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The Hardest chess problem in the world?

hebdenbridgechessclub.blogspot.com

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Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#61

Post by libria »

twcooper wrote: post #50
t0mbstone wrote: post #32

A poorly phrased question that lacks context != cleverness The "puzzle" relies on an obscure situation which isn't even a rule. You might as well claim that the kings can checkmate each other, or that the rook can spontaneously transform into a queen. HEY GUYS CHECK OUT THIS FAKE PUZZLE THAT REQUIRES YOU TO IGNORE EVERYTHING YOU KNOW ABOUT CHESS RULES FOR IT TO WORK

I think you're just disappointed because you wanted to solve a chess problem. I liked the article because I read it as a story to be enjoyed rather than a problem to be solved.

Marketing problem-solving and delivering history is linkbait, and I dislike bait-and-switch equally among journalism and retail. It's deceptive and the article doesn't deserve the clicks it's getting.

Name it "An interesting historical chess rule" and let the chips fall where they may. (I wouldn't have clicked that FWIW)

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#62

Post by aaronrenoir »

If chess is a analogy of war and a pawn infiltrates the other side. I believe he has the right to choose a side. I mean he may scale the castle wall only to die releasing a captured prisoner, or he may disrobe a night and get back on the battle field. I love this idea.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#63

Post by coffeevradar »

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.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#65

Post by rtkwe »

rza wrote: post #52
rtkwe wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If white promotes to Queen there are no legal moves for any of blacks' pieces because all the pawns are blocked and the King cannot move into check. It's a stalemate at that point and a draw.

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

What moves do you see leading to that?

The king is at C7 and the Queen is at A8 in the video. They king can't do anything. The whole reason to under promote is for white to avoid stalemate when he/she has a winning checkmate.

The only other moves are after white pawn b7 would be to just run the king out of the fork (legal) but then black's whole position collapses and white just cleans up the same as if black plays king B8.

Once the king is tucked in and the D file pawns are blocked he can ONLY move to C7. If he moves out of the fork earlier to C7 or D8 he still loses the rook and the two pawns are still trapped. Against white's D pawn.

edit: We're also talking about this puzzle instead of the original. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSKtG-8TwI0 Which is different and doesn't use old rule loop holes.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#66

Post by Roodgorf »

simcop2387 wrote: post #51
nikbackm wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

zbir gur gbjre

Qbrfa'g gung serr gur ovfubc gb zngr gur xvat? Gur bayl zbirf V pna frr gung jbhyqa'g qb vg ner gb zbir gur juvgr xvat.

Except that there aren't any legal moves for the white king, he's caught between the black square bishop and rook on 7th rank.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#67

Post by sgustard »

imaginenore wrote: post #11

From FIDE rules: > When a player, having the move, plays a pawn to the rank furthest from its starting position, he must exchange that pawn as part of the same move for a new queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour on the intended square of arrival. > promotion: 3.7e. Where a pawn reaches the eighth rank and is replaced by a new queen, rook, bishop or knight of the same colour. https://www.fide.com/fide/hand…

More on the rule history and this puzzle.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Promotion_%28chess%29#1862_Bri...

"The broad language of Law XIII also appears to allow promotion to any piece of either color. This led to the whimsical endgame study diagrammed at right. White is to play and checkmate in one move."

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#68

Post by ColinWright »

rza wrote: post #52
rtkwe wrote: post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If white promotes to Queen there are no legal moves for any of blacks' pieces because all the pawns are blocked and the King cannot move into check. It's a stalemate at that point and a draw.

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 )

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#69

Post by bduerst »

Max_Horstmann wrote: post #17
legohead wrote: post #4

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

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.

Re: The Hardest chess problem in the world?

#70

Post by redindian75 »

Max_Horstmann wrote: post #17
legohead wrote: post #4

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

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
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