Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Crazy Mate in One

Published: Sun, 05/15/16

Newsletter Issue Crazy Mate in One Tactics Time 
Crazy Mate in One

Funny one. I recall it took me nearly 30 seconds to spot the mate in one in this position. And some GMs did not manage to find it for over a minute ~ GM Emil Sutovsky on the position below


tactics position x
 
 
T
 
 
 
his position comes from a composed problem that GM Emil Sutovsky (President of The Association of Chess Professionals) posted on facebook, and I discovered via Brian Wall who shared it. 
 
   In the position on the right it is White to move Mate in one!  (There is only one mate in one - it is tricky!)
 
   Answer below.
 
   Disney announced this week a new movie, Queen of Katwe, which will be in theaters September 23.

   From the video page: "Queen of Katwe is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion."

   You can watch the trailer here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4l3-_yub5A

   The movie is based on the book, The Queen of Katwe: A Story of Life, Chess, and One Extraordinary Girl's Dream of Becoming a Grandmaster by Tim Crowthers 

   The book was based on a popular ESPN magazine article selected by Dave Eggers for The Best American Nonrequired Reading and a finalist for a National Magazine Award, the inspiring true story of Phiona Mutesi, a teenage chess prodigy from the slums of Kampala, Uganda.

   From a Booklist editorial review:

   It’s a story almost too uplifting to believe: a young girl from a dirt-poor slum in Uganda meets a man, a missionary from a similar background, who inspires her to take up chess, a game so unknown in her country that there is not even a word for it in her language. The girl rises to national champion and travels to the Chess Olympiad in Siberia, a journey that opens her eyes to a world she might never have known

   Some more links of interest
   Should be an interesting movie!


   Here is the position in PGN format:
 
[Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2016.05.13"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Tricky Mate in One"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1Bb3BN/R2Pk2r/1Q5B/4q2R/2bN4/4Q1BK/1p6/1bq1R1rb w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "1"]

{Fritz 15: 1)} 1. Qa3# {#1/25} ({Fritz 15: 2)} 1. Rxe5+ Be6+ 2. Rxe6# {#2/25})
({Fritz 15: 3)} 1. Bd6+ Kf6 2. Bgxe5# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 4)} 1. Bh4+ Rg5 2.
B4xg5# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 5)} 1. dxc8=Q+ Bb7 2. Rxb7# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 6)
} 1. dxc8=N+ Ke8 2. Nd6# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 7)} 1. Qd6+ Kd8 2. Bc7# {#2/25})
({Fritz 15: 8)} 1. Ng6+ Bxg6 2. Qa3# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 9)} 1. Qf6+ Kxf6 2.
Qxe5# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 10)} 1. Qc5+ Kd8 2. dxc8=Q# {#2/25}) ({Fritz 15: 11)
} 1. Qxe5+ Be6+ 2. Qexe6# {#2/24}) *

   You can play through the position here: http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2016/5/13/Game1430584781.html
 
   Answer:

   1. Qa3#! is the only mate in one.  Here are all of the additional mates in two.

   1. +-  (#1): 1.Qa3#
   2. +-  (#2): 1.Bh4+ Rg5 2.B4xg5#
   3. +-  (#2): 1.Bd6+ Kf6 2.Bgxe5#
   4. +-  (#2): 1.dxc8Q+ Bb7 2.Rxb7#
   5. +-  (#2): 1.dxc8N+ Ke8 2.Nd6#
   6. +-  (#2): 1.Qd6+ Kd8 2.Bc7#
   7. +-  (#2): 1.Ng6+ Bxg6 2.Qa3#
   8. +-  (#2): 1.Qc5+ Kd8 2.dxc8Q#
   9. +-  (#2): 1.Qf6+ Kxf6 2.Qxe5#
   10. +-  (#2): 1.Rxe5+ Be6+ 2.Rxe6#
   11. +-  (#2): 1.Qxe5+ Be6+ 2.Qexe6#

 
  Happy Tactics!
 
   Your Friend,
  Tim

 

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