Question: For the first puzzle does the position have to be legally able to be arrived at? For example white pawns on the first rank is alright?
Also do you count *all* of the checkmated sides pieces that are involved, for example in this position would you count the rook on e2? If you take the rook on e2 away then the bishop on c2 is not needed anymore, so it's *kind of* involved? if you see what mean heh.
1r6/8/8/8/8/8/1qb1R3/K7 b - - 1 1
Also do you count *all* of the checkmated sides pieces that are involved, for example in this position would you count the rook on e2? If you take the rook on e2 away then the bishop on c2 is not needed anymore, so it's *kind of* involved? if you see what mean heh.
1r6/8/8/8/8/8/1qb1R3/K7 b - - 1 1
"- the position can be as fantastical as you like" but pawns on the 1st rank are not needed!
"- it must not contain any pieces that are not contributing the checkmate. In other words the position is only legit if you take any piece out, it's not a checkmate anymore." In your example Bc2 and Re2 doesn't count.
"- it must not contain any pieces that are not contributing the checkmate. In other words the position is only legit if you take any piece out, it's not a checkmate anymore." In your example Bc2 and Re2 doesn't count.
Forgive me for arguing with you, but how can you say that the bishop on c2 doesn't count when the fact is if you took it away it wouldn't be checkmate anymore? If the Bc2 wasn't there then the rook could capture the queen, so Bc2 is necessary for it to be a checkmate. See what I mean?
@UncrownedRoyalty Good question! But, only if Re2 was neccessary for the checkmate you could also count the Bc2. As you can take the Re2 out and it's still checkmate, you need to remove it. And removing it the Bc2 also needs to go. Re2 serves only to justify Bc2, so it's against the rules.
Okgo, now that you explain it like that it makes sense :)
mrwatson1, whoa! You've done it! I never could have imagined my solution could be topped: lichess.org/editor/8%2F8%2F8%2F1PPk1P2%2F1PP2P2%2F1PP2P2%2F8%2F8%20b%20KQkq
The question is, can we go any further?
The question is, can we go any further?
I don't think so. The king is twice checked and each flight square is covered exactly once.
Oops, that's not the position that I meant to show o_O.
Here it is (hopefully): lichess.org/editor/8%2F8%2F8%2F2PPk1P1%2F2PPrPP1%2F2P3P1%2F8%2F8%20w%20-
Remarkably, mrwatson1's solution improves by two pieces. That's amazing!
Here it is (hopefully): lichess.org/editor/8%2F8%2F8%2F2PPk1P1%2F2PPrPP1%2F2P3P1%2F8%2F8%20w%20-
Remarkably, mrwatson1's solution improves by two pieces. That's amazing!
Toadofsky: the fact that king is checked twice isn't an issue, the conditions of the puzzle still holds.
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