Chess Masters: the Endgame

[Neill Cooper]

There is a key aspect of my solution to the rook problem which made it easy, which others might have not thought of. It basically forces all the moves.

[Roland Kensdale]

There is a key aspect of my solution to the rook problem which made it easy, which others might have not thought of. It basically forces all the moves.

I suspect you're right.

Magnus' first reaction on seeing it was 'Oh God' from memory, though he solved it rapidly. I think chess visualization ability must have helped here, though there may be shortcuts to the solution.

He seemed to have to work a little for the 5 queens problem also, and possibly the 8 queens puzzle (I can't remember), though he must surely have seen that before.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

There is a key aspect of my solution to the rook problem which made it easy, which others might have not thought of. It basically forces all the moves.

This is so cryptic. I have no idea what you are talking about! Will it give it away if you say what you mean?

PS. It took me longer today to find the queen solution than yesterday, but now I have the key trick committed to memory, that should stay in the brain for a few days...

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Is it something about how to clear out rows of three. Either by zapping the middle one and coming back to the other two later, or doing it in sequence (moving in the same direction), or by the reversing method (start with middle one then go to one in one direction then reverse to get the other one)?

[Neill Cooper]

Is it something about how to clear out rows of three. Either by zapping the middle one and coming back to the other two later, or doing it in sequence (moving in the same direction), or by the reversing method (start with middle one then go to one in one direction then reverse to get the other one)?

It would give it away if I told you, but it is to do with rank and file. If your solution is the same as mine it will have the same property.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Will send you a PM... (no image though, it seems images are not allowed in PMs).

[Roland Kensdale]

I would like to post my doodles, but is there a way to hide parts of posts on this forum in a collapsed box to avoid spoilers? I thought so, but maybe I am thinking of a different site? Maybe you put the pictures inside code tags? Or change the colour to make it invisible, though that only works for text, not pictures.

Chris, if you don't get any suggestions I suppose the details could be posted in a thread: Chess Masters: the Endgame puzzles - SPOILERS

For those who still would like to tackle the puzzles unaided.

I feel sure a mathematician would see a pattern in the rook puzzle, perhaps involving nodes on a network, though understanding the explanation before tackling the puzzle might impact one's solving time (though useful for the future, perhaps if appearing in the next series).

This must sound baffling to those who solved it easily.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

Thanks, Roland. What Neil communicated to me in a PM was merely, in my view, a consequence of the different properties of a queen and a rook.

An interesting variant might be to swap the queen and rook in the above two puzzles and see if there are unique or multiple solutions.

EDIT: OK, the queen one cannot be done by a rook. But can the rook one be done by a queen and how many solutions would there be?

[Reg Clucas]

This week we have had the first enquiry at our chess club from someone who claims their interest stems from watching this programme.

[Clive Wismayer]

I had been spammed by the producer before the show was broadcast, in an attempt to get me to publicise the show. I sent him my reply today, which was to tell him that it was the worst television I have ever seen, and I asked him never to repeat it.

I'm not quite sure if you're being serious, but if you are, then I think that's incredibly unhelpful in popularising a game that we all love.

The chess community has bemoaned a lack of TV coverage for years, and now that we have it, some people seem to want to moan about that too.

If you can show me where I ever bemoaned the lack of TV coverage of chess, then I will stand corrected.

My view is that chess works very nicely on the internet. I doubt that you are going to get a return of the Master Game. If you get an occasional quality drama such as the Queen's Gambit on pay TV, that breaks through to the public, then that's the most you should hope for. I doubt anyone is genuinely impressed by this present low budget, low quality, pfnarr pfnarr piss-take, with no discernable audience, neither strong players, moderate club players, nor beginners, as there was zero chess content aimed at any of those audiences, nor non-players, as there was no explanation of what makes chess fascinating to those who do play it, nor any explanation at all as to how chess works.

I watched at most 1 minute of this execrable rubbish so I’m glad to find my prejudice confirmed. Saved myself a lot of time.

[Clive Wismayer]

This week we have had the first enquiry at our chess club from someone who claims their interest stems from watching this programme.

Let us know in due course whether they stick around. Every new season at my old club used to bring newcomers with no experience beyond playing grandad by the fire & zero learning. Their disillusionment generally set in fast once they understood the game requires love, commitment & study.

[Simon Myles]

This week we have had the first enquiry at our chess club from someone who claims their interest stems from watching this programme.

Let us know in due course whether they stick around. Every new season at my old club used to bring newcomers with no experience beyond playing grandad by the fire & zero learning. Their disillusionment generally set in fast once they understood the game requires love, commitment & study.

'Their disillusionment generally set in fast once they understood the game requires love, commitment & study' - Or possibly when they were met by someone who they could perceive as coming across as rude and obnoxious.

[Matt Mackenzie]

Some newcomers stick around, others don't - it has been thus since forever basically.

In actual fact the droppers out can include some genuinely promising players, which is always regrettable.

[Joey Stewart]

The resources that new players now have at their disposal are light years ahead of what we used to have years ago - you used to have to gamble on 'books' having any useful knowledge, analysing with clubmates and if you were lucky a 5 minute training dvd. Now you could watch super GMs instructive commentary 24 hours a day, have access to massive openings databases, do unlimited amounts of tactical puzzles, face players of appropriate strength instantly at the click of a button, have access to immensely strong engines to analyse games - all for free - anyone who wants to seek out an over the board club now in addition to all that online content is likely to be highly motivated and well worth the time investment to make them feel welcome since they are very likely to improve considerably

[Mick Norris]

British Chess Championships 2025 – Chess Festival

Tuesday 5th August

8 – 10pm – BBC2 Chessmaster Final REMATCH at Liverpool Chess Club, Cornmarket Pub, Old Ropery
All welcome, come along and meet Thalia and Richie – casual chess available

Saturday 9th August

2pm – Meet and Greet BBC2’s Chessmaster Champion Thalia Holmes
… including analysis of games against runner up Richie Kelly