reconstruction puzzle

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bobbybellona
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reconstruction puzzle

Post by bobbybellona » Sat Nov 08, 2003 10:13 am

A puzzle I found at rec.games.chess.misc :

White has his pieces as in the starting position.
Black has Kh8 and nothing else.
The task is to reconstruct a game to reach this position in sixteen
moves.

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--Edit by Greg Miller, added ending possition game board.

gmiller
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Post by gmiller » Sat Nov 08, 2003 12:38 pm

Impossible? It would take 16 moves just to capture all of the peices. The first peice couldn't be captured until move 2, so a minumum of 17 moves is required. 8)

energy
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Post by energy » Sat Nov 08, 2003 1:13 pm

gmiller wrote:Impossible? It would take 16 moves just to capture all of the peices. The first peice couldn't be captured until move 2, so a minumum of 17 moves is required. 8)
You forget that only 15 pieces has to be taken...

gmiller
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Post by gmiller » Sat Nov 08, 2003 1:33 pm

:oops:

bobbybellona
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Post by bobbybellona » Sat Nov 08, 2003 2:36 pm

It is possible. Actually, there is at least 2 solutions.

tellymetwise
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Post by tellymetwise » Sat Nov 08, 2003 6:09 pm

Seems you have to end with Nxb1 or Nxg1.
16 - Ng8->Nb1 is 4 tempo's. any other is 5.
12 - Ra3 or Ba3 seems sensible prior to last capture.
something on c3? two tempo's for rook or queen.
11 - Qb5 or b5 both likely. doubt anything can be brought on c4.

already 4+1+1 = 6 tempo's for black. 9 left to set the breadcrump trail for the white knight to follow.

tellymetwise
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Post by tellymetwise » Sun Nov 09, 2003 10:26 am

Here comes the answer: :twisted:

1. Nc3 d5 2. Nxd5 g6
3. Nxe7 h6 4. Nxg6 Be6
5. Nxh8 Bf5 6. Nxf7 Nf6
7. Nxh6 Be7 8. Nxf5 c6
9. Nxe7 Nd5 10. Nxc6 Qa5
11. Nxa5 Nc6 12. Nxc6 Nc3
13. Nxa7 b5 14.Nxb5 Ra3
15. Nxa3 Nb1 16. Nxb1

keithstuart
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Post by keithstuart » Sun Nov 09, 2003 11:10 am

doesn't it say in the very first post that black has Kh8 implying the king is on h8 a the end of the puzzle

bobbybellona
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Post by bobbybellona » Sun Nov 09, 2003 3:20 pm

Yes, the king is supposed to be on square h8 in the end

tellymetwise
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Post by tellymetwise » Sun Nov 09, 2003 4:12 pm

:shock:

Let's do that again then

keithstuart
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Post by keithstuart » Sun Nov 09, 2003 4:20 pm

I presume we are allowed to start from a already started game position as otherwise it is impossible

bobbybellona
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Post by bobbybellona » Sun Nov 09, 2003 7:54 pm

The game start with all the pieces in their starting squares, in 16 moves the position in the nice diagram gmiller added is reached. I have two solutions here. But I won't tell :D (not until everyone gives up). Must admit I myself was not able to solve it.

keithstuart
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Post by keithstuart » Mon Nov 10, 2003 2:32 am

in that case surly it is impossible as it would take 15 moves to capture the 15 pieces

and as you end up at the starting position for white you must use the knight as it is the only piece that can jump other pieces meaning it would take 2-3 moves just to reach the first capture and get back from the last capture

mluka
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Post by mluka » Mon Nov 10, 2003 3:45 am

bobbybellona wrote:I have two solutions here.
Posted below are two unique solutions I've found, written in almost-invisible ink. Highlight the empty space to see the move notation.
1. Nf3 e5 2. Nxe5 g5 3.Nxf7 b5 4. Nxd8 Nc6 5. Nxc6 Nf6 6. Nxa7 Bc5 7. Nxb5 0-0 8. Nxc7 Nh5 9. Nxa8 Bb6 10. Nxb6 Nf4 11. Nxd7 Nh3 12. Nxf8 Nh1 13. Nxh7 Bh3 14. Nxg5 Kg7 15. Nxh3 Kh8 16. Nxg1

1. Nc3 d5 2. Nxd5 b5 3.Nxe7 g5 4. Nxg8 Bh6 5. Nxh6 Nd7 6. Nxf7 Nc5 7. Nxg5 0-0 8. Nxh7 Bd7 9. Nxf8 Qb8 10. Nxd7 a6 11. Nxb8 Na4 12. Nxa6 Nc3 13. Nxc7 Kh8 14. Nxb5 Ra3 15. Nxa3 Nb1 16. Nxb1

mluka
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Post by mluka » Mon Nov 10, 2003 3:49 am

I almost forgot: in the final position, which player is to move? It's simple enough to amend if White is to move, although the solutions above assume Black to move.

bobbybellona
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Post by bobbybellona » Mon Nov 10, 2003 8:08 am

I am sitting with my chessboard in front of me now. Went through the solution twice just to make sure I am not just annoying people with impossible puzzle here. The last move is white: 16.Nxg1

So of course, white only plays his knight. And from move numer 2, it takes a piece on every move.

(now I see mluka posted solutions, didn't get it before now :roll: )

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