Hint 1

It's mate in 4.

Hint 2

Nf7+ then Nh6+

Smothered mate

The solution is here - https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/120785379743?tab=analysis&move=59 - check top of the right sidebar.

I started trying something new when I watch speed chess.

  1. Sometimes I watch players stronger than me but not too much stronger than me.

  2. I keep the evaluation bar off so I'm forced to think without hints. I'm way too addicted to the elav bar.

Spoiler - I mention what I saw in real time.

I watched this game a few minutes ago. I thought I was clever to notice Nf7+ and Nxd8 which wins the rook. But even though I love smothered mates - I didn't even think to look for that. When white played Nh6+ I nearly groaned. What the- Oh! I missed it! Fuuuuuuck!

  • Tomorrow_Farewell [any, they/them]
    ·
    4 days ago
    spoiler

    Nf7 Kg8
    Nh6
    Then, either
    1.
    ... Kh8
    Qg8 Rxg8
    Nf7
    Smothered checkmate.
    Or
    2.
    ... Kf8
    Qf7

    Let's see if I was correct.

    EDIT: Seems like I solved this one correctly.

  • MidnightPocket [comrade/them]
    ·
    5 days ago

    I checked the solution and it was much simpler than I expected; can't the pawn just kill the knight to avoid the king having to move back/forth? Doesn't seem like checkmate since to escape check it is legal to capture the threatening piece.

    • InevitableSwing [none/use name]
      ·
      5 days ago

      can't the pawn just kill the knight to avoid the king having to move back/forth?

      No. It's double check and double check is (very) nasty.

    • bunnygirl [she/her]
      ·
      5 days ago

      In any double check (queen and knight here), the only possible response is to move the king

    • Barabas [he/him]
      ·
      5 days ago

      The king is also put in check by the queen, taking the knight doesn’t remove that threat.

      • Wakmrow [he/him]
        ·
        5 days ago

        NF7+ KG8 NH6+ KF8 QG7#

        If you wanted to be spiteful you could do this to deny the smother

        • propter_hog [any, any]
          ·
          5 days ago

          I followed you until Qg7#. The Queen is on e6, so it can't move to g7 in one move.

          ETA: I see you meant Qf7#, but that line doesn't work in the puzzle because I believe Kf8 is going to be worse than Kh8, but I'd want to see what the analysis says about it. At that point mate in 2 is unavoidable regardless.

          • Wakmrow [he/him]
            ·
            5 days ago

            Yeah, meant qf7#, I always mess up notation lol.

            I mean there is no analysis at this point, it's forced mate. Neither kh8 nor kf8 is better. But black can avoid a smother if they choose. For the record, I would not avoid it, smothers are cool.

  • Nationalgoatism [he/him]
    ·
    5 days ago

    Nxd8 also leads to a mate in 3 or 4. Black has to respond Kh8 or Kf8, so Qe8 or Qf7 respectively. This is a cool play as well though

    • Speaker [e/em/eir]
      ·
      5 days ago

      I don't think Nxd8 would be legal. EDIT: Oh, I see it, next move. My bad. Though I think you need the smother to avoid Qxe6.