Sunday, January 5, 2025

Puzzle 32 solution

Here's Black's first move, Bxg2+:

White has one legal move, Kg1. Black then mates with Gh3:

Thursday, January 2, 2025

Monday, December 30, 2024

Puzzle 30 solution

Here's Black's first move, Gh2+:


White has one legal move, Kf2. Black then mates with Bg3:

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Puzzle 29 solution

Here's White's first move, Ge8+.

Black has one legal move, Kh7. White then mates with Gxg7:

Saturday, December 28, 2024

Puzzle 28 solution

Here's Black's first move, Nxf3+:

White has two legal moves, Kh1 and Kf1. In either case, Black mates with Gh2. Here's the final position when White plays Kf1:

Friday, December 27, 2024

Puzzle 27 solution

Here's White's first move, Rxh6+.

 Black has one legal move, gxh6. White then mates with Gxh6:

Thursday, December 26, 2024

Puzzle 26 solution

Here's Black's first move, Ge3+:

White has two legal moves, Kh1 and Kh2. In either case, Black mates with  Gf1. Here's the final position when White plays Kh2:

Tuesday, December 24, 2024

Puzzle 25 solution

Here's White's first move, Re7+.


Black has two legal moves, Kf8 and Kg8. In either case, White mates with Gxg6. Here's the final position when Black plays Kf8:

Friday, December 20, 2024

Puzzle 24 solution

Here's Black's first move, Gc3+:


White has one legal move, Kf2. Black then mates with Gd1:

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Puzzle 23 solution

Here's White's first move, Gxd6+.


Black has one legal move, Kf3. White then mates with Gh2:

Monday, December 16, 2024

Puzzle 22 solution

Here's Black's first move, Gd2+:


White has two legal moves, Ka1 and Ka3. In either case, Black mates with Gc2. Here's the final position when White plays Ka3:

Sunday, December 15, 2024

Puzzle 21 solution

Here's White's first move, Rxb8+.

Black has one legal move, Kxb8. White then mates with Ga7:


Saturday, December 14, 2024

Puzzle 20 solution

Here's Black's first move, Ge1+:


White has one legal move, Kh2. Black then mates with Gf1:

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Puzzle 19 solution

Here's White's first move, Gc8+.


Black has one legal move, Kf6. White then mates with Gf5:

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Puzzle 18 solution

Here's Black's first move, Gxf3+:

 

White has one legal move, Gg2. Black then mates with Rxh2:

 

Monday, December 9, 2024

Puzzle 17 solution

Here's White's first move, Gd5+.

 

Black has two legal moves, Kc8 and Kb8. If White plays Kc8, Black mates with Gxa8. If White plays Kb8, Black mates with Gc6. Here's the final position in the latter case:

 

Saturday, November 23, 2024

Puzzle 16 soluton

Here's Black's first move, Gf3+:

 

White has one legal move, Kf1. Black then mates with either Gh1 or Gh2. Here's the final position in the latter case:

Friday, November 22, 2024

Puzzle 15 solution

Here's White's first move, Gh5+.

Black has three legal moves: g6, Ng6, and Gf7. If Black plays g6, White mates with Gg7. If Black plays Ng6, White mates with Gxg7. If Black plays Gf7, White mates with Gxf7. Since checkmates with more of the checkmated player's pieces left on the board are more impressive, here's the first checkmate mentioned above:

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Puzzle 14 solution

Here's Black's first move, Ga1+:


White has five legal moves: Gb1, Gc1, Gd1, Ge1, and Kf2. Only the first two prevent Black from checkmating White on Black's second move. If White plays Gd1, Black mates with Gxd1. If White plays Ge1, Black mates with Gxe1. If White plays Kf2, Black mates with Gh1. So we'll assume White plays Gb1. Here's Black's second move, Gxb1+:


White has only one legal move here, Kf2. Here's Black's final move, Gxe1 mate:


Wednesday, November 20, 2024

Puzzle 13 solution

Here's White's first move, Ng4+:


Black is in double check, and has four possible replies: Kh7, Kg7, Kg6, and Kh5. Regardless of which reply Black chooses, White will checkmate Black with the move Gh6 (Gargantua to h6). Here's what the checkmate looks like when Black chooses Kh7:


Puzzle 32 solution

Here's Black's first move, Bxg2+: White has one legal move, Kg1. Black then mates with Gh3: