Today the sun rose at 07:09 and set a long time ago at 18:48. The Ave Maria is still at 19:00.
Welcome new registrant:
SuzieQue
Today was quite the day, with the acquisition of the new vestments.
While we were walking around we stopped at the palazzo where Pius XII was born, near Chiesa Nuova and Palazzo Orsini.
However, what people don’t know is that the real palazzo of the Pacelli family is on the Corso Vittorio, a few steps up from Largo Argentina.
It is now a hotel. However, above the door there are coats of arms, now defaced. But you can see the Pacelli arms.
Meanwhile,… white to move and mate in … you tell me!
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
Please remember me when shopping online. Thanks in advance. US HERE – UK HERE These links take you to a generic “catholic” search in Amazon, but, once in and browsing or searching, Amazon remembers that you used my link and I get the credit.
Tonight I met a young priest who is the son of a friend of many years who was part of the original team of the Catholic Online Forum on CompuServe! How time flies. I had had a heavy lunch so I held myself to a sauté of mussels and a mixed salad. We had a lovely Brunello and its counter part.
The trek home shows that the dreadful scaffolding is coming down from Palazzo Farnese, where the 2nd Act of Tosca takes place. It is hard to see it without thinking about Tosca stabbing Scarpia in throat and her following him around as he choked to death on his own blood while she taunted him. He had wanted to “walk together” with her, as it were. In Italian there is a particular meaning of “go together… andare insieme” depending on context. In short, he had it coming. As do all who want to do certain things to the CHURCH.
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I think if the rook moved out of the way (such as to g6) that would be the end because the white queen would then checkmate the black king.
We’ll see.
We are all enjoying the sites and culinary delights of Rome again these days.
Mate in 1?
1. Rg8#
Previous comment rescinded. I see the pin now.
1. Qd1
If . . . Qf4+, then 2. Rgf#.
If . . . Qf6+, then 2. Rf6.
For this case, the black queen is now pinned to this diagonal. Qg7 would be met with Qxg7#. Another move such as Qxf4 would be met with Rf8#.
Qxh8, mate?
I looked at more complicated options, but why go there?
I’d go for 1. Qf5.
Black has a few options.
1. … Qe8 or 1. … Qe7 or further in that direction, also 1. Qf7 or 1. Qf6, then 2. Qh7++ is mate.
1. … Qg8, then 2. RxQ++ is mate.
Then what to me would seem the most logical choice by black,
1. … QxQ, then likewise 2. Rg8++ is mate. (Be careful not to react on impulse and capture the queen, it is immediate stalemate. As it is, the bishop does not only attack the queen but also protect the rook on g8, while the king still blocks the field h7.)
However, this is not actually the best choice for black. With the following, he can hold out for an entire five moves:
1. … QxR+ 2. Kh5 Kh7 (the black queen cannot give check without being caught, so stays at the place she can best defend her king) 3. Qd5 Kh8 4. Qa8+ and then black can decide whether he wants to have 4. … Kh7 5. Bf5++ or 4. … Qg8 5. QxQ++ (the queen is protected by the bishop).
I forgot that 1. … Qf6 came with check. Should be possible too, but probably even better for black than capturing the rook. White must be most careful not to stalemate.
1. Qb8, pinning the black queen.
1… Q any move along the 8th rank (forced); neither 1…Qxb8 nor 1…Qg8 will save Black from mate on the next move.
2. Rh7#.
Oh, Brunello di Montalcino! Delicious!
Dear Panterina,
very fine solution. Thank you!