I usually have about my person some positions to amuse young players at the end of an evening.
Here are some of my favourites:
Problems.
White to play and…
1. Mate in half a move (?)
2. Mate in 6 (Halumbirek)
3. Mate in 2 (?)
The board is the right way around — those are eight pawns ready to promote!
4. Mate Black without taking a pawn (Brown)
5. Mate in 2 (Loyd)
6. Mate in…14!
Hints.
1. Is there a move in chess that you make in two halves?
2. Seriously, if you can’t solve this one, you should give up chess!
3. Two piece moves will give mate — but which piece do you move first?
4. A puzzle inspired by the Iron Cage of Tamerlane.
5. A puzzle called ‘Organ Pipes’: imagine it’s Black to move?
6. With the White King on g6, and Black to move…
Solutions.
1. 1.Ra1-d1 completes Queen’s-side castling.
2. All moves are forced: 1. d4 b5 2. d5 b4 3. axb4 a3 4. b5 a2 5. b6 a1=Q 6. b7# 1-0
3. 1. Nc6! and now e.g. 1…a1=Q 2. Ba6# by discovered check.
Also:
(1… f1=Q 2. Bf5#)
(1… e1=Q 2. Be6#)
(1… d1=Q 2. Bd7#)
(1… b1=Q 2. Bb7#)
(1… c1=Q 2. Be6#)
(1… f1=Q 2. Bf5#)
(1… g1=Q 2. Bg4#)
(1… h1=Q+ 2. Bh3#)
4. 1. Nec6+ dxc6 2. dxe3+ fxe3 3. Rh4+ Be4 4. Rhxe4+ dxe4 5. Be5+ dxe5 6. Rxd8+
Nd5+ 7. Rxd5+ cxd5 8. Nc6# 1-0
5. 1. Qa5 Bb7 2. Nf5# or…
(1… Bd7 2. Qd5#)
(1… Be6 2. Qe5#)
(1… Bf5 2. Nxf5#)
(1… Rd6 2. Qxb4#)
(1… Rd5 2. Qxd5#)
(1… Re5 2. Qxe5#)
(1… Bc5 2. Qa1#)
(1… Bb7 2. Nf5#)
6. 1. Kg7 Qh3 2. Kf8 Qh4 (2… h4 3. Kg7 Ne5 4. Nxe5#) 3. Ke7 Qh3 4. Kd8 Qh4
5. Kc7 Qh3 6. Kc8 Qh4 7. Kd8 Qh3 8. Ke7 Qh4 9. Kf8 Qh3 10. Kg7 Qh4 11. Kg6 Qh3
12. Kxg5 Qh4+ 13. Kxh4 Nc3 14. Nd4# 1-0