Cohen/Ashley 2013, Black to move and mate in 3.
From the minds of babes!
February 12, 2013 By 1 Comment
Cohen/Ashley 2013, Black to move and mate in 3.
It’s not often that I see something in chess that I’ve never seen before. When it happens, it’s always a pleasant surprise that brings a smile to my face and reminds me how infinite the royal game really is. This mate comes by way of one of my top students, 10 year old Jameson Cohen, who recently pulled in off in an actual game. Once I saw it, I knew we had to make a puzzle out of it, so he and I sat down and co-created this mate in 3. Is Jameson a future Sam Loyd in the making?
1…Qf4+! 2.gxf4 Bxf4+ 3.Kh3
3.Kh1 is a standard mate we’ve all seen after 3…Nf2#
3…Nf2#!
I cannot recall ever seeing this final position, either in a game or in a variation to a game. If anyone else has seen a game that in someway involves this rare gemstone of a set-up, please let us know! Until then, this might be dubbed “Cohen’s mate!”
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Black to move and win
In a position where both sides seem to be attacking, the turn to move can be priceless. If it were White’s turn, then 1.b5 means that losing is out of the question. But it’s Black’s turn, and that makes all the difference.
1…h3! 2.Bf3
2.Bxh3 Rxh2+! 3.Kxh2 Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3 mate!
2…Rd8!!
A delicious retreating move that ends all hope. Black plans to move the rook to g8 to provide back-up for a monstrous queen sacrifice.
3.b5
Too little, too late. Nothing could be done about the inevitable bomb that is about to explode in White’s camp.
3…Rg8 4.Qb1
Stopping the queen sacrifice on g1. Trying to bail out with 4.Qxb7+ Qxb7 5.Bxb7 Kxb7 will eventually lose as the Black f-pawn will impudently march forward to f2 followed by the rook dropping the hammer on g1.
4…Qg2+! 5.Bxg2 hxg2 mate!
