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Mate in 5. Can you spot it?
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ComicalMayhem lemmy.world ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-05
Quote

Ran into this position in a blitz game at around 200 elo. Stockfish saw mate in 5, I didn't. Thought it was an interesting mate, wondering what anyone else thinks?

12   Original
Majoran feddit.org Majoran@feddit.org
Joined: 2026-03-18
#2 · Quote Reply

I believe it should be

Spoiler

Qh4+ Ke2 Qf2+ Kd3 Nc5+ Kd4 Nb3+ axb3 c5#

I probably wouldn't have seen it from this position and I also shortly gave up after the 3rd move and needed to try it again to find the 4th move. But the first 2-3 already looked so completely winning that I would've played them anyway and maybe the M2 would've been more obvious then.

3
ComicalMayhem lemmy.world ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-05
#3 · (edited) Quote Reply

I believe it should be ::: spoiler Spoiler Qh4+ Ke2 Qf2+ Kd3 Nc5+ Kd4 Nb3+ axb3 c5# ::: I probably wouldn't have seen it from this position and I also shortly gave up after the 3rd move and needed to try it again to find the 4th move. But the first 2-3 already looked so completely winning that I would've played them anyway and maybe the M2 would've been more obvious then.

You got it! Stockfish prefers Qxb3 instead of axb3 but it's the same outcome. I missed the open, unblockable diagonal to the king in the game, but even if I had I doubt I would have gotten any of the followup knight checks.

2
alecsargent lemmy.zip alecsargent@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-08-13
#4 · Quote Reply

I think I found it.

Moves

[...], Qh4+

Ke2, Qf2+

Kd3, Nc5+

Kd4, Nb3+

axb3, c5#

2
ComicalMayhem lemmy.world ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-05
#5 · Quote Reply

I think I found it. ::: spoiler Moves [...], Qh4+ Ke2, Qf2+ Kd3, Nc5+ Kd4, Nb3+ axb3, c5# :::

You got it! Congrats! What did you think of the mate?

1
alecsargent lemmy.zip alecsargent@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-08-13
#6 · Quote Reply

You got it! Congrats! What did you think of the mate?

I think that white should learn to never play f3 again. Pretty sexy mate in my opinion. Where do you play chess online?

2
ComicalMayhem lemmy.world ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-05
#7 · (edited) Quote Reply

I think that white should learn to never play f3 again. Pretty sexy mate in my opinion. Where do you play chess online?

Chess.\com on my phone, but not very regularly. Usually only do puzzles, maybe a match when I'm not doing anything else and don't feel like opening any of my other games.

1
alecsargent lemmy.zip alecsargent@lemmy.zip
Joined: 2025-08-13
#8 · Quote Reply

Chess.\com on my phone, but not very regularly. Usually only do puzzles, maybe a match when I'm not doing anything else and don't feel like opening any of my other games.

Well good look with your chess journey.

2
ComicalMayhem lemmy.world ComicalMayhem@lemmy.world
Joined: 2023-07-05
#9 · Quote Reply

Well good look with your chess journey.

Thanks! You too.

1
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