This does indeed seem to be underpromotion week on CG.com. In this puzzle, we see a theme that should be familiar to all those who play (or play against) the Albin Counter-Gambit.

White begins with 6. exf7+, leaving Black two options:

(1) 6. ...♔xf7?; 7. ♕xd8 .

(2) 6. ...♔e7; 7. fxg8=♘+!, when Black can lose quickly with

(2.1) 7. ...♖xg8?; 8. ♗g5+ and White wins the queen, or slowly with

If the knight had consciousness and self-awareness (“I move crooked, therefore I am”) it might wonder (with hope) whether after the end of the game, it might be taken out of the box again, to play another day. It is easier not to be afraid when you have hope. The pawns have been assured that they come back as queens, the kings and queens don’t care so long as they are waited on hand and foot in the box as on the board. The bishops believe they retain a molecular memory of the laying on of hands (a player who loses a lot goes on losing if they move their bishop.) The rooks deny there is an end of game or a box, only straight up and down rooks. Only the knights are philosopher warriors. And even knights have their doubts.

allow in manage 6...ke7 7.fxg8n+ i know motoring gknight essential

one in active spark or energy it late in surge Rxg8 8.bg5+ once

again my friend Abigail skewer thin picking for mother d8 in hope

again i symbol it lovely crash in exf7+ i mirroring ti method delve

in draw for i proof ender i licked immediately dxc3 or risk bet in

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you in g8 single in aim it learn in level it knight can jump in from

it ng8 or energy it ke8 in nerd solution ar good in hammer it dun

king get hustle in heading off to the bargain east side vindiate

tease in sway it fat chance king can in effect it reach in d8 conq

it d1 wane off again manage in early it down for captain g8 minding

ear plume it wash in ergo lump in towing and frowing in buoyant no

time like bg5 in kidding off a leg guard in b1 reigns lower in g8

star c4 to f7 a lash in glad i shape for ongoing a g8 back in dig it

reassure hop involve it's limber up tour eg in d4 nc3 bung check in

No, I do not seek anything particular, just wanted to know if there are such possibilities or not. Thank You really much.

<CG> continues to juggle. See the trick. After move 5...dxc3? black was up a knight. But after 7.fxg8=N+ white who is up the knight.

Seeing that his own knight changed the color, black decided that something wrong with his eyes and was sent to doctor.

I imagine the poor prawn has a miserable life. Before the game, he agonises about whether he will get to be a glory-hound as the e or d pawn, face the terrifying prospect of being in the f pawn firing line, or even the game winning outside passed a pawn.

It's the not knowing, that's the worst thing. Will I be playing with the elite on top board or man-handled by some snotty-nosed kid who doesn't wash his hands?

We may think that the prawn dreams of promotion. But all that happens to the humble footsoldier is that he gets substituted off the field, just as things get interesting. Imagine his pain and disappointment. He has spent five or six moves steadily marching up the board. All the time under fire by the much bigger and more powerful pieces. And when he does get to the eighth rank, what happens?

Instantly, he is sent to the sidelines to sit out the rest of the game. Meanwhile his place is taken by one of the fatter pieces ... and probably one that has already got itself killed and is getting a second chance.

A second chance! Pah - we prawns never get a second chance. No-one ever underpromotes to a prawn.

6.exf7+ Ke7

Many would now be satisfied to regain the piece with 7.Qxd8+ Kxd8 8.fxg8=Q Rxg8 9.bc with a two-pawn advantage on the king-side. White can try for more with

7.fxg8=N+! Ke8! (Rxg8 8.Bg5+ wins) 8.Qxd8+ (Qb3? cxb2 is asking for trouble) Kxd8 9.Bg5+?! Ke8 (Kc7 10.Ne7 h6 11.Bf4+ and white's extra knight escapes to d5) 10.Nf6+ gxf6 11.Bxf6 cxb2 12.Bxh8 bxa1=Q+ 13.Bxa1 Bb4+ 14.Kd1 with a two-pawn advantage that should be won.

I prefer 9.Nh6! gxh6 (cxb2? 10.Bxb2 and the Nh6 escapes) 10.bc and the two-pawn advantage is stronger with black's doubled h-pawn and equal pawns on queen-side.

Unless, of course, that is what CG has in store for us on Sunday?>

Preview of coming attractions!

click for larger view

Under the normal rules of chess this is mate in 4 for White; however, <1.cxd8P> is mate in 3!

The threat is 2.f8Q#, and Black's only helpful defenses are bishop checks. However, after the "pawn promotion", 1...Bf5+ 2.Rxf5 is not stalemate as Black must walk into 2...Ke7 3.f8Q#. An even neater line is 1...Bc6+ 2.bxc6 Kxc6 3.b5#.

Other promotions will not work. If White promotes the d-pawn to a queen or rook instead, Black is stalemated immediately. After 1.cxd8B Bf5+, White cannot capture without producing stalemate (since the new bishop protects e7), and 2...Bxc8 will prevent mate on the next move. Similiarly, after 1.cxd8N Bc6+ 2.bxc6 would be stalemate since the new knight protects c6, and other moves allow Black to survive an extra move with 2...Bxa8.

It is debatable if it enjoys losing its identity, for what a P does while it is living is incomparable.

In this position all participate; it is a concert that produces a 3-mate.

click for larger view

<6.?>

Material: Black up, ♘!

Candidates: <[exf7† with fxg8=N†]>

This is a very famous trap, so to say, usually shown from Black's point of view in the Albin Countergambit in the QGD: 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e5 3.dxe5 d4 4.e3?! Bb4†! 5.Bd2?! dxe3! 6.Bxb4? exf2 7.Ke2 fxg1=N†. After that, the same happens as what executed here:

<6.exf7† Ke7 7.fxg8=N† Ke8> Rxg8 8.Bg5† is toothless.