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.


9 comments:

  1. 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

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    Replies
    1. 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.

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  2. 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

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  3. 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+.

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  4. 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?

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    Replies
    1. 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.

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

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    Replies
    1. 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.

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