Happy Independence Day! Solve the following problems from Grandmaster Pal Benko, which are inspired by the American Revolutionary War. Start off with two problems that depict both Independence Day and July 4th: a mate in 7, and a mate in four in "I" and "D."
1.I
Mate in 7
1.Kd6 Nf4 2. Qc4+ Kf5 3. Qc8+ Kf6 4. Qg4 e2 5.Qxf4+ Kg7 6.Qf7+ Kh8 7.Ng6#
2. D
Mate in 4
1.Re4 g6 2. Re8 g5 3.Rg8 gxh4 4.g4# (if 1…g5 2.Ke6 gxh4 3.Rxh4+ , or
1….gxf6 2.Re5 fxe5 3. Bf6 )
A
Mate in Three
1.c7 Kd6 2. Kb4
R
2.) 1.Nc1 Kc6 2. Kc4 or 1…Ka5, 2.Kc4
Mate in Three
3
Mate in Three
1.Na3 Kc5 2.Ke6
75-
Stalemate (or mate ) in 5
1. 0-0 (White's last move) Kxh6 2. Rf7 Kxh5 3. Rf6 Kxh4 4. Rf5 Kxh3 5. Rf4 stalemate
The solo king (1), and the men in the column (7) and the solution (in five moves) depict the year, 1775. The White men are the patriots while the black king represents the British army. The possible mate in five if (3...Kf8) represents the Lexington, MA victory by the minute men. It became a stalemate situation since there was no decisive victory for either side.
76
Stalemate in 6
1. Rg1 (White's last move) Kxh6 2. Rg5 Kh7 3. Rg6 Kh8 4. h6 Kh7 5. h5 Kh8 6. Rg7 stalemate or 1……Kg8 2. Kf3 Kf7 ( 2……Kf8 3. Rg1 Ke7 4. Rg6 ) 3. Ke4 Ke6 4. h7
There are 7 total + 6 white men on the board in honor of the date US declared independence from Britian, on 1776 at the Continental Congress. There are 7+6 white men on the board, but after the serious loss at the NYC battle, only six White men remain.
Benjamin Franklin said that"We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately." He was a famous physicist, statesman as well as an avid chessplayer. He even wrote an essay on chess and how good it is for the mind.
78
Mate in 8 and stalemate in 3
The stipulations depicts the date of the peace treaty in Paris, in 1783 after eight years of War (eight move mate.) In three moves the King III George could be stalemated,, and US sovereignty is recognized. In the same year with the Louisiana Purchase the US more than doubled its territory
- Ke2 (White's last move) Kh7 2. Rd1 Kxh6 3. Rd7 Kxh5 4. Rd6 Kxh4 5. Rd5 Kxh3 6. Kf3 Kxh2 7. Rd1 ,or
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