Puzzle of the week #341

Submitted by eugen on Sun, 03/25/2018 - 21:19
Opening
Level
2-Knight
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #341"][Date "2018.03.25"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rnbqkb1r/3nppp1/pp1p3p/3N2B1/3NP3/6P1/PPP2P1P/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 1"]
After 8 moves in their game, the players have reached this position with white to move. Your tasks:
a) What part of the game are they at now?
b) What has white done so far?
c) What has black done so far?
d) White to move and win

Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #342.

Puzzle #340 solution:
Puzzle by Stamma. This week's best answers are by the top scorers. It is good to see so many joining the top answers!
a) Black's main threat is Qh4-h1#
b) White could escape with 1. Kf1, but black's attack leads to a win. The only other choice is to look for a checkmate using only check moves. White would then checkmate first
[Event "Puzzle #340"][Date "2018.03.18"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rn3r1k/6pp/1pN2p2/p3N3/1P5q/PQ2PPp1/5n2/2R3K1 w - - 0 1"]1. Qg8+ Kxg8 (1... Rxg8 2. Nf7#) 2. Ne7+ Kh8 3. Nf7+ Rxf7 4. Rc8+ Rf8 5. Rxf8#

Correct solutions:
Lyvia, Matthew, Joey, Aiden, Coby, Eric, Mengbai - 20 points
Glyn, Walter - 18 points
Lucas - 12 points
Blake, Jacey - 10 points
Itamar, Zhengyu - 8 points
Steven, Chris - 2 points

Standings:
Matthew - 190 points
Eric - 180 points
Lyvia - 168 points
Coby - 156 points
Joey - 152 points
Aiden - 146 points
Mengbai - 145 points
Glyn - 126 points
Zhengyu - 104 points
Walter - 103 points
Itamar - 97 points
Blake - 91 points
Jacey - 82 points
Lucas - 81 points
Brian - 80 points
Chris - 25 points
Darius - 20 points
Steven - 2 points