Many of you are familiar with my book featuring 100 brilliantly challenging 'Mate in Two' problems by the legendary Samuel Loyd. I actually give it away when you sign up for the newsletter. While these problems are known to test the skill of human players, a question arose in my mind.
I think another factor is if the first two moves involves a check. In constructed problems of course the one to mate rarely gives a check in the first move. But also if the defender can give a check it limits the possible answers for me. Because I always have to look at how I’ll respond to the check.
1. Can you expand the question from "what are the hardest ones" to "is it possible to determine a general level of difficulty"? (I think what makes the second question difficult -- and maybe even the first one) is that it partially involves pattern recognition. Take, e.g., this version of the famous Damiano's mate (FEN q1r4r/1b2kpp1/p3p3/P1b5/1pN1P3/3BBPp1/1P4P1/R3QRK1 b - - 0 1) which involves 9-ply and two rook sacs, and yet, I think any intermediate player would get it if they've studied mate patterns. OTOH, granted, there are a number of very forcing moves to that one. And, also, it's not a two-move mate, of course!
2. When's the 1200-level Tactics Ladder coming out!!
Martin, I liked puzzle #1 in your Sam Loyd collection [FEN "8/8/8/1p2K2B/8/3k4/1P6/1R2B3 w - - 0 1"].
1. b4 Kc2 ( 1... Ke3 2. Rb3# )2. Bg6#
Here's the notes that I put with it:
White's temptation is to rush in and grab the pawn, and in a game that's what someone might do (or create a check with the Rook, leading to a mate in five). When what's needed is to delay and clear space. The solution is counter intuitive. The King has so few escape squares already.
Maybe an amateur like me finds a move like b4 difficult because the pawn on b2 is already covering one of the Black king's escape squares.
But I do think the puzzle is instructive and clever.
In some ways pattern based mate in two problems will most likely be easier compared to pure calculation. If you know the pattern in the damiano's mate you will spot it in seconds.
2. I'm sorry that I lost steam on the project. I'm working on the training community with Nate Solon as my main priority right now.
Most checkmate problems from real games invovle a check as the first move in the solution. This is however often not the case of composed problems, so I do not think I have to use this as a parameter
I think another factor is if the first two moves involves a check. In constructed problems of course the one to mate rarely gives a check in the first move. But also if the defender can give a check it limits the possible answers for me. Because I always have to look at how I’ll respond to the check.
Two thoughts:
1. Can you expand the question from "what are the hardest ones" to "is it possible to determine a general level of difficulty"? (I think what makes the second question difficult -- and maybe even the first one) is that it partially involves pattern recognition. Take, e.g., this version of the famous Damiano's mate (FEN q1r4r/1b2kpp1/p3p3/P1b5/1pN1P3/3BBPp1/1P4P1/R3QRK1 b - - 0 1) which involves 9-ply and two rook sacs, and yet, I think any intermediate player would get it if they've studied mate patterns. OTOH, granted, there are a number of very forcing moves to that one. And, also, it's not a two-move mate, of course!
2. When's the 1200-level Tactics Ladder coming out!!
Martin, I liked puzzle #1 in your Sam Loyd collection [FEN "8/8/8/1p2K2B/8/3k4/1P6/1R2B3 w - - 0 1"].
1. b4 Kc2 ( 1... Ke3 2. Rb3# )2. Bg6#
Here's the notes that I put with it:
White's temptation is to rush in and grab the pawn, and in a game that's what someone might do (or create a check with the Rook, leading to a mate in five). When what's needed is to delay and clear space. The solution is counter intuitive. The King has so few escape squares already.
Maybe an amateur like me finds a move like b4 difficult because the pawn on b2 is already covering one of the Black king's escape squares.
But I do think the puzzle is instructive and clever.
That is also a lovely problem! Simple yet difficult
In some ways pattern based mate in two problems will most likely be easier compared to pure calculation. If you know the pattern in the damiano's mate you will spot it in seconds.
2. I'm sorry that I lost steam on the project. I'm working on the training community with Nate Solon as my main priority right now.
I actually also think that this was one of the realisations I made when I made Checkmate Mastery (https://www.amazon.com/Checkmate-Mastery-Chess-Puzzles-Players-ebook/dp/B0BSCMMTLT)
Most checkmate problems from real games invovle a check as the first move in the solution. This is however often not the case of composed problems, so I do not think I have to use this as a parameter
Agreed on that, but what I also claim is that problems where the defender has one or more possible checks are easier to solve.