Die Schwalbe

5 problem(s) found in 4418 milliseconds (displaying 5 problem(s)). [COMMENTDATE>=20200919 AND NOT K='Hilfsrückzüger' AND NOT S='Problemkiste' AND S='The Puzzling Side of Chess'] [download as LaTeX]

1 - P1261570
Noam D. Elkies
S StrateGems 10/2001
P1261570
(16+1)
Last move?
R: 1. 0-0 dann 1. Dc4 Kg2 2. Df1# z.B.
play all play one stop play next play all
BTM the game is stalemate, WTM the game is dead.
If Black moved last it was R: 0. Kh4-h3 g2-g3+ retropat. So White moved last.
All missing pieces were captured by wP, and none can be undone immediately, even wPb3 & wPh7. However there is a try R: 0. Be8(f7)-h5? Kh4-h3 1. g2-g3+ Kh5-h4 2. B~-e8+. But then 0. ... Kh4-h3 was mandatory into DP, as White can't relieve the looming stalemate. The only solution is R: 0. ... 0-0 1. Kg2-h3, with many alternatives: basically anything but Kf1, Rg1 or Ne3, as Black must be allowed to respond Kg2. There is unique shortest “ghost play” h#1.5 living alternative to castling.
Objective: Type A Last move with uncastling
Henrik Juel: I see that retracting a2xb3 or g6xPh7 is no good
But R: 0.Le8-h5 Kh4-h3 1.g2-g3+ Kh5-h4 2.Sf7-e5+ Kh4-h5 3.e5xDf6 seems OK
Where is 'the looming stalemate'? (2022-04-09)
A.Buchanan: Retracting 1. Le8-h5 Kh4-h3 puts us in a position where Black’s move is mandatory and whatever White then plays, the position is stalemated (2022-04-10)
A.Buchanan: So in this line, the initial dead position was two single moves ago. One single move from dead position would suffice to show that Le8-h5 is not possible. (2022-04-10)
comment
Keywords: Dead Position, Castling, Last Move?, Type A, Rex solus (S)
Genre: Retro
FEN: 7B/6PP/5P2/4N1PB/5QN1/1P3RPk/5P1P/5RK1
Reprints: 40 The Puzzling Side of Chess 145, p. 3, 07/04/2018
Input: A.Buchanan, 2013-02-02
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2022-04-09 more...
2 - P1347106
Jeff Coakley
38 The Puzzling Side of Chess 139 21/10/2017
P1347106
(11+8) C+
BP in 10,5
1. a4 Sc6 2. a5 Sxa5 3. Txa5 h5 4. Txh5 c5 5. Txc5 Txh2 6. Txc8 Th8 7. Txh8 Txc8 8. Txg8 Txc2 9. Txf8+ Kxf8 10. Dxc2 Ke8 11. Dd1
play all play one stop play next play all
more ...
comment
Keywords: Unique Proof Game, Homebase (2), Switchback (Dk)
Genre: Retro
Computer test: Computerprüfung: C+ Popeye 4.90 (16GB) 1 Min. 48 Sek. Keine Lösung: BP 9.5, 10.0.
FEN: 3qk3/pp1pppp1/8/8/8/8/1P1PPPP1/1NBQKBN1
Input: A.Buchanan, 2018-02-21
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-04 more...
3 - P1347107
Jeff Coakley
40 The Puzzling Side of Chess 139 21/10/2017
P1347107
(9+8) C+
BP in 10,5
1. Sf3 e5 2. Sxe5 Dh4 3. Sc6 Dxh2 4. Sxa7 Txa7 5. Txh2 Txa2 6. Txh7 Txa1 7. Txh8 Txb1 8. Txg8 Txb2 9. Txg7 Lxg7 10. Lxb2 Lf8 11. Lc1
play all play one stop play next play all
more ...
comment
Keywords: Unique Proof Game, Homebase (2), Switchback (Ll)
Genre: Retro
Computer test: Computerprüfung: C+ Popeye 4.90 (16GB) 1 Min. 24 Sek. Keine Lösung: BP 9.5, 10.0.
FEN: 1nb1kb2/1ppp1p2/8/8/8/8/2PPPPP1/2BQKB2
Input: A.Buchanan, 2018-02-21
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-04 more...
4 - P1381571
Jeff Coakley
50 The Puzzling Side of Chess 191, p. 14, 30/6/2020
P1381571
(14+8)
Welches waren die letzten 10 Einzelzüge?
R: 1. h4xg3ep+ g2-g4 2. Te6-e2+ c5xb6ep+ 3. b7-b5 c4-c5+ 4. Kb6-a6 b5xc6ep+ 5. c7-c5 Sd4-f3+
play all play one stop play next play all
https://www.canadatype.com/cc/puzzlingside/archives/Puzzling_Side_191_Retro_World_V_Momentary_Lapse_in_Time.pdf
Henrik Juel: Three ep captures in the retroplay was first shown 105 years ago, P0002031 (2020-11-06)
James Malcom: Many, many thanks for that Henrik! However, this seems to be the first bicolor 3 ep representation?!

Also, how many other 3 ep retractor showings are there? I have only found a few: P0000018 (cooked), P1193561, and P1193562 come with a hoard of promoted pieces, and P0000326, P0002591, and P0002031 are all "proper" retractors, but all of them are one-sided. (2020-11-06)
Henrik Juel: James, you might want to try to find the first example of 4 ep captures in the retroplay
The best chance is probably bicolor (2020-11-06)
Henrik Juel: In the proof game genre, which is easier than the last moves? one, the current PDB records are
Orthodox: 3 ep captures, P1000929
Madrasi: 8, P0005964
Circe Parrain: 10, P1095546 (2020-11-06)
James Malcom: Henrik, the fairy record actually is- Anti Take & Make: 13. P1380673
I know of the solution thanks to Juraj, the fairy master, on Matplus.
Also- Monochrome: 3, P1240593

And indeed, 4 is likely is more possible with bicolor, as 4 by one side can only be done with at least one promoted piece Q/B, which may very well be frowned upon no doubt.

And also on an interesting note, in fairy retractors, it seems that 5 has been done at the least in a VRZ, Typ Proca, P0003873. (2020-11-06)
James Malcom: Actually, it turns out that the bicolor representation has been done before, no shocker there: 1969, P0004900 & 1994, P0004497 I've tagged all of these showing under "ep in retroplay' for better clarity and searching. (2020-11-07)
comment
Keywords: Last Moves? (10), En passant in the retro play
Genre: Retro
FEN: 2R1R3/p2b3p/kPP4P/n5Pr/1Q6/1P3NpK/2P1r2P/5BB1
Input: James Malcom, 2020-11-06
Last update: James Malcom, 2020-11-06 more...
5 - P1414063
Andrew Buchanan
The Puzzling Side of Chess 228 31/10/2023
P1414063
(14+2)
Dead position, with check, maximizing the number of legal but unplayable moves.

20 legal but unplayable moves.
Black just played c6xd5+ or exd5+, not d6-d5? which would have ended the game in prior dead position.
Henrik Juel: The position is displayed by clicking on one of the five animation symbols and then moving the cursor (2023-12-14)
Henrik Juel: ... and then moving the cursor up (2023-12-14)
A.Buchanan: I think the phrase "legal but unplayable" is happier than "impossible", so I will use the former (2023-12-14)
A.Buchanan: Have reverted to the mode in which PDB shows the diagram directly, rather than having to click animation. (2023-12-16)
more ...
comment
Keywords: Construction record, Minimal, Dead Position, Type C, Non-standard material (TTLSSSS)
Genre: Retro, Mathematics
FEN: B5Bk/2NRN3/1N3N2/R2p2R1/2KR1N2/4N3/6Q1/8
Input: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-14
Last update: A.Buchanan, 2023-12-16 more...
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The problems of this query have been registered by the following contributors:

A.Buchanan (4)
James Malcom (1)