13 March 2013

A Twist on Smother Mate

This twist on the smother checkmate idea popped up in Level 3 on Chess Quest, an iPad tactic training resource.


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9 comments:

  1. UlrikThursday, 14 March, 2013

    Nice one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mark LeonardThursday, 14 March, 2013

    Is the idea that the smothered mate attempt leads to a draw? 1... Ra1+ 2. Rxa1 Qg5+ 3. Kb1 Nd2+ 4. Kc1 Nb3+ 5. Kb1 Qc1+? 6. Ka2
    Qxc2 7. Qc6

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. James StripesThursday, 14 March, 2013

      Black checkmates White. The initial 1...Ra1+ is correct to clear the a-file for a check by the other rook. Your solution is correct up to 6.Ka2. Finish with 6...Ra8+ 7.Qa4 Rxa4#. The final position is Anastasia's checkmate, but a smother motif was used to get there.

      Delete
  3. AnonymousSunday, 24 March, 2013

    Hi. Why 7. Qa4 instead of 7. Kxb3 ?

    I rather see 6...Nd2, quiet move threatening 7...Ra8#. white has 7.Nxc7 controlling a8. Then comes 7...Qxc2 and if 8.Rac1, 8...Qxc7! removing the defender of a8 is powerful. But after 8.Rh2, 8...Qxc7 9Rxd2 Qa7+ and black has 1 more pawn after takes on a1 and takes on d6

    ReplyDelete
  4. James StripesTuesday, 26 March, 2013

    The correct solution is 1...Ra1+ 2.Rxa1 Qg4+ 3.Kb1 Nd2+ 4.Kc1 Nb3+ 5.Kb1 Qc1+ 6.Rxc1 Nd2+ 7.Ka2 Ra8+ 8.Qa4 Rxa4#

    One of my previous comments left out 6...Nd2+.

    ReplyDelete
  5. AnonymousTuesday, 09 April, 2013

    no! white has the move 6) Ka2 after which it is no longer a piece of cake for black. Is there even a win for black after that move?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. James StripesTuesday, 09 April, 2013

      After 6.Ka2, Black has the same resource that exists after 7.Ka2 in the solution given above. 6.Ka2 leads to checkmate one move faster than 6.Rxc1.

      Delete
  6. AnonymousWednesday, 17 April, 2013

    No, because after 6) Ka2, the necessary ...Nd2 no longer occurs with check. 6)...Ra8+ 7)Kxb3 +-

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. James StripesWednesday, 17 April, 2013

      You are correct. I looked at it again. Black has a draw by shuffling the knight between b3 and d2 (assuming he plays 5...Nd2+, and not the 5...Qc1+ given above). If White responds to 5...Nd2+ with 6.Ka2, then Black mates in two.

      Perhaps that was the line played by the software. I'll try to go back to that problem and check.

      Delete

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