Part 56
{418}
WHITE. BLACK.
1. R to K sq. 1. K to Q 5 2. R (Kt sq.) to Q sq.: ch. 2. K to B 6 3. R to K 2 3. K to B 4. R to B 2: ch. 4. K to Kt 6 5. R to B 8 5. K to R 6 6. R to Q Kt sq. 6. K to R 5 7. R to R 8, mate.
KING AND ROOK AGAINST KING.
Black.
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#K
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^K
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^R
+---------------------------------------+ White.
FIG. 18.
Fig. 18 represents the most unfavourable position for White. The shortest way to checkmate the Black King is--
WHITE. BLACK.
1. K to B 4 1. K to K 5 2. R to K sq.: ch. 2. K to B 4 3. K to Q 4 3. K to B 5 4. R to B sq.: ch. 4. K to Kt 4 5. K to K 4 ...
It will be noticed that the White King always approaches at the distance of a Knight's move, whilst the Black King moves either on diagonals, or takes the "opposition" to the White King.
... 5. K to Kt 3 6. K to K 5 6. K to Kt 4 7. R to Kt sq.: ch. 7. K to R 5 8. K to B 5 8. K to R 6 9. K to B 4 9. K to R 7 10. R to Kt 3 10. K to R 8 11. K to B 3 11. K to R 7 12. K to B 2 12. K to R 8 13. R to R 3, mate.
N.B.--The Rook can only checkmate on an outer row or file of the board.
{419}
KING AND TWO BISHOPS AGAINST KING.
Black.
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#K
^B
^B
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^K
+---------------------------------------+ White.
FIG. 19.
[WHITE TO MOVE AND WIN.]
To checkmate with two Bishops is comparatively easy. Fig. 19 ill.u.s.trates the most unfavourable position for White, and the solution given is the shortest attainable.
{420}
WHITE. BLACK.
1. B to Q sq. 1. K to K 6 2. K to Kt 2 2. K to Q 7 3. B to Q B 2 3. K to K 6 4. K to B 3 4. K to B 6 5. K to Q 4 5. K to Kt 5 6. B to K sq. 6. K to B 6 7. B to Q 3 7. K to B 5 8. B to K 4 8. K to Kt 4 9. K to K 5 9. K to Kt 5 10. B to K B 2 10. K to Kt 4 11. B to K B 5 11. K to R 3 12. K to B 6 12. K to R 4 13. B to K 6 13. K to R 3 14. B to Kt 4 14. K to R 2 15. K to B 7 15. K to R 3
White must he careful not to stalemate the Black King. For instance, if Black were to play here 15. ... K to R sq., White could not play 16. B to K B 5; but must play 16. B to K 3, K to R 2; 17. B to B 5: ch., K to R sq.; 18. B to Q 4 mate.
16. B to K 3: ch. 16. K to R 2 17. B to B 5: ch. 17. K to R sq.
18. B to Q 4, checkmate.
KING, BISHOP, AND KNIGHT AGAINST KING.
{421}
Black.
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^K
#K
^B
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^Kt
+---------------------------------------+ White.
FIG. 20.
[WHITE TO MOVE AND WIN.]
To checkmate with Bishop and Knight is a very difficult process. Checkmate can only be forced if the Black King is driven to one of the Rook squares of the same colour as the Bishop. In the position shown in Fig. 20 the Black King must be driven either to Q R sq., or K R 8. Frequently the Bishop and Knight are separated from the White King; in that case the Black King cannot be prevented from moving to a Rook square of the opposite colour to the Bishop. Then the forces must be brought together to act in concert with the White King; when, by combined action, the Black King can be forced on to a corner square of the same colour as White's Bishop, and checkmated as shown in the appended solution. Mate can be forced in the most {422} unfavourable position (see Fig. 20) in about thirty or thirty-one moves.
WHITE. BLACK.
1. Kt to Kt 3: ch. 1. K to B 3
If 1. ... K to B 5; then 2. B to Q sq., K to B 6; 3. K to Kt 5, K to Q 6; 4. K to B 5, K to K 5; 5. B to B 2: ch., K to K 4; 6. Kt to Q 4, K to B 3; 7. K to Q 6, K to B 2; 8. Kt to B 3, K to B 3; 9. Kt to K 5, K to Kt 2; 10. K to K 6, and the King is gradually forced on to the last row.
2. K to Kt 4 2. K to Q 4 3. B to B 3: ch. 3. K to Q 3 4. Kt to Q 4 4. K to K 4 5. K to B 5 5. K to B 3 6. K to Q 5 6. K to B 2 7. Kt to B 5 7. K to B 3 8. Kt to Q 6 8. K to Kt 3 9. K to K 5 9. K to Kt 2 10. B to K 4 10. K to Kt sq.
11. K to B 6 11. K to R sq.
The King is now on the Rook square of opposite colour to the Bishop, and must be driven to K R 8, or Q R square, in order to be checkmated.
12. Kt to B 7: ch. 12. K to Kt sq.
13. B to B 5 ...
Purposely losing a move (_coup de repos_); it is immaterial where the Bishop moves to so long as it remains on the same diagonal, the object being to force Black to move, without altering White's position.
... 13. K to B sq.
14. B to R 7 ...
To prevent the King from returning to Kt sq. if the Kt moves. {423}
... 14. K to K sq.
15. Kt to K 5 15. K to Q sq.
16. B to K 4 16. K to B 2 17. Kt to B 4 ...
The Black King is now gradually forced on to the fatal White corner.
... 17. K to Q 2 18. K to B 7 18. K to Q sq.
19. B to B 6 19. K to B 2 20. B to Kt 5 ...
Not to R 4, because at Kt 5 the Bishop guards the additional square R 6.
... 20. K to Q sq.
21. K to K 6 21. K to B sq.
22. K to Q 6 22. K to Q sq.
23. Kt to R 5 23. K to B sq.
24. B to Q 7: ch. 24. K to Kt sq.
If 24. ... K to Q sq., then 25. Kt to B 6, checkmate.
25. K to B 6 25. K to R 2 26. Kt to B 4 26. K to R 3 27. K to B 7 27. K to R 2 28. B to B 8 28. K to R sq.
29. Kt to R 5 29. K to R 2 30. Kt to B 6: ch. 30. K to R sq.
31. B to Kt 7, checkmate.
END GAME WITH TWO KNIGHTS.
