One move does not belong

I'm thinking of a position in which all but one of the following moves are possible:

1.Ba8#
1.Ba7#
1.Ba6#
1.Ba5#
1.Ba4#
1.Ba3#
1.Ba2#
1.Ba1#
1.Qc4

Which move is not possible?

Hi BigDogg

I'm just about to tidy up and post a blog. I'll be back.

OK Blog posted. Look at the time, at my age I should be tucked up in bed.
But thanks to you I'm not. You know I could not sleep with this hanging over
my head. My first try will be with a Queen on c4 because I know you and that
is bound to be the answer....or not.

@greenpawn34 said
OK Blog posted. Look at the time, at my age I should be tucked up in bed.
But thanks to you I'm not. You know I could not sleep with this hanging over
my head. My first try will be with a Queen on c4 because I know you and that
is bound to be the answer....or not.

On this one, you might end up asleep on the board with dreams of Bishops flying about. 😈

A clue! I figured out I might need a synod of Bishops but I've only popped
back to say I'm off to bed. I'll give it a good go in the morning, or should
I say later on today.


I only found that out a while back.

Up and bushy tailed refreshed. I must had bee dog tired last night.
it appears I have fallen asleep in mid sentence.

I only found that out a while back. Synod is the collective term for Bishops.
For some reason I always thought it was a cloister. Was what I tried to say.

Still nowhere near solving this one Big Dog but I'm on it.

I have taken care of 1.Ba8# 1.Ba7# 1.Ba6# and 1.Ba5#



Now what? flip the board and mirror the solutions.

@greenpawn34 said
I have taken care of 1.Ba8# 1.Ba7# 1.Ba6# and 1.Ba5#

[fen]1k1B3R/1B6/8/3B4/2QB4/4B3/8/1R4K1 w - - 0 1[/fen]

Now what? flip the board and mirror the solutions.

Try moving the black king closer to the center. There are more angles of attack.

I have it down to 7 Bishop move mates, the missing one is 1.Ba5.



1.Ba1# 1.Ba2# 1.Ba3# 1.Ba4# 1.Ba6# 1.Ba7# 1.Ba8#

@greenpawn34 said
I have it down to 7 Bishop move mates, the missing one is 1.Ba5.

[fen]1B6/2B5/8/RBkBR3/5Q2/2B5/2R5/2B4K w - - 0 1[/fen]

1.Ba1# 1.Ba2# 1.Ba3# 1.Ba4# 1.Ba6# 1.Ba7# 1.Ba8#

That's thinking in the right direction.

The only thing wrong with this position is that Qc4 is a check.

Hi Bigdog,

"The only thing wrong with this position is that Qc4 is a check."

I know, I was hoping you would not notice. I'll be back.

@bigdogg said
I'm thinking of a position in which all but one of the following moves are possible:

1.Ba8#
1.Ba7#
1.Ba6#
1.Ba5#
1.Ba4#
1.Ba3#
1.Ba2#
1.Ba1#
1.Qc4

Which move is not possible?

I would venture

Reveal Hidden Content

@ponderable said
I would venture

Hidden content removed

By that reasoning, 1. Ba1# would also be impossible.

@bigdogg said
By that reasoning, 1. Ba1# would also be impossible.

I now found one position





Edits: I found out you can't hide a board ...

@ponderable said
I now found one position


[fen]k7/3n1q1n/5b2/5K2/4PPP1/8/8/8w - - 0 1[/fen]


Edits: I found out you can't hide a board ...

If you mirror that position vertically, you get 1.Ba8#