The heroic knight wins this for white!

[@ceejay0137]

I think I saw this puzzle before, on a different chess channel, and that's probably the only reason I found the solution!

[@mstalcup]

I saw virtually the same position and the forced win in a cadet's tournament decades ago at the chess center in Nashville, TN. Justin Sarkar won the game. I remember Hikaru Nakamura was there too. They were all kids.

[@brownro214]

The knight did not win by itself. The black pawn helped.

[@michaelnelson1270]

Exactly. KN vs. K on an empty board is a draw, with additional pieces or pawns present it may or may not be.

[@UteAllef-wo5uj]

​@@michaelnelson1270😂 yes

[@RamKumar-gy9nb]

Im sure you must have read my comment about how I love your usage of knight especially in end games. I have seen these puzzles in your channel before too. These knights are really really dangerous in end games and love its win. No wonder Queen can have the power of two (Rook+Bishop) but it can never move like a knight, that make knight always special. Thank you very much for sharing, god bless you.

[@Jamey-h3e]

Good example of commandeering.

[@dannygjk]

Yes it's a standard chess ending.

[@BlazeRhodon]

Maybe because I've seen similar chess puzzle I've found a solution. But I calculated knight manouver by following squares: f3, d4, e2, c1, b3.

[@IrishMace99]

Yep. There are two equal solutions to this puzzle: the one shown and yours, both mate in 7. The knight just needs to keep an eye on b3 (to avoid ...a2 as a stalemate trap) until it can get to Nc1, which covers b3 and blocks ...Ka2, forcing ...a2 followed by Nb3#.

[@DBlow2003]

great puzzle

[@UteAllef-wo5uj]

Yes, indeed. Genious.😀

[@claytoncrider734]

finally got one!!!!! i watched 100 videos so far and this is the only one i had a chance

[@arnoldbissen9921]

I wonder if you can still force-mate if the pawn if further up (dawn for black) the board..

[@MrGilfred]

I would like to know if Black can setup a stalemate trap for white when white moves the knight to g4 by moving his pawn preventing his king from moving. Now the next move from white would have to be a checkmate but since the knight cannot move to b3 it is a stalemate. Unless there is something that I am not seeing here. Which could lead to black winning if you let the king out some to be able to promote the pawn.. Otherwise Black will either stalemate the game or win with the right move.

[@IrishMace99]

White has two jobs here: first, we cannot allow the black king to escape the a file, else he'll be able to promote the pawn. That's why the white king needs to post up on Kc2, to allow the knight to stop guarding the ...Kb1 escape. Second, once the white king is in place, the knight cannot stray too far (Ng4 would be too far), else black can "lock in" the king with the pawn and force a stalemate as you say. Anytime black moves ...Ka1, the knight must move to a square that threatens b3, because Nb3 is checkmate if the pawn moves to a2. That forces black to bounce his king between a2 and a1, until white can get the knight to c1, which threatens Nb3 while blocking the black king from a2. That forces (pawn) ...a2, allowing the threat of Nb3 to pay off with 7. Nb3#.

[@nikolausseydel1728]

Is it true, that in an online game, black could draw by letting his time run out? Followed by "Draw by insufficient material"?

[@Veritifiy]

That is correct, WHEN a player's time runs out. without his opponent having the material ability to deliver a checkmate - no more pawns and only one minor piece or only 2 knights, he earned 1/2 point by removing all threats to his King even though it took all of his time

[@Michael_in_Jena]

Over the board as well, at least in any blitz or rapid game - even though it is a forced win! But I am willing to bet that this never, ever happened in a real game.

[@UteAllef-wo5uj]

Yes

[@jcvc161]

I would doubt that, as in this case with the a-pawn this material is obviously sufficient

[@joshuahudson2170]

@@Michael_in_Jena Not by the rules; when the time runs out and your opponent's flag dropped claim a forced win on the board to the arbiter.

[@4231jerome]

haha, I didn’t get it, despite guessing the first 2 moves correctly

[@UteAllef-wo5uj]

I also often have these problems in playing online, playing with a real board makes it easier, I think. But it is so much fun with this chanel and the people here and so much exercise... I wish you and us all a merry Christmas!

[@4231jerome]

@ you too! Good vibes much appreciated. Yeah I think in the new year I’m going to get myself a chess board for figuring out puzzles

[@brettmccann3403]

A clever little puzzle, not particularly difficult, but certainly not lacking in charm.

[@rogerkearns8094]

Quite a well-known puzzle, I think. Very trappy!

[@UteAllef-wo5uj]

Well, he really ❤ us, this 1 will be great! I will go into it asap. Nevertheless, it seems to become Xmas... 😊

[@giovannicorno1247]

Typical mate pattern😊

[@jasont2986]

This puzzle is so situationally specific that it is irrelevant to game play.

[@michatablet9242]

You are wrong, You learn the principals about the final moves.