21 Sep 08
1 edit
I will post an original final position and everyone who would like to participate will compose a problem that, by a forced series of moves, ends in that position. You have a week to do so and at the end of that week we will have a vote to determine who composed the best problem.
We will start off with a relatively easy one and if this catches interest it will be up to the winner to provide a final position that is more difficult to reach than the last one.
To be honest, I am not exactly sure how well this will work out but I hope for the best.
What the composer will post is a starting position with an amount of moves til mate. White or black can be the first to move no matter which is the one mated. Help mates are acceptable.
Here we go!
21 Sep 08
1 edit
Originally posted by greenpawn34Thanks. I should have posted an example myself... What I'm wondering is if somebody(maybe SwissGambit) will figure a way to utilise en passant.
I'll start with an easy peasy solution just so people get the idea.
[fen]r7/k1K5/p5Q1/P7/3q4/8/8/8[/fen]
1.Qb6+ Qxb6 2.axb6 mate.
I think I should allow extra pieces as long as the composer's final position is essentially the same as the position posted above.
21 Sep 08
1 edit
Originally posted by tomtom232For ep to be used, the composer must ask himself the question: "Why does the pawn need to step two squares instead of just one?" With this final position, there is no apparent motivation for ep. So, we'll have to settle for a different kind of special move.
Thanks. I should have posted an example myself... What I'm wondering is if somebody(maybe SwissGambit) will figure a way to utilise en passant.
I think I should allow extra pieces as long as the composer's final position is essentially the same as the position posted above.
Helpmate in 4
Black starts and both sides cooperate. White's 4th move should mate Black.
21 Sep 08
Originally posted by SwissGambitTricky tricky! That is a nice one... I'm going to have to put on my thinking hat to come up with a better problem than that.
For ep to be used, the composer must ask himself the question: "Why does the pawn need to step two squares instead of just one?" With this final position, there is no apparent motivation for ep. So, we'll have to settle for a different kind of special move.
[fen]r3k3/8/p1K5/8/8/1P6/8/8[/fen]
Helpmate in 4
Black starts and both sides cooperate. White's 4th move should mate Black.
21 Sep 08
Originally posted by tomtom232This can be done a tad faster than 7 moves:
Alright I'm new at this help mate thing so I hope this is correct... Cos if it is then I think it might beat SwissGambit's problem.
[fen]r3k2r/1p6/p2K4/P7/8/8/2P5/8 b kq - 0 7[/fen]
Black to move help mate in 7
Made it a little better.
1.b6 axb6 2.Kd8 b7 3.Rh5 bxa8Q#
21 Sep 08
1 edit
Originally posted by SwissGambitObvious way to extend this one full move:
For ep to be used, the composer must ask himself the question: "Why does the pawn need to step two squares instead of just one?" With this final position, there is no apparent motivation for ep. So, we'll have to settle for a different kind of special move.
[fen]r3k3/8/p1K5/8/8/1P6/8/8[/fen]
Helpmate in 4
Black starts and both sides cooperate. White's 4th move should mate Black.
Helpmate in 5
21 Sep 08
Originally posted by tomtom232I was just thinking - there is a specific problem type eminently suited for this sort of this thread - Proof Games!
Ahh its not a big deal. I just have to be more creative.
In those, you give a final position, and there is only one possible sequence of moves from the standard chess start position that reaches it.
21 Sep 08
Originally posted by SwissGambitBut then you would just be posting a problem instead of posting the end result and trying to compose a problem that reaches that end result... Maybe we can do proof games too though... Whoever composes the best proof game wins I guess.
I was just thinking - there is a specific problem type eminently suited for this sort of this thread - Proof Games!
In those, you give a final position, and there is only one possible sequence of moves from the standard chess start position that reaches it.