My Puzzle Forum

I found the two moves, Brian, probably because I was looking for them and this was set up as a "puzzle."  Some combinations are all about move order, and this is one of them.  Also, not all deflections or pins are equal, so to speak, but I knew I had to get the second rank cleared or queen pinned while the clearing or pinning was good for the battery of queen and rook to do their job.

It is too bad you went on to lose.

Here's one that's not too difficult at all.  Kind of my version of the Sunday (usually the easiest of the week) Chess.com Daily Puzzle!

Black to play and win.

Hello all! Hope this thread will help me to get better in chess.

Nice, quick one, Bryan.  So much for the king protecting the queen and vice versa when a deflection and pin, respectively, are in the air.

Fantastic!

These are some great puzzles and some great games you've played over the years  Really enjoyed it a lot.

Thanks.  I'll keep the puzzles coming!

White to play and win. 

I previously posted this puzzle on https://www.chess.com/forum/view/more-puzzles/daily-puzzle-submissions-be-involved about eight months ago.  This may be the toughest one I've posted on this forum so far!  This starting position came from directly after black's sealed move of 44...Ra3 in an adjourned game.

Good luck!

Good luck!

Solved in my second attempt!

Well the first three posts on this forum from someone other than myself were by fightingbob.  He is on my friends list so perhaps I benefited from some "inside assistance" as that seemed to attract more interest in this forum because of the increase in the number of posts.  So maybe that's the secret.

Not bad!  Do you mind sharing your incorrect first attempt?  If not comfortable doing so please feel free not to share.

Yes.  Only lately have I been using the engine analysis feature on v3, and only after I post another puzzle because I like to place more of an emphasis on what was played to give these puzzles more of a real game feel.  And then if the engine points out an egregious misstep on my part in the analysis then I will make any necessary changes.

As far as this particular puzzle goes I see the engine prefers 2. Ke1.  I likely never considered it because 2...Ra1 pins the bishop which I would obviously like to move to f3.  I am certainly in no position to argue with the engine's conclusion that 2. Ke1 is stronger but in this particular case the reasoning is more than I care to even think about.  For my purposes 2. Kd2 was and still is the move I am more comfortable playing.  And I'm glad you chose it as well.  And don't forget, if one starts to play like an engine they only get accused of cheating anyway!

Actually I tried Rb8 instead of Bf3. Yeah that was a very bad move. 

Or you get accused of being Carlsen in disguise.

Thanks for the reply.  Unfortunately after 1. Rb8+ white loses a critical tempo and can't make the bishop a factor in time as after 1...Kd7 2. Rb7 Kc6 the a-pawn falls.

Black to move. 

I think you guys will really like this one.  This combination of moves is amongst my all time favorites and a superb example of having all your pieces working together and getting involved!

Black to play and win.

Solved in my first attempt!

Very nice!  It's just a matter of seeing it the whole way through.

This puzzle is not too difficult at all and features a tactic everyone should know, as it has come up in several of my games in the past.

Black to move and shatter white's game to pieces!