The MCO and the Brain Cell

Originally blogged by greenpawn34
The Najdorf. This heavily analysed opening more than other has produced some of the most sparkling combinations in the game. A true fighting defence to 1.e4 but you have to be a good player to handle it as Black.

Can't argue with that!

As you say greenpawn, I'd hoped to get the bishop to h6 to hold but Mike had the measure of me. 15.Bd3 was the simple move that showed me I'd underestimated the attack (inserts FEN to avoid being told off)



Suddenly the knight has e4 and the rook f1 and black's going to get too much support to f6 too quickly. So at this point I rejected my intended move of 15... Nd7 and tried 15... Re8 to get the Queen back into defence*. I was surprised Mike let me get it there though - I expected 18. Nd6 and even thought I'd been let off the hook. No such luck though - Mike had just seen a better win. At least it was a pretty mate, and a pure mate to boot! Well played Mike.

*I actually changed plan back again next move in fear of 17. Nd6, but thought I'd leave that out of my explanation to avoid highlighting how much I was being outplayed.

Mike

Originally posted by Fat Lady
White has a choice of ten moves here, all of them mate Black:
[fen]2RBk1N1/3N1R1N/4KrB1/3NR2N/4N1N1/8/8/8 w - - 0 1[/fen]

And here's another one with ten moves, this time with symmetry. I suspect that ten will be the limit:
[fen]8/3p4/8/2QKQ3/1Q1q1Q2/RN1k1NR1/1QN1NQ2/1B3B2 w - - 0 1[/fen]

Edit: Wow, I just Googled to see if I could find a solution w ...[text shortened]... . Suffice to say that I was hopelessly wrong with my prediction! H.H. Cross had a twisted mind.

Here are the records.

Promoted force allowed:
W.Dittmann, 1967

#1 - 50 solutions, no non-mating moves.

No promoted force:
HH Cross, 1936

#1 - 29 solutions, no non-mating moves.

Hi mikenay

Thanks for posting, I like to get some kind of feedback.
I think I mentioned the plan of Re8 vacating f8 for the Queen.
Also think you castled too early. you have to try and catch up with development.
A good instructive game by your opponent.

I think it's true about the Najdorf and being a good player.

I played it once, Just once. I won but I saw all kinds of threats and tricks
for my opponent coming at me from all over the board. Never again.
It's safer playing the Latvian.

My score against the Najdorf and under 2000 players OTB is very high,
if I lost it was because I over sacced.

Thanks again and glad to see you used a fen. 😉

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Here are the records.

Promoted force allowed:
W.Dittmann, 1967
[fen]b2rQQQ1/3B1N1Q/n2K1k2/3P3Q/4P1Qp/5pNP/1R5b/B7[/fen]
#1 - 50 solutions, no non-mating moves.

No promoted force:
HH Cross, 1936
[fen]8/1b6/p1N5/P1r5/P3KPr1/QBk1NRP1/P2R1P2/4B3[/fen]
#1 - 29 solutions, no non-mating moves.

I don't like these kind of problems.

Originally posted by RJHinds
I don't like these kind of problems.

That's because you can't figure out how to get your computer to solve them.

I guess a Greenpawnesque game might as well fit in a Greenpawn thread.


5 AM Game In 3





* Edit : I had Qh7 premoved when he disconnected. Black has three ways out of check, and Qh7 mates regardless.

Here's an easy one, I'm sure.

What's the most possible ways out of check that still can lead to a forced mate in one (from the same move)?

Edit 2: In other words, what's the most number of variations that a single premove can actually mate against?

What's the most possible ways out of check that still can lead to a forced mate in one (from the same move)?

Edit 2: In other words, what's the most number of variations that a single premove can actually mate against?[/b]

Here's my first try, but I have a feeling it can be beaten:


#2

25 moves fail to 2.Qh7#.

A greenpawnesue game?
(thanks by the way for rescuing the thread from SG and his gang of problemites.)


Final position.

You have a Rook on a1 that did not figure at all in the game.
So what are doing now playing Rooks odds?
You must use all your pieces either as attacking either units or bait.

No wonder he unplugged in disgust. He is playing a butcher not an artist.

(9 out of 10 for the White pawn structure Paul. It tells me right away you have
not fannied about with pawn moves but moved the required two pawns to
let your pieces into the game. You lose one point for that pawn on c5 - surely
a waste of tempo somehwere.)

And where is my two bob trap?
For it to qualyfy as greenpawnesque it must have a two bobber backed up
with a healthy dose of unsound analysis.


No Mundane exchange sacs for me.
After he has played h6 he will be thinking he will be forever safe from getting
back rank mated. My task then will to back rank mate him.



I see you have opened the door for SG's mob to carry out further hijacking.
This thread is doomed.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Here's my first try, but I have a feeling it can be beaten:

[fen]5N2/b2nBpk1/2n1p3/3p2r1/2p2qn1/1p3n2/1K1rn3/BQ6 w[/fen]
#2

25 moves fail to 2.Qh7#.

I miscounted - my last one has 24 black responses.

FIX'D:

Obvious improvements: use Queens instead of N's and P's.

I would have liked to allow some bK flights also, but I'll just have to settle for 36 black moves all mated by the pre-move Nf5. 🙂

I like the first one.


1.Ka3+ etc

Now you have gone crazy 😉

So to clarify the challenge.
One side has to get out of check and no matter what he does he will be mated
on the next move by the same piece on the same square.
What is the maximum number of moves?

SG will no doubt come up with 101.........................eventually.

OK SG you compose one - I'll find one from an actual game on RHP.

A quick look comes up 4 moves! OK it's not 101 but it is from an actual game.

Maxwell Smart - Kresten RHP 2004 Game 541275

Final position

Black has just played NxNf3+
White has 4 ways to get out of check but all end with Qxh2 mate.
Not too bad for 14 moves.

The mathematical limit seems to be:

Piece Name/number on board/max possible check-stopping moves
K/1/8
Q/9/3
R/2/2 - but ONLY if the check is diagonal from Q or B
B/2/2 - but ONLY if the check is orthogonal from Q or R
N/2/2
P/0/2 (if I use promoting Ps, I can have one with 8 and another with 4, but then I lose too many squares for the other pieces.)

If I use an orthogonal check, I get 2 R stops and 4 B stops. If I use a diagonal check, I get 4 R stops, but only 1 B stop, because the other B is on the wrong color. Both choices reduce the K's stops to 6 [he only gets 8 if checked by an unprotected P].

So, the maximum is 6 + (9*3) + 2 + (2*2) + (2*2) = 43 moves to get out of check.

Using maths is unfair.

I cannot see an equation for the piece giving check being taken
as in the game I just posted.

Come on SG, I've plucked 101 out of the air, don't let me down.
Find 50 and I'll spin the board gving us 100. I can handle being out by one.

Originally posted by SwissGambit
Obvious improvements: use Queens instead of N's and P's.

I would have liked to allow some bK flights also, but I'll just have to settle for 36 black moves all mated by the pre-move Nf5. 🙂

[fen]4B2R/8/1nn1N2N/1qqqqqb1/R6k/rqqqqbrP/5PP1/7K w - - 0 1[/fen]

I can squeeze one more move out of this.



37.
Pre-move B(x)g4.