53. D5.0/T1.0 Mystery Cache

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CHECK PLEASE

Here are three chess puzzles. For all answers, assume standard algebraic notation is used.

This first board is taken from a real game played once. It is white’s move and checkmate came in eight moves.

(If you want to know when the game was played and by whom, I will give you the information after you have correctly solved the puzzle.)

Questions:

1. There is a way for white to discover checkmate so that the eighth and final move is an unusual one. What is it?

   1. Castling on the king’s side, and α = 5.

   2. Capturing a pawn en passant, and α = 4.

   3. Promoting a pawn to a knight, and α = 3.

   4. Castling on the queen’s side, and α = 2.

2. There is a faster way to mate. How many moves does it take from this position?

   1. Seven, and β = 7.

   2. Six, and β = 6.

   3. Five, and β = 5.

   4. Four, and β = 4.

3. In both the 8-move solution and the solution from question 2, what is white’s second move?

   1. Nxd7+, and γ = 6.

   2. Nxf6+, and γ = 7.

   3. Ng5+, and γ = 8.

   4. Nd2+, and γ = 9.

4. How many pawns are taken in total on white’s journey towards mate?

   1. Zero, and δ = 0.

   2. One, and δ = 1.

   3. Two, and δ = 2.

   4. Three, and δ = 3.

5. To which file does white move a piece on their third move?

   1. 3, and ε = 3.

   2. 4, and ε = 4.

   3. 5, and ε = 5.

   4. 6, and ε = 6.

6. On which move does white discover double check?

   1. 4, and ζ = 4.

   2. 3, and ζ = 3.

   3. 2, and ζ = 2.

   4. 1, and ζ = 1.

7. How many moves did black make in total, including before the position shown?

   1. Fourteen, and η = 5.

   2. Fifteen, and η = 6.

   3. Sixteen, and η = 7.

   4. Seventeen, and η = 8.

This second board is not taken from any real game that I know of. White to move and mate.

Questions:

8. How many moves does it take white to mate from this position?

   1. 4, and θ = 4.

   2. 5, and θ = 5.

   3. 6, and θ = 6.

   4. 7, and θ = 7.

9. How many times is the black king directly put into check, aside from the final checkmate move?

   1. Three, and ι = 9.

   2. Two, and ι = 8.

   3. One, and ι = 7.

   4. Zero, and ι = 6.

10. What is white’s second move?

    1. f4, and κ = 4.

    2. Kg7, and κ = 5.

    3. Kxh7, and κ = 6.

    4. Bf6, and κ = 7.

This third board is likewise not taken from any real game that I know of. Black to move and mate.

11. When black discovers mate, how many pieces are left on the board that are not kings or pawns?

    1. Three, and λ = 0.

    2. Four, and λ = 1.

    3. Five, and λ = 2.

    4. Six, and λ = 3.

12. Which piece does black move on move 2?

    1. Bishop (from c5), and μ = 8.

    2. Knight, and μ = 7.

    3. Rook (from g8), and μ = 6.

    4. Pawn (from f3), and μ = 5.

13. How many moves does it take black to mate from this position?

    1. Four, and ν = 4.

    2. Five, and ν = 5.

    3. Six, and ν = 6.

    4. Seven, and ν = 7.

14. How many pawns are taken in total on black’s journey towards mate?

    1. Zero, and ξ = 0.

    2. One, and ξ = 1.

    3. Two, and ξ = 2.

    4. Three, and ξ = 3.

Enter the following code into the Certitude link below for the coordinates: αβγδεζηθικλμνξ.