Die Schwalbe

68 problem(s) found in 3796 milliseconds (displaying 68 problem(s)). [COMMENTDATE>=20200919 AND NOT K='Hilfsrückzüger' AND NOT A='Ignatenko, Gennadi P.' AND K='Illegale Stellung'] [download as LaTeX]

1 - P0001141
George Hume
Jamaica Gleaner 12/1891
Weihnachtsturnier 1891
1. Preis
P0001141
(9+9)
Auf welche Gedanken kommen Sie bei dieser Stellung?

Der Ld6 ist keine UWF und der sBg7 wurde auf seinem Ausgangsfeld geschlagen. Nach dem Autor muss der letzte Zug also Lf8-d6 gewesen sein, also illegale Stellung.
Datum der Originalpublikation nicht 100% sicher, laut ACM aus der "Jamaica Gleaner Christmas column".

Originalforderung: How has the position been arrived at and who is the winner, and in how many moves?

From the Jamaica Gleaner: "White mates in two moves. The last move made was by Black playing his Bishop and announcing mate. As it can be demonstrated that the Bishop is not a promoted Pawn and that Black's King's Knight's Pawn was captured on its original square by White's Queen's Knight's Pawn the Black Bishop must have been played from Bishop's square (f8) to Q3 (d6). This being an illegal move, White enforces the penalty of compelling Black to retract it and move his King whereupon White plays 1 PXB(Q) ch (1.gxf8=Q+) and mates next move by 2 Q-B4 (Qf4#). The following is a brief but pointed analysis, demonstrating the false move: White's Pawns have made six captures all on black squares. The Q Kt P (Pb2) made five of these and consequently captured the Kt P on the square upon which it now stands (g7). They could not have captured the Q B which is also lost. The White Bishop is the QRP (Pa2) promoted, the original KB having been captured on its own square as the unmoved Pawns show. To allow this promotion Black's QRP (Pa7) made two captures, the QKtP (Pb7) one, and the QBP (Pc7) two. The KRP (Ph7) has also made a capture, which accounts for the seven pieces White has lost. The Black Bishop is not a promoted Pawn, as if the Black KBP (Pf7) had played to the 7 th square (f2) and then captured a White piece on K or Kt square (e1 or g1) the captures by White Pawns cannot be accounted for without including the Black QB or KRP neither of which is available. As it can be demonstrated, then that the Black Bishop is not a promoted one, and that the KKtP was captured by the White Pawn which now stands on that square, in order to reach Q3 the Black Bishop must have an impossible move.

Der Kolumnist des ACM merkt aber zurecht an:
ACM: The above is a very fine piece of analytical work; but there is a slight flaw in connection with the minor condition, 'mate in two'. In a position of this kind we believe only that which can be proved; thus we do not think that White has any right to enact a penalty, as neither the analysis nor the conditions show that the Black Bishop came from Bishop's square on his last move; indeed, that Bishop may have played outside the Pawns on the very first move of the game which, being played, brought about the position.
HBae: White plays 1 PXB(Q) ch (1.gxf8=Q+). Muß der sK nicht auf f5 stehen? (2019-10-22)
Henrik Juel: Last move (supposedly) was Lf8-d6#, which is obviously impossible and hence illegal
The penalty for this is that Black must replace Ld6 on f8 AND instead make an arbitrary move with his king
So the forward play is
0... Kf5,Kf6,Kh6 1.gxf8=D+ Kg5,Ke5 2.Df4# (2019-10-22)
A.Buchanan: One long-standing approach to resolving illegal diagram jokes is to suppose that only the last move was illegal, with all prior play legal. The illegal move is then retracted, and play continues. Of course, the “illegal move” might in principle be from *any* legal position (even the game array!). So for sanity, we say the illegal move is a simple but somehow illegal shift of a single piece.

So here, candidates for the last move include Pe5-a4+, Sf4-e1+, Ke5-g5+ & B?-d6+. For all of these, White has 6 visible pawn captures, all on dark squares, so Black light-squared bishop is excluded. wPa must have promoted to light-squared bishop, so if the three Black pawns on a-file remain, there is only one unaccounted capture. Thus bPh could not promote, and must be bPg6 now. Thus bPg7 was captured at home, and bBf8 was thus locked in.

So Bf8-d6 is certainly a possible illegal move, but so are e.g. Be8-d6 (as the light-squared bishop is otherwise unexplained) and Pe5-a~. This is an example of an "implausible" joke according to Dawson & Hundsdorfer, because there is more than one retraction to the current position, and one just has to arbitrarily pick the one that makes the forward logic work. (2023-04-02)
A.Buchanan: Another issue is that according to the 1883 laws, White cannot force Black to move their king. The 1883 rules stated:
- If a player touches a piece or Pawn of his own he must move it.
- If he touches one of his adversary's he must take can be taken.
- If he touches plurality of pieces or Pawns of the same colour, in either of these instances his adversary may elect which such piece or Pawn he will call upon him to play or to take, as the case may be.
- If the rules governing the moves of pieces do not admit of the adversary exacting penalty as above, the player must move his King, but may not Castle. If the King cannot be moved without exposure to check, no penalty can then be exacted
So according to this, Black must play Bf8xPg7 as the penalty move.
Was there another revision to the rules between 1883 & 1891? (2023-04-02)
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comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Joke, Retract illegal move (stuck at home), Touch Move, Volet Pawn, Obvious promotion (L)
Genre: Retro
FEN: 6B1/4p1P1/p2b2p1/p5kq/p7/4P1K1/2PPP1PP/3n4
Reprints: American Chess Monthly 1, p. 11, 03/1892
Jamaica Gleaner 30/04/1892
17 Europe Echecs 14 10/1959
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-03
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-04-02 more...
2 - P0002006
Benjamin Glover Laws
Leeds Mercury 12/12/1891
P0002006
(4+7)
#1
Beide Könige stehen im Schach. Schwarz hat zuletzt gezogen, nimmt seinen illegalen Zug zurück und muß stattdessen einen Strafzug mit dem König machen, worauf W mattsetzt.

R: 1. ... d2xSe1=S, dann 1. Kxc3 Dh8#
play all play one stop play next play all
Lösung gemäß 'Retrograde Analysis':
"... both Kings are in check, and we are obviously confronted with something decidedly illegal.
...
In No. 7A Black has just played Pd2xS=S. Replace the move and exact the King move penalty. Then Qh8 mate."
Henrik Juel: Accprding to Retrograde Analysis, 1915, the intended solution does not involve adding pieces as such, rather:
Black retracts the illegal move Pd2xSe1=S+ (exposing Kb2 to a selfcheck from Dh2)
and instead pays the penalty of a king move, Kxc3 (only possibility)
Then White mates by 1.Dh8# (2023-04-13)
Mario Richter: @Andrew: Why did you remove the "illegal position" keyword?
Instead of removing this keyword, I suggest to remove the "Add pieces" KW ... (2023-04-14)
A.Buchanan: Hi Mario, yes good question. I removed "Illegal position" from some genuine "Add pieces" compositions, because it suggests some error in the composition. But on reflection, I think I will put the "Illegal position" back for these, and instead edit the description for the keyword.

Now this problem was in fact incorrectly marked as Add pieces. It's one of Dawson & Hundsdorfer's canonical examples of an "implausible" joke. I.e there is no reason why the intended retraction is the right one, except that it works. These too should be marked as illegal position. Sorry for all confusion (2023-04-14)
comment
Keywords: Joke, Retract illegal move, Illegal position
Genre: Retro
FEN: 6B1/8/8/8/1n3p2/b1N2K2/1k5Q/r1q1n3
Reprints: 7A Retrograde Analysis 1915
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-03
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-04-14 more...
3 - P0003839
Radu Dragoescu
RA44 diagrammes 23 09-10/1976
Jean Oudot gewidmet
P0003839
(16+16)
Wieviele Figuren muß man entfernen, damit die Stellung legal wird?
A.Buchanan: In each of the 4 pairs of adjacent files, one cross-capture suffices. So removing 8 officers is enough. However, they need to be an even number from each side.
However it's possible to do better by removing pawns: wPadgh bPcf = 6 units. Now wPaxb bPcxb wPdxe bPfxe.
Is it possible with 5 or less? (2022-03-17)
Bob Baker: I find it interesting that the composer specified piece removals, since six captures suffice. Does that imply that 5 or less is possible by removing pieces? (2023-04-27)
A.Buchanan: I think the German term "Figuren" (like the English "pieces") can have two senses, either all 16 pieces or just the officers. Wikipidie.ge uses the phrase "im engeren Sinne" = "in the narrower sense" to distinguish. But maybe a native German speaker can be more authoritative here:

Auf dem Schachbrett befinden sich zu Beginn einer Partie insgesamt 32 Schachfiguren (auch als Steine bezeichnet), 16 weiße und 16 schwarze. Beide Spieler (bezeichnet als Weiß und Schwarz oder als Anziehender und Nachziehender) haben je folgende Schachfiguren zur Verfügung:
- acht Figuren im engeren Sinne:
= den König
= die Dame und zwei Türme (Schwerfiguren)
= zwei Springer und zwei Läufer (Leichtfiguren)
- acht Bauern (2023-04-27)
A.Buchanan: And the Originaldforderung would have been in French, surely (2023-04-27)
Bob Baker: A stipulation might have been "Reach the position with the greatest number of pieces still on the board." A position with six fewer men can be reached with no removals from the initial array. It would be a harder problem than if pieces can just be taken off the board. But maybe allowing removals could make 5 or less possible. (2023-04-28)
A.Buchanan: Not quite sure what you are saying. Generally, capturing pawns is more efficient than capturing officers to get pawns past one another, but here we have no doubled pawns. If we have a solution with 5 units including a missing officer, then might as well promote a pawn to replace it. So we can reduce our search to positions where 5 pawns have been removed (2023-04-28)
Bob Baker: I'm suggesting if six really is the answer, it would be a better (more challenging) problem to require a proof game with no removals except by capturing. (2023-04-28)
Bob Baker: Also, I think this may have been the composer's intent, but the stipulation was misunderstood as allowing pieces to be taken off the board without being captured. (2023-04-28)
Bob Baker: I just realized that the misunderstanding of the composer's intent was on my part, so all my previous comments should be disregarded. (2023-04-28)
Carot: I understand that all 16+16 figures are meant.
So for the e-row 1. e4 e5 2. e4f5 e5f4 3. f5e6 f4f3
This is illegal, so only the e-line is considered, one e-pawn too many to reach the given position legally.

I am just a beginner in Chess, but i think en passant is useable and therefore maybe less then 8 pieces have to removed, but i tried an hour and found no way for optimisation. :(..

I would be happy about an idea. Please share. I go study pawn endgames now.
I am happy to found this site and many old combinations of Max Lange. (2023-04-28)
Bob Baker: Play this game for a quick way to remove six pieces.
1. a4 a5 2. b4 b5 3. c4 c5 4. d4 d5 5. e4 e5 6. f4 f5 7. g4 g5 8. h4 h5 9. axb5
hxg4 10. bxc5 gxf4 11. exf5 dxc4 12. b6 a4 13. c6 a3 14. d5 c3 15. d6 e4 16. f6
e3 17. h5 f3 18. h6 g3 (2023-04-29)
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comment
Keywords: Remove pieces, Illegal position
Genre: Retro
FEN: rnbqkbnr/8/PPPPPPPP/8/8/pppppppp/8/RNBQKBNR
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-03
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-04-27 more...
4 - P0004481
Matjaz Zigman
Länderkampf Mazedonien-Slowenien 1969
7. Platz
P0004481
(13+10) cooked
ser-h#6** AP
* 1. ... Sb5#
* 1. ... dxc3#
1. fxe3ep 2. e2 3. exf1=S 4. Se3? 5. Sd5 Sb5# (must castle for AP)
1. fxe3ep 2. e2 3. exf1=S 4. Sxd2 5. Sxb1 6. Sxa3 0-0-0!#
play all play one stop play next play all
Luckily, illegal diagram can be fixed by removal of bPa4.
Then if White castling rights remain, ep is on. One ser-h#5 & 18 ser-h#6 tries exist, in which White does not bother to castle.
We don't know if this was a transcription error or a counting mistake by the composer.
Cook: Too many pawn captures required. For retro problem, illegal position implies unsound
Mike Neumeier: The solution appears to be 1.fxe4 e.p. 2.e2 3.exf1=L 4.Ld3 5.Le4 6.Ld5 dxc3#. Was that the intention? (2013-02-18)
Arno Tüngler: There would even be a solution in 5 moves by 3.exf1=S 5.Sd5 Sb5#
However, in order to justify the e.p.-key there must be an AP prove that e2-e4 (and not a move by the wK or wRa1) was played as White's last move. Thus the only solution giving this in 6 moves is 1.fxe3 e.p. 2.e2 3.exf1=S 4.Sxd2 5.Sxb1 6.Sxa3 0-0-0!# (2013-02-18)
Mike Neumeier: It struck me as odd there was no solution listed. (2013-02-18)
Mike Neumeier: And, if we let black be the idle side, there is 1.Txg1 2.Lxh1 3.Kd1 4.Kc1 hxg1T#. What does the asterisk(*) mean? (2013-02-18)
Henrik Juel: The asterisk means that there is also a white mate if he had the move, in this case two mates, so maybe the stipulation should be ser-h#6**:
1.dxc3,Sb5# (2013-02-18)
Ladislav Packa: It is clear that e.p. is possible only when the wK and wRa1 done neither move.
What convention is used here for the right to castling? (2013-02-18)
Henrik Juel: White may castle, unless you can show that he has lost the right to castle. In this problem there is a major difficulty, I think: the position seems illegal.
White pawns captured b2xc3xd4xe5xf6, g2xf3, and axb, promoting on b8; Black captured bxc, dxc, and g3xh2. We cannot explain the destiny of [Ph7].
Reversing wPh3 and bPh2 seems to handle the illegality, but then the problem can be solved in 5 moves (2013-02-18)
Mike Neumeier: Thanks, Henrik. Maybe the stipulation was a typo. Considering all comments together, perhaps the stip should have been ser-h#5**, with the one solution being the 5-mover Arno gave. I do not think it can be proven, except by a stipulation of ser-h#5 that en passant is possible. Which leads to the question of convention. Can the existence of a unique solution as implied only by the stipulation be used to determine that en passant is permissible? Whether there is castling or not here seems immaterial. It is just another 6-move solution. There are 19 6-movers (Popeye) with one queenside castling among them. But only the one 5-mover. (2013-02-18)
Henrik Juel: By convention, an en passant capture as first move is not permitted, unless the pawn double step can be shown by some kind of retro analysis.
(Conversely, a castling is permitted, unless it can be shown by retro analysis that the right to castle has been lost, i.e., that king and/or rook has moved) (2013-02-18)
A.Buchanan: Suggested repair: Remove bPa4. Add AP to stipulation.
As Henrik points out, the diagram as it stands is illegal. We can't swap wPh3 & bPh2, because that allows 2 h#1 cooks.
Suppose we remove bPa4 instead. Then we still at least 5 White pawn captures: bxcxdxexf6 & gxf3. But wPh3 did still move from h2, so there are 3 Black pawn captures bxc, dxc & gxh2. So [bhP] died without capturing or promoting. [waP] must have promoted - so either [baP] was captured to clear the way, or [waP] captured to promote, and later [baP] promoted. Either way, all the numbers add up, and the position is legal. wPe4 cannot have just come from d3. So AP is triggered. Forward logic works just as before without bPa4. There is 1 5-move try, and 18 6-move tries, but AP eliminates them all because of need for castling to retrospectively justify the ep. (2013-02-23)
A.Buchanan: Mike asked: "Can the existence of a unique solution as implied only by the stipulation be used to determine that en passant is permissible?"
Answer: No. The stipulation does imply a default player to move, but otherwise cannot be used as a premise to determine game state (castling, en passant). (2022-03-21)
A.Buchanan: WinChloe & Yacpdb have the same cooked diagram as PDB, so I think this cook was in the design. I would like to post a sound version with bPa4 removed, and I think it would just be “Zigman correction” with no one else’s name mentioned in the credits. Is everyone ok with this? (2022-05-30)
Mario Richter: 'Bilten 1970' (printed 1971) contains on pp. 62-81 a complete report on the "Problem Duel Slovenia - Macedonia 1969", the problem here can be found on page 79 and is printed there exactly as given here.
Andrew's handling of the suggested correction (remove black pawn a4) is o.k. for me. (2022-05-31)
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Keywords: Castling (wg), Seriesmover, a posteriori (AP) (Type Petrovic), Illegal position, En passant as key, Promotion (s), Valladao Task, Superseded by (P1401546)
Genre: Retro, Fairies
Computer test: Popeye v4.87 but simple retro-logic shows illegality
FEN: 8/8/5P2/2p1p3/p1pkPp2/N1p2P1P/2PP1PBp/RN2KRbr
Reprints: 104 Bilten 1970 1971
(72) Problem 144-147 12/1971
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-03
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-06-01 more...
5 - P0005275
Otto Kerekes
Tivadar Kardos

10 L'Echiquier de France 11/1956
P0005275
(11+15) cooked
h#2
b) sBg2 statt wBg2
a) 1. cxd4 Lxc4 2. Dd5 Ld3#

b)
play all play one stop play next play all
Paulo Roque: Illegale Stellung. Diagrammfehler? (2009-11-17)
Alfred Pfeiffer: außerdem in b) 9 schwarze Bauern. (2010-01-13)
A.Buchanan: Twin a) is also illegal, as too many Bl captures (2021-11-24)
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comment
Keywords: En passant as key, Castling, Illegal position, Superseded by (P1400824)
Genre: h#, Retro
FEN: 8/p1p2p1b/1B3pp1/q1p1b3/r1pPk3/1Bp3P1/PPP2PPr/3n1RK1
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-03
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-04-23 more...
6 - P0005585
Hieronymus Fischer
56 Fern vom Alltag 1925
P0005585
(5+12)
#0
Einer der sTT muß nach a8 zurückgestellt werden.
play all play one stop play next play all
Lösung aus '64 Schach-Scherze': "Da noch sämtliche schwarze Bauern vorhanden sind, kann keiner der beiden schwarzen Türme durch Umwandlung entstanden sein.
Nun kann aber der schwarze Turm von a8 unmöglich 'herausgekommen' sein. Mithin ist einer der beiden schwarzen Türme nach a8 (oder a7 oder b8) zurückzustellen.
Nach dieser Korrektur ist Schwarz von selbst matt."
in '64 Schach-Scherze' nachgedruckt mit der Forderung "Matt in gar keinem Zug"

vgl. P1309484
Erich Bartel: weiterer Nachdruck (oder Erstquelle?!):
3) 28) 64 Schachscherze 1916 (in dieser Quelle ist kein
Hinweis ob Urdruck oder Nachdruck) (2007-10-30)
Alain Brobecker: Same position and stipulation as P1265678, except the latter one is dated 1910. (2022-11-15)
comment
Keywords: Joke, Illegal position (can't leave home)
Genre: Retro
FEN: 2b5/1pppR1p1/p4p2/3p3p/4r3/4kr1R/2P1N3/4K3
Reprints: 28 64 Schach-Scherze 1915
Das Geheimnis des schwarzen Königs 1960
(III) Die Schwalbe 22 08/1973
Input: Gerd Wilts, 1995-06-05
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2019-10-22 more...
7 - P0503041
Evgeny Lopatynsky
680 Gazeta Czestochowska 07/02/1967
2. Preis
P0503041
(7+10) C+
h#2
4.1...
1) 1. Ke6 e8=L 2. Lf5 Lf7#
2) 1. Kg6 e8=T 2. f5 Te6#
3) 1. Kg4 e8=D 2. Kh3 Dxh5#
4) 1. Ke4 e8=S 2. f5 Sf6#
play all play one stop play next play all
(KSp)
Königsstern
t/Allumwandlung, u/61103, t/sK-Stern
Mario Richter: Illegale Stellung - mehr schwarze Bauern-Schläge (10)notwendig als weiße Steine fehlen. (2010-08-07)
Stefan Felber: Korrekt mit sTg2. (2021-07-11)
comment
Keywords: Allumwandlung, Figurenspiel, Illegal position
Genre: h#
Computer test: (Popeye C-Version 3.52 (2048 KB))
FEN: 5K2/4P2p/2P2p2/2P2kpp/2pP1b2/2Pb1p2/5Pp1/8
Input: Erich Bartel, 1996-09-03
Last update: Marcin Banaszek, 2015-06-19 more...
8 - P0513497
Jean-Marc Loustau
1001 Ideal-Mate Review 01-02/1985
P0513497
(4+1) C+
h#3.5
1. ... Sf2 2. Kg1 g3 3. Kh2 Sg4+ 4. Kh3 Lg2#
play all play one stop play next play all
Jean Marc Loustau: The setting is not legal, but it is without impotance here... Let us say it is "fairy" (2003-05-08)
A.Buchanan: Legality/illegality is orthogonal to fairy. Let us say here it is "not fairy". (2023-07-09)
Adrian Storisteanu: Add, say, "circe" under the diagram, and all is pretty cool. Even cooler, "chess960". (2023-07-10)
paul: cond einstein
stip h#2.5 forsyth 8/8/8/7k/8/5K1B/3R2P1/8

Two solutions (2023-07-10)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (wLh1), Miniature, Symmetrical constellation
Genre: h#
Computer test: (Popeye C-Version 3.52 (2048 KB))
FEN: 8/8/8/8/8/5K1N/6P1/5k1B
Reprints: 1683 Ideal-Mate Encyclopedia Vol.1 1999
Input: Markus Manhart, 1997-09-30
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-07-09 more...
9 - P0551807
Tibor Ersek
3980v Magyar Sakkelet 12/1975
P0551807
(6+6) cooked
h#2
b) wBb6 nach f4
a) 1. Txf6 Ld7 2. Dxb4 Txd5#
b) 1. Dxb4 Tc4 2. Txf6 e5#

NL:
a) 1. Kd7 Ld2 2. Dxd4 Txe6#
play all play one stop play next play all
Author: The WK must stay on g1! 3 Solutions, no cook! (2006-01-30)
A.Buchanan: Adding wKg1 certainly makes this sound, but I don't understand why "Author" says "3 solutions" (2023-05-28)
comment
Keywords: Sacrifice of white pieces, Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
FEN: 8/4b3/1P1krR2/2qp1B2/1B1RP3/5p2/8/8
Input: Hans-Jürgen Schäfer, 1997-10-11
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
10 - P1007696
Rolf Wiehagen
9000 Die Schwalbe 155 10/1995
P1007696
(1+9) C+
h#7
0.1...
Illegal position
(R. Wiehagen). AGr: "Sicherlich ein Rekord - der Jubiläums-Nr. 9000 angepaßt! Aber die lange 5er-Reihe ist doch sehr verräterisch. Die Konstruktion war sicherlich wieder schwerer als die Lösung." Das ist leider häufig so... "Für einen aufmerksamen Schwalbeleser (siehe Artikel von N. Geissler itshape In der Kürze liegt die Würze / Die Schwalbe 155, 10/1995 S. 176ff) kein Problem. Gut gemacht." (CG) Und "so schön wie die Lösung sind auch die NL-Versuche." (ABe) 1.- T:b5 2.c2 T:c5 3.c1=T T:d5 4.Tc7 T:e5 5.Tg7 Tf5 6.Se5 Tg5 7.Sg6 Th5#. RJB: "Horizontale Brettüberquerung a5-h5 des weißen glq Zeitlupen grq-Turms, der sich in 7 Schritten seinem Zielfeld nähert und unterwegs störende schw. Steine eliminiert." "Ein charmanter Gag" (HJä) - "der weiße Turm frißt sich durch den schwarzen Schokoladenhaufen zum Matt." (WoW) MS: "Der wT frißt sich in Minischritten, jedoch in Rekordmanier von West nach Ost durch!" (Der Autor auf dem langen Heimweg.) Aber, so meint HHS: "Nur Sparsamkeitsfanatiker können Gefallen finden an diesem Extrakt der Politik der kleinen Schritte. Wenn diese nicht strategisch, sondern nur mechanisch begründet wird, dann ist die TASK-Forderung zwar erfüllt, aber der Löser gelangweilt." 5P/10L
play all play one stop play next play all
ohne wK
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comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
Computer test: C+ Alybadix
FEN: 6b1/7k/8/Rppqpp2/6n1/2p5/8/8
Input: Gerd Wilts, 2003-06-29
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
11 - P1013540
Hans Gruber
771 Jugendschach 10/1982
Annemarie gewidmet
P1013540
(1+4) C+
ser-=10
1. Kc2 2. Kd3 3. Kxe4 4. Kf3 5. Kg2 6. Kxh1 7. Kg2 8. Kxf2 9. Ke2 10. Kxd2=
play all play one stop play next play all
A.Buchanan: What's the idea? If it's a length record, can't we shift all the pieces up and put wK on a1 to increase the solution length by one. (2022-03-15)
SCHRECKE: Andrew, it's look like an "A" for "Annemarie". (2022-03-15)
Henrik Juel: This is not the best-looking A, I have seen, so it should not be Keyword'ed Letter problem
Incidentally, the problem can also be tested by Popeye, in a flash (2022-03-15)
A.Buchanan: Thanks all! Letter A must be the concept, although I must admit I didn't see it. It's certainly closer to A than any other letter (excepting the Cyrillic alphabet) to it would be churlish to refuse it the keyword. I hope that, in the unlikely event that Hans ever dedicated a letter problem to me, he would use a less wispy font :) (2022-03-16)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Seriesmover, Rex solus, Illegal position (no sK), Symbol problem (A)
Genre: Fairies
Computer test: C+ Alybadix
FEN: 8/8/8/8/4n3/8/3b1p2/1K5n
Input: Hans Gruber, 2004-05-01
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-03-16 more...
12 - P1013621
Hans Gruber
Jörg Kuhlmann

feenschach 12/1983
P1013621
(2+2)
H#2
1. Tb1 Th6 2. Tb8 Ta6#
Im Rahmen einer Parodie publiziert.
play all play one stop play next play all

Duplicate Diagram: P0549015

Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (2023-12-11)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
FEN: k7/8/8/N7/8/8/8/r6R
Input: Hans Gruber, 2004-05-01
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
13 - P1020334
Maria Rennie
185 Canadian Chess Problems , p. 187, 1890
P1020334
(12+10)
#2
1. Se3!
play all play one stop play next play all
BS Problemid: 5177
Authors: Rennie, Maria Deering
Sources:
Years: 0000
Mario Richter: Stellung ist illegal (wLh8) (2009-06-21)
Henrik Juel: and duals after 1... c6,g6 (2024-02-24)
comment
Keywords: Brian Stephenson Collection (5177), Illegal position (wLh8), Symmetrical constellation
Genre: 2#
FEN: 1Q5B/1pp1N1pp/3npn2/2P1k1P1/3p1p2/3P1P2/3RPR2/3N1K2
Input: Brian Stephenson, 2004-08-12
Last update: Dieter Berlin, 2024-02-24 more...
14 - P1046644
Samuel Loyd
US Chess Association 1889
P1046644
(11+10)
#3
Verführung:
1. Sc3,Se3,Sdb6? g1=L! 2. Ld5?? patt
Lösung:
1. Sb4 g1=L 2. Ld5! cxb4 3. Sd6#
play all play one stop play next play all
BS Problemid: 31662
Authors: Loyd, Sam
Sources: Die Schwalbe 2002
Years: 1889
A.C.White: "We have become accustomed to 'tries' being defeated by the trick of a minor Black Pawn Promotion, but a quarter of a century ago the device was a new one and almost all solvers would have been caught by it. Loyd was so successful with it that he tried it once more at the St. Louis meeting of the United States Chess Association in December of the same year (No. 462). There was a time limit of an hour and a half, and all the fourteen competitors failed to discover the trap in that time."

Stellung ist illegal (mehr schwarze Bauernschläge nötig als weiße Steine fehlen).
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (2022-04-19)
comment
Keywords: Brian Stephenson Collection (31662), Illegal position, Stalemate defense, under-promotion (l)
Genre: 3#
FEN: 1KNQ4/2P2kp1/4r1p1/1PpNP1p1/2P3P1/5B2/5bpp/5R1r
Reprints: Vart Land 08/05/1890
38 Tidskrift för Schack (Helsingfors) 4 06/1890
462 Sam Loyd and his Chess Problems 1913
A (S.585) Die Schwalbe 198 (Dez.) 2002
Input: Brian Stephenson, 2004-08-12
Last update: Mario Richter, 2022-04-19 more...
15 - P1061897
John Augustus Miles
? 1877
P1061897
(10+13)
#4

BS Problemid: 46982
Authors: Miles, JA
Sources:
Years: 1877
Paulo Roque: Illegal position (black bishop h8 + black pawn g7) (2010-09-04)
Henrik Juel: 1.Txh8 thr. 2.Kxg7#
Ruined by duals, e.g.
1... Tg5 2.Dxa4 De3 3.f8=DT+,Da5+,fxe3
.. 2... b4 3.Dxa7,Da5+
The only correct variation seems to be
1.Txh8 Tg5 2.Dxa4 bxa4 3.La5+ Txa5 4.Kxg7# (2021-01-04)
comment
Keywords: Brian Stephenson Collection (46982), Illegal position
Genre: n#
FEN: 3k2Kb/pB1p1Pp1/2pP4/1pr5/r2Q3R/Pq4Pn/2b2P2/3nB3
Input: Brian Stephenson, 2004-08-12
Last update: James Malcom, 2021-01-03 more...
16 - P1102309
Yaakov Mintz
(15) feenschach 68, p. 321, 12/1983
P1102309
(2+1) C+
h#4*
Circe
1. Kd3?
*) 1. ... Sb3 2. Kxb3[+wSb1] La1 3. Ka2 Sc3+ 4. Kxa1[+wLc1] Lb2#
1. Kxc3[+wLc1] Sb3 2. Kxb3[+wSb1] La3 3. Ka2 Sc3+ 4. Ka1 Lb2#
play all play one stop play next play all
SCHRECKE: C+, popeye 4.85 (2021-02-19)
comment
Keywords: Circe, Aristocrat, Miniature, Illegal position
Genre: h#, Fairies
FEN: 8/8/8/8/2k5/2B5/8/N7
Input: YM, 2010-04-01
Last update: James Malcom, 2021-02-19 more...
17 - P1106061
Erich Bartel
feenschach 01/1972
P1106061
(5+1) C+
64 Patterhaltungszüge
64 ? = (++) w

K=7, D=20, L=13, Tf7=12, Tb1=12

Dazu wurde in BuB 2/2021, f 246, 07-09/2021, S. 191 geschrieben: "Dieser Rekord (C+) leidet an der illegalen Stellung mit Weiß am Zug."
t/Erhaltungen, t/Rex solus
Max Witte: Ich sehe keinen letzten schwarzen Zug. Versetzte man den Tf7 nach h7, sähe ich einen. (2021-07-08)
Max Witte: Aber dann ist 1.Lg7 kein kein Patt. (2021-07-08)
A.Buchanan: Maybe position legality is not considered a concern for this task (2021-07-08)
Mario Richter: Usually, there a separate record lists for legal positions and illegal ones.
So I think legality plays a role ... (2021-07-09)
HBae: Stellung mit wTh7 siehe P1103734 (2021-07-09)
HBae: Das dürfte inkorrekt sein, mit C- zu kennzeichnen. Der Rekord ist gleichzeitig materialbezogen vgl. P1103735 mit 7 Steinen. Rekord für illegale Stellung mit 4 Steinen siehe P1237827 (2021-07-09)
HBae: Allerdings ist die Stellung aus der PAS erspielbar nur dass Schwarz am Zuge ist. Vermutlich hat EB gesehen, dass Weiss nicht am Zuge sein kann. (2021-07-09)
HBae: Vgl. auch P1108944 P1182404 (2021-07-09)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Einzügerrekord, Aristocrat, Rex solus (s), Miniature, Illegal position
Genre: Fairies
Computer test: C+ PY 3.21 am 19.5.1995
FEN: k7/5R2/8/8/3BK3/6Q1/8/1R6
Input: Erich Bartel, 2010-05-25
Last update: Gunter Jordan, 2022-12-29 more...
18 - P1113604
Erich Bartel
Jugendschach (46) 06/01/1985
P1113604
(6+3) cooked
Illegal position.
White to move and h#1.5*
*) Null-Satz!

1. ... Lb6 2. e5 Lc5#
play all play one stop play next play all
Cook: 1. ... Ka7,Ka8+ 2. Kxc7 b8=D#
A.Buchanan: Can probably be fixed by shunting everything to the left by 1 file. Alternatively, if one of the cooks can be suppressed, the other could represent a second solution. (2018-04-29)
Erich Bartel: keine cooks,
siehie dazu in Jugendschach (46) 6.01.1985, S.66-67,72,73
Theodor Steudel:Das Thema Null bei der Mattforderung,
Elmar Bartel & Erich Bartel:Nachbetrachtungen zum Thema Null,
Hans Gruber:Noch ein Wort zum Thema Null (2018-04-29)
A.Buchanan: OK danke, aber können Sie bitte hier schreiben, warum Weiss kann nicht 1... Ka7/8+ spielen. (2018-04-30)
A.Buchanan: Not reasonable to ask people to refer to 3 articles from a minor journal 33 years ago. Erich can you please give a simple explanation (English or German) for why 1... Ka7/8+ aren't cooks. Note that Thema Null is not a fairy condition but a theme: so what's going on? (2018-11-23)
A.Buchanan: By the way: I REALLY LIKE Thema Null. It is a wonderful theme. But I need clarity how it is intended to operate here. This was the only one of the Lese Majeste problems solved by Popeye v4.81 which was cooked. (2018-11-23)
A.Buchanan: Failing an explanation, I've marked this as cooked, following both Popeye & Jacobi (2021-05-11)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Thema Null, Lese Majeste, Illegal position, Fata Morgana, Superseded by (P1399587)
Genre: h#
Computer test: Popeye v4.87 & Jacobi v0.6.1
FEN: 1K6/1PBbp3/3k4/3P4/1P2P3/8/8/8
Input: Erich Bartel, 2010-08-26
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-03-02 more...
19 - P1162830
Heinrich Drasch
55 Neues Wiener Tagblatt , p. 14, 31/12/1908
P1162830
(5+1)
#3
1. Lg3! Kxd7 2. Lb7 Kd8 3. Td5#
2. ... Ke6 3. Lc8#
1. ... Kxf5 2. Kg7 Kg5 3. Td5#
2. ... Ke6 3. Lg4#
play all play one stop play next play all
E730 A10TL1 m
Illegal position, see https://gameknot.com/comment.pl?t=2&k=231140
Henrik Juel: apart from the illegal position 'C+ Popeye 4.61' (2023-04-14)
comment
Keywords: Miniature Collection (0323972), Illegal position, Aristocrat, Miniature
Genre: 3#
FEN: 5K2/3R4/4k3/4BR2/8/5B2/8/8
Reprints: 2821 Wiener Schachzeitung 14-16 07-08/1910
Input: Zuncke/Bruder, 2010-09-12
Last update: Rainer Staudte, 2023-10-29 more...
20 - P1176859
Günter Glaß
f) feenschach 39 07-10/1977
P1176859
(5+3)
ser-s#12
1. b8=L 2. d7 3. d8=S 4. Sf7 5. Sxh8 6. Sg6 7. h8=L 8. Lg7 9. Lf8 10. Lc5 11. L5a7 12. Df3+ Dxf3#
play all play one stop play next play all
Thema: Ökonomierekord für Umwandlungen im Ser-s#, UW-Typ = LSL
Mario Richter: Illegale Stellung - nicht-erklärbares Schach durch sTh8. (2010-09-25)
Anton Baumann: mögliche Korrektur: sDf6 nach f8, wBd6 nach e5, ser-s#12
1.b8=L 4.e8=S 7.Sxh8 8.Sg6 9.h8=L 11.La7 12.Df3+ Dxf3#
Diese Version ist C+, Gustav 4.1d (2021-08-21)
comment
Keywords: Seriesmover, konsekutive Umwandlungen 3 (LSL), Illegal position
Genre: Fairies
FEN: K6r/1P5P/3P1q2/8/5Q2/7k/8/8
Input: HBae, 2010-09-20
Last update: Mario Richter, 2010-09-25 more...
21 - P1179497
Vladislav Bunka
9708 Sachova skladba 07/2009
P1179497
(10+2)
s#5
1. Kc1 d5 2. Lf3+ Kd3 3. Dh6 d4 4. Ld1 dxc3 5. Dd2+ cxd2#
1. Kc1 d6 2. Lc2+ dxe5 3. Dh1 e4 4. Le1 e3 5. Ld2 exd2#
play all play one stop play next play all
Frank Müller: Die Stellung ist im Vorwärtsspiel C+. Gleichwohl ist die Stellung retroanalytisch nicht erspielbar, da Schwarz keinen letzten Zug hat. Man kann vermuten, dass der Autor dies übersehen hat.
Um allen Diskussionen aus den Weg zu gehen, habe ich c+ und cooked gelöscht.
Mario Richter: Schwarz hat keinen letzten Zug, müßte also eigentlich in der Lösung beginnen. (2010-11-07)
Olaf Jenkner: Sollte auf Cooked und unlösbar gesetzt werden. (2010-12-31)
Frank Müller: Die Aufgabe ist im Vorwärtsspiel korrekt, erfüllt also die Forderung. Das die Stellung retroanalytisch nicht herleitbar ist, ist sicherliche eine (deutliche) Schwäche des Problems, aber deswegen wird die Aufgabe nicht unlösbar. Ich habe jedoch das Keyword illegale Stellung hinzugefügt. Dies kennzeichnet wohl am Besten die Unsauberkeit der Aufgabe. (2010-12-31)
Olaf Jenkner: Die Stellung ist legal und in Fällen, wo die normalerweise anziehende Partei aufgrund retroanalytischer Überlegungen nicht am Zug sein kann, zieht automatisch die andere Seite. Damit wäre die Autorlösung fehlerhaft und es existiert keine korrekte Lösung. Allerdings kenne ich den Kodex nicht so gut, aber es gibt da ausgewiesene Experten, die sich um viel kompliziertere Dinge kümmern. (2010-12-31)
HBae: Das sollte der Autor korrigieren durch einen anderen Schlüsselzug (mit wKc1 in der Ausgangsstellung). Letzter schwarzer Zug wäre dann Kf1-e2 gewesen. Ich hätte einen akzeptablen Vorschlag (C+), möchte dem Autor aber nicht vorgreifen. (2010-12-31)
Mario Richter: Die Labels 'C+' und 'illegale Stellung' behagen mir nicht - beide sind eigentlich falsch. Dummerweise ist hier wie an vielen anderen Stellen auch der Codex ziemlich schwammig formuliert (leider), trotzdem mal die relevanten Stellen:
"Article 15 - First Move: If the first move does not lie with the conventional party (examples see Footnote 9), this should either be indicated in the stipulation or deducible from retroanalysis. ...
Footnote 19: ... The number of moves to be expressed in the stipulation should be the number of moves to be made by White." (2011-01-08)
Anton Baumann: mögliche Korrektur: +wBa5, +sBa6 (2023-12-22)
Vaclav Kotesovec: Judge Christer Jonsson excluded this problem from the award (see Sachova skladba 111/2011, p. 2770), so I removed "1. Lob". (2023-12-22)
SCHRECKE: Den Vorschlag von HBae aufgreifend, wäre die Aufgabe ohne zusätzliches Material zu retten:
wKc1, wTe5 nach e8 - 1. Te5! (2023-12-22)
comment
Keywords: Pawn step variations, Illegal position (with WTM), Minimal
Genre: s#
FEN: 8/3p4/8/4R3/4B1N1/1PP4Q/1PK1kB2/1R6
Input: Frank Müller, 2010-11-03
Last update: Vaclav Kotesovec, 2023-12-22 more...
22 - P1195355
Torsten Linss
Dieter Müller

210 Vratnica-64 6 04-06/2002
Lob
Miloseski-60-Jubiläumsturnier
P1195355
(5+14) C+
h#3
b) wLa5->a1
a) 1. Te4 Sb4 2. Td8 Txd8 3. d5 Txd5#
b) 1. Te2 Sd4 2. Tb8 Txb8 3. b5 Txb5#
play all play one stop play next play all
Doppelveröffentlichung
Mario Richter: Illegale Stellung (Grund: Der weiße König konnte die 7./8. Reihe nie erreichen) (2011-06-10)
TLi: Die behauptete Doppelveröffentlichung kann ich nicht nachvollziehen. (2022-09-19)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (wKh8)
Genre: h#
Computer test: Popeye Windows-32Bit v4.51 (100000 KB)
FEN: n3rrRK/bpp2pp1/3p1p2/B1k5/8/1P6/n1N3q1/5b2
Reprints: Vratnica-64 2008
Input: hpr, 2011-05-11
Last update: Gunter Jordan, 2020-01-09 more...
23 - P1225755
Erich Ernst
2525 Badische Neueste Nachrichten 02/04/1988
P1225755
(14+14)
Weiß gewinnt
(oder #8)
1. Lxg2+! Kxg2 2. Df3+ Kxf3 3. Se1+ Ke4 4. f3+ Kd5 5. e4+ Kxc6 6. Se5+ Kb7 7. a8=D+ Kxa8 8. b7#
play all play one stop play next play all
SCHRECKE: Die Stellung ist ILLEGAL
sBa2+sBc4 können nicht geschlagen haben, den weißen Bauern (a7,b6,c6) fehlt 1 Schlag.
Henrik, what do you think? (2022-02-22)
Henrik Juel: I agree, Michael, illegal pawn position (2022-02-22)
comment
Keywords: Promotion (D), Illegal position
Genre: n#, Studies
FEN: 1br2qbK/P1n2N1R/1PPrp3/5n1Q/2p5/4P1pP/p1N1pPp1/1R3BBk
Input: Felber, Volker, 2011-11-28
Last update: Mario Richter, 2022-02-23 more...
24 - P1234614
Petko A. Petkov
886 idee & form 07/1997
Dirk Borst gewidmet
1. Preis
P1234614
(13+13) C+
s#5
1. Da8! droht 2. Sf7+ Kf5 3. Sxe3+ Kf4 4. Ta6+ Kxe3 5. De4+ Lxe4#
1. ... Sd7 2. Tc6+ Kxd5 3. Td6+ Ke5 4. Td4+ Kxe6 5. Te4+ Lxe4#
1. ... Sc6 2. Td7+ Kxe6 3. Td6+ Ke5 4. Txf6+ Kxd5 5. Tf5+ Lxf5#
1. ... Txf3 2. Tb6+ Ke4 3. Sxf6+ Kd3 4. Dd5+ Kc2,Kxc3 5. Dd2+ exd2#
1. ... f5 2. Sg4+ fxg4 3. h8=D+ Kf5 4. Dh7+ Ke5 5. De4+ Lxe4#
4. ... Kg5 5. Dg6+ Lxg6#
play all play one stop play next play all
Raúl Jordan entdeckte, dass diese Stellung illegal ist!
FA=8.5 Transformation of white batteries, removal of white impediment, echoed play
Walter Lindenthal: Die illegale B-Schlagbilanz kann sehr einfach über den "unbrauchbaren" wB[a2] und die Rückwirkung auf sBh4 erkannt werden. (2023-08-28)
comment
Keywords: Beseitigung hinderlicher Masse, Switchback after capture, Illegal position
Genre: s#
FEN: 1nB5/2B1P2P/2QRPp1N/2pNk2P/2p4p/2P1pP2/p3pr2/rb2K1n1
Reprints: F59 FIDE Album 1995-1997 2004
Input: Frank Müller, 2012-03-16
Last update: Marcin Banaszek, 2023-11-04 more...
25 - P1235780
Stefan Klebes
3464 Freie Presse (Chemnitz) 26/11/1993
P1235780
(11+11)
#2
1. Ld6? e2!
1. Ld4? Sd2+!
1. La3? e2!

1. Lb4! droht 2. Sg6#
1. ... Sc5 2. Lxc5#
1. ... Sd2+ 2. Lxd2#
1. ... Sc3+ 2. Lxc3#
1. ... e2 2. Ld2#
play all play one stop play next play all
Es fehlen 5 schwarze Figuren, aber 6 Schlagfälle werden benötigt.

Korrektur unter P1287722
Henrik Juel: The illegality is more clearly shown like this:
Black pawns have captured fxg, hxg, and cxdxexfxg, i.e. six times, but only five white men are missing (2022-07-03)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Unpinning, Provoked check
Genre: 2#
FEN: 1r2R3/7B/1PP5/1RB1NPp1/Q3nkp1/3pp1p1/6p1/1K3bNn
Input: Felber, Volker, 2012-04-02
Last update: Felber, Volker, 2014-09-06 more...
26 - P1246846
Jesper Jespersen
B19 Nuova Rivista degli Scacchi , p. 122, 05/1880
3. Preis
P1246846
(14+10) cooked
#2
Schwarz kann nicht zuletzt gezogen haben
1. ... a1=D,L+ 2. Td4 Sc6#
play all play one stop play next play all
Originallösung (1880, S. 213):
Dalla posizione apparisce che il Nero deve avere lamossa, perchè nessuno de'suoi pezzi può avere avuto l'ultimo tratto.
Cioè:
a) Il R nero non può coll'ultimo tratto esser venuto da 5 A pr; allora l'ultimo tratto del Bianco dev'essere stato C 6 D, ciò che fa supporre , o che il tratto penultimo del Nero sia stato A 2 A sc. (ma di dove è venuto in tal caso l' A?), o vhe il C ha preso un pezzo nero a 6 D; ma i Pedoni 4 R, 4 A, 4 C hanno preso tutti i pezzi neri che si trovano nel diagramma.
b) Il P 7 TD che è venuto da 6 C es ha preso tutti e due i pezzi bianchi mancanti non può essersi mosso nell'ultimo tratto.
c) Il P 3 R che è venuto das 2 R (perchè non pu`aver preso nessun pezzo) non ha fatto l' ultimo tratto; il che si può vedere dalla posiziopne di A 2 A (che non può essere il P A R trasfigurato).
d) La posizione del R bianco mostra che il C 5 T non s' è mosso ultamente.
Dunque da tuttociò apparisce che il B ha fatto l'ultimo tratto, e ora il Nero giuoca: 1. P 8 T fa D sc. 2. T 4 D C 6 A sc.m."
[Sinngemäß: Aus der Stellung geht hervor, dass Schwarz am Zug sein muss, da keine seiner Figuren den letzten Zug ausgeführt haben kann.
Nämlich:
a) Der schwarze K kann mit dem letzten Zug nicht von b5 gekommen sein, denn dann müßte der letzte weiße Zug Sd6 gewesen sein, was bedeutet, daß der vorletzte schwarze Zug Lc7+ gewesen sein muss (aber woher kam in diesem Fall der sL?); oder wenn der wS auf d6 einen schwarzen Stein schlug; aber die Bauern e4,f4 und g4 haben alle im Diagramm fehlenden schwarzen Figuren geschlagen.
b) Der sBa2, der von b3 und zuvor von der c-Linie kam und dabei die beiden fehlenden weißen Steine ??nahm, kann im letzten Leg nicht gezogen haben.
c) sBe6 kam von e7 (weil er keine Figur hätte nehmen können), kann aber zuletz nicht gezogen haben, was aus der Position des sLc7 ersichtlich ist (der kein aus dem sBf7 entstandener UW-L sein kann [letzterer konnte nicht schlagen und deshalb kein schwarzes UW-Feld erreichen]).
d) Die Position des weißen K zeigt, dass sich der sSa5 nicht zuletzt bewegt hat.
Aus all dem folgt also, dass W zuletzt zog, und jetzt spielt Schwarz: 1. ... a1=D+ 2. Td4 Sc6#

(Daß Autor, Löser und PR übersehen haben, daß der fehlende sLc8 nicht als Schlagobjekt für die wBB zur Verfügung stand, ist umso erstaunlicher, als ja andererseits eine analoge Analyse R: sBe7-e6 als letzetn Zug ausschloß.)
Cook: Illegal position in retro = unsound = "cooked, in crude PDB terminology"
Originalforderung: "Chi comincia a giuocare dà scaccomatto in 2 mosse. Dalla posizione dei pezzi come pùo scuoprirsi chi debba avore necessariamente il tratto?"

Einsendung ["Invio"] N. 14 zum "Terzo Concorso internazionale di Problemi" [Abteilung "Bizzarrie"], Motto: "Humanum"
Alfred Pfeiffer: Lösung: 1... a1=D+ ...
Stellung illegal, da 7 Weiß-Schläge: 6 mit Bauern + sLc8. (2012-08-13)
athulin: This problem won the 3 pr. in the 'Bizzarria' section of
3rd Intl. Tourney of Nuova Rivista Degli Scacchi (1879). It was
published in vol. 5, issue 4 (May, 1880), p. 122 as 'Bizzaria N. 19'] (2022-03-11)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Whose move?
Genre: Retro, 2#
FEN: 1R1Q4/ppbp2pp/kP1Np3/n3K3/R3PPPP/PB4P1/p4P2/8
Reprints: Deutsche Schachzeitung , p. 167, 06/1881
57 150 Schachkuriositäten 1910
Input: Frank Müller, 2012-08-13
Last update: Mario Richter, 2022-03-12 more...
27 - P1257885
Guy Sobrecases
Jacques Rotenberg

H826 Probleemblad , p. 27, 01-03/2009
Probleemblad gewidmet
P1257885
(2+12) C+
h#4
2.1...
1) 1. Lh7 g8=T 2. Dg7 Th8 3. Kg6 Txh7 4. Kg5 Txg7#
2) 1. Ke7 g8=D 2. Le8 Dh8 3. Kf7 Df8+ 4. Kg6 Dg8#
play all play one stop play next play all
Laut Henrik Juel gab es im Originalabdruck keine Widmung.
Mario Richter: Illegales Schach durch wBg7. (2013-01-17)
Henrik Juel: I believe the black king should be moved to f7, which renders a nicer P, and makes the problem C+ by Popeye
1.Lh7 g8=T 2.Dg7 Th8 3.Kg6 Txh7 4.Kg5 Txg7#
1.Ke7 g8=D 2.Le8 Dh8 3.Kf7 Df8+ 4.Kg6 Dg8# (2013-01-17)
Henrik Juel: The diagram in Probleemblad nr. 1, Jan.-Mar. 2009, p. 27 has sKf7, not f8.
The magazine does not mention a dedication to Probleemblad; the problem could also honour Peter van den Heuvel, who stepped down as helpmate editor at the end of 2008, but no dedication is included (2013-01-17)
Yuri Bilokin: Version: in view of the presence h#3.5 1...g8=R 2.Bh7 Rh8 3.Kg6 Rxh7 4.Kg5 Rg7# only two endings can be saved: -bQg4 8/5kP1/5pbp/5p1r/5r1b/5pp1/5p2/5K2 (2+11) h#4*
1...g8=R 2.Bh7 Rh8 3.Kg6 Rxh7 4.Kg5 Rg7# (MM)
1.Ke7 g8=Q 2.Be8 Qh8 3.Kf7 Qf8+ 4.Kg6 Qg8# (MM) (2021-11-28)
comment
Keywords: Character problem (P), Illegal position, Minimal
Genre: h#
Computer test: Popeye Windows-32Bit v4.51 (100000 KB)
FEN: 8/5kP1/5pbp/5p1r/5rqb/5pp1/5p2/5K2
Input: hpr, 2012-12-29
Last update: Olaf Jenkner, 2021-11-28 more...
28 - P1262746
Paul S. Valois
S1013 The Problemist 03/1985
nach F. Anderson
P1262746
(13+14) cooked
s#2
1. Lg4! droht 2. Dxa6+ Lb7#
1. ... Da1 2. Sxd4+ Lf5#
1. ... Da5 2. Sxc5+ Lf5#
1. ... Sb4 2. Sxd8+ Lf5#
1. ... Lxf8 2. Sxf8+ Lf5#
1. ... Sxc7 2. Sxc7+ Lf5#
2. Lxc7+ Lxa8#
play all play one stop play next play all
vgl. Anderson (Springaren 1951)
Cook: Dual 1. ... Sxc7 2. Sxc7+, 2. Lxc7+
Henrik Juel: dual 1... Sxc7 2.Sxc7+,Lxc7+ (2021-01-04)
comment
Keywords: differenzierte Batterieabzüge, Illegal position, selfpinning
Genre: s#
FEN: RBkrRNn1/Q1P1b1P1/np2N1p1/2p1KBp1/2Ppbp2/5P2/2P1r3/4q3
Input: Frank Müller, 2013-02-17
Last update: Marcin Banaszek, 2021-01-07 more...
29 - P1262999
Ralf Krätschmer
62 Rhein Main Presse 28/12/1996
P1262999
(6+13) C+
#6
1. Dd3+? exd3!, 1. ... Kxc5 2. Ld6+ exd6!

1. Th2! droht 2. Td2#
1. ... e3 2. Th5 Txh5+ 3. Kg1 Th7,Te5 4. Sxe7+ Txe7 5. Dd3+ Kxc5 6. Ld6#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: apart from the illegal position, C+ Popeye 4.61 (2023-07-13)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Sacrifice of white pieces (TSS)
Genre: n#
Computer test: Juel: Popeye 4.61
FEN: 6Nb/1pBpp3/1rb2p2/1pNkr3/4p1pR/1pQ5/8/7K
Input: Felber, Volker, 2013-02-22
Last update: Dieter Berlin, 2023-07-13 more...
30 - P1263894
Petko A. Petkov
4458 Magyar Sakkelet 04/1981
P1263894
(10+8) C+
s#5
1. d8=L! h5 2. Lf6 h6 3. Dg4 fxg4 4. Sb3+ Kd3 5. Lg6+ Sxg6#
3. ... hxg4 4. Tb4+ Kc5 5. Sd3+ Sxd3#
play all play one stop play next play all
SCHRECKE: C+, Gustav 4.1d, Brute Force (2021-09-23)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: s#
FEN: 8/3P1BQp/1R2p2p/1R2np2/3k1K1p/4N2P/4p3/2N1B3
Input: Frank Müller, 2013-03-08
Last update: Marcin Banaszek, 2021-10-02 more...
31 - P1298074
Jacques Rotenberg
Problemiste 2012
1st prize
P1298074
(10+16)
#11
1. Sfxe7+! exd5+ 2. Sxd5+ Sef6+,Shf6+ 3. Sdxf6+ d5+ 4. Sxd5+ Sf6+ 5. Sdxf6+ d5+ 6. Sxd5+ Te7+ 7. Sdxe7+ Ld5+ 8. Sxd5+ Te7+ 9. Sdxe7+ f5+ 10. Sxf5+ De7+ 11. Sfxe7#
play all play one stop play next play all
correction of P1298046
Henrik Juel: 21 consecutive checks; unfortunately, the position is illegal.
White never captured, while black pawns captured six times by axbxcxd, b7xc6, c7xd6, and h7xg6; but [Pf2] could not have been captured.
Nowadays it is rare to see an illegal prize winner, so the diagram may be incorrect (Pg2?) (2015-02-25)
Henrik Juel: Now I see that Jacques, in his comment to P1298046, gave this position, so my last sentence does not apply (2015-02-25)
Henrik Juel: The illegality is even 'worse' than I first thought, because [Pe2] could not have been captured either (2015-02-27)
James Malcom: I think it would be nice to have a legal version of this record. To do this, I propose we shorten the solution until a legal position is reached.

A #9 with 33B2N1/qrrp1ppn/1Ppp1np1/2QN2k1/3PKR2/8/b2p2P1/8 seems legal, no? (2021-02-06)
Anton Baumann: störender Dual in der Lösung: ... 7.Sde7+ f5+ 8.Sxf5+ Te7+ 9.Dxe7+,Lxe7+,Sxe7+ ...
Die Stellung wird legal mit schwarzer Umwandlungsfigur: d2=sT! Aber es bleibt der Dual in der Lösung.
Mögliche legale Stellung, ohne Dual in der Lösung: a7=sT, b7=sD, -sBc6, wBb6 nach c6 (10+15) #10
Lösung: 1.Sfe7+ exd5+ ... 7.Sde7+ Ld5+ 8.Dxd5+ f5+ 9.Sxf5+ De7+ 10.Sxe7# (2021-02-11)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Consecutive checks (21), Checking key, Construction task, Construction record, Move Length Record
Genre: n#
FEN: 3Bn1N1/qrrpbppn/1Pppp1p1/2QR1Nk1/3PKR2/8/b2p2P1/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2015-02-25
Last update: James Malcom, 2021-02-07 more...
32 - P1299312
Ottó Titusz Bláthy
148f Fata Morgana 1922
P1299312
(4+16) cooked
s#20*
* 1. ... Dg8#
1. Te8 Dg8+ 2. Ke7 Kh7 3. Txg8 Kxg8 4. Ke8 Kh7 5. Kf8 Kh8 6. Kf7 Kh7 7. e7 Kh8 8. e8=D+ Kh7 9. De7 Kh8 10. Kxg6 Kg8 11. Kh5 g6+ 12. Kxh6 Kh8
play all play one stop play next play all
Anton Baumann: kürzer: 5.Kf7! Kh8 6.Kxg6 Kg8 7.e7 Kh8 8.Kh5 g6+! 9.Kxh6 Kg8 10.Kxg6 Kh8 11.Kxg5 Kg7 12.e8=D Kh7 13.Df7+ Kh8 14.De7 Kg8 15.Kf4,Kh4 Kh8 16.Kxg3 Kg8 17.Kxh2 g3+ 18.Kxg1 Kh8 19.Df7 h2# (17. .. Kh8 18.Df7 g3 19.Kxg1 h2#) (2020-11-30)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: s#
FEN: 5K1k/4R1pq/4P1pb/6p1/6p1/5prp/4prpn/4Qbn1
Input: Frank Müller, 2015-03-15
Last update: Marcin Banaszek, 2020-11-30 more...
33 - P1299313
Ottó Titusz Bláthy
148g Fata Morgana 1922
P1299313
(4+16)
s#29*
* 1. ... Dg8#
play all play one stop play next play all
Anton Baumann: Autorabsicht unbekannt; Lösung in 26 Zügen:
1.Te8 Dg8+ 2.Ke7 Kh7 3.Txg8+ Kxg8 4.Ke8 Kh7 5.Kf7 Kh8 6.Kxg6 Kg8 7.e7 Kh8 8.Kh5 g6+! 9.Kxh6 Kg8 10.Kxg6 Kh8 11.Kf5 Kg7 12.e8=D Kh6 13.Ke4 Kg7 14.Kd3 Kh6 15.Kd2 Kh7 16.Db1+ Kh6 17.Ke1 Kg7 18.Da1+ Kh6 19.Deh8+ Kg6 20.Dag7+ Kf5 21.De8 Kf4 22.Db5 Ke3 23.Da7 Kf4 24.Dxf2 Kf4 25.Def3+ Kxe3 26.Dc4 f2# (mit Dualen) (2020-12-07)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Obvious promotion
Genre: s#
FEN: 5K1k/4R1pq/4P1pb/6p1/6p1/5prb/4prpn/4Qbn1
Input: Frank Müller, 2015-03-15
Last update: Frank Müller, 2015-03-15 more...
34 - P1299315
Ottó Titusz Bláthy
148i Fata Morgana 1922
P1299315
(5+15)
s#47*
* 1. ... Dg8#
1. Te8 Dg8+ 2. Ke7 Kh7 3. Txg8 Kxg8 4. Ke8 Kh7 5. Kf8 Kh8 6. Kf7 Kh7 7. e7 Kh8 8. e8=T+ Kh7 9. Te6 Kh8 10. Td6 Kh7 11. Txg6 Kh8 12. Td6 g6 13. Td8+
play all play one stop play next play all
Anton Baumann: kürzer: ... 5.Kf7! Kh8 6.Kxg6 Kg8 7.e7 Kh8 8.Kh5 g6+! 9.Kxh6 Kg8 10.Kxg6 Kh8 11.Kf5 Kg7 12.e8=D Kh6 13.Ke4 Kg7 14.Kd3 Kf6 15.Kd2 Kg7 16.Da1+ Kh6 17.Da6+ Kg7 18.Db7+ Kh6 19.Dh8+ Kg6 20.Ke1 Kf5 21.Dc6 Kf4 22.Dc5 Ke4 23.Db8 Kd3 24.Dxg3 Ke4 25.Dgd6 g3 26.Dc2+ Ke3 27.Lxf2 gxf2# (mit vielen Dualen) (2020-12-09)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: s#
FEN: 5K1k/4R1pq/4P1pb/6p1/6p1/5prp/4prpn/4QbB1
Input: Frank Müller, 2015-03-15
Last update: Frank Müller, 2015-03-15 more...
35 - P1301071
Ljubomir Ugren
F3085 The Problemist 11/2013
P1301071
(9+12)
ser-h#35
1. Da2xb1 2. Db1-a2 3. Da2xa3 4. Da3-c5 5. Ta4-b4 6. Ta5-a2 7. Ka6-a5 8. Ka5-a4 9. Ka4-a3 10. Tb4-a4 11. Ta4-a6 12. Ka3-a4 13. Ka4-a5 14. Ta2-a4 15. Ta4-b4 16. Ka5-a4 17. Ka4-a3 18. Ka3-a2 19. Ka2-b1 20. Ta6-a2 21. a7-a5 22. a5-a4 23. a4-a3 24. Tb4-a4 25. Ta4-a8 26. Ta8-d8 27. Td8xd2 28. Kb1xc1 29. Kc1-d1 30. Kd1-e2 31. Ke2-f3 32. Kf3-g4 33. Kg4-h5 34. Kh5-h6 35. Dc5-h5 g7-g8=S#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: The position is illegal, as black pawns have captured nine times, but only seven white men are missing.
What is the intended solution? (2015-04-07)
Mario Richter: I do not know the intended solution, but the following line of play does the job:
1. Qa2xb1 2. Qb1-a2 3. Qa2xa3 4. Qa3-c5 5. Ra4-b4 6. Ra5-a2 7. Ka6-a5 8. Ka5-a4 9. Ka4-a3 10. Rb4-a4 11. Ra4-a6 12. Ka3-a4 13. Ka4-a5 14. Ra2-a4 15. Ra4-b4 16. Ka5-a4 17. Ka4-a3 18. Ka3-a2 19. Ka2-b1 20. Ra6-a2 21. Pa7-a5 22. Pa5-a4 23. Pa4-a3 24. Rb4-a4 25. Ra4-a8 26. Ra8-d8 27. Rd8xd2 28. Kb1xc1 29. Kc1-d1 30. Kd1-e2 31. Ke2-f3 32. Kf3-g4 33. Kg4-h5 34. Kh5-h6 35. Qc5-h5 Pg7-g8=N# (2015-04-08)
Henrik Juel: Thanks, Mario, for the nice solution, which certainly looks intended (2015-04-08)
Anton Baumann: C+ Alybadix (2020-12-01)
A.Buchanan: Suppose remove wBf6 and wLb1, and shift wSe4 to e6, with sDa2 to b1. Does that work as ser-h#34? (2020-12-02)
Anton Baumann: wSe4 nach e6?? 1.Tb4 Sc7#
Wenn 2 w Steine reduzieren, dann diejenigen welche ohnehin geschlagen werden:
zB: -wLb1, -wBa3, sTa4 nach b4, sDa2 nach a4 (7+12) serh#34: 1.Da3 2.Tba4 3.Dc5 4.Tb4 ... (2020-12-03)
A.Buchanan: Haha Anton I should have spotted that. Also wSe4 stops sDb1-f5-c5, which makes me think about sDb1 sTa2a3 sKa4 (and the two white units removed, of course). Is that ser-h#38? (2020-12-03)
Anton Baumann: Auch so ser-h#34: 1.Ka5 3.Tb4 5.Ka3 7.Ta6 9.Ka5 10.Ta4 13.Dc5 14.Tb4 18.Kb1 ... (2020-12-04)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Seriesmover, Illegal position
Genre: Fairies
FEN: 5N2/pp4P1/kp3P2/rp6/r1p1N3/PpK5/qn1Q4/bBB5
Input: Frank Müller, 2015-04-07
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2020-12-02 more...
36 - P1302032
Peter Güssow

P1302032
(11+16) cooked
#22
1. Td1 hxg4 2. Se2+ Kg2 3. De1 Kf3 4. Sg1+ Ke4 5. Sh3 exf4 6. f3+ gxf3 7. Sf2+ Ke5 8. Sxd3+ Ke4 9. Sf2+ Ke5 10. Sf5+ Sxh8 11. Sg4+ Ke4 12. Txd4+ cxd4 13. Dxb1+ d3 14. Sxd6+ exd6 15. Db4+ d4 16. Lb7+ Txb7 17. Te5+ dxe5 18. Dxb7+ d5 19. Dh7+ Sg6 20. Dxg6+ Tf5 21. Dxf5 exf5 22. Sf6#
play all play one stop play next play all
Cook: Duale im 8. und 13. Zug
Diese Aufgabe stand ursprünglich auf der Webseite des Autors, welche nicht mehr auffindbar ist.
Die Aufgabe hat aber auf Youtube überlebt:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqKThPSX3PY
Stefan Felber: Stellung illegal! (2015-04-27)
SCHRECKE: Wer kennt die zuglängste Aufgabe mit dem "erstickten" Matt
in der Brettmitte mit legalen Mitteln ? (2015-04-27)
James Malcom: At 16 moves, P1236204 seems to be the known record. (2021-01-15)
comment
Keywords: Obvious promotion, Illegal position
Genre: n#
FEN: 1rB2r1B/3pp1N1/3qp1n1/QRppp1Kp/3b1PR1/3bp3/3R1P2/1n4Nk
Reprints: YouTube 16/12/2014
Input: Olaf Jenkner, 2015-04-26
Last update: Frank Müller, 2015-04-27 more...
37 - P1315337
Jozsef Pogats
11591 Schach-Echo , p. 40, 01/1991
P1315337
(10+9) C+
h#25
0.1...
1. ... h4 2. Lg1 Kxg1 3. Kf7 Kh1 4. Ke8 Kg1 5. Kd8 Kh1 6. Kc8 Kg1 7. Kb8 Kh1 8. Ka7 Kg1 9. Ka6 Kh1 10. Ka5 Kg1 11. Kb4 Kh1 12. Kxc4 Kg1 13. Kxc5 Kh1 14. Kxc6 Kg1 15. Kd7 Kh1 16. c5 Kg1 17. c4 Kh1 18. c3 Kg1 19. c2 Kh1 20. c1=S Kg1 21. Sxe2+ Kh1 22. Sf4 Lc4 23. Sg6 hxg6 24. Ke8 gxh7 25. Kf8 h8=D#
play all play one stop play next play all
SE schreibt in der LB:

'Die Stellung ist illegal, da die schwarzen Bauernschlagfälle mit den fehlenden weißen Steinen nicht übereinstimmen, vor allem wegen des weißen h-Turmes. Zur Herstellung der Legalität muß man wohl auf den ersten Halbzug verzichten und (mit wBh4) auf ein h#24 zurückstecken?'.

ferner

'Vom Autor liegt noch eine ähnliche, allerdings um zwei Züge kürzere Aufgabe vor...' (=P1315338)
Henrik Juel: The position is illegal
because Black would need six pawn captures to reach his pawn position, but [Th1] was captured in its corner by a black officer, leaving only five white men for capture by black pawns
So (wBh5) in Keywords makes little sense (2016-01-12)
James Malcom: Why was this labeled as cooked? An illegal position does not automatically make a problem incorrect. I've changed it to C+. (2020-11-11)
A.Buchanan: Yes James only for a retro might I mark an illegal problem as “cooked”. Even then that’s not really the right term. But here simply fix by pushing wBh3c4 to h4c3. The initial White move is still forced, so no change to soundness but the position is legal. (2020-11-12)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: h#
Computer test: O. Jenkner: Gustav 4.1 d
FEN: 8/2p1p2p/2P1k2p/2P1p2P/2P1P3/4p1pP/4P1Pb/5B1K
Input: Felber, Volker, 2016-01-12
Last update: Olaf Jenkner, 2020-11-12 more...
38 - P1322154
Antoine Huberty
AJEC (Belgischer Fernschachbund) 01/10/1935
P1322154
(13+12)
#1 (Wer?)
1. Dc4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Mit Weiß von unten nach oben spielend wäre die Stellung illegal, also spielt Weiß von oben nach unten (Drehung um 180°) und kann mit 1. Dc4 (oder präziser 1. Df5 beim richtig orientierten Brett) mattsetzen.
eingebettet in eine Geschichte "Un peu de fantaisie - qui fait mat en un coup"
Henrik Juel: The reason for illegality is too many white pawn captures
axb, bxcxd, hxg need four missing black men, which is indeed the case, but [Lc8] was captured at home by an officer (2016-07-10)
A.Buchanan: 1.Sg3#? is the thematic try (2023-04-03)
comment
Keywords: Joke, Illegal position, Whose move?, Board Rotation
Genre: Retro
FEN: 1rn5/NpQp2b1/1P2p1P1/p2P1p2/1k2P2p/5P2/R1PP2P1/1N1K1n1r
Input: Mario Richter, 2016-07-10
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-04-03 more...
39 - P1324999
Andrew Buchanan
9v Problemas 12, p. 285, 10/2015
after Hauke Reddmann
P1324999
(2+2)
Illegal position.
White to move.
How does the game end?

Author's "Solution" from Problemas magazine [edited]:
"White has no move, and is not in check. But for stalemate to apply, and end the game, it basically requires that the move producing the position was legal (see Law A5.2a). Not only is the position illegal, but no legal last move exists, even from a previously illegal position! So we are stuck in some kind of limbo. The result can perhaps be described as “nearly stalemate”.
Hauke Reddmann described a position like this as “dividing by zero”. It's an exception to the general observation that one can continue to play chess if the wrong player is in check. It seems odd to insist that only the final move in a game has to be legal, but that’s what the rules do. And I think that’s as far down the rabbit hole as we should go today."
Not Thema Null, because set play does not already achieve the stipulation.
A.Buchanan: The forward rules can apply perfectly well to illegal positions (e.g. set play, where we never concern ourselves with the position's legality). But a lacuna comes where a position with no precursor position is delivering mate, stalemate or DP. A #0 should work as well as a #2. In all cases, the FIDE Laws currently require that the prior move (and only that move) be legal. The Law is about catching errors/cheating otb, so I think the Codex should ensure it does not get carried over to problem chess. This problem will then lose its point, but it will have served its purpose and it can be retired to Golden Age, much to Henrik's relief :) (2023-12-15)
comment
Keywords: Lese Majeste, Illegal position, Dead Position, Miniature
Genre: Retro
FEN: 8/8/8/8/8/nk6/P7/K7
Input: A.Buchanan, 2016-09-06
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2019-12-09 more...
40 - P1340096
Rolf Uppström
1587 Springaren 144 06/2017
P1340096
(4+4)
h#1
2 Lösungen
Lame
a) wBc1->h7 1. Kh2 h8=D#,h8=T#
b) wBc1->h2 1. gxh2 Sf2#
play all play one stop play next play all
The condition Lame means that the position is illegal and must be made legal by adding, moving, or removing one man, before White moves. See P1340078.
Veröffentlicht in der Rubrik: "Smasaker och Hugskott"
Henrik Juel: The condition Lame means that the position is illegal and must be made legal by adding, moving, or removing one man, before the stipulated play starts (2017-09-24)
Alfred Pfeiffer: NL nach wBc1->h7: 1. Ld5,..,La8 h8=D,T# (2017-09-25)
A.Buchanan: Is it bPg2? (2024-01-17)
A.Buchanan: I don't know how it is in Swedish, but in English, Lame is a slur. And the acronym doesn't work. I would suggest "Alarm" instead, standing for "Alarm! Legalize by Adding, Removing or Moving". But with only two examples, it's not worth a keyword yet. (2024-01-17)
comment
Keywords: Promotion (in 1), Smothered mate (in 2), pin-mate (in 1), Illegal position, Selfblock (in 2)
Genre: Fairies
FEN: 8/8/8/8/8/2K3p1/2R3b1/2PN2rk
Input: Gunter Jordan, 2017-09-24
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2024-01-17 more...
41 - P1340386
Georges Emile Barbier
Recreationist 06/1873
P1340386
(6+8)
#2
1) R: 1. ... 0-0, dann 1. Kxd8 Lf6+ 2. Ke8 De4#,bxc8=D/T
1. ... bxc8=D/T+ 2. Kxc8 Da8#
2) R: 1. ... 0-0, dann 1. Tg8,Tf8 De4+ 2. Kxd8 De7#
play all play one stop play next play all
Heft 7 (08/1873) S.91: The position being one occuring in actual play with White to move, the question is 'What was Black's last move?'. Clearly not a pawn or bishop. Neither could it have been the Kt, for it must have moved from B4 or Kt5, and from either square it would have checked the White K, which must consequently have moved, and therefore could not occupy K 3, as given on the diagram. Nor could the Rook have moved from K square for a similiar reason, the check requiring one of the white pieces to cover it, or the King to move. Then the Black King must have moved - but from where? Not from B or R squares, which are guarded by two pieces. It must have moved therefore from K square, which necessitates the placing of the Rook on its square. Black therefore Castled on his last move, which by the Chess law was an illegal move, and he must pay the penalty by replacing the King and Rook on their original squares, and move one of the pieces touched.
Originalforderung: How is it possible for White to effect mate in two moves by strict chess?

'Recreationist': "A CHESS PUZZLE. We give below an interesting position which is to be looked upon as an end game occuring in actual play. It is calculated to test the ingenuity of those of our subscribers who delight in unravelling mysteries."

Erinnert von der Machart her an P1323153 und ähnlich gelagerte Probleme.

Interessanter Leserbrief von F. Dunne Okt. 1873 S.121: "It appears to me (albeit I amone of the solvers), that Mr. Barber's 'logical' solution of his Chess Puzzle is 'il'-logical, and I believe the following will clearly prove it so. Mr. Barbier says, 'What was Black's last move? Clearly not a pawn or bishop'; and he proceeds to prove that Black 'must' have made a false move with his King, 'because' he could not legally have moved it or any other piece into the position it or they now occupy.
Now surely that is not 'logically' proving that he 'must' have moved his King! For by the same 'logic' I can prove that he must have made a false move with, say, the Knight or any other piece.
'What was Black's last move? Clearly not the King, for all the squares from he could have reached the one he now occupies, are already occupied, either by his own, or by his opponet's pieces, or under the range of the latter's pieces; and he could not have Castled, as the square over which he would have to pass is commanded by one of the adverse pieces.
It is quite evident the pawns have not been moved, and, therefore also, not the bishop. The Rook cannot have been move last, or the White King would not occupy the square he now does. The he 'must' have moved the Kt, and as he could not legally have moved this piece to the square it now occupies, he must have made a false move with it.
Now, one conclusion is as logically arrived at as the other, and by parity of reasoning any other of Black's pieces can be proved to be te one last moved, as Castling across check is no more strict Chess, than wrongly moving a piece."

Gedanken dieser Art haben vermutlich Roberto Osorio & Co. zur Einführung des Begriffs MDR (Minimum Deviation from the Rules) inspiriert (s. Hinweis P0005584)

Antwort vom Autor im 'Recreationist 12/1873 S.154: "In reply to Mr. Dunne's letter in No.9 I beg to say that the solution of the Puzzle cannot be taken apart from the conditions attached to it. Any solution means the solution of something or other, and must be taken inconnection with that something.
The question is to find a way in which White mates in two moves. I agree that if, saying nothing about a mate in two moves as a condition, I endeavoured merely to prove Black's last move, Mr. Dunne's argument would be perfectly sound. But the fact of Black's castling is not an absolute fact; it is only relative. He castled because thereby I can mate him in two moves which Mr. Dunne's move does not do, and which is the very thing that is required to be done.
Henrik Juel: So even if one accepts the dubious retro reasoning intended, the problem is cooked by 0... Kxd8 1.bxc8=DT,Lf6+ (2017-09-30)
A.Buchanan: Dubious or not, retract-and-replay *is* one of the canonical chess problem jokes that our great-great-grandparents must have split their sides laughing over. I am pretty sure there is a typo in the diagram. sLc8 should be b8. This restores soundness and adds a retro try. wBb7 is still necessary to cover c8. (2017-09-30)
A.Buchanan: Have pushed sLc8 to b8, to remove the obvious typo. (2018-10-06)
A.Buchanan: I would classify these problems as jokes, not because the positions are illegal, but because imprecise reasoning is required to determine the illegal move. This is a particularly nice example though. Any thoughts? (2018-10-06)
SP: Your "obvious typo" is imaginary; the intended solution after Kd8: is
explicitly stated to be 1.bc8:=Q+ Kc8: 2.Qa8# (p. 91, viii/1873), quite
impossible with a bBb8. Please correct the position. (2023-02-18)
A.Buchanan: Hi SP. thanks for your research. Have you got a link to this material - that would be very helpful for checking similar situations. Otherwise our discussions here are often speculative. Bad news for the composer though: what I had thought was a typo turns out to be a cook. It would be good to know the version of the touch move rules applying in 1873, as the rook penalty move is clearly thematic. (2023-04-03)
A.Buchanan: The stuff about bS having just made an illegal move is basically Dawson & Hundsdorfer's distinction between plausibility & implausibility. This is an implausible composition, and having said that, one need agonize no longer, and just enjoy it for the best it can be at this silly idea (2023-04-03)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Joke, Retract illegal move (castling), Touch Move, Castling
Genre: Retro, 2#
FEN: 2bN1rk1/1Ppp1pBp/6Nn/8/8/4K3/8/7Q
Reprints: 617 Dubuque Chess Journal 08/1873
Input: Mario Richter, 2017-09-30
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-04-03 more...
42 - P1356761
Reinhardt Fiebig
H944 Problem-Forum 75 09/2018
P1356761
(3+14) C+
h#4
1. Th6 Ta1 2. Lb1 Ta8 3. Sa6 Th8 4. Tg6 h4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Der sBb7 gehört (lt. Autor) nach c7, da sonst die Stellung illegal ist. Diese Korrektur kann nicht mehr im Problem-Forum mitgeteilt werden, da das Blatt sein Erscheinen eingestellt hat (bis auf offene Preisberichte).
Yuri Bilokin: Redaction: Yuri Bilokin & Reinhardt Fiebig -bPb7, +bBc7 1n5r/2bp4/2p2p2/4ppk1/3p1qn1/1p6/bK5P/7R (3+14) h#4 2.1…
1.Rh5 Re1 2.Sh6 Rxe5 3.Qh4 Re7 4.Bf4 Rg7# (MM)
1.Rh6 Ra1 2.Bb1 Ra8 3.Sa6 Rh8 4.Rg6 h4# (MM) (2022-04-23)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Line opening, Model mate, Selfblock, Four corners
Genre: h#
FEN: 1n5r/1p1p4/2p2p2/4ppk1/3p1qn1/1p6/bK5P/7R
Input: Gunter Jordan, 2018-10-24
Last update: Gunter Jordan, 2019-03-15 more...
43 - P1360528
Petre Stojoski
The Macedonian Problemist 57a 09-12/2018
Zoran Gavrilovski 50 JT Abt. H#>2
1. ehrende Erwähnung
PR Hans Gruber
P1360528
(2+13) C+
h#5
1. Se5-c4+ Kb2-c1 2. Kd6-e7 La1xd4 3. Lh2-c7 Ld4-g7 4. Sc4-e5+ Kc1-b2 5. Ke7-d6 Lg7-f8#
play all play one stop play next play all
Stefan Felber: Illegale Bauernstellung! (2019-02-02)
Viktoras Paliulionis: Possible correction: bBd7.
Also, the BQ can be replaced with a BR. (2020-10-08)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position, Checking key, Minimal, Model mate, Klasinc theme (K-L, s-L, s-l, k-l), Switchback (Kks), Selfblock, Line closing, Line closing, Bivalve
Genre: h#
Computer test: Popeye 4.67
FEN: 8/3p4/2qkp3/3pn3/pp1p4/1p1r4/pK5b/B7
Input: Marcin Banaszek, 2019-02-02
Last update: Gunter Jordan, 2019-05-16 more...
44 - P1380065
Hermann Weissauer
C Die Schwalbe 35, p. 382, 10/1975
P1380065
(8+13) C+
#3
1. Tf8-f5! droht 2. Sc5-a4+,S~+ Kb5xa4 3. Te5xa5#
1. ... Lh4-e1 2. Te5-e4 droht 3. Ld3xc4#
2. ... a5-a4 3. Sc5-e6#
play all play one stop play next play all
innerhalb eines Artikels "Batteriewechsel - ein interessantes Thema?" (II. Teil) von H. Weissauer
Stefan Felber: Stellung illegal! (2020-09-20)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (8 sBB+UW-Lh4)
Genre: 3#
Computer test: Popeye 4.83
FEN: 5R2/1K2p1p1/6P1/pkN1R1Pq/2r2ppb/Bp1Bp3/1p6/6r1
Reprints: Rochade Europa , p. 41, 10/1995
Input: Marcin Banaszek, 2020-09-19
Last update: Mario Richter, 2020-09-20 more...
45 - P1381916
James Malcom
PDB Website 14/11/2020
P1381916
(13+9)
s#11
(-:
1. h8=T+! Sh6 2. exd8=K! b3 3. a8=sS! b2 4. b8=sL! La7 5. e4 Lb8 6. e5 La7 7. e6 Lb8 8. e7 La7 9. e8=B! Lb8 10. Ta4 La7 11. Txa7 g4#
play all play one stop play next play all
A rather... complicated "joke."
A.Buchanan: If one allows promotion to sB (and there seems no reason to disallow it since promotion to pawn, king and foreign units are allowed) then the problem is cooked. There is no universally agreed notion of how a pawn can move if it starts on the first rank. Does it get a double hop, and if so on which rank? But the problem is unsound in any case. (2022-02-10)
James Malcom: That is if, yes. But I don't think this problem ought to be left as is: a demonstration of the levels of absurdity and tomfoolery old rules used to allow. Promotion to a piece of another color and dummies were loopholes, yes, but promotion to a black pawn was never included, not even implicitly. All pawns are pieces, but not all pieces are pawns. (2022-02-10)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Joke promotion (Ksl), Dummy Pawn, konsekutive Umwandlungen 5 (TKslB), under-promotion key (T), Excelsior white, Golden Age (Dummy Pawn), Illegal position (no wK), Joke
Genre: s#, Fairies
Computer test: Difficult to test at the moment because no engine allows both normal and adversarial promotion.
FEN: 2Rr2n1/PPpBP2P/1pP5/1N4pk/1p4Rb/6pP/4P1P1/1Q6
Input: James Malcom, 2020-11-14
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
46 - P1382870
Andrew Buchanan
1 The Problemist Supplement 169, p. 120, 11/2020
P1382870
(1+4) C+
h#6.5
Illegal position
1. ... f4 2. Sf6 f5 3. Sh5 f6 4. Sg7 fxg7 5. Kd8! g8=D+ 6. Kd7 Dg4+ 7. Ke8 Dc8#
play all play one stop play next play all
A.Buchanan: These are not part of the TPS solving competition: the solutions are given in the same issue. But the automatic PDB problem blocker stops them from being commented on. As a work-around for now, I have set the year to 1020 (famous of course as the year Byzantine troops under Catepan Basil Boioannes (supported by his ally Prince Pandulf IV) captured the fortress of Troia). (2020-12-12)
Henrik Juel: Thanks for the enlightenment, Andrew, and for the history lesson
Solution
1... f4 2.Sf6 f5 3.Sh5 f6 4.Sg7 fxg7 5.Kd8! g8=D+ 6.Kd7 Dg4+ 7.Ke8 Dc8# (2020-12-12)
Henrik Juel: Adding wKe1 for legality while maintaining homebase causes many cooks, e.g.
1...f2-f4 2.e7-e5 f4*e5 3.Ke8-e7 e5-e6 4.Ke7-f6 e6*f7 5.Kf6-f5 Ke1-f2 6.Kf5-g4 f7*g8=Q+ 7.Kg4-h3 Qg8-g3# (2020-12-12)
A.Buchanan: Yes wK is just too dominant in these longer h#. But homebase is awesome constraint on design. There are some tremendous h# already, and much of their impact is because of homebase. (2020-12-12)
Olaf Jenkner: Now I see, homebase was the theme... (2020-12-12)
Olaf Jenkner: The king could easily stand at a1 without impact of correctness. (2020-12-12)
A.Buchanan: Yes thematic (2020-12-12)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK), Homebase (2), Minimal (super)
Genre: h#
Computer test: C+ Popeye 4.61
FEN: 4k1n1/4pp2/8/8/8/8/5P2/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2020-12-11
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
47 - P1382871
Andrew Buchanan
Geoff Foster

2 The Problemist Supplement 169, p. 120, 11/2020
P1382871
(1+4) C+
h#7
Illegal position
1. Sc6 e4 2. Sd8! e5 3. Sf7 e6 4. Kd8 exf7 5. Kc8! f8=D+ 6. Kc7 Df4+ 7. Kd8 Db8#
play all play one stop play next play all
more ...
comment
Keywords: Homebase (2), Illegal position (no wK), Minimal (super), Excelsior
Genre: h#
Computer test: C+ Popeye 4.61
FEN: 1n2k3/3pp3/8/8/8/8/4P3/8
Reprints: chess.stackexchange.com 27/05/2023
MatPlus.net Forum 28/05/2023
Input: A.Buchanan, 2020-12-11
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
48 - P1382872
Andrew Buchanan
3 The Problemist Supplement 169, p. 120, 11/2020
P1382872
(2+3) C+
h#7
Illegal position
1. c5 Sd2 2. c4 Sb3 3. cxb3 c4 4. b2 c5 5. b1=T c6 6. Te1 (not 6.Tb7?) c7 7. Te7 c8=D#
play all play one stop play next play all
Out of about 90 examples, this is the only orthodox homebase h# with a rook sub-promotion.
more ...
comment
Keywords: Homebase (2), Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
Computer test: C+ Popeye 4.61
FEN: 4k3/2p2p2/8/8/8/8/2P5/1N6
Input: A.Buchanan, 2020-12-11
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
49 - P1382873
Andrew Buchanan
4 The Problemist Supplement 169, p. 120, 11/2020
P1382873
(1+5) C+
h#8
Illegal position
1. Lh3 gxh3 2. g5 h4 3. g4 h5 4. g3 h6 5. g2 h7 6. g1=D h8=D+ 7. Dg8 Dh3 8. Df7 Dc8#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61
This one is my favorite in the series
Why not add white king somewhere to make the position legal? (2020-12-11)
A.Buchanan: Thanks Henrik. There are now about 100 homebase h# compositions in PDB, following an article I wrote in TPS a couple of years ago, and the legal length limit seems to be about 6.0 moves. Since wK is very good at enabling cooks beyond that point, it's interesting and funny to see what happens if he is removed. The homebase criterion however is paramount, so I absolutely can't just stick wK somewhere else. If I remember properly, Geoff did find out-of-the-way places to stick wK for the other three compositions, but not for this one. As a retro enthusiast, obviously I love the fractal landscape of legal positions, but by the same token, I see nothing wrong with thematic illegality: illegality never prevents one from playing forwards if one is calm about it. And it opens the door to an otherwise inaccessible region of design space, with novel king-free mating patterns. Can anyone push the length further, or find any homebase h# with a bishop promotion? (2020-12-12)
Henrik Juel: Now I understand what is going on
I do not care much about Codex issues, but for some reason I dislike illegal positions for regular problems
Possibly this should be categorized as a fairy problem
Solution
1. Lh3 gxh3 2. g5 h4 3. g4 h5 4. g3 h6 5. g2 h7 6. g1=D h8=D+ 7. Dg8 Dh3 8. Df7 Dc8# (2020-12-12)
A.Buchanan: Thanks for you perspective, Henrik.
Surely some might consider white king as a fairy condition. As you implicitly point out while the *effect* is no white king, there can be multiple *justifications*, just one of which is the direct fairy condition (nowk). As a composer, I chose a different explanation: illegal position. These positions are exactly as illegal as a position with wPb1 & wBa1. In both situations, we can prove there is no sequence of legal moves from the initial game array (PAS). And in both situations we can simply play forward chess, with no issue. Obviously I love retrograde analysis, which has the fractal landscape of legal positions as its bedrock. But it's nice to look at the other side sometimes, and I find it odd that some other people are nervous about doing that.
The distinction between justification and effect wasn't clear to me until recently. Other examples are Bosma & Dummy Pawn. An instance of either may be a joke or a fairy problem. Dummy pawn might also be due to illegal position, or it might be a historical problem, or a contemporary problem set in a previous historical period (which would not make it fairy, it would just have an invalid timestamp).
You may consider threats and set play 20 times a day, but never worry about the legality of the positions in which those moves are playable. And that's because the laws extend smoothly to such illegal positions (except for certain corner cases, and even those can be worked out with a little trying). But even if you found that a threat was in a position from which White couldn't actually have the move, you wouldn't care. So in this area you accept illegality. Orthodox problems couldn't exist without the principle that the laws work happily in illegal positions. It's like mathematics & complex numbers.
The Codex is surprisingly astute about illegality. An illegal position does not prevent soundness: the only stated downside is it *might* not be acceptable to a tourney. The Codex also says that illegal and fairy positions do not normally support retrograde analysis. Although, these days fairy retro analysis exists. The implication in any case is that from the fairy position, illegality and fairy concepts are distinct.
For me, the position is just a node in a graph which happens to be inaccessible from the start node. It's horribly inefficient to have to invoke a specific fairy condition out of so many. Much cleaner and more satisfying to say, well we are in that inaccessible node, so let's play chess. (2020-12-12)
comment
Keywords: Homebase (2), Illegal position (no wK), Minimal (super)
Genre: h#
Computer test: C+ Popeye 4.61
FEN: 2b1k3/2p1p1p1/8/8/8/8/6P1/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2020-12-11
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
50 - P1388370
Erich Bartel
323 Hobelspäne (3) 09/04/2021
P1388370
(2+6) C+
h#3
1. Lc5 Lh8 2. Ke3 Sg7 3. Kd4 Sf5#
play all play one stop play next play all
totale Bahnüberschreitung a1h8
more ...
comment
Keywords: Indian, Schlüssel = Eckzug, corner to corner (L), Selfblock, discovered checkmate, Batteriematt diagonal, Battery creation, Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
Computer test: Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (2021-04-10)
FEN: 8/8/4N3/3p4/2p1p3/3p4/3k4/B5b1
Input: Erich Bartel, 2021-04-10
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
51 - P1389103
LilHamood
Discord Chess Problems & Studies Server 4/4/2021
12. Platz
CP&S Discord Server Composition Tourney 0 {}
P1389103
(3+2)
Make a legal move (-:
Henrik Juel: maybe 1.e8=K (2021-04-30)
comment
Keywords: Joke, Minimal, Miniature, Illegal position (no wK), Promotion (wK)
Genre: Retro, Fairies
FEN: 8/4P3/8/5N2/8/8/2Q3b1/7k
Reprints: MatPlus.net Forum 4/4/2021
Input: A.Buchanan, 2021-04-30
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
52 - P1389106
Ethan Donaghue
Discord Chess Problems & Studies Server 4/4/2021
15. Platz
CP&S Discord Server Composition Tourney 0 {}
P1389106
(15+10)
Gewinn
("White to move and win (-:)
Henrik Juel: 1.Da8# (2021-04-30)
comment
Keywords: Joke, Illegal position, Non-standard material (TTTLLdddddd)
Genre: Studies
FEN: 1k1q1q2/1pq3q1/1p6/2q3q1/3q1N2/5BBB/Q4PPP/RRB1RRKR
Reprints: MatPlus.net Forum 4/4/2021
Input: A.Buchanan, 2021-04-30
Last update: Alfred Pfeiffer, 2021-07-28 more...
53 - P1389165


P1389165
(10+1)
#6
wLL=Alfil
1. Sb3!,Ta8+ Kxe7 2. Ta8,Sb3 Kxe6 3. Ta7 Kxe5 4. Ta6 Kxe4 5. Ta5 Kxe3 6. Te5#
play all play one stop play next play all
100 Classics of the Chessboard attributes the source as "MS 791 Casanatense Library. Rome"

"It is surprising to learn that this problem has a classic anticipation in the fifteenth century MS in the Casanatense Library in Rome (No. 7Sa). This uses the mediaeval-type piece, the Alfil, solely
for the purpose of guarding square f4, while the key move by the Knight simply guards d4. Otherwise the idea of the solution is identical to that in Shinkman's later version, but without the castling move."

Shinkman's (in)famous cooked #8: P1267725

https://timkr.home.xs4all.nl/chess2/diary_8.htm

Tim Krabbe wrote: "Some time ago (see The Kuwait immortal), I wrote about the Shinkman classic in the diagram on the left. The solution is: 1.O-O-O Kxa7 2.Rd8 Kxa6 3.Rd7 Kxa5 4.Rd6 Kxa4 5.Rd5 Kxa3 6.Rd4 Kxa2 7.Rd3 Ka1 8.Ra3 mate After 1.Kd2, it is also mate in 8.

Later, Harold van der Heijden and Bader Al-Hajiri pointed me to a book 100 Classics of the Chessboard by Dickins and Ebert (Cadogan, 1995) which gives an amazing 15th century anticipation of Shinkman's problem. See the diagram on the right. (Note: the piece on h2 is the old Arabian Alfil.) The Alfil is a 2,2 leaper, and the Ah2 therefore only guards f4. The solution is: 1.Nb3 Kxe7 2.Ra8 Kxe6 3.Ra7 Kxe5 4.Ra6 Kxe4 5.Ra5 Kxe3 6.Re5 mate.

PS: As Rik van der Heiden and Bader al-Hajiri remarked, White can also play 1.Ra8+ and 2.Nb3. Van der Heiden also points to 1.Nb3 Kxe7 2.Nd4 and mate in time. But in those days, dual solutions didn't matter. Also, obviously, the Alfil could never have reached h2 from its starting square c1. Al-Hajiri suggests replacing it by a Pg3."
James Malcom: While this is indeed a very early predecessor to P1267725, I seriously doubt that it can be called an "anticipation." (2021-05-02)
A.Buchanan: I agree James. "Anticipation" is a wounding thing, and the word is not to be bandied about indescriminately :-) Surely there is room for many numerous compositions with the brave chain of wPs reaching across the board, echoing the chain of composers building on one another's ideas over the centuries...
The pawn chain takes 9 captures to establish. No more captures are needed for wPb to promote to alfil on b8. f8 is the alternative promotion square. As you know, I think this kind of foolish promotion counting is fun, so therefore am happy to stick with ALh2. It would count as non-standard material, even though the normal complement of such Alfils is 0. Note that ALg3 would be illegal! There are 8 orbits for Alfils, and only 6 are achievable, even with promotion. (2021-05-02)
A.Buchanan: What kind of promotion was available in Persian/Arabic chess at the time is unclear to me. Although Western chess limited promotion to just a nebbish Ferz (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rules_of_chess#History), Indian Shaturanga had other ideas: the default promotion rule I encountered when looking at this was to the type of piece that began on that column (bearing in mind that the black Ferz began on e8). Thus if Persian/Arabic chess borrowed from the Indian form we could have promoted on f8 to Alfil, at the cost of only 2 more captures. (2021-05-02)
A.Buchanan: The duals are pretty unsavoury, not just the transposition at the start. Many of them involve mating on the back rank. Exploration with Olive is amusingly complicated by the fact that both Ferz and Alfil are by default both figured with left-leaning bishop. Don't know how to change that... However, I have found: 4k3/4P3/4P3/4P3/4P2B/4P1Q1/4P3/4K2R which is sound (B=Alfil, Q=Ferz in this diagram #6 C+ Popeye 4.85 (2021-05-02)
A.Buchanan: Could do it with 2 Alfil instead, but then it's 16 pawn captures if we insist on promoting in the Chaturanga way on f8. Do need one promoted Alfil for soundness. The good thing about these weedy pieces is that they help avoid cooks. The knight was terrible. Does anyone mind that wR is shifted to h1? Nice that such a "retro" problem has retro aspects in the chess sense too :D (2021-05-02)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (wAFh2), Rex solus (s)
Pieces: ll = Alfil (AF)
Genre: n#, Fairies
FEN: 4k3/4P3/4P3/4P3/4P3/4P3/4P2*3B/R1N1K3
Reprints: 75a. 100 Classics of the Chessboard , p. 173,
Tim Krabbé's Website #146 10/31/2000
Input: James Malcom, 2021-05-02
Last update: Alfred Pfeiffer, 2021-07-31 more...
54 - P1391747
Rudolf Svoboda
14 Pozor 23/12/1928
P1391747
(9+11) C+
s#2
1. Dh8! droht 2. h7 Sa6#
sowie 2. Dh7 Sa6#
1. ... gxh6 2. Dxf6+ Kxf6#
play all play one stop play next play all
illegale Position des wTc7
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (the double threat never materializes) (2021-07-15)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: s#
Computer test: Popeye 4.61 (the double threat never materializes)
FEN: 1nbrrb2/1pRpk1pQ/1Pp2pPP/2K2P2/2PP4/8/8/8
Input: Mario Richter, 2021-07-14
Last update: Alfred Pfeiffer, 2022-01-28 more...
55 - P1391967
Alberto Armeni
A10 e4-e5 43, p. 712, 2020
International Thematic Tourney 'e4 e5'
P1391967
(14+11) C+
#2
1. Kxc3! Zugzwang
1. ... Td3+ 2. Kxd3#
1. ... Txc4+ 2. Kxc4# etc.
play all play one stop play next play all
Mirko Degenkolbe: Illegale Stellung = Weiß hat wegen des fehlenden sLf8 einen Schlagfall zu viel! (2021-07-23)
Henrik Juel: I agree with Mirko (2021-07-23)
Mario Richter: so do rawbats and me ... (2021-07-23)
comment
Keywords: Capture key, Illegal position
Genre: 2#
Computer test: Popeye WINDOWS98-32Bit-Version 3.77 (8192KB)
FEN: 6R1/1pr1p1pn/1N1pBk2/2PP1P2/2PrPP1P/1Kp5/p2P1N1n/B7
Input: Felber, Volker, 2021-07-23
Last update: Mario Richter, 2021-07-23 more...
56 - P1395681
Dalibor Svozilek
7 International Solving Match 1948
P1395681
(14+10)
#2
1. Sf6xd5 droht 2. Dxc4#,Txc4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Illegale Stellung: die schwarzen Doppelbauern auf der d- und f-Linie erfordern zwei weiße Schlagobjekte, aber der fehlende wLc1 konnte nicht von einem sB geschlagen werden.


6 Punkte (2 für 1. Sf6xd5, 4 für Erkennen der Illegalität)
Autor unklar, im ISM-Bulletin ist nur angegeben: D. Svozilek (Kyjov)
Henrik Juel: 1.S6xd5 thr. 2.DTxc4# solves
but position is illegal because of 3 black captures, incl. that of [Lc1] (2021-11-10)
Mario Richter: Hallo Alfred! Habe das "cooked"-Flag wieder gelöscht, da die Illegalität der Stellung beabsichtigt war. Zu den Besonderheiten dieses (sehr) speziellen Lösewettbewerbs s. P1395675 (2021-11-12)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: 2#, Retro
FEN: 1B1r4/b4p2/Rr3N2/P1kpPp2/B1q1bN2/PQRpP3/KP1P4/8
Input: Mario Richter, 2021-11-10
Last update: Mario Richter, 2021-11-12 more...
57 - P1396932
Reinhardt Fiebig
F1237 Problem Paradise 96 10-12/2021
P1396932
(1+10)
h#6,5
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (2021-12-12)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
FEN: 7Q/5p1p/5pp1/4p3/4p3/k3n3/4n3/4q3
Input: Rainer Staudte, 2021-12-12
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
58 - P1399575
Cecil John Seddon Purdy
The Daily Telegraph
P1399575
(5+2)
What is the smallest number of moves in which White can mate?
1. Td1[+wKc1]! completing castling Ke3 2. Te1#
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https://www.chesshistory.com/winter/winter89.html#CN_7404

The composer is "Chielamangus, s pseudonym for the author according to https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/purdy-cecil-john-seddon-11466


The solution is one and three-quarters.
The White king is not on the board. Therefore, he must be in hand. From what square was he lifted? As we have to mate in as few moves as possible, we are entitled to assume he was on K1, because that square, and no other, would allow a mate in two, i.e. Castles!, K-K6: 2. R-K1 mate.
White has lifted his king, but has not replaced it, i.e., he has completed one half of his King's move--and, so, only a quarter of the whole operation of castling. Therefore, he requires 1 3/4 moves to mate.
James Malcom: The position is correct. I'll just upload the solution now. (2022-03-02)
Henrik Juel: Thanks James, I see now why you remove the joke keyword
Unfortunately, there is a shorter cook
The white king stood badly on (say) a8, and White said J'adoube and lifted his king = diagram
Then he put the king down again on a8, and instead mated with Te1#
One half move by Ka8 plus one move by Ta1 = 1.5 single moves (2022-03-02)
James Malcom: A very creative solution, Henrik. However, I am not so sure it constitutes a cook, since the author appears to only be counted moves that are actually played. (2022-03-03)
A.Buchanan: Why wouldn’t this be a joke? The solution jokily breaks the normal idea that the number of single moves must be integral. The absence of wK is a fair clue to suggest funny business. “Complete an unfinished move” is one of the canonical jokes. (2022-03-03)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Minimal (b), Miniature, Castling, Complete an unfinished move, Illegal position
Genre: Retro
FEN: 8/8/8/3p4/3Nk3/2PN4/2P5/R7
Reprints: Among These Mates , p. 27, 1939
Input: James Malcom, 2022-03-02
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-03-03 more...
59 - P1399588
Andrew Buchanan
12625 feenschach 246, p. 184, 07-09/2021
to Erich Bartel
P1399588
(3+2) C+
Illegal position.
White to move and #3*
*) Null-Satz!
1. Ke7+ Ke5 2. De3 Kd5/Kf5 3. Dc5/Dg5#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: There may be some lazy slobs, who cannot be bothered to read and understand the general descriptions of these weird themes
They would appreciate it, if you would explain everything in plain language in the context of this rather simple-looking problem, Andrew (2022-03-02)
A.Buchanan: Thank you for your interest in Lese Majeste, Henrik :)
(1) In an illegal position, the usual forward rules of chess usually still work.
(2) Under the Codex, illegality of position does not prevent a position from being sound.
(3) Capturing the king is never a legal move.
(4) Popeye & Jacobi engines support this.
(5) Such problems are not unsound, fairy, joke or retro.
So go for it! :) (2022-03-03)
Henrik Juel: I spent all morning trying to install Popeye 4.87
Finally it works, I had forgotten 'begin' in the input file...
1.Ke7+ Ke5 2.De3 Kd5/Kf5 3.Dc5/Dg5#
Once you see the solution, it is so obvious; you even provided the Oneliner hint
The diagram position is an ideal mate, but the two solution mates are not even model mates (2022-03-03)
A.Buchanan: Yes I couldn't get these mates model. (2022-03-04)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Lese Majeste, Illegal position, Aristocrat, Miniature, Minimal, Thema Null, Model mate (1), Ideal mate (1), Oneliner (Delayed)
Genre: 3#
Computer test: C+ Popeye 4.87
FEN: 8/8/4NK2/8/3kb3/1Q6/8/8
Reprints: Discord Chess Problems & Studies Server 02/03/2022
Input: A.Buchanan, 2022-03-02
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-03-04 more...
60 - P1401979
Eugen Graichmann

P1401979
(11+8)
#6
1. Le1 (Zugzwang)
1. ... Kd4 2. Lf2+ Ke5 3. Le3 Kd6 4. Ld4 Kxc6 5. Kxa4 Kd6 6. e5#
1. ... Kf4 2. Lf2 Ke5 3. Le3 Kf6 4. Ld4+ Kg5 5. g3 Kh6 6. Le3#
play all play one stop play next play all
aus dem Internationalen Aufgabenturnier "Památník jihoceského šachu" 1932", Motto: "Kamzik III"
Diagramm in 'Tabor' trägt den Zusatz "Originál", zum Autor heißt es dort: Eug. Graichmann (Solivar)

illegale Stellung: die sBB haben 7mal geschlagen, es fehlen aber nur 5 weiße Steine.
Henrik Juel: Apart from the illegality there are several duals, e.g.,
1... Kd4 2.Lf2+ Ke5 3.g3,Le3 (2022-06-17)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: n#
FEN: 8/p1p1p1p1/P1P1P1P1/p4P2/p3P3/K1p1kBB1/2P3P1/8
Reprints: 262 Tabor 23/04/1937
Input: Mario Richter, 2022-06-17
Last update: Mario Richter, 2022-06-17 more...
61 - P1408252
Ludwig Fried
8 Dresdner Schachblätter 2 1893
P1408252
(10+9)
#4
1. Ta8! (Zugzwang)
1. ... h3 2. Lg3 h2 3. Ta1 h1=D,h1=T/L/S 4. Txh1#
play all play one stop play next play all
'Dresdner Schachblätter': "Vorstehende beiden Probleme [dieses und P1408253] entsprechen zwar in keiner Weise den Anforderungen, die man heutzutage an Endspiele oder gar an Aufgaben zu stellen gewohnt ist; gleichwohl entbehren sie nicht eines gewissen Witzes und einer ziemlich scharfen Ausprägung der ihnen zu Grunde liegenden Idee, und dies mag es rechtfertigen, dass wir sie hier zum Abdruck bringen."
Henrik Juel: 8 black pawns on the diagram, but [Pa7] is not among them (2023-03-15)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: n#
FEN: 5R2/6p1/1Pp1p1Pp/2PpN2k/3PpK1p/4Pp2/5P1B/8
Input: Mario Richter, 2023-03-15
Last update: Mario Richter, 2023-03-15 more...
62 - P1408328
W. Bublitz
70 Rheinische Volkswacht 25/02/1922
P1408328
(8+13)
#3
1. Dh4! droht 2. Sd3 ... 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
sowie 2. Dd4 ... 3. Sc4#,Sxc8# 2. ... c5 3. Dxf6#,Dxd5#
1. ... Sf3 2. Sd3 droht 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
1. ... Se2 2. Sd3 droht 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
1. ... Le5 2. Sxc8+ Kc5 3. Sd3#
1. ... Lf4 2. Sd3 Sxh3 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
2. ... Sf3,Se2,Lc1,Ld2,Le3,Lh2,Lh6 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
2. ... Lg3 3. Sxc8#,Dxg3#,Dxf6#
2. ... Lg5,Le5 3. Sxc8#
2. ... Txa4 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
2. ... Ta8 3. Dxf6#,Dxf4#
2. ... d4 3. Dxf6#
2. ... c5 3. Dxf6#
1. ... Txa4 2. Sd3 Le5 3. Sxc8#
2. ... Ta8 3. Dxf6#
2. ... Txh4 3. Sxc8#
2. ... Te4 3. Sxc8#
2. ... d4 3. Dxf6#
2. ... c5 3. Dxf6#
1. ... Ta8 2. Dd4 c5 3. Dxf6#,Dxd5#
2. ... Txa4 3. Sxc8#
Co-Dual 2. Sc4+ dxc4 3. Dd4#
2. ... Kc5 3. Sd3#
1. ... Ta6 2. Sd3 Le5 3. Sxc8#
2. ... d4 3. Dxf6#,Dxd4#
2. ... Ta8 3. Dxf6#
2. ... Txb6 3. Dxf6#
2. ... c5 3. Dh4xf6#
Co-Dual 2. Sc4+ dxc4 3. Dd4#
2. ... Kc5 3. Sd3#
1. ... Tb5 2. Sd3 Le5 3. Sxc8#
2. ... Txb6 3. Dxf6#
2. ... d4 3. Dxf6#
2. ... c5 3. Dxf6#
1. ... d4 2. Dxd4+ Td5 3. Sc4#,Sxc8#
1. ... Kc5 2. Db4+ Kxb4 3. Sd3#
1. ... Ke5 2. Sd3+ Kd6 3. Sxc8#,Dxf6#
2. ... Kxf5 3. Dg4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Einsendung zum Kockelkorn-Gedenk-Turnier zum 60. Stiftungsfest des Kölner Schachklubs;
zum Autor heißt es in der 'Rheinischen Volkswacht': Pfarrer W. Bublitz (Neunhausen)
Henrik Juel: 8 black pawns, none of which is [Ph7] (2023-03-17)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: 3#
FEN: 2bK4/1p1p1p1Q/1Npk1p2/r2p1P2/P7/p1p4P/2P4b/4N1n1
Input: Mario Richter, 2023-03-17
Last update: Mario Richter, 2023-03-17 more...
63 - P1410150
H. Lange
12 Neue Woche (Köln) 22/09/1935
P1410150
(4+13)
#3
1. Dd2? Ta1!
1. Txd7? Th8!
1. Td4? Ta1!

1. Dh1! droht 2. Dxb7#
1. ... Sf3 2. Td4 Ta1 3. Dxa1#
2. ... Sxd4 3. Dxb7#
1. ... Lf3 2. Txd7 Th8 3. Dxh8#
play all play one stop play next play all
illegale Stellung: 8 sBB + sUW-Lh5
im Diagramm sBd2 statt d3, Korrektur 13.10.1935
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (but illegal position) (2023-06-05)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: 3#
FEN: k7/1pKp2p1/1B1Rpp1r/7b/8/1p1p4/2p4Q/2r3n1
Input: Mario Richter, 2023-06-05
Last update: Mario Richter, 2023-06-05 more...
64 - P1410817
Claus Grupen
D1742 Problem Observer 03/2004
P1410817
(5+4)
#8
1. g4! g5 2. h4 gxh4 3. g5+ Kh5 4. h3 h6 5. g6 fxg6 6. e4 g5 7. Kf5 g4 8. hxg4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (apart from the illegal position) (2023-07-08)
comment
Keywords: Pawn mate, Flight taking, Illegal position, Kindergarten Problem, Model mate
Genre: n#
FEN: 8/5p1p/5Kpk/8/8/4P2P/6PP/8
Input: Gunter Jordan, 2023-07-08
Last update: Gunter Jordan, 2023-07-08 more...
65 - P1411328
Phani Bushan
SS050 The Hopper Magazine I02 25/06/2022
P1411328
(2+4) C+
H#2 Lions (no wK)
(2 solutions)
1) 1. Ta5 LIa3 2. LIb8 Txa7#
2) 1. LIb8 Th7 2. Ta5 LIh8#
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more ...
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK)
Pieces: dr = Lion (LI)
Genre: h#, Fairies
Computer test: C+, popeye 4.87
FEN: k7/bR6/8/5r2/8/1*1q5*1Q/8/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2023-07-27
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-07-28 more...
66 - P1411330
Vlaicu Crisan
SS056 The Hopper Magazine I02 25/06/2022
P1411330
(1+4) C+
ser-H#8 (3 solutions)
Grasshoppers, No wK
1) 1. Kc4 2. Gb3 3. Kc3 4. Gb2 5. Kc2 6. Kb1 7. Ka1 8. Gb1 Ta8#
2) 1. Gc3 2. Ke3 3. Kf3 4. Gg3 5. Kg2 6. Kh1 7. Gg2 8. Gg1 Th8#
3) 1. Ke3 2. Kf3 3. Gf2 4. Kg3 5. Gg2 6. Kh2 7. Kh1 8. Gh2 Tb1#
play all play one stop play next play all
more ...
comment
Keywords: Illegal position (no wK)
Pieces: du = Grasshopper (G)
Genre: Fairies
Computer test: C+, popeye 4.87
FEN: 1R4*2q1/8/5*2q2/8/3kp3/8/8/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2023-07-27
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-07-28 more...
67 - P1412025
Fadil Abdurahmanovic
Eckart Kummer

10049 feenschach 181 04-06/2010
P1412025
(1+14)
h#6
0.1.1...
1. ... Dxd5 2. b5 Dxc4 3. Kd7 De4 4. Kd6 Dxf5 5. Kd5 Dxe5+ 6. Kc4 De4#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: C+ Popeye 4.61 (2023-08-29)
Henrik Juel: No white King
Round trip by one white Queen only (2023-08-29)
comment
Keywords: Round Trip (D-3 2-fach), Remote selfblock, Model mate, Kniest Theme (2-fach), Illegal position (no wK)
Genre: h#
FEN: 4k3/4n3/1pp1b3/2pnbp2/2p1Qpq1/1pp5/8/8
Input: Felber, Volker, 2023-08-29
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-11 more...
68 - P1412979
Fritz Hofmann
5684 Deutsche Schachzeitung , p. 349, 11/1884
P1412979
(11+11) C+
#2
1. Dh3 Sc4 2. Lf3#
1. ... Kc6 2. d5#
play all play one stop play next play all
Henrik Juel: Position is illegal, because seven captures by black pawns are needed, while only five white men are missing (2023-10-17)
comment
Keywords: Illegal position
Genre: 2#
Computer test: Gustav 4.1d
FEN: 3n4/1p1P1p2/pP1p1Pp1/n2k2P1/N2P2Q1/1p2p1P1/1p2B3/1K1R4
Input: Felber, Volker, 2023-10-17
Last update: Felber, Volker, 2023-10-17 more...
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