Uniquely Satisfying Puzzle

Question

Here is a fun puzzle I found some time ago. It was created by Karl Fabel in 1952 and published in Rätselstunde.

Goal

[title "White to move and NOT checkmate in one!"]
[fen "B5KR/1r5B/6R1/2b1p1p1/2P1k1P1/1p2P2p/1P2P2P/3N1N2 w - - 0 1"]

This is honestly one of the most unique puzzles I ever saw.

It will take some time to find the solution but it is very satisfying once you do.

Hopefully there is a way to post a comment with your guesses without spoiling the fun for others. Please use >! to hide your post and prevent spoilers.

This problem was composed by Karl Fabel and published in Rätselstunde in 1952. The original version also had black knights on c8 and e8 but these are often omitted when this charming problem is reproduced. — Laska, Dec 01 '19 at 01:15
This problem is published on an interactive chessboard https://szachydzieciom.pl/?page_id=2079&lang=en#1 — MichalRyszardWojcik, Dec 02 '19 at 11:10
@DrCapablasker the link does not go to the puzzle nor solution although there is a starting position chessboard shown. — yobamamama, Jan 08 '20 at 19:47
Well resign would avoid it. I hope that is not the solution. White cannot move any piece legally without causing mate unless that position is really bizarre and the board is upside down with white at the top and then p-q8=n [d8=N] is the answer. — yobamamama, Jan 08 '20 at 19:54
There is a valid solution that involves making a move. There are no “tricks” like you mentioned here. — lbragile, Jan 08 '20 at 20:08
Funnily enough, this is a duplicate on another site (my question) https://puzzling.stackexchange.com/questions/52154/a-very-unique-chess-puzzle — Quintec, Jan 13 '20 at 02:01

PhishMaster · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-08T21:29:38.613

8

Cute puzzle. Rc6 solves it. :)

edited Jan 08 '20 at 21:29

answered Dec 01 '19 at 00:02

PhishMaster

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Please use >! to hide your answer so it doesn't spoil it for other users :) – lbragile Dec 01 '19 at 00:06
2

Wow, that was cool ">!". I learned something there. – PhishMaster Dec 01 '19 at 00:07
1

To the down-voter: You have to hover over, or tap on, the answer to see it. – PhishMaster Dec 01 '19 at 10:22
Rc6 does not solve it as moving that rook causes mate instantly and NO the black rook cann NOT take the white bishop as black is already mated. – yobamamama Jan 08 '20 at 21:09
3

Rc6 absolutely is not mate in one. Rc6 Rxh7, and black is not mated...yet. P.S. I plugged this into a computer just to make sure that I was correct, and I am. – PhishMaster Jan 08 '20 at 21:27
2

I plead senior moment. You are right. – yobamamama Jan 08 '20 at 21:56
3

Thank you. No problem. – PhishMaster Jan 08 '20 at 21:57

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Jan 12 '20 at 08:42

The only pieces white can move are the two knights, one of its rooks, and one of its bishops. None of the pieces can move without giving check. The black King cannot move to avoid that check, so the checking piece must be captured. That leaves only the rook as an option. If the rook moves it exposes a bishop to give check. The bishop is attacked by a black rook which is pinned. Thus the white rook must move to unpin the black rook.

Uniquely Satisfying Puzzle

Goal

2 Answers2

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