

1.Nc6 Bxc6
2.Rxd8+ Nxd8 (I missed this knight earlier wtf?)
3.Rxd8+ Kb7
4.Qxc6+ Kxc6+ (I mistakenly called this the b-file earlier)
5.Bf3+ Kc5 (5...Nd5 makes it easier for white)
6.Ne6+ Nxe6
7.b4 Kc4
8.Be2#

Just visualizations once again. Hope it's right this time ...

Scrambled brain regards,

Your pal
tt

Greetings tt:

It looks like you’re on the right track, though you can’t play 6.) Ne6+ since you sacrificed the d4 knight with 1.) Nc6+.

Phantom Knight Regards,
John

[kgvetter]

Hi,

as I was unpatient I used a physical board (not an engine) to find the solution, nice problem!
Naturally I won't share my findings, but I compliment anybody who can find the solution by sheer visualisation!

Gerhard

[trontreez]

It's late here and I'm not sure want went wrong in my earlier calculations:(

1.Nc6 Bxc6
2.Rxd8+ Nxd8 (I missed this knight earlier wtf?)
3.Rxd8+ Kb7
4.Qxc6+ Kxc6+ (I mistakenly called this the b-file earlier)
5.Bf3+ Kc5 (5...Nd5 makes it easier for white)
6.Ne6+ Nxe6
7.b4 Kc4
8.Be2#

Just visualizations once again. Hope it's right this time ...

Scrambled brain regards,

Your pal
tt

Greetings tt:

It looks like you’re on the right track, though you can’t play 6.) Ne6+ since you sacrificed the d4 knight with 1.) Nc6+.

Phantom Knight Regards,
John

Damn it. I'm sure I could get it if I played a few moves over the board but that would be cheating. I just need to kick that f4 knight away ....

Rook(ie) mistake regards,
tt

[trontreez]

Hi,

as I was unpatient I used a physical board (not an engine) to find the solution, nice problem!
Naturally I won't share my findings, but I compliment anybody who can find the solution by sheer visualisation!

Gerhard

It's starting to get at me too. I'm still half asleep here so maybe I'll give it another try in few hours.

[trontreez]

[Cyberchess]

Hi,

as I was unpatient I used a physical board (not an engine) to find the solution, nice problem!
Naturally I won't share my findings, but I compliment anybody who can find the solution by sheer visualisation!

Gerhard

Okay, so now we know that there actually is a way to win here.
I had given up after finding what I believed to be a perpetual.

Try, Try Again Regards,
John

[Cyberchess]

Greetings all!

Like Ricardo, my initial impression was that 1.) Qxc7+ followed by 2.) Ne6+ would lead to mate, however, after looking at the position a bit longer, I came to realize that Bc8 foils the mating net.

As of this writing I am unable to find a mate, though I think I’ve found a perpetual after sacrificing the queen (necessary in all lines I believe) and white’s remaining knight.

1.) Nc6+ Bxc6
2.) Rxd8 Nxd8
3.) Rxd8 Kb7
4.) Qxc6+ Kxc6
5.) Bf3+ Kc5
6.) Nd3+ Nxd3
7.) Rd5+ Kc6
8.) Rd6+ Kc5 (repeat 3 times)

Will ponder more tonight regards...
John

Now I’m thinking that instead of 8.) Rd6+ I should play Rxd3+
Then 8.) …. Kc5
9.) b4+ Kc4
10.) Bd5++

Tunnel Vision Regards,
John

[trontreez]

Looks promising