English Chess Forum

Here’s a puzzle for uni students, arbiters and others with time on their hands at this time of the year. No prizes.

Construct a position with the maximum number of different pawn moves, which checkmate imediately. For this purpose promoting the same pawn to the same square, to 2 different pieces, counts as 2 different moves. Of course the position has to be legal in the sense that it could occur in a normal game of chess.

Eg. This position has 2 different mates in 1 by pawn moves :- a) b8=Q or b) b8=R

[Event "Puzzle"] [Site ""] [Date "2012.12.14"] [Round "?"] [White ""] [Black ""] [Result "*"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "6k1/1P3ppp/8/8/8/8/8/6K1 w - - 0 0"] [PlyCount "0"] *
I’m not sure my solution is the highest but has 19 different mates in 1 by pawn moves.

22

Aargh - I was just feeling very pleased with myself for getting 20

I've looked at my position again and I've got 22 too.

I have 22 now too.

23

26

Nice one Peter. I thought I had 24 to begin with but discovered the position wasn't legal. I shall have to see if i can make it work. It will be interesting to see if there are common elements to these solutions when we have decided what the best one finally is.

Oh I see you have just made 26 now.

Michael,

It's a nice puzzle - thanks for posting.

Peter

I think I have 27 and I think it is legal

I would love to see some of these solutions - the best I could manage was 17!

Here is my 22 for you

3nRn2/2P1P1P1/1N2k2N/2K4p/p2P1PPB/1P1p1p1B/Q3P3/4R3

This was my 22.

[Event "Puzzle"]<br> [Site ""]<br> [Date "2012.12.14"]<br> [Round "?"]<br> [White "22 A"]<br> [Black ""]<br> [Result "*"]<br> [SetUp "1"]<br> [FEN "B1nR2BB/1PRP1P2/8/3k1NN1/n7/1P2P2p/B5P1/6KQ w - - 0 1"]<br> [PlyCount "0"]

Here's a 24 with only two white pawns and no promoted pieces - 2n1r1n1/1NRPkPRN/8/4K3/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1