I can usually figure these puzzles out pretty quickly,but this one stumped me. I gave up after 30 minutes,and checked the answer. This position was created by F.Amelung in 1897.It is a puzzle that has since defeated many good chess players,and one cannot wonder wheter it has ever occurred naturally in a real game. If it did,and you were White and about to play,how could you force mate in two? White to play and mate in two. 
f6-f7??
Dan
I cheated and googled. Stumped me too.
Ya thats gotta be it.
F5- G4. Nope thats a Draw Black cant move.
MOve Pe5 or K to E row and Black move PG5;
Move R H8 and black takes pawn, Either move white cant checkmate next move.
Ok, I must be missing something cause this does not seem that hard. and Im not that good at chess
That’s not it. F6-F7. Black can still move his pawn or capture white’s pawn with his king. White can’t mate in his next move.
Argh!!! Took me 45 minutes, but I got it. Now I remember why I stopped playing chess. My friends all went from USCF 1450 (where I could hang with them without difficulty) up to 1900, when I couldn’t even hope to hang.
Frustrated as I am about how long it took… I love the problem. Thanks for posting it.
He moves his pawn, You promote Pawn from f7- f8 (Queen) Checkmate,
Capture White pawn with queen, Rook takes pawn MATE
.
OK, it takes 3 with the pawn, If Black then moves pawn, White moves pawn promotes to Q, black takes pawn with King white takes pawn with rook for mate.
Googled answer Very Clever.
F-5 to F-4
Black King is forced to move to G6. White rook moves to G8 in response. Checkmate.
Uhmmm, Cant move King into Mate. Black Pawn At G5 protects F4
Sorry. I meant G4
King can still escape to F7.
No. There’s a pawn checking that square.
Eh? F7 is directly above the pawn. Pawn is no threat there.
CAT:
I was surprised to find a chess puzzle here, but thanks! That’s actually a fairly easy one, but cute, and demonstrates the beauty of chess. You can pick up numerous chess problem books online or from your local bookseller. I have two by Reinfeld. Laszlo Polgar (father of the girl twin GMs) has a huge book of problems that could last all of us a lifetime.
They (chess problem books) are great reading just before bed, IMHO.
-Robert
<I was surprised to find a chess puzzle here, but thanks! That’s actually a fairly easy one, but cute, and demonstrates the beauty of chess. You can pick up numerous chess problem books online or from your local bookseller. I have two by Reinfeld. Laszlo Polgar (father of the girl twin GMs) has a huge book of problems that could last all of us a lifetime.
Thanks for the info Robert.
You must be a pretty amazing player to find that move easy.I dont think I could have ever figured it out.
so what’s the answer?
I think this is correct - H5 to G6 then H8 to H7?
H5-G6 - A rarely used move, but I believe the rules allow it - at least that is what my dad taught me when I was a kid.
SPOILER
answer:
- f7! Kxh5
- Rxh7
+mate
it’s an easy one, for anyone that’s studied or played chess competitively… 5 mins to do here.
If its easy then why is your answer wrong?
if f7 then K-g7. and no mate
The right answer is
e7 Kxh5
Rxh7 +mate