Solution Chess Reading?

Question

I am able to read chess moves when they are durning a game; however, when i look at chess problems solution key i get lost. I dont know where they are starting or even what they are doing, even if i solved the the problem myself already. Would anyone be kind enough to explain this solution ( http://thinks.com/chess/problem2a.htm ) from start to finish please... thank you

Answer 1

Don't feel bad.  The notation used is weird but I figured it out.

Normally, white's moves are always in the left column, but not here.  And for some strange reason they are using "S" for knight!  What they are trying to show you is that after the white rook slides down to a3 (shown as 1. Ra3) then as you read downward to where it says, "1...Rb1+" they are showing you what happens if blacks response to white's move is moving the black rook down to b1 (directly beside the black king - which puts the white king in check). Now whites mating response to that is shown by "2 Bxb1" which is saying white's bishop on a2 captures that black rook and that's checkmate!

But what if black did something other than "1...Rb1+"?  That's what the next line is showing you.  It is saying, after white's "1. Ra3" move, black could have moved "1...Rxb3" instead of Rb1+.  So it's just showing you what white's mating move would be if black tried other things.  In this example, if black answered white's Ra3 with 1...Rxb3 (or Rook captures that white pawn on b3, then white would answer by mating with "2 Bxb3" (meaning the Bishop captures the black rook which is checkmate also.)

Typically, anytime you see, "..." before a move, that indicates black's move and they are following that standard here.

So, the simplest way to explain it is:

1. Ra3  

----------BLACK------------ WHITE

  If  1 ... Rb1+     then   ---- 2 Bxb1 checkmate

or

  If  1 ... Rxb3     then   -----2 Bxb3  checkmate

or

  If  1 ... Sxa2+   then   -----2 Kd2   checkmate

or

  If  1 ... Rxc2+   then   -----2 Kxc2  checkmate

or

  If  1 ... Rxa2     then   -----2 Bxc3  checkmate

or

  If  1 ... Sd1       then   -----2 Bb1   checkmate

Remember the "S" is the knight which I  can't explain. The knight should be "N".

Anyway, good luck I hope this helps!

You are right - it was confusing!

Answer 2

The reason they use S is because it's German (in German Springer=Knight).  And by the way, the problem is fine (1 Bxc3 would be stalemate, as the pawn on e2 cannot move).

Answer 3

The winning move is Rook to a3. Then each of Black's possible replies is given, along with White's second move in response to each of the possible Black moves.

Answer 4

Hi,

     You may like to visit my web page - link below?  See 'Notation'.  

Yours,

Chesmayne.

Answer 5

the 1. Ra3 is the substitute for all six examples where it shows "......." and is the first move made by white.   lets take the first example 1. Ra3 (rook moves to a3) to prevent a capture by blacks knight.   then blacks response is Rb1+ ( rook goes to b1 and checks the white king).  whites second move is 2 Bxb1 (bishop captures piece on b1)which leads to a discover check because of whites rook that was moved to a3 earlier to prevent its capture from blacks knight on c3 and check mate at the same time.  all six examples are different variations of leading  black to checkmate.