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This is the first of a series of challenges I'll be posting regularly. In this case it is just a simple mate in one. This is the position:

 [Title "White to mate in one"]
 [FEN "1Bb3BN/R2Pk1pr/1Q5B/4q2R/2bN/4Q1BK/1p/1bq1R1rb w - - 0 1"]

White plays and gives mate. It seems very easy but there are a lot of pieces in the board. I'll be increasing or reducing the level of the challenges based on the answers.

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  • 1
    Hi @Adolfo! Good idea for a series of posts (reminds me of Puzzling.SE). If you are posting a problem from a specific place, can you include the source please? If not, well done on composing an engaging problem!
    – user1108
    Commented Nov 19, 2015 at 11:50
  • @Bad_Bishop Thanks, I was thinking about something similar. I don't know any "official" source for this one, a member of my chess club showed it to me a few weeks ago, but I don't know where she found it. I'll add the source from now on.
    – S -
    Commented Nov 19, 2015 at 11:52
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    Thanks for that. I am not a lawyer, but the discussion of copyrighting in chess has come up before (e.g. chess.com/forum/view/general/who-owns-my-games-and-puzzles). I just wouldn't want you to risk getting in hot water for making a good post.
    – user1108
    Commented Nov 19, 2015 at 12:02
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    This checkmate is mentioned in a Ben Finegold video: youtube.com/watch?v=0saFg21rbY8
    – Rebecca J. Stones
    Commented May 15, 2019 at 0:13
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    Ual, Black has FOUR light-bishops o.O
    – artu-hnrq
    Commented May 1, 2020 at 0:50

4 Answers 4

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It seems that

Qa3

is mate in one. It is indeed harder than it looks at first sight, because there are so many pins.

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2

Nice puzzle, this took me a few minutes.

The answer is 1.Qa3#.

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1

Moving

D7 to D8

ending up with 3 Queens

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  • 13
    d7-d8Q would be invalid - the pawn is pinned against the king by the bishop on c8.
    – Glorfindel ♦
    Commented Nov 20, 2015 at 19:45
  • @A.A. If we overlook d8 being illegal, a queen on d8 would attack the king in addition to the rook on a7, and Bb7 would block only one of these attacks. I don’t understand your comment.
    – Brian Drake
    Commented Nov 7, 2020 at 13:16
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The only escape sqare that isn't currently covered by White is f8.
1. Ng6 is the only move which gives check, while also defending f8, without also opening up another escape square.
1. Qc5 comes close, but it allows 1… Kd8.

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1
  • 1… Bxg6. Nevermind. 😔
    – Jivan Scarano
    Commented May 25, 2016 at 19:36

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