White wins as follows:—
1. P - Kt6, RP × P; 2. P - B6, P(Kt2) × P; 3. P - R6 and wins by queening the pawn. If 1. ... BPXP then 2. P - R6, KtPXP; 3-P-B6 and queens the pawn.
Problems.—A chess problem[1] has been described as “merely a position supposed to have occurred in a game of chess, being none other than the critical point where your antagonist announces checkmate in a given number of moves, no matter what defence you play,” but the above description conveys no idea of the degree to which problem-composing has become a specialized study. Owing its inception, doubtless, to the practice of recording critical phases from actual play, the art of problem composition has so grown in favour as to earn the title of the “poetry” of the game.
| Position by B. Horwitz. |
As a rule the game should be drawn. Supposing by a series of checks White were to compel Black to abandon the pawn, he would move K - R8; Q × P and Black is stale-mate. Therefore the ingenious way to win is:—
1. K - B4, P - B8 = Q ch; K - Kt3 and wins. Or 1. ... K - R8 (threatening P - B8 = Kt); then 2. Q - Q2 preliminary to K - Kt3 now wins.
| Position by B. Horwitz. |
Without Black’s pawn White could only draw. The pawn being on the board, White wins as follows:—
1. Kt - B4, K - Kt sq; 2. Kt (B4) - K3, K - R sq; 3. K - Kt4, K - Kt sq; 4. K - R3, K - R sq; 5. Kt - B4, K - Kt sq; 6. Kt (B4) - Q2, K - R sq; 7. Kt - Kt3 ch, K - Kt sq; 8. Kt - B3 mate.