a b c d e f g h
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| | | | | | | | | Ralph Betza
8 | | | | | | | | | March 1997
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7 | | | K | | | | | |
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6 | | | | | | | | |
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5 | *p | | | | | | | |
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| | | | | | fhN| | |
4 | *p | | *k | fbNF| | rlbK| | |
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3 | | | | | | P | | |
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2 | | | fbNF| | | | | |
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1 | | | | | | | | |
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8/2K5/8/p7/p1k(fbNF)1(fhNrlbK)2/5P2/2(fbNF)5/8/
2#
This problem is a simple mate in two (White must find the best move,
and then give checkmate with his second move).
White has a King on c7, two fbNF on c2 and d4, a fhNrlbK on f4, and a Pf3. Black has only a K on c4, plus two Pawns on a5 and a4.
As you can see, White is playing with the Nutty Knights army and Black has, well, whatever.
Because it's considered impolite to tell you the answer before you've had a chance to try, but on the other hand I don't want to have a separate page for the solution, you'll need to scroll down a while here:
1. (fhNrlbK)f4-e4 Kc4-d5 2. (fhNrlbK)e4-e3 mate
Kc4-b5 2. (fhNrlbK)e4-c5 mate
a4-a4 2. (fhNrlbK)e4-c5 mate
The point of this problem is to display the interesting shape of the
mating net formed by the fbNF.
The solution is easy, the mates are good, the variations trivial. A mediocre problem, which is pretty good compared to many of my compositions.