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White to Play and Mate in Three

Pete Tamburro on

Published in Chess Puzzles

Merry Christmas! No practical problem today. Here's a charming three-move by Kraemer and Zepler from 1935 which leads on to believe upon seeing the solution that elves are at work! Good luck and have a happy holiday!


b>Solution:

1.Ke1!! What a stunning key move! The king moves into two checks with promotion at the same time. In the main line, Black actually get more checks in than White. 1... h1=Q+ [1...Rxf6 2.Qxf6+ Nd6 3.Qxd6#; 1...c1=N 2.Ng4+ Nxh6 3.Ne5#; 1...c1=Q+ 2.Qxc1 h1=Q+ 3.Bg1#; 1...Ra7 2.Ng8+ Nxh6 3.Ne7#] 2.Qxh1 c1=Q+ [2...Rae8+ 3.Re5#; 2...Nd4 3.Rxd4#] 3.Rd1# There are seemingly as many variations as there are different snowflakes, so you have here the key ones. What positively ingenious creative impulses these two gentlemen had!

 

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.


 

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