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Stalemate

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I am curious how everyone is getting 18 moves. I am getting 17.

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Help.

Once the BR is next to the WK I do not see how to dislodge it or to allow the WR to take it with check. Any clues? (other than it should take 17/18 moves and end with a rook check)

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
I am curious how everyone is getting 18 moves. I am getting 17.
8. ... Re8!

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Originally posted by Habeascorp
Help.

Once the BR is next to the WK I do not see how to dislodge it or to allow the WR to take it with check. Any clues? (other than it should take 17/18 moves and end with a rook check)
There is a way to escape the checks. It requires a good imagination to see it, though.

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Originally posted by heinzkat
9. ... Re8!
PM sent.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
PM sent.
I can't count, that's it I suppose - 8. ... Re8.

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Originally posted by heinzkat
I can't count, that's it I suppose - 8. ... Re8.
9.Kg2 with 10.Rh5 to follow. Playing it on move 8 makes no difference.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
9.Kg2 with 10.Rh5 to follow. Playing it on move 8 makes no difference.
It might well be true, but things aren't that easy I remember... what about 9. ... Rg8.

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Originally posted by heinzkat
It might well be true, but things aren't that easy I remember... what about 9. ... Rg8.
Aha - that indeed does force white to expend an extra move.

I've lost count of how many times I've posted this problem and no one has ever found this variation.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
[fen]k7/1pP5/1P6/8/8/K4rPR/1PPPPP2/8 w - - 0 1[/fen]

Can White win?
I set this up on a board and couldn't figure it out. After I came back to it an hour or so later, I had a revelation... I thought to myself: man, if only that white rook was on a3 and not a2...

...I'm such an idiot.

(Yes, I set it up wrong.)

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Thanks to the new hidden text® feature, I can give the solution:

[Do not mouse-over the blue tablet if you are still solving...]

1. e3! Rxe3+ 2. c3! Rxc3+ 3. Ka2 Ra3+ 4. Kb1 Ra1+ 5. Kc2 Rc1+ 6. Kd3 Rc3+ 7. Ke2 Re3+ 8. Kf1 Re8!
8...Re1+ 9.Kg2 Rg1+ 10.Kf3 Rxg3+ is one move faster for white
9. g4!
Not 9.Kg2? Rg8 10.g4 Rxg4+ 11.Kf3 Rf4+! with checks along the 4th rank
9... Re1+ 10. Kg2 Rg1+ 11. Kf3 Rg3+ 12. Ke2 Re3+ 13. Kd1 Re1+ 14. Kc2 Rc1+ 15. Kb3 Rc3+ 16. Ka2 Rxc7
16...Ra3+ 17.Rxa3#
17. Rh8+ Rc8 18. Rxc8#

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Where did you get that code from? Hehe, quoting unhides the hidden text.

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Originally posted by heinzkat
Where did you get that code from? Hehe, quoting unhides the hidden text.
It's a spiffy new feature that was just announced.

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Originally posted by SwissGambit
It's a spiffy new feature that was just announced.
Click me!

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