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Chess Problem with Chancellor 3

Around 1889, the American Ben Foster wrote a book called Cancellor Chess, on his chess variant with this name. One important feature of his game is the Chancellor, a piece that has the combined moves of rook and knight. Also, he had a problem composition tourney for problems featuring this piece. This problem, by John Keeble from New England won the first prize in the category 2-move problems.

White:
King f7; Chancellor a4; Knight b7; Bishop b5, h8; Pawn d6, c2, g3.

Black:
King d5; Knight a6, c8; Bishop d2; Pawn c5, e3, f5, g5.

White to mate in two moves.

The chancellor is a piece that has the combined moves of rook and knight (in the same manner as the queen has the combined moves of bishop and rook).

An ingenious problem, but not easy!

Solution

Written Hans Bodlaender, with thanks to Ralph Betza.

WWW page created: March 10, 1997.