Sudden Death

sudden death chess problem

“Paul Morphy IV” submitted this puzzle to the Journal of Recreational Mathematics in 1974. White might capture Black’s queen at this point, but instead can choose to mate on the move. How?

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It’s a trick. The square in the lower right is dark when it should be light, so we must rotate the board 90 degrees. If we turn it to the right then the black king is in check on White’s move, which is illegal. So turn it to the left: Now White can mate by promoting the d7 pawn to a knight. (“Why Prolong It?”, JRM 7:1, p. 62)

September 20, 2011January 29, 2013 | Puzzles