From The Great Roman™
And I will have bonus pic later.
First… a commercial… Please remember me when shopping online. US HERE – UK HERE WHY? This helps to pay for health insurance (massively hiked for this new year of surprises), utilities, groceries, etc.. At no extra cost, you provide help for which I am grateful.
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albert1953
In chessy news, at Tata Steel in the Netherlands, Nodirbek is in the lead! There was a CRAZY game between Gukesh and Max Warmerdam. It was NUTS. I am happy to report that Vidit defeated The Boy, Alireza Firouzja. Vidit’s post game comment: “A win is like two draws, so it’s better than a draw.” Maybe not a word smith, but he sure can play chess. Ju drew against Donchenko.
Fun photo… from ChessBase.
From the Piazza Navona and the beautiful Church of St. Agnes, comes this shot of “Agnesina” and her wonderful Roman “Ci penso io!” stance…
“I’ve got this… leave it to me!”
One of the things you can get, is wonderful BEER from the traditional Benedictine monks of Norcia. It is really good. Three different kinds. You get great beer. The monks get to build their monastery. I get a small percentage. Win. Win. Win.
Meanwhile…
White to move and mate in 2.
NB: I’ll hold comments with solutions ’till the next day so there won’t be “spoilers” for others.
Priestly chess players, drop me a line. HERE
Interested in learning? Try THIS.
Ceterum censeo Puerum esse delendum.
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1. N-c4+ . . K-d4
2. Q-d5#
Nc4 Ke4
Bd3#
Father, I give up – I looked at 22 different first moves, but can’t find one that leads to mate in 2. What’s the answer?
Really hard. Don’t be despondent.
1.Qc4
It is not a real position. It is a composition, obviously.
What do we see? What has pawns that can go forward. The Black King doesn’t have many squares. The Black Queen is hemmed. The white Rooks… meh.
It looks like black doesn’t have good moves.
Going in priority. Checks? None that work. But since it is mate in TWO, we don’t have time to fool around at other attacks. Stay on the King.
So… waiting moves for white?
1. Qc4.
Black can try to check with the Queen. Nope . That rook on e8 is a sniper.
2. Qf4
1.Qf4 Qxf4
2. Nxf4#
1. Nc4 leads to
1… Ke4
2. Nd6+ Ke3
3. Rxd3#
That’s mate in three, not two.
1. Qc4
1… f5 Cf4#
1… Nb2 Qf4#
1… Nc3 Qxd3#
Kicking myself.
I think I had a valid solution, but somehow mis-lettered my columns.
1. N-c4+ . . K-e4
2. Q-e5#