The Hardest chess problem in the world? • Hacker News Board

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#71

Post by rip747 » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:03 PM UTC

legohead wrote: post #4

For an actual legal and cool puzzle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKtG-8TwI0

i don't get it, maybe its because i'm not a huge chess player, but hear me out. The the key to the puzzle was promoting to a bishop, but why not just promote to a queen? A queen can move directions just the same as a bishop. Am I missing something that required a bishop in order to complete this puzzle?

Edit: Thank you for the comment explaining this.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#72

Post by rtkwe » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:07 PM UTC

ColinWright wrote: post #68

rza wrote: post #52

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Actually, wouldn't it be that the black King would just capture the Queen?

As I said elsewhere, you might be responding to a different puzzle (the original) from the one now being discussed (from https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10240289 )

Didn't think about that being the reason so many people are talking about capturing the queen.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#73

Post by dsp1234 » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC

rip747 wrote: post #71

legohead wrote: post #4

For an actual legal and cool puzzle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKtG-8TwI0

i don't get it, maybe its because i'm not a huge chess player, but hear me out. The the key to the puzzle was promoting to a bishop, but why not just promote to a queen? A queen can move directions just the same as a bishop. Am I missing something that required a bishop in order to complete this puzzle? Edit: Thank you for the comment explaining this.

Promoting to a queen would result in a stalemate as the black player would have no legal moves. Promoting to a bishop allows the king to move to the the 8th row, allowing the final checkmate by white

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#74

Post by atmosx » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC

coffeevradar wrote: post #63

atmosx wrote: post #8

> "I first encountered this position in June 1937 [...]" OT remark: Jesus. I work with the elderly, mostly. I would love to have her clarity of thought if and when I reach her age. I've heard before that playing chess retains hair loss and mental deterioration, especially in the elderly.

> retains hair loss I don't think I understand.

s/retains/inhibits.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#75

Post by thesteamboat » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:11 PM UTC

rip747 wrote: post #71

legohead wrote: post #4

For an actual legal and cool puzzle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKtG-8TwI0

i don't get it, maybe its because i'm not a huge chess player, but hear me out. The the key to the puzzle was promoting to a bishop, but why not just promote to a queen? A queen can move directions just the same as a bishop. Am I missing something that required a bishop in order to complete this puzzle? Edit: Thank you for the comment explaining this.

If white promotes to a queen, black will have no legal moves because the king can't move into check, and the pawns can't move at all. If a player can't move, the game is a draw.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#76

Post by electrotype » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:17 PM UTC

Why is it illegal now? I think it would be more fun if is was legal for the very, very, few cases where it can actually help a player.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#77

Post by Marcus316 » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:18 PM UTC

rip747 wrote: post #71

legohead wrote: post #4

For an actual legal and cool puzzle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKtG-8TwI0

i don't get it, maybe its because i'm not a huge chess player, but hear me out. The the key to the puzzle was promoting to a bishop, but why not just promote to a queen? A queen can move directions just the same as a bishop. Am I missing something that required a bishop in order to complete this puzzle? Edit: Thank you for the comment explaining this.

When the Queen is placed, it becomes Black's turn. Black is not in check, but is in a situation where there are no legal moves for Black to play (his pawns cannot advance, and the king has no legal squares to land on. Because of this, Black can claim a draw instead of a loss.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#78

Post by Avshalom » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:24 PM UTC

bduerst wrote: post #69

Max_Horstmann wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also cool: white to move and NOT mate http://www.chess.com/blog/AaronGo/white-to-move-and-not-mate

That was cool - are there any more of these? Reminds me of Desktop Dungeons for some reason.

Chess problems are a whole field of puzzles. I don't often see ones that are quite as cool as that but there are absolutely tons of them out there.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#79

Post by nichochar » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:30 PM UTC

The article is interesting, but the title is frustrating because clickbaiting. I personally love chess and love challenges, and this was downright disappointing. I don't encourage clickbaiting. This is a shame because the article is interesting

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#80

Post by fferen » Fri, Sep 18, 2015, 8:50 PM UTC

redindian75 wrote: post #70

Max_Horstmann wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Also cool: white to move and NOT mate http://www.chess.com/blog/AaronGo/white-to-move-and-not-mate

SPOILER: Move WhiteRook (G6>C6) thereby giving a check to black King with Knight at (H7). It also blocks WhiteKnight (A8)'s view of the Black King thereby freeing the BlackRook(B7>H7) to kill the WhiteKnight at H7

It's a bishop, not knight.