My newest puzzle (it doesn't have a codename yet -- you may come with ideas):


White to move and mate in 11

How difficult is it? Is it at least enjoyable?

Interesting! -- unfortunatly for me though, I had the complete wrong Idea.

Hidden Text Below - [Show it] - [Hide it Again]

soo....Whats the solution?

There is none. It takes 4 moves to get to a winning position(advance the pawn 4 times for checkmate, no other move would even come close) but you need to give your opponent 4 moves first, and they can't promote until their last move. It would require the f pawn moves once, the g pawn advances twice, and either one advances one more time. It takes one move to give your opponent enough moves to promote one pawn, but two moves(one for each pawn) are one more than just enough. The puzzle is impossible(i.e. the only answer is "there is no answer").

Blackadder: nice try, but different idea than what I had in mind when composing the puzzle.
[And btw, Fritz11 only sees mate in 12 or 13 after 30min of infinite anlysis, Chessmaster 10th finds it in SolveForMate]

Hint:

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I'll post the solution later this week. Good luck!

you allways know its a pretty good puzzle if computers fail to solve it. (unless the puzzle requires sub-optimal moves)

With this puzzle, I had a hard time getting other ideas (than the intended solution) to NOT work. (In most cases, your idea lead to shorter mates.)

As for my questions:
I like to have names attached to the puzzles (for easy identification).
A puzzle is good as long as no cook is found by either humans or computers... this I have tested with some engines, but still have a tiny shadow of doubt.
A puzzle is tough/difficult if it is not solved easily. It can be very tough for computers and (very) easy for humans at the same time. [e.g. Checkover 1952 puzzle, depicted below]
A puzzle can be enjoyable or not, independent from its difficulty. [tough puzzles can be very unfriendly, easy puzzles can be very entertaining (e.g. V. Röpke's 1942 puzzle)]

Checkover 1952, white to move and draw

Solution:

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Röpke, 1942, white to move and mate in 6.

Allow me to not post the solution

Solution:

Hidden Text Below - [Show it] - [Hide it Again]

These questions are still open:
How would you name this puzzle?
How difficult does it seem?
How enjoyable does it seem?

You forgot to consider 3.bxa5 which is actually a win for black(or at least a draw).

I didn't forget. As you may have read, moves 3black through 5white can be placed almost everywhere in the solution, (e.g. from 7black to 9white), and all other moves are shifted (e.g. 5black through 9white become 3black through 7white).

Try it over the board.

You mentioned that they can appear anywhere, but you didn't prove that or include any examples involving them.

Very nice, Kornrade! I missed the fact that the g-pawn can run without disturbing the "fortress" around the queen in the corner. And the fact that 1. Nh3 would allow (after ...a3-a2 g6-g7) Qxf1+ Kxf1 a1=Q makes sure there's only one solution; the one with the two knights.

Excellent!

This puzzle, together with Queen Dance and Harem have recently been published in Matplus, in the chapter of original problems (#1229,#1230,#1233 ).

The study Constrictor will soon be sent to the same publication, after finishing the validation of all sidelines.

Compare my puzzle:


with #8 by Friedrich Zlak, The Problemist 2008:


Which one would you prefer and why?