Mate in 5 — Problem #1998417
Black to move — find the mate
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9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
一
二
三
四
五
六
七
八
九
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Show solution
▲５二銀 △４二玉 ▲５一角 △３一玉 ▲４一飛
Why this move works
The answer is ▲５二銀 △４二玉 ▲５一角 △３一玉 ▲４一飛, a five-move mate that drives the king into a corner with three drops in a row. ▲５二銀 pushes the king to 4二, ▲５一角 pushes it on to 3一, and ▲４一飛 mates.
The king is hemmed in by its own pieces (knight 2一, silver 2二, gold 3二), so the square it is driven to offers no escape. Exploiting the king’s own traffic jam is a very practical finishing idea.