Chess Composition
In the position below, how can White give checkmate in two moves?
The target square of the first move can be represented as a coordinate ( x , y ) , where the bottom left corner square is at ( 1 , 1 ) . Input the product of x and y as your answer.
The answer is 20.
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9 solutions
This is a poorly worded problem.
How about white king to (2, 1) followed by black king to (2,3) and took to (4,3)
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That's Absolutely Right and that's what I replied. I suppose his all problems are poorly scripted.
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Sorry that's wrong. King moves back to (3,4)
Why can't the king just move back to where it initially was?
Right? That's exactly what my first thought was.
I think you've got your coordinates wrong since there's no way white can move to (2,1) or black to (2,3) in one move. Do you mean white king to (3,2), black king to (3,4), and white rook (5,4)? If that's the case, black can escape simply by moving back to the square it started on.
King forward 1 is check mate in 1 move, no?
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@Viktor Nilsson You're not delivering a check, thus it's a stalemate.
No, it would be a stalemate since the other king has to move too. I didn't see this until after I answered.
That ain't checkmate. It's Stalemate. Nobody wins.
That's a draw
How do we write(present) our answer?
rook (4,1) to (4,4) and then bishop (6,3) to (5,4)
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that wont be check mate
Black king first moves to (2,3) (Only legal move) . After bishop to (4,5) king simply captures pawn on (1,3)
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That is wrong it is not 12 it is rook to 4,4 so the answer is 16 which is 4 * 4 or target square...
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@Ralston Rhoden – Vishnu used standard chess notation. His correctly suggested move is to move the rook to (4,3) and so 4x3 = 12
@Ralston Rhoden – Sorry, what? Could you explain what the original reply was trying to say? There is no bishop on (6,3) so I assumed he meant (3,6) and (4,5)
I'll use normal chess notation as this is confusing.
- Re5 Kc4
- Be6 Kxb4
Is this what he meant? Since this isn't checkmate.
But the black king can escape just going diagonally and staying together with the white king, and it will be a tie!
May I ask what is a target square? I know what will happen but the answer is 12. I entered 16 since the rook must be moved to (4,4), entered 4 since the rook was the one to be moved, and entered 6 because the king was forced to move to (2,3). Why is the answer 12?
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Rook to (4,3) than bishop to (2,5) and its over
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Why is the answer 12 then?
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@Drez Tech – The target square of the first move is (4,3). Since the problem calls for multiplying those digits, 4x3 = 12
Rook to (4,3)
King to d2 which gives the black king one possible move. Then rook to e5, checkmate
The whole things can be over in 1 move
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Not possible, the fastest checkmate here is a mate in 2
I thought moving white King to (3, 2) would be checkmate since the the Kings arent allowed to move within 1 block of each other therefore giving the black king only limited options of movement and from what I see, the available spots it can move to are all in the paths of the opposing pieces. Which mean this game end in one move. Is that not correct?
Why can't bishop go straight to 1, 4 and let it be checkmate?
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because that is not a checkmate. it's a stalemate if the opposing king can't make a valid move and isn't under check. in your case, the black king isn't under check.
This is seriously flawed you are all wrong! After Bc6 , king can simply take on f4 (K*f4)
Both bishop A4 and king B3 work.
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I meant king C2
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Those are both wrong. After the black king moves to c4, rook e4 is not checkmate as the black king can move to d5.
Don't we have to assume that black is playing optimally? White Rook to G2 (or H2), followed by Black King to E4 could easily be checkmated by moving the White Bishop to C6.
That is impossible. The king cannot legally take the rook. There is a pawn protecting the rook.
Re4 move is nice, but its just a waste of time to calculate, why give black a free slot if he already have only one (C4). Using AN (columns a-h rows 1-8, K-king R-Rook #mate) 1.Kc2 Kc4* 2.Re4# *only legal move No need to sacrifice any piece
Kc2 leaves Black King's only move to be c4. Then Re4 mate.
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not yet mate because the black king can still go back to d5
Why cant i just move the king to (2,3)?
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In that position black king will have no squares to move, this situation is called stalemate that is counted as a draw and not a win for white.
Qween from (3,1)to (2,1) Black only move from (3,4)to(3,3) Then R from (4,1) to(4,3) Checkmate
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black king can't move on 3,3 because hose give check
I presume you meant King. But as I explained to Paul Freda below who has the same solution as you, it is not checkmate as the Black King can still move back to (3,4)
actually its the black king from (3,4) to (2,3) otherwise everything is correct :)
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No it's wrong as black is not yet checkmated. See my explanation above and below. Vishnu Bhagyanath's solution is the only answer that meets the mate in 2 requirement.
I can checkmate in 1 move. Just move the white king to (2,3) Black king will have no legal moves
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As mentioned to the various other comments, it's stalemate, not checkmate.
Take the rook, elephant to 4,4.Checkmate in one move
Challenging but poorly worded Question, I figured out the answer which is White- Kc2, Black- Kc4 White Re4, I felt really pissed off. Why cant you use the standard convention or try to explain how to enter the answer or is that also part of the problem figuring out how to give input ? LOLS
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But your answer is wrong. The black king can still go back to d5.
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Thank you, yes you are right ? So any body figured out the answer so far ?
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@Jose Mathew – Vishnu posted the right answer although he used Chess notation. Sacrifice the rook by moving it to to (4,3). The black king has no other move but to capture it. White bishop then moves to (2,5), checkmate.
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@Reginald Micu – Thanks, I was not allowed to say just thanks so please excuse :)
@Reginald Micu – Correct..thanks
What about Ba4 Kc4 Re4 Checkmate? It appears as if there is more than one solution. (0,3) (2,3) (5,3), Answer with this solution is 0.
I have been corrected. This solution is not valid.
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that is not mate. Kd5 is still a viable move for black after Re4.
- Re4! forces black to take the rook and cuts off c4 as an escape square. Then Bc6 is mate.
This is seriously flawed,Your solution is wrong after Bc6 king can simply take the pawn on f4
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Note that you cannot move the King into check. King to f4 results in check by the pawn in g3.
I have marked this report as resolved.
king move to (4,3) it's done
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I think that would force it to a draw as there are no legal moves for the black king then. Doesn't make it check mate.
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HE DOES HAVE A LEGAL MOVE
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@Joachim Vingaard – The black king clearly has no moves after the white king moves to d3. Look carefully. In the initial position, the black king's only legal escape square was c4. After the white king moves to d3, the black king cannot escape to c4 anymore as the white king now controls that square. The black king has no other legal moves now; thus it is stalemate, or a draw.
- White Knight from (6,5) to (5,7). Check
- Black King must go from (4,5) to (3,4).
- White Rook from (5,2) to (5,4) Checkmate.
- 5*4=20
What if after N(5,7) , K(4,6)
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that is exactly why this "Input the product of x and y as your answer." should have not made it past the moderators. A correct answer after a bad approach is not a good solution.
even considering your move, K(2,3) is safe
You better not play chess
1: Kc2, Kc4 2: Re4#
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Mick, your black king may move back to d5. He is not check mate in your play.
Marty, after you move your Knight why is black king forced to go to c4? both d4 and d6 are no longer guarded by the knight and possible ways for the black king to break out.
The Solution is first move Rook to 4,3. Black king takes rook as this is only viable move in this case for black. (Though there is no check, he has to move somewhere.) The last and pin down move is white bishop to (2,5) and that is check mate in two steps. The answer i.e. product of x,y which represents the first move ( not the second please note) is 12
An alternative: rook to e5 (4,4), king is forced to go to c3 (2,2), and then bishop to e6 (4,5) is mate.
So 20 should also be a valid answer.
Sorry, king goes to c4 not c3, bishop goes to e6
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If Re5-Kc4 then Be6 doesn't give checkmate as Black has Kxb4. The pawn is isolated and can be taken by the King.
i dont know proper chess terminology but why not move king one to the left then castle up 3
It asks the target square of the first move but the answer it shows is the target square of second move mating move rook (4,1) to rook (4,3).... Please correct it
It will be stalemate
You have to move the rook right away. You don't have time to do anything else. Moving the king up creates stalemate.
In the initial position, Black threatens to escape the mating net with 1... Kc4. This must be prevented at all costs. With that in mind, it is not too hard to find 1. Re4! forcing 1... Kxe4 2. Bc6 mate
The only answer is Re4, King only move is to take rook, then Bc6 checkmate. If coordinates are 0,0 for x,y the answer should be 4x5=20 not 12
The solution is incredibly unexpected:)) I have spent 20 minutes to solved it.
I will use the algebraic notation in chess where
- the columns are marked from a to h in alphabetical order left to right
- the rows are labeled from 1 to 8 from the botom, where the white start, to the top, where the black start
- "x" mean capture and # mean checmate
- R mean Rook, K mean King, B mean Bishop.
- the numbers before each play are the number of the movement. Left is the white movent and right the black movement.
1.Re4 Kxe4 2.Bc6#.
After 1.Re4 the king is forced to capture the rook because there isn't any moving left. That movement of the rook is the unique who give no chance to the black to scape or stealmate (no movement left for the black, then the game is over and every player get half of point... a bad end for the white, best for the black)
Was difficult until i realized I had to sac my trusty rook QQ. No other method forced the king in checkmate sigh
Re4 gives the king only one legal move, to take the rook. Followed by Bc6, mate.
All other moves lead to either stale mate or allow the king to escape off in two moves.