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Your support makes all the difference.Two problems for the price of one this week, both over 150 years old. The first, composed in 1842 by Adolf Anderssen, is White to play and mate in four. The second is a mate in five from five years earlier, composed by Auguste D'Orville.
In the Anderssen problem, White's problem is avoiding stalemate. If he leaves his bishops where they are, Black has no move, but if he moves them away, the king escapes to g6 or g5. But the best way to catch a fish, of course, is to use some bait.
That is also the best hint for position two. White's knights become hopelessly tangled in avoiding stalemate if they try to mate the king in the corner, but if you've solved the previous problem, this should be a doddle.
Solutions:
Position one: 1.Bh5!! Kxh5 2.Kg7 h6 3.Kf6 Kh4 4.Kg6 mate!
Position two: 1.Nh5 h6 2.Ne7 Kh7 3.Ng6!! (the only way to keep the king out of the corner) Kxg6 4.Bg8!! Kxh5 5.Bf7 mate! A splendid trail.
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