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Introduction to series problems

Introduction to series problems

Only Chess

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Originally posted by greenpawn34
Where on earth do you begin?
I'm glad you asked.

Begin by searching for possible stalemate positions. There are only a few possibilities, because white only has one move and thus can only capture one piece. Pretty much ALL the pieces must be involved in the stalemate somehow.

Once you have identified a stalemate position, count moves and see if you can set it up within the allotted 16 moves.

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Originally posted by tomtom232
If you pay attention you'll notice that the first move can't be with the b pawn or the h pawn because that would mean there are cooks (unless they are the only chess man moved), the f pawn can't go first because it checks and the other two pawns are pinned so the first move must be a king move or one pawn moving sixteen times which is really not feasable.
However, this problem is not computer tested, so there is a possibility of cooks.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
However, this problem is not computer tested, so there is a possibility of cooks.
And as we know, too many cooks spoil almost anything.
.......
What does the term cook mean in the context of a chess problem?

Thanks

Phil.

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This is the starting position:



After 1.bxa1=B 2.Bxe5 3.a1=B 4.Bad4 5.c3 6.c2 7.c1=B 8.Bcf4 9.g3 10.g2 11.g1=B 12.Rg2 13.Rh2 14.Rh1 15.h2 16.f2+, white plays Ke2 ending with this stalemate position:

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...er......you just beat me to it by about 100 years.



Black has to make 16 moves on the bounce and then White stalemates
Black with his next move.

To see Mephisto's solution in action I've added a Knight that will hop
back and forth between a7 & c8 as a move waster.

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How about an easier one before SG will undoubtedly test us more.



Series helpmate in 17 moves. Black plays 17 consecutive moves, allowing white to checkmate black in one move.

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Originally posted by MrPhil
And as we know, too many cooks spoil almost anything.
.......
What does the term cook mean in the context of a chess problem?

Thanks

Phil.
A cook is an unintended solution.

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Originally posted by Mephisto2
This is the starting position:

[fen]6r1/8/4Q3/4P3/R1p1k1pR/5p1p/pp6/N3KB2 b - - 0 1[/fen]

After 1.bxa1=B 2.Bxe5 3.a1=B 4.Bad4 5.c3 6.c2 7.c1=B 8.Bcf4 9.g3 10.g2 11.g1=B 12.Rg2 13.Rh2 14.Rh1 15.h2 16.f2+, white plays Ke2 ending with this stalemate position:

[fen]8/8/4Q3/4b3/R2bkb1R/8/4Kp1p/5Bbr b - - 0 17[/fen]
SOLV'D

Four promotions to Bishop.

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series helpmate in 21

Disclaimer - none of these are actually my compositions, but I tend to withhold the composer's names to avoid people just looking them up.

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Originally posted by Mephisto2
How about an easier one before SG will undoubtedly test us more.

[fen]8/8/8/N7/8/8/5p2/k1K5 b - - 0 0[/fen]

Series helpmate in 17 moves. Black plays 17 consecutive moves, allowing white to checkmate black in one move.
3.Kb4 7.Ke1 8.f1R 9.Rf2 13.Kb4 16.Ka1 17.Ra2 Nb3#

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Originally posted by Mephisto2
How about an easier one before SG will undoubtedly test us more.

[fen]8/8/8/N7/8/8/5p2/k1K5 b - - 0 0[/fen]

Series helpmate in 17 moves. Black plays 17 consecutive moves, allowing white to checkmate black in one move.
king moves to e1 and back fourteen moves while the king is on e1 the pawn promotes to a rook then moves to f2. once king is back the rook moves to a2 and 1.Nb3 is mate.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
[fen]1k6/3pp3/1N1P1PP1/3P4/2P5/8/1p6/1K6[/fen]
series helpmate in 21

Disclaimer - none of these are actually my compositions, but I tend to withhold the composer's names to avoid people just looking them up.
SOLV'D [PigsOnThe7th]

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Series helpmate in 17

[Black makes 17 moves in a row, avoiding checks until the last move, then white mates in one].

Difficulty: easy-medium

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series helpstalemate in 41

Black moves 41 times in a row; white stalemates in one. Black avoids checking until final move of sequence.

Difficulty: Hard.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
[fen]1k6/3pp3/1N1P1PP1/3P4/2P5/8/1p6/1K6 b[/fen]
series helpmate in 21

Disclaimer - none of these are actually my compositions, but I tend to withhold the composer's names to avoid people just looking them up.
Solution:

[wRh1 is a dummy piece to kill time]

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