The Chess Mind

Yesterday, I introduced a position tough for humans and really tough for computers to solve, and in case it's not tattooed in your minds yet, have another look:



M. Matous, Szachy 1975


Did you solve it? Apparently at least one IM and one NM were stymied, and none of my software came even remotely close. Fortunately for my sanity, I solved it, and I hope some of you did as well. Of course, you're welcome to keep trying, but if you want relief, the answer is just a click away...

This weekend I offered a mild challenge to my readers. Take the following position



let Black play 40...Qf1 instead of resigning, and figure out how White is to win. I trust that many, quite possibly most of you were able to handle this one without too much trouble, but for those of you who had a tougher time with it, kudos for persevering. Pushing yourself on problems you find difficult (but not out of the range of possibility) is one of the best ways to improve.

Without further ado, I present the solution: click here.

Here's a puzzle that will make you work and give your computers heartburn: White to move and win.



M. Matous, Szachy 1975


A few weeks or months ago, I came across a slightly different version of this puzzle, with the Black pawn on a6 (rather than a7, as mistakenly given earlier tonight, or a5, as Andrey has since informed me and as given above), and after a few minutes' thought found the right idea.

Unfortunately, checking it with the computer way back when, it found a defensive try I hadn't considered at first, and as it hadn't yet detected a win for White, I assumed I was wrong and left the puzzle to languish until today.

After watching the computer's futility this time around and after getting the right position at last, I went back to work by myself. I quickly convinced myself that my initial approach had to be right, and then it was just a handful of minutes until I overcame the final difficulty. It's a nice problem, but I have to say I'm not nearly as impressed by it as I was initially inclined to be, as (a) I solved it relatively easily and (b) there's an aesthetic flaw: the Black pawn can be placed on a5 or a6 without any substantial difference.

A word of encouragement in closing: while it's true that it's a real pain for current chess engines, a diligent human who has solved studies in the past should be able to work it out. You can do it!

Again, out of consideration for other readers, please don't state the solution in comments (or even hint at it). If, however, your chess software can solve this study from the starting position, I would like to know about that!

The solution will be given later today (Wednesday).

Further update:

If Black's a-pawn is on a6, a5 or a4, or if Black's a-pawn is missing altogether, White wins. (The latter scenario also has the drawback of being solvable by Mr. Chips - so don't test it until you're 100.000000% sure you've got it right!) If Black's a-pawn is on a7 or a3, then White's usual winning idea fails nicely. Finally, Black is just winning if the pawn is on a2.

The championship of the Fibertex Cup came down to the last round game between Peter Heine Nielsen and Magnus Carlsen, and in this position, Carlsen (Black) resigned:



White is up a piece, has a dangerous passed pawn and is threatening f7, but what if Black plays 40...Qf1, threatening ...Qg2#?

The solution won't give your chess software so much as half a second's difficulty, and strong players won't find much of a challenge either. Nevertheless, the puzzle makes for a nice exercise for the club player (but don't move the pieces around - that will make it too easy), and the solution is elegant despite its simplicity.

Remember, please don't comment the solution; I will provide it in a day or two.