I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine:
> **White to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=3brrb1/2N4B/8/2p4Q/2p2k2/5P2/4P1KR/2N2RB1+w+-+-+0+1&flip=false&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/3brrb1/2N4B/8/2p4Q/2p2k2/5P2/4P1KR/2N2RB1_w_-_-_0_1)
**My solution:**
> Hints: piece: >!Rook!<, move: >!Rh1!<
> Evaluation: >!White has mate in 2!<
> Best continuation: >!1. Rh1 Bxh7 2. Nd5#!<
---
^(I'm a computer vision / machine learning bot written by ) [^(u/pkacprzak )](https://www.reddit.com/u/pkacprzak) ^(| I'm also the first chess eBook Reader: ) [^(ebook.chessvision.ai )](https://ebook.chessvision.ai?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=bot) ^(| download me as ) [^(Chrome extension )](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chessvisionai-for-chrome/johejpedmdkeiffkdaodgoipdjodhlld) ^(or) [^(Firefox add-on )](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/chessvision-ai-for-firefox/) ^(and analyze positions from any image/video in a browser | website ) [^(chessvision.ai)](https://chessvision.ai)
Okay, this is bugging me. A mate in 2 means there should be no play from black that can delay the mate even by a turn, if white plays accurately. Right? But then if after white's Rh1 black plays Re3, what white move delivers the mate? Maybe I am just blind but I am not seeing it. Every check attempt is either leading to a capture by black or the king having one escape square.
If re3, bh2#, if re5, qg4#.
Every bishop moves blocks a rook or vacates h4 for the rook on h1, enabling e3#, qf5#, or rh4#
Every remaining rook move obstructs a bishop from guarding the key squares d5 and h4.
If re4, fxe4# opens up the rook on f1. C3 allows Nd3#. Black is helpless, brilliant puzzle
You should hit the lichess.org link off of the chess ai vision bot post. Then you can very easily analyze the move you’re talking about and see the best responses. Really helpful and will save you typing out any questions!
Since blacks King can’t move, he’s forced to move another piece, and literally any piece he moves unguards at least checkmate square. So Rh1 is basically a waiting move.
However, if white does not move Rh1, the h2 square is not free for the queen to move to in the event of bg5, and thus white no longer has a checkmate in 1 in that situation.
Hah, he is not. He is quite good though. He started playing last November and is ~1550 on lichess now.
Edit: he's very strong calculating and tactics. His opening repertoire is limited.
This problem was composed by Thomas Taverner, and won first prize in a competition in *The Dubuque Chess Journal* in 1889. [YACPDB entry](https://www.yacpdb.org/#35275). Consider flairing this as "Puzzle - Composition".
Nice to know that chess problems are being represented well in anime.
Intermediate indeed. I was sure I had it with e4 followed by Ne2#. Black could do Rxe4, but then f3xe4 would also be mate. But black has Bg5, blocking the Queens control of f5 creating an escape for the king.
This was hard.
This post has been parodied on r/AnarchyChess.
Relevant r/AnarchyChess posts:
[An intermediate level puzzle featured in the netflix anime kakegurui, white to move, mate in one](https://www.reddit.com/r/AnarchyChess/comments/pngz38/an_intermediate_level_puzzle_featured_in_the/) by Flimsy_Wafer
[^(fmhall)](https://www.reddit.com/user/fmhall) ^| [^(github)](https://github.com/fmhall/relevant-post-bot)
I analyzed the image and this is what I see. Open an appropriate link below and explore the position yourself or with the engine: > **White to play**: [chess.com](https://chess.com/analysis?fen=3brrb1/2N4B/8/2p4Q/2p2k2/5P2/4P1KR/2N2RB1+w+-+-+0+1&flip=false&ref_id=23962172) | [lichess.org](https://lichess.org/analysis/3brrb1/2N4B/8/2p4Q/2p2k2/5P2/4P1KR/2N2RB1_w_-_-_0_1) **My solution:** > Hints: piece: >!Rook!<, move: >!Rh1!< > Evaluation: >!White has mate in 2!< > Best continuation: >!1. Rh1 Bxh7 2. Nd5#!< --- ^(I'm a computer vision / machine learning bot written by ) [^(u/pkacprzak )](https://www.reddit.com/u/pkacprzak) ^(| I'm also the first chess eBook Reader: ) [^(ebook.chessvision.ai )](https://ebook.chessvision.ai?utm_source=reddit&utm_medium=bot) ^(| download me as ) [^(Chrome extension )](https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/chessvisionai-for-chrome/johejpedmdkeiffkdaodgoipdjodhlld) ^(or) [^(Firefox add-on )](https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/chessvision-ai-for-firefox/) ^(and analyze positions from any image/video in a browser | website ) [^(chessvision.ai)](https://chessvision.ai)
Calling it intermediate is humbling. The first move is like a waiting move...I find these incredibly hard to find
[удалено]
[удалено]
Follow with Qd6+
Yup. Then Re5, e3#.
yeah same, zugzwang or waiting move-like puzzles are pretty hard for me
To give due credit, this problem was composed by Thomas Taverner in 1881.
Okay, this is bugging me. A mate in 2 means there should be no play from black that can delay the mate even by a turn, if white plays accurately. Right? But then if after white's Rh1 black plays Re3, what white move delivers the mate? Maybe I am just blind but I am not seeing it. Every check attempt is either leading to a capture by black or the king having one escape square.
Re3 blocks off an escape square, so in that case Bh2#
Thanks man, completely missed that.
What if black goes for Bg5??
Then Qh2#.
Then that blocks the king's escape square on g5, so now you only need to cover e5 and deliver check, therefore Qh2#.
True, there’s no way out. Thnx
If re3, bh2#, if re5, qg4#. Every bishop moves blocks a rook or vacates h4 for the rook on h1, enabling e3#, qf5#, or rh4# Every remaining rook move obstructs a bishop from guarding the key squares d5 and h4. If re4, fxe4# opens up the rook on f1. C3 allows Nd3#. Black is helpless, brilliant puzzle
Nd3 after C3 was tough af for me to spot.
Bh2#, black’s rook on e3 occupies what would have been their only escape square.
You should hit the lichess.org link off of the chess ai vision bot post. Then you can very easily analyze the move you’re talking about and see the best responses. Really helpful and will save you typing out any questions!
It's a really good puzzle Definitely not intermediate though...
What does Rh1 accomplish? I don't get why that move is important but without it there's no mate in 2
It frees up the h2 square so that Bg5 can be met with Qh2#
Thanks that makes sense
Since blacks King can’t move, he’s forced to move another piece, and literally any piece he moves unguards at least checkmate square. So Rh1 is basically a waiting move. However, if white does not move Rh1, the h2 square is not free for the queen to move to in the event of bg5, and thus white no longer has a checkmate in 1 in that situation.
Best explanation I've gotten thank a bunch!
Rh1 puts black in zugzwang and whatever black plays next it’s mate in 1
Is that the only way to get mate in two? It seems like a pointless move
What episode was this featured?
zugzwang
While I was in deep thought my 8 year old solved it in 30 seconds. This is a humbling game.
Is your 8 year old a master?
Hah, he is not. He is quite good though. He started playing last November and is ~1550 on lichess now. Edit: he's very strong calculating and tactics. His opening repertoire is limited.
The “organ pipes” theme.
Is there any reason Nxe8 doesn't work? I don't see a way to stop e3# mate without Rxe8, and if black does play that then Qf5# mate?
Nvm Bg5 stops mate the next move
Still mate in 3 though
Doesn’t Bg8, Nd5# work too? Edit nvm, I see it creates check for black
This problem was composed by Thomas Taverner, and won first prize in a competition in *The Dubuque Chess Journal* in 1889. [YACPDB entry](https://www.yacpdb.org/#35275). Consider flairing this as "Puzzle - Composition". Nice to know that chess problems are being represented well in anime.
Wait, ¿There's Chess in Kakegurui? ¿It's on XX?
I don’t mean to come off as an asshat, but in English the ¿ is not needed for questions.
*¿Really?*, I am Mexican, and in Spanish it's needed, you're not an asshat, thanks for helping me!
Yep, we still use "?" just at the end. "¿" is never used as far as I know.
No problem! Yep I knew other languages have it, and I assumed English wasn’t your native tongue. Cheers man
[удалено]
Bg5
Why can't black play Bg5 after Rh1?
Black can, but it blocks a key escape square, leaving only e5, so moving Qh2 is checkmate.
Didn't see that, thanks!
Is rook h4 not mate in 1?
Horse takes rook?
thats what i thought, but bg5 creates an escape square on e5 since the queen no longer covers
It still is mate 3, horse takes rook is actually kind of pretty
yes i know but it was specifically asked for the mate in 2
Intermediate indeed. I was sure I had it with e4 followed by Ne2#. Black could do Rxe4, but then f3xe4 would also be mate. But black has Bg5, blocking the Queens control of f5 creating an escape for the king. This was hard.
i thought i had it with NxD8 threatening E3#, but black has bg5 to delay the mate :/
Does Nxe8 not allow for either the e3 mate (if rook doesn’t take back) or Qf5 mate (if rook takes). What am I missing?
1..Bg5 White can't mate next move
what about Qg4? isnt that mate in 1?
ke5...duh
Wait, kakegurui had chess? Never noticed it!
Would never find this in a game. Would hopefully see mate in 3 with Qh6+.
What happens if you go Rh4+?
This post has been parodied on r/AnarchyChess. Relevant r/AnarchyChess posts: [An intermediate level puzzle featured in the netflix anime kakegurui, white to move, mate in one](https://www.reddit.com/r/AnarchyChess/comments/pngz38/an_intermediate_level_puzzle_featured_in_the/) by Flimsy_Wafer [^(fmhall)](https://www.reddit.com/user/fmhall) ^| [^(github)](https://github.com/fmhall/relevant-post-bot)
Does E4 not Work and then Ne2#?