Hey all.
Earlier today, I was solving a few chess puzzles. I stumbled upon a puzzle that was a checkmate in five, but I ran with a forced variation that still would have been a checkmate in eight. I ended up failing, but I believe it could have been an alternative to the mainline because it was still a forced win.
This is the FEN for the puzzle if you're interested.
r6k/3P2pp/2b5/4B2P/p1Bp4/8/2K5/4R3 w - - 0 44
I didn't see a way to import an FEN into the analysis board, so here's where the pieces are positioned in a more straightforward manner.
White:
Pawns: d7, h5
Bishops: e5, c4
Rook: e1
King: c2
Black:
Pawns: a4, d4, g7, h7
Bishop: c6
Rook: a8
King: h8
Alright. The solution to the puzzle was a checkmate in five with
h6, d3+
Kxd3, Bd3+
Rxd3, Rf8
hxg7, Rxg7
d8=Q#
I went with this variation that was a checkmate in eight:
Bd5, Bxd5
Bb8, d3+
Kxd3, Rxb8
Re8+, Bg8
Rxb8, g6
d8=Q, Kg7
Qf8+, Kh8
Qxg8#
That being said, while I acknowledge I didn't find the "fastest" forced checkmate, I did find a forced mate. My suggestion to Lichess is to simply add alternate correct moves to the puzzles.
If they're already a feature, I've honestly never had it happen, and I'm not quite sure why it didn't work out in this puzzle. I know alternate correct moves are available in the openings trainer, so I'm not sure if they're in puzzles, or if they are, why It didn't work for this particular puzzle.
Thanks for reading.
Regards,
Pat.
Earlier today, I was solving a few chess puzzles. I stumbled upon a puzzle that was a checkmate in five, but I ran with a forced variation that still would have been a checkmate in eight. I ended up failing, but I believe it could have been an alternative to the mainline because it was still a forced win.
This is the FEN for the puzzle if you're interested.
r6k/3P2pp/2b5/4B2P/p1Bp4/8/2K5/4R3 w - - 0 44
I didn't see a way to import an FEN into the analysis board, so here's where the pieces are positioned in a more straightforward manner.
White:
Pawns: d7, h5
Bishops: e5, c4
Rook: e1
King: c2
Black:
Pawns: a4, d4, g7, h7
Bishop: c6
Rook: a8
King: h8
Alright. The solution to the puzzle was a checkmate in five with
h6, d3+
Kxd3, Bd3+
Rxd3, Rf8
hxg7, Rxg7
d8=Q#
I went with this variation that was a checkmate in eight:
Bd5, Bxd5
Bb8, d3+
Kxd3, Rxb8
Re8+, Bg8
Rxb8, g6
d8=Q, Kg7
Qf8+, Kh8
Qxg8#
That being said, while I acknowledge I didn't find the "fastest" forced checkmate, I did find a forced mate. My suggestion to Lichess is to simply add alternate correct moves to the puzzles.
If they're already a feature, I've honestly never had it happen, and I'm not quite sure why it didn't work out in this puzzle. I know alternate correct moves are available in the openings trainer, so I'm not sure if they're in puzzles, or if they are, why It didn't work for this particular puzzle.
Thanks for reading.
Regards,
Pat.