PG in 22.5 - Pawn wall

Originally posted by ark13
But hey, Mephisto never did manage to solve my problem that I posted a couple of weeks ago.

Score one for... uhh... not Mephisto! Yeah! 😛

Perhaps he solved it but didn't think you were worth giving the answer to 😛.

Originally posted by Freddie2004
Can someone give some ideas of how to start doing this and we can work our way through it!

yeah htf am I even supposed to start this?

**Tips for solving Proof Games**

1) Count the minimum number of moves needed for each side to reach the diagrammed position. This will let you know how many 'spare' moves each side has.

Doing it for the current problem:

White
16 P moves
2 Ne2, Nc3
3 Rh7
-- -------
21 moves total (2 spare moves)

Black
1 Kd7
3 Pd4, d6
6 Bh6 (One dark-square B promotes and then moves to h6)
1 Bb4
2 Qc4
2 Rd3
3 Nd2
2 Bd1
-- ------
20 moves total (2 spare moves)

2) Determine any obvious uses for spare moves.

In reality, Bh6 will consume 7 moves. It was the h-pawn, because none of the 7 pawns in the diagram could have come from h7. One capture was made on the d-file (doubled pawns), so the other can only be hxg to get the pawn to a dark square at the promotion rank.

White will have to use one spare move (Qd1-d4 perhaps) to sacrifice something to a black pawn on the d-file.

Each side now only has one spare move left, meaning all but one move for each side must directly help a piece reach its diagrammed position. Any further waste of time can be rejected out of hand. This cuts down on the number of possibilities for the solver to consider.

3) Pay attention to obvious 'sequencing' in the position.

The sequence of black moves Bb4, d6, Bg4 ... Kd7 is obvious. If one was played out of order, the path of another piece would be blocked. For example, 1...d6 is instantly fatal, because the Bf8 can't get out. A simple point, to be sure, but it limits the solver's choices even further.

4) Solve!

Armed with the above knowledge, try to carefully build a game from move 1. Do not violate obvious sequences or use more spare moves than you have. The main difficulty will be in getting past 'stuck' positions - those in which one side has no useful move and no spare moves left. You may discover more cleverly hidden sequences that must be observed to avoid getting 'stuck'. Try different permutations of the move order until you find one that flows smoothly all the way until the end.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
I'll make you a deal. Get your rating to 1300, and I'll paint my face blue.

Otherwise don't embarrass yourself further here. You don't have the skill to solve these.

elitism on a chess site? i thought i'd never see the day.

i'll stop bragging about my skill then, seeing as it has taken up almost this entire thread.

Originally posted by slippytoad
elitism on a chess site? i thought i'd never see the day.

i'll stop bragging about my skill then, seeing as it has taken up almost this entire thread.

Here I am just trying to provide some motivation to improve and you accuse me of elitism. I'm in shock. Please, dear slippyturd, say it ain't so!

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
Here I am just trying to provide some motivation to improve and you accuse me of elitism. I'm in shock. Please, dear slippyturd, say it ain't so!

oh you changed my name to make it mean. i'm getting such mixed signals!