Friday, December 26, 2008

The twelve puzzles of Xmas



White to play and mate in two moves.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it Qg4?

PG

ejh said...

Damned if I can remember actually, I'll look it up later...

Jack Rudd said...

Yes, it is:

1...Rg3 2.Nfxg3
1...Rh2 2.Rxh2 or 2.Qg1
1...Rg1 2.Qxg1 or 2.Rh2 or 2.Qh3
1...Rxf2 2.Qg1
1...Ng1 2.Neg3
1...Nh2 2.Nfg3
1...Ne1/d2/d4/e5 2.Qh3
1...Nh4 moves 2.Qxg2

ejh said...

You've actually omitted the most immediately obvious Black response...

ejh said...

Anyway, Jack does of course have the answer (as did PG). The puzzle was by Ellerman, Good Companions Meredith Tourney 1919 (3rd prize). I found it on p.17 of John Nunn's Solving In Style (Gambit, 2002).