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Topic: Shortest Mate (II) (Read 643 times) |
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ThudnBlunder
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Shortest Mate (II)
« on: May 4th, 2003, 3:04pm » |
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Construct the shortest possible chess game which ends in mate, without EITHER side making any pawn moves.
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| « Last Edit: May 4th, 2003, 3:06pm by ThudnBlunder » |
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Icarus
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #1 on: May 4th, 2003, 7:08pm » |
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I am going to reveal how poor of a chess player I am by this, but: I don't see how it is possible. If neither side has moved a pawn, then the only pieces that are free are the knights. The only positions where a knight can check are directly in front of the pawns, so it is in jeopardy. You cannot have the king in check from two knights at once (one would have had to move into position first, at which point the rules would require its capture by a pawn), so capturing the knight brings the king out of check, and violates the no-pawn move condition, preventing any further development.
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BNC
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #2 on: May 4th, 2003, 11:06pm » |
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I think you're wrong there, Icarus  .
The knight can check also by capturing one of the pawns in the opponent's row. I havn't worked it out (I'm not very good at chess), but it seems it would require first capturing other pawns to allow the bishop a place to move, so it won't be in a position to capture the knight once it does check.
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How about supercalifragilisticexpialidociouspuzzler [Towr, 2007]
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ThudnBlunder
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #3 on: May 5th, 2003, 2:21am » |
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As Ulkesh doesn't appear to be around, here is a big Hint: Black mates on his 5th move.
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| « Last Edit: May 5th, 2003, 3:18am by ThudnBlunder » |
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wowbagger
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #4 on: May 5th, 2003, 4:25am » |
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At first sight, Black doesn't seem to be able to move two knights even as far as the third rank.
Maybe I need a different approach...
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redPEPPER
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #5 on: May 5th, 2003, 10:20am » |
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I got the same as T&B. I was not sure it's the best solution because it's done in 5 moves (10 half-moves) which seems an awful lot compared to Shortest Mate I. But on the other hand, it's at least 3 knight moves just to go to the opposite side so 5 moves isn't that bad.
Bigger hint: freedom!
I'm not sure this is two much of a hint :p
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mistysakura
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #6 on: May 6th, 2003, 2:08am » |
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Yep, I got 5 full moves too. I'm amazed I actually did that so quickly. Anyway, my solution has to do with 4-move checkmate (a variation), and what's the connection between that and pawns? This might be a bit too much of a hint.
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ThudnBlunder
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #7 on: May 6th, 2003, 5:29am » |
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Quote:| This might be a bit too much of a hint. |
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I don't think so, misty.
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redPEPPER
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #8 on: May 6th, 2003, 7:33am » |
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Well, when you have the solution, that hint is very clear 
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ThudnBlunder
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #9 on: May 6th, 2003, 9:43am » |
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on May 6th, 2003, 7:33am, redPEPPER wrote:| Well, when you have the solution, that hint is very clear |
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I meant that I don't know what this '4-move checkmate (a variation)' is.
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| « Last Edit: May 6th, 2003, 10:00am by ThudnBlunder » |
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Icarus
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #10 on: May 6th, 2003, 3:50pm » |
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on May 4th, 2003, 11:06pm, BNC wrote:I think you're wrong there, Icarus .
The knight can check also by capturing one of the pawns in the opponent's row. |
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 D'OH!
But I WAS right:
Quote:| I am going to reveal how poor of a chess player I am by this... |
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And e is just as cursed.
I wonder: Which is larger
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redPEPPER
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #11 on: May 6th, 2003, 4:05pm » |
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on May 6th, 2003, 9:43am, THUDandBLUNDER wrote:
I meant that I don't know what this *HIDDEN* is.
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Oh. Indeed, you also need to know what that is in order to understand the hint.
It's a fast and nifty checkmate that you can sometimes use against beginners. It requires a little cooperation from the opponent but not too much.
1. e4 e5 (nothing out-of-this-world)
2. Qf3 something
3. Bc4 something
4. Qxf7 ++
It "only" requires black not getting in the way, not moving its queen or king either, and lacking the subtlest dose of foreseeing.
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| « Last Edit: May 6th, 2003, 4:08pm by redPEPPER » |
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ThudnBlunder
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #12 on: May 6th, 2003, 6:24pm » |
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That's called Scholar's Mate, redPEPPER (and is easily parried with a timely developing move, Nf6).
But I can't really see the connection between the required mate and that one.
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| « Last Edit: May 6th, 2003, 8:19pm by ThudnBlunder » |
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mistysakura
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #13 on: May 7th, 2003, 2:23am » |
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I guess we have two different solutions. Hang on, I'll IM you my solution.
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ThudnBlunder
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Re: Shortest Mate (II)
« Reply #14 on: May 7th, 2003, 3:23am » |
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Quote:| I guess we have two different solutions. Hang on, I'll IM you my solution. |
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I see...I didn't realize there was another solution. But mine (below) is prettier. 
1. Nc3 Nf6
2. Nd5 Ng4
3. Nxe7 Nxf2
4. Nd5 Qh4
5. Nc3 Nd3#
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| « Last Edit: May 7th, 2003, 9:10pm by ThudnBlunder » |
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