In this game, you had to find the best continuation in a short master game.
Congratulations!
Thank you to everyone who sent in their answers. You received at least 1 point for sending in a solution. If you chose a good move you received two points. If you guessed the best continuation, you received 3 points. This week, the following players received 2 or more points for their solutions:
Natalie Weaver (3)
This Week’s Solution
In this game, white gave the opponent queen odds (so remove the white queen). You had to find how white could checkmate in only 9 moves after the following:
- e4, e5
- Nf3, Nc6
- Bc4, Nf6
- Nc3, Na5
- Nxe5, Nxe4
- d3, Nc5
The solution that we were looking for:
Each of white’s moves had to be forcing here, and checks are brilliant forcing moves.
7. Bxf7+, Ke7
8. Bg5+, Kd6
9. Nb5+, Kxe5
10. f4+, Kf5
11. Nd4+, Kg4
12. h3+, Kg3
13. Ne2+ (Nf5+ also seems to work here), Kxg2
14. Bd5+, Ne4
15. Bxe4++
The poor black king is forced from one side of the board to the other by whites nimble minor pieces and pawns. Perfectly positioned they can control the king’s field and manoeuvre him with expertise into a mating trap.
What To Do Next
Tomorrow you will be able find next week’s puzzle on our blog. The puzzler with the highest score at the end of the block will win a free chess lesson with the teacher of their choice and a solver badge and spot/two solver spots. Our runners up will receive a solver badge or a solver spot if they already have a badge. Consistently sending in your results is key to winning so make sure you subscribe below to get notified about the checkmate puzzles the moment they are published.
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