Four Moves in One
8 7 6
5 4 3 2 1
+++K +n+P++n ++lppk +++pp l++r +q+++ ++++
++++ ab c d e f g h
“White to move and draw” she said.
“How curious!” said the King. “Both monarchs are stalemated— and White has only one move. Let me try 1. d8=Q. If Black dares to capture the queen, the stalemate remains and the game is a draw.” “True, Your Majesty,” she said.
“But if Black leaves the queen alone, and prepares some space for his king to move and end the stalemate, with 1. … g4?”
The King chuckled. He tried many moves, giving check and not check- ing, but Black had a counter for each one. The trick was not to thought- lessly capture the white queen, but to avoid a drawn position. “I guess I must try another move,” said the King, and he looked at 1. d8=R. “Again, Black would be fool- ish to capture the rook, as that would lead to a draw. It looks like White cannot get rid of that piece in time, though, before his is checkmated,” he sighed. “Yes,” she said, “for example 1. … Qc3 2. Rd4 Qc8+ 3. Rd8 Qxd8 checkmate.”
The King scratched his head. “I see that if I play 1. d8=B, instead, checkmate also awaits, say 1. … Qc3 2. Bc7 f5+ 3. Be5 Qxe5#.” She nodded.
“That leaves only my fourth alter- native, 1. d8=N,” said the King. He brightened. “I should have chosen it first, because the knight threatens to go to f7! To stop that checkmate, it will not do for Black to advance the g-pawn, as the knight will still con- trol the g5-square…”
“…Black must capture the knight when it arrives at f7, allowing another type of draw,” she contin- ued, “say, 1. … Nd6 2. Nf7+ Nxf7+ 3. Kg8 and now Black must perpet- ually check the white king, or allow a stalemate.” “It looked like White had a choice of four moves,” said the King, “but I guess that it was the pawn’s destiny to become a knight.” (This problem is based on a cre- ation of David Zimbeck.)
October 2011
Chess Life for Kids!
5
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24