Chess Battle Manual – Solutions
The following are the solutions to the puzzles in the “Chess Battle Manual”. In chess there is a special language called ‘chess notation’ that allows us to describe what moves are being made on the chess board (see ‘N:’ in the ‘Chess A-Z’ section of the Battle Manual). To follow the solutions here you will need to be able to understand chess notation. Don’t worry it is easy once you get the hang of it!
https://www.ichess.net/blog/chess-notation/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbCKgjYh8So – video explaining chess notation
Solutions:
First we will tackle the questions from the ‘Top Tips’ section
Top tip 2:
The correct answer is 2) White can only castle queenside
White cannot castle kingside because the king would have to travel through the f1 square which is attacked by the black bishop – and the king cannot move through check whilst castling. So that rules out 1 and 3. There is no reason why white cannot castle queenside so that rules out 4.
Top tip 3:
The knight on a1 can move to 2 squares (b3 and c2)
The knight on b1 can move to 3 squares (a3, c3 and d2)
The knight on c1 can move to 4 squares (a2, b3, d3 and e2)
The knight on f2 can move to 6 squares (d1, d3, e4, g4, h3 and h1)
The knight on d5 can move to 8 squares (c3, b4, b6, c7, e7, f6, f4 and e3)
Top tip 5:
9.Na4 attacks black’s queen and she cannot escape safely
Top tip 6:
Black should have played 3…Qe7
3…g6 is a bad move which allows 4.Qxe5+ Qe7 5.Qxh8 and white wins the rook in the corner.
3…Nh6 defends the checkmate but after 4.d4 black is in trouble. The bishop on c5 and the knight on h6 are attacked – if the knight is captured then checkmate may follow on f7. This is a common trick and worth remembering.
Top tip 10:
White should play Ra7
This move traps the king along the back row (rank). Now white just has to bring up their own king and the king and rook combination deliver a checkmate.
It is really important to know how to checkmate with a king and rook
Watch this video to master it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fmGVS6YWKg
Now let’s take a look at the ‘Puzzles’ section
Puzzle 1:
Qd6
Double attack – attacking the rook on b8 and the knight on f6
Puzzle 2:
Qxh4
Double attack- attacking the knight’s on b4 and e7
Puzzle 3:
Bh4
Pin – pinning the queen to the king
Puzzle 4:
Qb6
Qc5
Qd2
Checkmate x 3
Puzzle 5:
Rc7
Pin – pinning the queen to the king. Note that the white rook is protected by the white queen on g3
Puzzle 6:
Ne7+
Double attack – attacking the queen on g6 and checking the king on e8
Puzzle 7:
Qb8
Qd7
Qe6
Nb6
Checkmate x 4
Puzzle 8:
Ne3
Double attack – attacking the rook on d5 and the bishop on g4
Puzzle 9:
Bb5
Pin – pinning the queen to the king
Puzzle 10:
Qa3
Pinning the knight to the king
Puzzle 11:
Bd5
Nd2
f3
Checkmate x 3
Puzzle 12:
f4
Pin – pinning the rook to the king.
This was a hard one and could also be considered a ‘discovered attack’ which is another form of tactic. Here the pan moves forward leading to a ‘discovered attack’ from the white bishop on h1 to the black rook on c6.
Puzzle 13:
Kd2
Double attack – attacking the rook on c1 and the bishop on d3
Puzzle 14:
Qe8
Rh7
Nf6
Bf5
Checkmate x 4
Puzzle 15:
Qe5
Double attack – attacking the rook on g3 and threatening checkmate by Qh8
Puzzle 16:
Bf1
Pin – white attacks the rook which cannot move as then white would play Ba6 checkmate !