The Most Fantastic Chess Ending of Them All? |
White to play and mate in two
This amazing layout was designed by C. Coumondy of France. The finish
is as spectacular as it is unlikely. Give it a try; it's worth the effort.
Do not read further until you have decided. Solution below.
If black makes any other play, white simply moves his rook anywhere. Game over.
I call this the King Jeopardy Coup.
Although Black cannot put white in check within a single move, white places his
own king such that it can be attacked in eleven different ways!
If that isn't a record, it must be mighty close to it. In any case,
white has a game-ending counter irrespective of black's play.
And that's a bizarre and fantastic ending indeed!