It’s not Rome, but rather in Norcia where there are traditional Benedictines who make excellent beer. It is the birthplace of St. Benedict. There was a terrible earthquake there a few years ago and the basilica was badly damaged. Work has been done and scaffolds are coming down.
Greetings to new registrants. A few in the last few days while I was on the road, but today…
Catholic Bunny
kmleo
When you register, I always read the “Biographical Info” (which is what I use to filter out spammers and bots). I ask for something like a confirmation name or name of your parish, something brief. Sometimes I get more. One of them today was amazing.
The puzzle today, a miniature (with less than 7 pieces) via the Marshall Spectator, is from a 13th century illuminated manuscript in the Morgan Library called “Bonus Socius“. White to move. Mate in 2. Tricky.
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
The manuscript is magnificent, with funny marginal characters here and there. HERE
Interested in learning? Try THIS.
Speaking of beer…
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1. Kd4! forcing Black to commit either piece to c8 or e8, if 1….Kc8 or Nc8 then
2. Rh8#, or if
1….Ke8 or Ne8
2. Ra8#
Rook H7 to G7
Rh7-g7 (must establish perfect symmetry)
Black must break the perfect symmetry, spontaneously.
White R 8#, the right one, of course.
Hooray !! Great news from Norcia !!
This one was fun!
White’s move is to delay– K-C2 or K-E2 (anywhere else, the knight checks).
Black is then in zugzwang, and must move out of his defensive posture.
Mate in 1 is then trivial by moving the appropriate rook to the 8th rank.
Update to my previous comment– I realized black can block my approach with K-F7. Previous commenters are correct that the correct “delay” move is thus
RH7-G7. This avoids the knight’s defense of my previous suggestion.
I’m glad you enjoyed this one. I thought it was fun, especially given the age of the puzzle. Yes, a waiting move forces black into ZUGZWANG a word as pleasurable to type as to say aloud.
Rhg7