toughest mate in one puzzle

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Matt Mackenzie
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Matt Mackenzie » Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:22 pm

Barry Sandercock wrote:The solution is an illegal move ! No wonder I couldn't get it.
As I said, it is now but wasn't always (remarkably)
"Set up your attacks so that when the fire is out, it isn't out!" (H N Pillsbury)

Joshua Gibbs

Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Joshua Gibbs » Sun Jan 29, 2017 1:33 pm

Barry Sandercock wrote:The solution is an illegal move ! No wonder I couldn't get it.
i felt my time had been wasted

Andrew Bak
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Andrew Bak » Sun Jan 29, 2017 2:40 pm

Barry Sandercock wrote:The solution is an illegal move ! No wonder I couldn't get it.
The puzzle apparently dates from before the time any official rules existed and thus there was an ambiguity about whether the piece you wanted to promote to had to be the same colour or not.

Stewart Reuben
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Stewart Reuben » Sun Jan 29, 2017 3:00 pm

We cleared up that old chestnut about promoting to an opponent's piece some years ago. The last such correction was also in promotion.
You could promote to a piece of your own colour that was already on the board. Now it says 'new'. I thought of that one when Geurt Gijssen and I were going over the new Laws in Majorca. WE made the change without consulting anybody and nobody ever commented.
The late Richard Haddrell composed a nice problem.
White Ka5 Rb6 Pc6 Pd7 Be3.
Black Ka7. The solution was 1 d8=R, using the white rook on b6.

Another one, brought up by readers of Chess Magazine, was that the Laws used to state; A king is not allowed to be in check from one or two pieces. So, it was OK from 3 pieces. White's mating move was to leave the king in check from two pieces and make a move that exposed the king to check from three pieces. The Law now states, in check from one or more pieces.

People have asked me whether the process of revising the Laws will ever be concluded. My answer is, 'I hope not'.

Brian Towers
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Brian Towers » Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:38 am

Christopher Kreuzer wrote:As Roger correctly pointed out, the easiest way to solve the mate in one is to look for the file or diagonal that can't be blocked.
There is another general technique which is particularly useful in this case, although it feels a bit like cheating.
That it is to make use of the fact that in a well composed problem every piece on the board should have a purpose. No piece should be on the board just to make up the numbers. With that piece of knowledge there is a very obvious apparent redundancy in the position, but of course it can't be redundant else it wouldn't be well composed.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

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Christopher Kreuzer
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Christopher Kreuzer » Tue Jan 31, 2017 10:46 am

Brian Towers wrote:
Christopher Kreuzer wrote:As Roger correctly pointed out, the easiest way to solve the mate in one is to look for the file or diagonal that can't be blocked.
There is another general technique which is particularly useful in this case, although it feels a bit like cheating.
That it is to make use of the fact that in a well composed problem every piece on the board should have a purpose. No piece should be on the board just to make up the numbers. With that piece of knowledge there is a very obvious apparent redundancy in the position, but of course it can't be redundant else it wouldn't be well composed.
Is that seeming redundancy the pawn on b2? Prevents the Black queen from covering a3.

Brian Towers
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Re: toughest mate in one puzzle

Post by Brian Towers » Tue Jan 31, 2017 11:28 am

Yes, that and the rook and queen battery on the e file. Either one would be enough to keep the black queen pinned.
Ah, but I was so much older then. I'm younger than that now.

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