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Frosted Board

Puzzle #35: Five in a Row

  • DifficultyHard
  • To moveLight
  • TaskWin in 4
  • Main line7 half-moves

Light to move. 19 stones are on the board, 10 dark and 9 light.

Make five in a line within 4 moves. Every move of the solution is a four, so the opponent's answers are forced.

What the position is about

  • chain of fours — Each move of the solution makes a four, so every reply is forced.
  • open four — The final shape is four in a row with both ends free, which cannot be blocked.
  • forcing sequence — The solution is a series of threats, each one leaving the defence a single answer.

Finding the way in

Four-move wins chain fours across two or three directions. Try each four you can make and see where the forced block sends the defence.

Play the position in your head from the opponent's side: what would you do against your favourite move? If there is a good answer, try the next candidate.

Show the first move

Start with h6. Played out against the stiffest resistance, the whole line goes: h6 h9 h5 h4 e8 d9 j4.

Solve it and the next puzzle of the same game is one tap away. Your solved puzzles are ticked in the list, in this browser only.