Jonathan Edwards Wrote:Geoff (Chandler) once gave a few of us a puzzle/teaser: opponent's king on d4 (or any central square), with your king on a1 (or any irrelevant square)... place 2 rooks and a knight on the board so that it's checkmate. It took Clément over 5 minutes to solve and others, including myself, gave up.
I gave the same puzzle to Matilda at Sciennes once. It took her less than 1 minute. Chess is a funny game! =
You are mistaken, I also gave up.
Which side is being checkmated?
This must be a favourite puzzle of Geoff's: I remember him demonstrating this in a talk he gave before the prize giving at the Edinburgh Congress some 25 years ago. It is your opponent who is being mated: ie on a central square. I remember Geoff saying that this is a puzzle where inexperienced players seem to be at an advantage, as they make fewer assumptions. Hamish's question is along the right lines....
P.S: I didn't get it at the time either.
Solved (took about 10 minutes).
Edit: Not solved, I take it back!
Solved, for an illegal position.
Round 3
I am in discussions with another team to bring them in for the rest of the season, therefore there will probably not be a bye for the rest of the season.
As far as points tables go -- as the two byes were junior teams I think everyone would be quite happy for them to keep their bye points.
If you disagree let Andy or myself know (either in private or through the forum!)
GG
Solved it in 1 minute for an illegal position :/ Don't think it's possible at all for a legal position??!
That was my conclusion too. That only solution is an illegal position.
I guess that we subconciously concentrate on legal positions which slows us down enormously.
How about this position
White King on b6
White Rooks on a6 and c6
Black King on b8
White to move
BUT you have to mate in 3 moves
AND you have to move each of your pieces.