2017 Christmas Theme Puzzles
Two Chrstmas-themed puzzles:
- for the star on the left it is White to play and mate in 2
- for the tree on the right it is Black to mate in 2.
Note: the puzzle on the right is significantly harder, and there are hints below.
Hint:
Spoiler: Highlight to view
What was White's previous move?
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Hint 2:
Spoiler: Highlight to view
Count the number of captures the Black pawns made.
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Hint 3:
Spoiler: Highlight to view
Where did White's Bishops go?
.
Solutions: added Jan 1, 2018
Spoiler: Highlight to view
Red and Green Board: 1. Qe4 zugzwang. White has no mating threat, but any move allows mate in 1.
Wood Board:
Solution: 1... bxc3 (ep) 2. (any move by the a or g pawns) ...c2#.
Explanation: This puzzle requires some retrograde analysis to deduce White's previous move.
- White's pawns on a2 and g2 have not moved, White's d5 pawn cannot have just moved since there are no empty squares behind it; there is no legal position from which White's last move could have been Kd1; this leaves only the c and e pawns as possible movers. They couldn't have moved from the third rank or the Kd4 would have been in check; so White's last move was either c2-c4 or e2-e4.
- White has 6 pieces remaining of the original 16. So Black has captured 10 White pieces.
- Black's pawns have made 10 captures (all toward the center) to reach their current positions.
- Therefore, (2+3) all White pieces were captured by Black pawns.
- If White's last move was e2-e4 then the Bf1 would have been unable to move or be captured by a pawn and so would still be on f1.
- Black has already captured the f1 Bishop.
- Therefore, e2-e4 could not have been White's last move.
- Therefore, c2-c4 was White's last move.