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Shortest-proof-game challenge
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Dec 18, 2011
0
#63
I just wanted to see how quickly it could be done, Now that would be funny if it were sound, as in the moves. so I guess that guy wins.
browni3141 wrote:
cobra, I think yours is optimal. It takes black at least 30 moves to get all his pieces to those positions, so the puzzle ends on white's 31st move with mate.
8 knight moves
13 pawn moves
3 king moves (castling included)
2 rook moves
2 queen moves
+ 2 bishop moves
_____
30
Omg, I feel like an idiot now. 
I sort of just dashed off moves into the editor and then previewed it to make sure I had the right position. With that in mind, it never even occurred to me that my 1st attempt could be optimal - I actually spent some time yesterday trying for a faster result!
Needless to say, you're completely right - guess that means round 5 is over.
Having already held us up for 2 whole days, I hope no one minds if I try to move things along by forging ahead with the next position. Here it is:
Btw, I would like to clarify the rule stated in post #50, which may have been misinterpretted. I said that the problem poster could not participate, which is true. However, everyone else is eligible to win that round, regardless of how many previous rounds they have won. Of course, it is possible that nobody actually misunderstood that, but I want to be sure, since none of the past winners so far have attempted for a 2nd victory.
rupnaylak wrote:
Illegal. how did the White bishop get to c8? The e or g pawn was not moved. The only way is for the b pawn to promote. But it would have to promote on a8, since b8 is a dark colored square. And it could not get to a8 unless it took blacks a pawn, but Blacks a pawn is on a3. So this position shouldbe declared null and void.
The position is legal. That's all I can say without giving out unfair hints, but careful considerations were made while creating this position, and I can guarantee that it is reachable.
77 moves. Just a starter to prove the position is legal, even though this solution is ovbiously not near optimal.
EDIT: For some reason the game won't display correctly. Never mind, someone found a quicker solution in the meantime anyway...
cobra91 wrote:
Anyone up for this?
For anyone that doesn't know, this involves determining the FASTEST way that a given chess position can be reached in a normal (but not necessarily logical) game.
1. Only one answer per person (to discourage guessing, of course).
2. The first person to come up with the solution for one position gets to post the next position.
3. The positions posted have to be legal ones (for obvious reasons).
4. When submitting a position, make sure you have a verified solution. Otherwise, we won't know who's right!
I'll start things off with a position of my own (well, sort of... it's taken from an old thread). Here it is:
Let the challenge begin - good luck! :P
Solution is Qe8-c6,only move for black is Qh1xc6,and then white check mate with Qc5,and also Qc6#
[COMMENT DELETED]
Hey, all. Apologies for not posting anything here in a while, but I've been extremely busy this past week and just haven't had any spare time :(
Dark--Horse wrote:
77 moves. Just a starter to prove the position is legal, even though this solution is ovbiously not near optimal.
EDIT: For some reason the game won't display correctly. Never mind, someone found a quicker solution in the meantime anyway...
77 ain't bad for that position. Keep in mind that an indefinite number of attempts are allowed for every position, so you could always try again before the end of the week (although time expires for this position in less than 24 hours). And too bad about the diagram - I've had that happen to me before, and it can be kind of annoying. Better luck next time.
browni3141 wrote:
65 moves.
Awesome! :) I haven't actually tried it myself, but I seriously doubt I could get to the position in less than 65 moves. In fact, it won't surprise me if no one is able to beat that, especially considering that almost 6 days have gone by with no improvements, with less than 1 day remaining. Anything could happen, though...
smurf12 wrote:
69 moves is very impressive, considering how difficult this position is to reach efficiently. However, browni3141 has posted a 65-mover, which means you'll need an even faster result to win. You still have almost a day - good luck! 
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By the way, I noticed that all three proof games for round 6 were submitted within the first six hours, which seems a bit imbalanced. I might need to consider reducing the 1-week interval to maybe a 3- or 4-day interval (or perhaps even just a 1-day interval) at some point. Could everyone let me know what their opinion is on this? Thanks :)
rupnaylak wrote:
From Chess to Enjoy by Andy Soltis (the book):
After Ke8 Ke1, White played mate in 1. One bystander observed that this was the tenth check in the game and another that each side had 8 undoubled passed pawns.
LoCock claimed to have a 29 move game that worked. If you can find it, you desrve the grandmastership of re construction.
Is this possible, let alone in 29 moves?
I think this works, but am not 100% sure whether the c4 and b5 pawns in the final position count as "passed" pawns, strictly speaking. If not, then please just post the solution, as I can't really be bothered to spend any more time on this puzzle than I already have.
Dec 25, 2011
0
#75
@cobra: At first glance it looks like the d pawn was never doubled.
I would have tried a better solution except I'm not really motivated to improve until someone else is beating me.
^ Huh? What d-pawn are you talking about? 
But that confusion aside, I agree that it would make little sense to try too hard for an improvement if you're already winning. Plus, time expired hours ago, so you win round 6 anyways. Round 7 begins when you post the next position.
Well, I have a position
^ That position doesn't count, I'm afraid. Only the previous winner gets to post the next position (otherwise we'd have a whole bunch of people posting crazy positions, but almost nobody trying to solve them 
). But once round 7 is under way, you are very much welcome to get involved here (and, of course, if you win you can deal out any position you want).
cobra, I think yours is optimal. It takes black at least 30 moves to get all his pieces to those positions, so the puzzle ends on white's 31st move with mate.
8 knight moves
13 pawn moves
3 king moves (castling included)
2 rook moves
2 queen moves
+ 2 bishop moves
_____
30