Last week I left you with this position, taken from Ray Cannon’s RJCC Puzzle Grand Prix many years ago. Black threatens two mates on the move as well as a promotion. What can White do about it? The obvious try 1. Rb8+ Kxb8 2. Qb5+ Kc8 3. Qb7+ Kd8 4. Qb8+ doesn’t quite work after 4… Qc8.
We need to buy time by decoying the black queen so start with:
1. Qe6+ Qxe6
2. Nd7
Threatening Rb8# so Black has to return the queen:
2… Qxd7
Now if we take the queen back at once we have no defence to promotion so…
3. Rb8+ Kxb8
4. cxd7 and Black has no defence to 5. d8Q#. Remarkable!
This week, something completely different: a Triple Loyd.
This is a three part puzzle:
- Place the black king on a square where it’s checkmate
- Place the black king on a square where it’s stalemate
- Place the black king on a square where White, to play, can mate in 1
