Proof Game in 29.5

just a quick question....how do you know that white didn't start on the other side???

fred

Originally posted by ilywrin
Let me get this straight:
1)Castling kingside is impossible due to the bishop at f1.
2)The pawn at f2 blocks the path through f2-g1-h1
Where could the White king move through?
Are we missing something obvious?

I don't know how obvious it is, but there is a possibility being missed.

Originally posted by Freddie2004
just a quick question....how do you know that white didn't start on the other side???

fred

Convention dictates that White starts at the bottom of the board unless provable otherwise.

In this problem, if White's pawns are moving 'down', you'll have a tough time explaining how they got past all those black pawns.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
Convention dictates that White starts at the bottom of the board unless provable otherwise.

In this problem, if White's pawns are moving 'down', you'll have a tough time explaining how they got past all those black pawns.

"other side" could mean "kingside" instead of 1.b3 .......

but you knew that.......

Originally posted by Mephisto2
"other side" could mean "kingside" instead of 1.b3 .......

but you knew that.......

Yes, that is another valid interpretation of his question. I didn't think of it. If that's what he really meant, then I'm curious what candidate moves he would consider.

Who is ready for another hint? I can PM it if some would rather not have one.

I'll be giving it another try today, and no thank you, I don't want any hints 🙂

I give up 🙁 The mysterious route still eludes me.

Anyone ready to see the solution?

Mephisto2 used exactly the right language when he said the crux of the problem was to move the white King to the g-file from the f-file.

1.b3 Nh6 2.Bb2 Rg8 3.Bf6 gxf6 4.c4 Rg3!
The g-file is now closed off from g1 through g6. And that leaves...
5.hxg3 Ng4 6.Rh5 Bh6 7.Ra5 Be3 8.Ra3 a5 9.dxe3 a4 10.Kd2 Ra5 11.Kc3!
Not the direction you'd expect.
11...Rd5 12.Kb4 c5+ 13.Kb5 c7 14.Nd2 Qe5 15.Kb6 Qb2 16.Kc7 Kf8 17.Kd8 Kg7 18.Ke8 Kg6 19.Kf8 Kf5 20.Kg7!
"When you eliminate the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." -Sherlock Holmes
20...Ne5 21.Kh6 Nbc6 22.Kh5 Nd8 23.Kh4 h5 24.Kh3 h4 25.Kh2 h3 26.Kh1 h2 27.Ndf3 hxg1=B 28.Qd2 Bh2 29.Ng1 Ke4 30.f3+

An incredible journey for the white King.

Originally posted by BigDoggProblem
Mephisto2 used exactly the right language when he said the crux of the problem was to move the white King to the g-file from the f-file.

[b]1.b3 Nh6 2.Bb2 Rg8 3.Bf6 gxf6 4.c4 Rg3!
The g-file is now closed off from g1 through g6. And that leaves...
5.hxg3 Ng4 6.Rh5 Bh6 7.Ra5 Be3 8.Ra3 a5 9.dxe3 a4 10.Kd2 Ra5 11.Kc3!
Not the direction y ...[text shortened]... h2 27.Ndf3 hxg1=B 28.Qd2 Bh2 29.Ng1 Ke4 30.f3+[/b]

An incredible journey for the white King.[/b]

superb !!!!! Makes me feel very small.....

Indeed, a great puzzle

The composer was Peter van den Heuvel.

(I don't like to give the source right away, because people could look up the answer more easily...)