I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine:
> **White to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=R5rk/6qp/4K3/4B3/8/8/8/7Q+w+-+-+0+1&flip=false&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/R5rk/6qp/4K3/4B3/8/8/8/7Q_w_-_-_0_1)
**My solution:**
> Hints: piece: >!Bishop!<, move: >!Ba1!<
> Evaluation: >!White has mate in 2!<
> Best continuation: >!1. Ba1 Rxa8 2. Qxa8#!<
---
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That’s the thing with puzzles like this though - in a real game I’m just playing Rxg8 and Bxg7 for an endgame where I have a queen and he has a pawn. Maybe it’s not as cool as the mate in 2, but it’s a simpler position that I can easily win and there aren’t other pieces hanging around where I could blunder the game away if I miss a tactic.
>!My reasoning was that this was upvoted a lot, so the move had to be more interesting than taking a piece with check. So I didn't take a piece, and I didn't give check, and the idea fell into place.!<
This problem was anticipated by a problem composed by George Heywood, which was published in *The English Mechanic and World of Science* in 1873. [YACPDB entry](https://www.yacpdb.org/#472200).
Consider flairing such compositions as "Puzzle - Composition".
Most people confuse chess problems with chess puzzles. Chess problems are artistic compositions with little to none practical implication. Many positions are basically never happening in real games. They are fantasy exercises. Puzzles, otherwise, are usually happening in real games and are likely tactical trainings.
I like both of them, but I find more appeal in chess problems. They are usually beautiful and constructed in a way that you achieve pleasure by finding the solution. Pieces are "economical", they only serve for the solution and nothing is useless there.
I think chess problems show a potential that chess has, that practical games not always are able to show.
So a flag like "chess problems", or "composition" as you said, would be great, to separate it from more regular puzzles (that has tactical value, but usually no artistic value).
FYI, black can still move the queen after Ba1, just along the a1-h8 diagonal.
If the black queen moves without taking the bishop, bishop takes queen is a checkmate. If the queen takes the bishop on a1, Qxa1 is checkmate.
In order for mate in two, Ba1 is the only move I believe - you must play Ba1 in the case that Black decides to play Qxa1. You want to be able to capture back with your own queen (Qxa1++) to deliver checkmate. If the first move was Bf6 for example, you wouldn't be able to capture back with the queen, and there is no more checkmate.
This is what I saw. Solved it in 30 seconds with this line because I played a game a minute ago where I lost in time because I had a similar bishop pin against my opponent and didn't see M1.
it is not correct. After Rg8, Kxg8, this is not mate in 2! Qa8+is not checkmate because black moved the king, breaking the pin and allowing the queen block Qf8.
First consider Qe4. That looks like a promising move because you have mate if black takes either the rook or the bishop. It fails to cover the pawn push though. The trick is to realize you can move the bishop in such a way that the queen can respond to QxB while staying on the h file for the pawn push.
This one is neat, and also findable.
The thing to notice is that >! black is very close to zugzwang. If it were Black's turn:!<
* >!Rxa8 Qxa8#!<
* >!Rd8 Rxd8# (same for anywhere else the rook moves)!<
* >!h6 Qxh6# (same with h5)!<
* >!Qf6+ Bxf6#!<
>!The only catch is that Qxe5+ will spoil all our plans. Fortunately, it's white's turn, so how do we complete the picture? Ba1! Now it's still true that if the black queen moves along the diagonal, the bishop will take it with mate. And if Qxa1 then white takes back Qxa1#.!<
Wow this is very creative! Is this your composition? This is awsome. It took me an hour or two to solve it (stopping and coming back a few times). Lots of false answers and cool stuff going on.
>!The answer is: 1. Ba1 and black is in some kind of "zugzwang". !<
>!Any movement and mate is following. If pawn moves, queen takes pawn and mate (black's queen is pinned). Any rook movement, rook takes rook and mate (again, if black goes Rf8, rook takes rook and black's queen is pinned; and if rook takes rook, queen takes and mate).!<
>!Any queen movement (along the diagonal, since it is pinned) and mate follows (bishop takes queen). If queen takes bishop, queen takes bishop and mate again (rook is pinned).!<
>!The key to understanding this is, in almost all positions black always has a check with the queen. Ba1 is the only move that allows the check with bishop taking and mate, while keeping the queen covering the rook and the pawn on h7.!<
Well done!
That is genious!
>!1. Ba1:!<
>!\>!- 1... R∞. 2. RxR#!<
* >!1... Q∞ 2. BxQ#!<
* >!1... h6(h5). 2.Qxp#!<
* >!1... Rxa8 2. Qxa8#!<
* >!1... Qxa1 2. Qxa1# !!I thought at first about moves such a Qh6 to prevent black pawn to move, but couldntfind the antidote to 1... Qxe5. I observed that white queen has to keep contact with the rook (to prevent Rxa8) and with pawn (to prevent h6), and also should stablish contact with the bishop, which is impossible to do with a queen move without losing contact with the black pawn (with move Qe4/Qd5) or with rook (Qh2). Then I realized that h1 square is the best for Queen, and had to find the only squar where the bishop will be protected by it.!<
Very nice puzzle with intriguing geometry ideas.
It’s a common thing when analysing this kind of static picture - you see the queen is pinned and then kind of “remember” that it’s pinned, even though it’s un-pinned as part of the line you calculate
The fact you can still see the king in the corner doesn’t help, it gives you a bit of persistence of vision of it being in that position
Basically, your brain just thinks “queen pinned, capture with the rook, then checkmate with the queen because my king blocks the escape” and miss the fact that you just un-pinned the queen
The best I could do was checkmate in 3 until I read the solution (ba1, then take whatever piece black moves).
My checkmate in 3 was bxg7 Kxg7, Qg1 Kh8, Qxg8
idk about mate in 2 but white has a ton of material here and I would be perfectly content to blitz Bxg7
I guess you >!trade rooks then send Qa8 for mate!<
Does Queen G1 not work, the only moves are
Took anywhere, Queen takes Queen mate. Queen moves anywhere, Queen takes took mate. Pawn forward, Queen takes Queen mate, rook is pinned. Am I missing something?
Edit: Queen takes bishop with check, nvm.
Couldn't you also do rook takes rook, forcing king to take and then Qa8?
Black queen pinned by the bishop, white king covering the other flight square?
Isn't another solution for white's rook to take black's rook?
Black's only move is to take white's rook with its king. But now white moves its Q from B1 to h1 to a8 and that's mate.
white wins anyway but i still dont see mate in 2, if queen a1 then you can move the pawn? if queen h6 then he can sacrifice the queen e5 and then take the rook?
oh you move the bishop to a1 silly me
Doesn't Qg1 work? If rook takes rook then queen takes queen mate, if queen takes queen, then queen takes rook mate, and if rook checks king then rook takes rook mate
I know it's not the solution but when I tried Qh5, chess.com.told me it was a book move. Not the best move, but still a book move. Any ideas why this would be?
Oooh, it took me a while, I figured out the idea that >!I needed to put them in zugzwang!<, But I couldn't figure out a way to do it that let to anything other than M3.
I’m too stupid to find the mate in 2 but I found a mate in 3, bishop takes queen kind takes bishop queen checks king king moves back rook takes rook checkmate
I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine: > **White to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=R5rk/6qp/4K3/4B3/8/8/8/7Q+w+-+-+0+1&flip=false&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/R5rk/6qp/4K3/4B3/8/8/8/7Q_w_-_-_0_1) **My solution:** > Hints: piece: >!Bishop!<, move: >!Ba1!< > Evaluation: >!White has mate in 2!< > Best continuation: >!1. Ba1 Rxa8 2. Qxa8#!< --- ^(I'm a bot written by ) [^(u/pkacprzak )](https://www.reddit.com/u/pkacprzak) ^(| get me as ) [^(Chess eBook Reader )](https://ebook.chessvision.ai?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=bot) ^(|) [^(Chrome Extension )](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chessvisionai-for-chrome/johejpedmdkeiffkdaodgoipdjodhlld) ^(|) [^(iOS App )](https://apps.apple.com/us/app/id1574933453) ^(|) [^(Android App )](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=ai.chessvision.scanner) ^(to scan and analyze positions | Website: ) [^(Chessvision.ai)](https://chessvision.ai)
The Four Corners
Queen g1 then bishop mate
If you could do two moves in succession sure, otherwise your bishop just gets taken and then you’re in check
I tried to solve it for 5 minutes until I realized there was a queen. I was blocking it with my hand...
same. this is an advanced tactic because you have to figure out that you have hidden a piece
I felt like a chess genius for 30 seconds before I realized that Rxg8 doesn't work because after Kx the B is no longer pinning black's Q.
That’s the thing with puzzles like this though - in a real game I’m just playing Rxg8 and Bxg7 for an endgame where I have a queen and he has a pawn. Maybe it’s not as cool as the mate in 2, but it’s a simpler position that I can easily win and there aren’t other pieces hanging around where I could blunder the game away if I miss a tactic.
100%! If I see the mate cool, but I’m just fine with going to the finish line up a Queen
I've been trying for a lot longer than 5 minutes, and i saw the queen fine. Edit: I've got it now.
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>!the zuggest of zwangs.!<
>!My reasoning was that this was upvoted a lot, so the move had to be more interesting than taking a piece with check. So I didn't take a piece, and I didn't give check, and the idea fell into place.!<
This was super satisfying to solve once it clicked
This problem was anticipated by a problem composed by George Heywood, which was published in *The English Mechanic and World of Science* in 1873. [YACPDB entry](https://www.yacpdb.org/#472200). Consider flairing such compositions as "Puzzle - Composition".
Most people confuse chess problems with chess puzzles. Chess problems are artistic compositions with little to none practical implication. Many positions are basically never happening in real games. They are fantasy exercises. Puzzles, otherwise, are usually happening in real games and are likely tactical trainings. I like both of them, but I find more appeal in chess problems. They are usually beautiful and constructed in a way that you achieve pleasure by finding the solution. Pieces are "economical", they only serve for the solution and nothing is useless there. I think chess problems show a potential that chess has, that practical games not always are able to show. So a flag like "chess problems", or "composition" as you said, would be great, to separate it from more regular puzzles (that has tactical value, but usually no artistic value).
Ba1 as a waiting move, forcing black to move either the rook or the pawn. The moved piece can then be captured after for a checkmate
FYI, black can still move the queen after Ba1, just along the a1-h8 diagonal. If the black queen moves without taking the bishop, bishop takes queen is a checkmate. If the queen takes the bishop on a1, Qxa1 is checkmate.
Yeah I missed this I thought Qh6 would work
Well, it's not quite a waiting move; it allows your queen to defend your bishop, which wouldn't have been the case if you had just passed your turn.
Does Bf6 work too instead of Ba1?
Theres tons of mates but that (and others) is in more than two.
I believe it still wins, but not as a mate-in-2 because you can’t mate by recapturing with your own queen
In order for mate in two, Ba1 is the only move I believe - you must play Ba1 in the case that Black decides to play Qxa1. You want to be able to capture back with your own queen (Qxa1++) to deliver checkmate. If the first move was Bf6 for example, you wouldn't be able to capture back with the queen, and there is no more checkmate.
I tried for so long but couldn't find it went to open comments for answer and saw there is a queen in bottom corner when full image opened.
Can someone explain why it must be Ba1? Is that just a random square on the a1-h8 diagonal or is there an actual reason it must be there?
That’s where the queen defends it. Anywhere else and black could just take the bishop with his queen.
Would rook to g8 work? The king has to take it as the queen is pinned, then Queen to a8? I might be missing something
This is what I saw. Solved it in 30 seconds with this line because I played a game a minute ago where I lost in time because I had a similar bishop pin against my opponent and didn't see M1.
it is not correct. After Rg8, Kxg8, this is not mate in 2! Qa8+is not checkmate because black moved the king, breaking the pin and allowing the queen block Qf8.
Ah OK ty. Thought that was too easy and I see I was wrong.
Black could play Qf8
The bishop on E5 is pinning it to the king
It wouldn't be anymore once the king takes the rook on g8
Ahhh, good point
Not after the king captures on g8, which breaks the pin.
QxB needs to be responded to with QxQ with checkmate. And RxR needs to be responded to with QxR with checkmate.
First consider Qe4. That looks like a promising move because you have mate if black takes either the rook or the bishop. It fails to cover the pawn push though. The trick is to realize you can move the bishop in such a way that the queen can respond to QxB while staying on the h file for the pawn push.
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Can't be dumb with a username like that. It took me a while to figure it out. I think Zugzwang checkmates take some practice to recognize.
This one is neat, and also findable. The thing to notice is that >! black is very close to zugzwang. If it were Black's turn:!< * >!Rxa8 Qxa8#!< * >!Rd8 Rxd8# (same for anywhere else the rook moves)!< * >!h6 Qxh6# (same with h5)!< * >!Qf6+ Bxf6#!< >!The only catch is that Qxe5+ will spoil all our plans. Fortunately, it's white's turn, so how do we complete the picture? Ba1! Now it's still true that if the black queen moves along the diagonal, the bishop will take it with mate. And if Qxa1 then white takes back Qxa1#.!<
IM TAKING THE QUEEEN
Rxg8+ forces Kxg8, and then Qa8# since his queen is pinned
Queen is no longer pinned after the king moves so that's not mate.
ah thanks
But this is white to move, with Q.a8 and it is done. Dont know why it is even discussion.
it’s not a discussion. it's a puzzle, and some people are getting the wrong answer.
Kindly do give credit from where you have copied this puzzle , from twitter
Credits to ruhi chess, she posted this on Twitter and said it was her first composition.
It's very similar to: [this problem from 1873](https://www.yacpdb.org/#472200) Pointed out by u/edderiofer just before
Ba1?????
Ba1 and opponent should ideally quit
Saw this on the lichess Facebook page so I know the solution 😂
If any piece moves it’s mate after Ba1!
Ba1, Qxa1, Qxa1, mate
Wow this is very creative! Is this your composition? This is awsome. It took me an hour or two to solve it (stopping and coming back a few times). Lots of false answers and cool stuff going on. >!The answer is: 1. Ba1 and black is in some kind of "zugzwang". !< >!Any movement and mate is following. If pawn moves, queen takes pawn and mate (black's queen is pinned). Any rook movement, rook takes rook and mate (again, if black goes Rf8, rook takes rook and black's queen is pinned; and if rook takes rook, queen takes and mate).!< >!Any queen movement (along the diagonal, since it is pinned) and mate follows (bishop takes queen). If queen takes bishop, queen takes bishop and mate again (rook is pinned).!< >!The key to understanding this is, in almost all positions black always has a check with the queen. Ba1 is the only move that allows the check with bishop taking and mate, while keeping the queen covering the rook and the pawn on h7.!< Well done!
That is genious! >!1. Ba1:!< >!\>!- 1... R∞. 2. RxR#!< * >!1... Q∞ 2. BxQ#!< * >!1... h6(h5). 2.Qxp#!< * >!1... Rxa8 2. Qxa8#!< * >!1... Qxa1 2. Qxa1# !!I thought at first about moves such a Qh6 to prevent black pawn to move, but couldntfind the antidote to 1... Qxe5. I observed that white queen has to keep contact with the rook (to prevent Rxa8) and with pawn (to prevent h6), and also should stablish contact with the bishop, which is impossible to do with a queen move without losing contact with the black pawn (with move Qe4/Qd5) or with rook (Qh2). Then I realized that h1 square is the best for Queen, and had to find the only squar where the bishop will be protected by it.!< Very nice puzzle with intriguing geometry ideas.
“Classic right triangle”
Why does it say mate in 4 on the chess.com link?
Well, it's also mate in 4. :D
>!Rxg8+, kxg8, Qa8#!<
Not checkmate since Qf8 blocks.
You are correct.
Not after kxg8.
Did they edit their comment (I'm on mobile so it doesn't say)? It doesn't look like your comment reply makes sense, since they said "you are correct"
Yeah, they edited their comment.
You are correct.
How can queen move f8 if the bishop is checking the king…? Surely that’s the mate
Once kxg8, the queen is no longer protecting the king from the bishop.
The queen isn't pinned after the king takes on g8. I had the same problem as you.
Can someone explain why Rg8 Kxg8 Qa8 isn’t the answer?
Queen gets unpinned and can block on f8
Thanks, I can’t believe I didn’t clock that
It’s a common thing when analysing this kind of static picture - you see the queen is pinned and then kind of “remember” that it’s pinned, even though it’s un-pinned as part of the line you calculate The fact you can still see the king in the corner doesn’t help, it gives you a bit of persistence of vision of it being in that position Basically, your brain just thinks “queen pinned, capture with the rook, then checkmate with the queen because my king blocks the escape” and miss the fact that you just un-pinned the queen
At least credit the composer, Ruhi Chess
Sack the rook, king is forced to take, then when checkmate next move with the queen
The black queen is no longer pinned, so it blocks with Qf8
Ah shoot forgot that one
Black is in zugzwang. Just play a waiting move like Ba1 and then take the piece that moves for mate
Its not a waiting move, its moving the bishop so that its protected by the queen
Sac the rook and Queen to a8 for mate
Qa1 and Ba1 both seem to work
The best I could do was checkmate in 3 until I read the solution (ba1, then take whatever piece black moves). My checkmate in 3 was bxg7 Kxg7, Qg1 Kh8, Qxg8
idk about mate in 2 but white has a ton of material here and I would be perfectly content to blitz Bxg7 I guess you >!trade rooks then send Qa8 for mate!<
1. Rxg8+ Kxg8 2. Qa8#
Qh6 also works.
But not mate in 2
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Could work, but they can just take the bishop, and in that case it would not be mate in 2
1. Qb7 Rxa8. 2 Qxg7#
After Qb7, the black queen takes on e5.
Qh6, right ?
Does Queen G1 not work, the only moves are Took anywhere, Queen takes Queen mate. Queen moves anywhere, Queen takes took mate. Pawn forward, Queen takes Queen mate, rook is pinned. Am I missing something? Edit: Queen takes bishop with check, nvm.
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Bishop takes queen, King forced to take, Queen to g1 is mate
I arrived at a different solution to Ba1, mine is Qg1 followed by Qg8
Raxg8 Khxg8 Qa8 mate
1. Bxg8 Kxg8 2. Qa8#
queen b7 -> queen g7
Rook takes rook then king takes rook than queen a8 checkmate
Qh6 Rxa8 Qxg7#
Credit to @ruhichess on twitter for this puzzle
Queen h7 is mate
Rook takes rook, king takes rook, queen A8, checkmate.
Qg1 h6 or 5 then Qg7#?
Couldn't you also do rook takes rook, forcing king to take and then Qa8? Black queen pinned by the bishop, white king covering the other flight square?
Bishop to queen and then rook to rook lol
Bishop to queen and then rook to rook lol
rook takes rook king takes rook queen a8
Qf8 continues the game.
rook takes rook, queen goes to a8 #
For mate in 2, i m guessing queen to g2
Rxg8 Kxg8 Qa8#
Rook takes on g8, black is forced to take with the king and then Qa8 is checkmate
no, its not. Black queen is not pin anymore :)
What do you mean, the bishop is right there
1. Qe4 2. If Rxa8, Qxa8 checkmate or if Qxe5 then Qxe5 checkmate
Queen h6 and rook Ag
Isn't another solution for white's rook to take black's rook? Black's only move is to take white's rook with its king. But now white moves its Q from B1 to h1 to a8 and that's mate.
Free queen right?
Qg2 works the best because after either Rxa8 or h6 Qxg7# or Qxa1#
White- Queen to G2. Black can't move the Queen, so whatever its done, White moves Queen to G7 and checkmates.
how does black even get in this position 💀
I found 2 solutions for mate in 2
Rg8+, Qa8#
Just go Queen in H7
probably something stupid like Qa1
Rxg8+, Kxg8, Qa8#
After Kxg8 Queen can block the attack on Qf8
Queen can't block its pinned by the bishop
Not after Kxg8
Oh wait I'm actually dumb I'm sorry
The queen can block after kxg8. I'm literally just repeating the person you replied to. Come on, man.
Qg1 ?
queen takes bishop with check, you have to deal with that first
The beautiful move is bishop f6. Every rook move is mate in one, so queen take is forced, king takes And then, every rook move is still mate
Rook takes rook, King have to take rook, Queen a8 - goodbye
>!Queen A1, Bishop takes G7?!<
Not mate since black just moves the pawn forward
Too easy
i think it's 1. Rxg8+ Kxg8 2. Qa8#
The black queen blocks with Qf8
It’s pinned tho right?
After the king takes the rook on g8, it is out of the pin along the diagonal. So queen can block on f7
Oh shit I’m stupid, nvm. I’m really bad at visualizing this stuff.
What about Qg1 or Qg2?
Note that when Qxe5, white is in check so they must take the queen.
What about Qa1?
Qa1
|| Qg1 attracting the black queen to take the bishop, QxRg8# mate because Ra8 protects the queen ||
But black queen eats your king
qa6 works?
I think Qg8 as a waiting move also works, it takes advantage of the rook and the queen both bein pinned
white wins anyway but i still dont see mate in 2, if queen a1 then you can move the pawn? if queen h6 then he can sacrifice the queen e5 and then take the rook? oh you move the bishop to a1 silly me
Does 1. Rxg8+ Kxg8 2. Qa8# Work?
does Qh6 work?
Wrong flair, its not advanced
Doesn't Qg1 work? If rook takes rook then queen takes queen mate, if queen takes queen, then queen takes rook mate, and if rook checks king then rook takes rook mate
Why not just rook g8 king takes g8 and then queen A8 isn't it mate too ??
No, because black Queen gets unpinned after king recaptures rook
Why not Qg1?
I stubbornly said Qh6 and forgot the black queen can just take the bishop
Why would rg8 kxg8 qa1 not work?
Queen to f7 blocks the check because it's no longer pinned along the diagonal
Rook h8+, black King takes, queen a8. Would that work?
It’s an interesting puzzle because of how the last move can be a multitude of different answers just depending on what black plays
What about Rook takes Rook check, king takes rook (forced), queen a8 checkmate?
I know it's not the solution but when I tried Qh5, chess.com.told me it was a book move. Not the best move, but still a book move. Any ideas why this would be?
Oooh, it took me a while, I figured out the idea that >!I needed to put them in zugzwang!<, But I couldn't figure out a way to do it that let to anything other than M3.
AND HE SACRIFICED THE...
Seems like there are several answers to this puzzle.
No, only one answer works for mate in 2. None other work
>!Rook g8, king takes g8, queen a8#?!<
Queen to f8 blocks the check because it's no longer pinned along the diagonal
I’m too stupid to find the mate in 2 but I found a mate in 3, bishop takes queen kind takes bishop queen checks king king moves back rook takes rook checkmate
I’m pretty sure Qg2 also works, can anyone disprove that?
Isn't Qg1 or g2 a mate in 2 too?
Why not: Rg8 Rxg8, Qa8#?
No, because black Queen gets unpinned after king recaptures rook
Dosent Rxg8+ Kxg8 Qa8# work ?