Friday, May 16, 2008

271 year old chess puzzle


F. Stamma, 1737, presented by Andreas

White to move and ... No computer analysis please. This is a good one. Good luck in finding the solution.

8/8/p5r1/1p6/1P1R4/8/5K1p/7k w - - 0 1
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15 comments:

Jochen said...

Doesn't 1. Rd1+, Rg1 2. Rf1 even win for white?

Pitor said...

I think so.

The story would be more interesting if the two kings replaced each other.

Anonymous said...

Let's see ... 1. Ra1+ Rg1; 2. Rf1! Rxf1+; 3. Kxf1, a5 (forced); 4. bxa5, b4; 5. a6, b3; 6. a7, b2; 7. a8(Q) mate?

Are we missing something?

Peter Harris

Anonymous said...

1. Rd1+ Rg1 2. Rf1 Rxf1+ 3. Kxf1 a5 4. bxa5 b4 5. a6 b3 6. a7 b2 7. a8Bishop++

Anonymous said...

Another possible line with the same idea could be:

1.Rd1+ Rg1
2.Rf1 a5
3.bxa5 b4
4.a6 b3
5.a7 Rxf1+
6.Kxf1 b2
7.a8Q#

Pharaoh

Anonymous said...

I am sorry, can you post puzzles that we can't solve? They are so easy and insultingly easy. Please give it a thought, you are not teaching us by giving us easy work, you're just wasting yours and ours time. Don't get ofended, please by this dumb post.

Anonymous said...

Wow, very nice! And to think that it's 271 years old. Incredible. Thank you Stamma, Andreas and of course, GM Susan.

Collin Madhavan

Anonymous said...

This is a pleasing & historically interesting puzzle! My opinion is diametrically opposite to that of Anonymous 6:42. More puzzles like this please! - Lambent

Anonymous said...

Lambent -- I'm embarrassed that you beat me to the punch, but I'd like to tag along with your sentiment. Anon 6:42? Hey, he's too cool for school.

Indian Stallion said...

Well I missed the solution, I wouldn't call it insultingly easy.

KWRegan said...

For a more-subtle version of this theme, try this composition published in Chess Life & Review in 1972 when I was 12:

White: King e3, Rook g8, Pawns a2,b4,c3;
Black: King h2, Pawns b5,c4,g2,h4.
White to move and win.

For full marks you must also show how to beat 2...Kh1 on the 2nd move as Black.

Anonymous said...

This is a great teaching puzzle. I learned from it. Great puzzle more like this one.

chess computer said...

This puzzle was way too easy! But I am a computer, so neh!

Anonymous said...

it took me like 5-10 secs...

Anonymous said...

I think the actual puzzle from Stamma was the mirror-image, with Black King on a1, etc.