Proof Game in 13 moves

@greenpawn34 said
It is good. Very good. I did look at 3.Kxe7 for about 3 seconds a day before
you gave me the hint. Of course I tried pawn to a4 first and it soon dawned on me
that it is a2-a3. Tell the composer I hate him.

Well, I'm thinking it's more the genre of problem [Proof Games in general] that you'd hate, so I won't put that all on him. 🙂

In this problem and many other PG's, one side's moves are set in stone. The only question is the move order. I think for new solvers, this feels like an annoying constraint.

Over time, however, it actually helps save solving time because you learn not to waste any time on moves that aren't on the list.

And then after you get practiced at them, you see problems where both sides have 'spare' moves and paradoxically miss the constraint, because it was a logical thread that lead to a solution.

Hi BigDogg,

It's not that I do like them, I do in a way, it is just that I get sucked in and other
things get left undone and appointments missed.

That one you set in 2020 (gosh as long ago as that?) by Unto Heinonen.
I got a full article out of it CHESS monthly in January 2021. I'll give the meat of it.

Murder in 22 Moves.

A very clever person once worked out how many possible positions there are on
a chessboard after five moves by each player. The figure I have seen quoted is
69,352,859,712,417. I cannot vouch for it being correct, I calculated in pencil
on the back of a brown envelope 69,352,859,712,416 one digit out.
Perhaps I missed an en passant capture somewhere.

So how many possible positions are there after 22 moves? Let us settle on quite a lot.
Now look at this position after Black has played their 22nd move.


(I then go into detail how certain moves and under promotions had to happen)

I have solved and suffered enough of these to know nothing is at it seems
and before weeping with joy after solving and then appreciating the sheer beauty
of maestro Heinonen’s handiwork, I cursed him, his parents and anyone or anything
else that came within range.

I gave up twice but was lured back because after solving it in 23 moves I knew I was
too close to just jack it in. Also the person who set it for me, [you big dogg] and they
too were cursed with leprosy when I was struggling, encouraged me by saying I was
so near (...and yet so far.)

It is time for the detective to gather the suspects into the lounge and
reveal who did what to whom and when it happened.

(I then give the game with notes explaining the why and where for.) I end with;

Is it not amazing how this and other such wonderful examples of chess creativity can
be portrayed with 32 bits of wood and a chequered board. Take me to an art gallery
and I’ll occasionally mutter ‘hmmm...not bad.’ but masterpieces like this leave me
totally gob-smacked especially when I think of the work that went into it.
Bravo Unto Heinonen. Bravo!

@greenpawn34 said
Hi BigDogg,

It's not that I do like them, I do in a way, it is just that I get sucked in and other
things get left undone and appointments missed.

That one you set in 2020 (gosh as long ago as that?) by Unto Heinonen.
I got a full article out of it CHESS monthly in January 2021. I'll give the meat of it.

Murder in 22 Moves.

A very clever person once worked ...[text shortened]... Rh2 Nb5 16. Ba3 Nd4 17. O-O-O Nf5 18. Re1 Ng3 19. Re3 Nf1 20. Rg3 g5
21. Ndf3 Nd2 22. Rg4 Nb1[/pgn]

That one is a great problem. It was made for a composing tournament, and won a prize [although not 1st, as I thought it deserved].