Anticipation...and a Challenge
12.21.11 The by now famous Best of ChessMaine.net end of the year review will be coming to a computer screen near you soon. While our legions of bean counters pore over reams of statistical data separating the wheat from the chaff, we encourage you to take a crack at this composed problem of retrograde analysis. If it's too easy, don't despair, we've got plenty more of the fiendishly maddening variety.
The Best of ChessMaine.net 2011! Coming soon to a computer screen near you!
What was White's last move?
Comments
HI : This is way too easy but its the first problem so I assume the difficulty factor will increase .
e5 +++ is the only move that clears the h1-a8 diagonal and delivers checkmate .
Happy Holidays
Posted by: Philip Lowell | December 22, 2011 10:13 AM
black's last move had to be with a r-n or q to a8 and so a pawn on b7 captured on a8 mate
Posted by: roger morin | December 22, 2011 8:57 AM
P E5
Posted by: FREDERICK A. LARSON | December 21, 2011 5:52 PM
bxa8B#
Posted by: Alex Roy | December 21, 2011 5:41 PM
bxa8...either a r-n-or q...can't be a b
Posted by: roger morin | December 21, 2011 5:25 PM
White pawn on a7 captures black piece on a8. Checkmate!
Posted by: Haley | December 21, 2011 4:47 PM
e5+
checkmate
Posted by: Ted | December 21, 2011 4:13 PM
1. e5#
Thank you, dan
Joe
Posted by: Joe Wrba | December 21, 2011 2:30 PM