Hint 1
It’s mate in 4.
The solution is here - https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/120785379743?tab=analysis&move=59 - check top of the right sidebar.
I started trying something new when I watch speed chess.
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Sometimes I watch players stronger than me but not too much stronger than me.
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I keep the evaluation bar off so I’m forced to think without hints. I’m way too addicted to the elav bar.
Spoiler - I mention what I saw in real time.
I watched this game a few minutes ago. I thought I was clever to notice Nf7+ and Nxd8 which wins the rook. But even though I love smothered mates - I didn’t even think to look for that. When white played Nh6+ I nearly groaned. What the- Oh! I missed it! Fuuuuuuck!
Talk about taking the L. Cute mate.
I checked the solution and it was much simpler than I expected; can’t the pawn just kill the knight to avoid the king having to move back/forth? Doesn’t seem like checkmate since to escape check it is legal to capture the threatening piece.
can’t the pawn just kill the knight to avoid the king having to move back/forth?
No. It’s double check and double check is (very) nasty.
The king is also put in check by the queen, taking the knight doesn’t remove that threat.
In any double check (queen and knight here), the only possible response is to move the king
Doesn’t have to be a smother. Kf8 before qf7#
How do you get to Kf8?
NF7+ KG8 NH6+ KF8 QG7#
If you wanted to be spiteful you could do this to deny the smother
I followed you until Qg7#. The Queen is on e6, so it can’t move to g7 in one move.
ETA: I see you meant Qf7#, but that line doesn’t work in the puzzle because I believe Kf8 is going to be worse than Kh8, but I’d want to see what the analysis says about it. At that point mate in 2 is unavoidable regardless.
Yeah, meant qf7#, I always mess up notation lol.
I mean there is no analysis at this point, it’s forced mate. Neither kh8 nor kf8 is better. But black can avoid a smother if they choose. For the record, I would not avoid it, smothers are cool.
spoiler
Nf7 Kg8
Nh6
Then, either
1.
… Kh8
Qg8 Rxg8
Nf7
Smothered checkmate.
Or
2.
… Kf8
Qf7Let’s see if I was correct.
EDIT: Seems like I solved this one correctly.
Nxd8 also leads to a mate in 3 or 4. Black has to respond Kh8 or Kf8, so Qe8 or Qf7 respectively. This is a cool play as well though
I don’t think Nxd8 would be legal. EDIT: Oh, I see it, next move. My bad. Though I think you need the smother to avoid Qxe6.
spoiler
I’m like you: I LOOOOVE a good smother mate.
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