Carlsen Problem

[NigelDonovan]

I have a solution, but it involves Black making a capture - I assume that is allowed?

Yes, that's allowed.

[NigelDonovan]

"I've got 34. Do I win a prize?"

You deserve one!

Thanks! It was fun. Chris, do you know how many solutions there are? I have 39 now.

[E Michael White]

In the original problem I got to around 153, with waiting moves and transpositions included, before I gave up when I realised those were probably not intended. However I did work out an algorithm for removing the transpositions.

The line I find the most amusing, which Nigel also found, is Ng5 Ne6 Qg4 Qxg6 Qxg7, which reminded me of some of my combinations when a 5 year old.

[John Foley]

This is an example of a great chess problem to which the answer is 39. The other question to which the answer is 39 is "What is the value of a chess army?" Are there any others?

[Matt Mackenzie]

I have a solution, but it involves Black making a capture - I assume that is allowed?

Yes, that's allowed.

Well, shall I post it yet?

[John Foley]

Well, shall I post it yet?

You are champing at the bit. Go for it.

[Matt Mackenzie]

1 f3 e6 (or e5) 2 Kf2 Qf6! 3Kg3 Qf3+!!!!! 4Kh4 Be7

[Chris Rice]

1 f3 e6 (or e5) 2 Kf2 Qf6! 3Kg3 Qf3+!!!!! 4Kh4 Be7

Well done Matt!!

[Matt Mackenzie]

Originally my thought was Qg5 mate supported by a pawn, but that takes a minimum of 5 moves because you also need to attack the h3 square.

If that is out of the question, using the KB to give mate is one of the next options. And so......

[Matthew Turner]

I have been attending a ECU teaching course with Jesper Hall and John Foley over the last couple of days. During the course it transpired that Norway wasn't really geared up to help juniors when Magnus first started showing promise and they ended up reaching out to Sweden to provide him with some proper professional coaching. In stepped Jesper and he coached him till he was about 11 and is still coaching the Norwegian chess team even now.

Anyway Jesper showed us a problem he gave to young Magnus:

rnb2rk1/pp1pppbp/1qp2np1/8/3PP3/2N2N2/PPP2PPP/R1BQKB1R w KQ - 0 1

This is a Progressive chess problem. It is White to play and you can play up to 5 moves with White in a row to find a checkmate. I say that because there is a mate in 4 in there as well eg Nh4xg6 and Nd5xe7 mate. Jesper asked Magnus to find as many checkmates as he could and he found 13.

Sorry if I have missed it, but have we had Bh6 e5 Qd3 Qxg6 Qxg7 yet?

[Matthew Turner]

Ne5 (or g5) Nxf7 Bc4 Nd5 Nxe7

[NigelDonovan]

Sorry if I have missed it, but have we had Bh6 e5 Qd3 Qxg6 Qxg7 yet?

No, I missed that one. That's 40.

And the brutal Ng5 Qf3 Qxf6 Qxg6 Qxh7 makes it 41.

[Richard Bates]

So basically Magnus is a bit rubbish then?

[John Foley]

So basically Magnus is a bit rubbish then?

Not as a blindfold exercise for 9 year-olds.

[NigelDonovan]

42 Ng5 Ne6 Qd2 Qh6 Qxg7