Christmas Puzzles: solutions (2)

by Frederic Friedel
1/4/2021 – In our December 31 puzzle page we showed you problems ranging from mate in one to mate in 203 – expecting this record from decades ago to have been broken. And indeed it was: there is now a direct mate problem in which you have to play 226 accurate moves to mate the opponent (i.e. it is dual-free). In our second solutions page we also provide the answer to the ominous train problem, which has eluded some of the brightest minds in the world.

Winning starts with what you know
The new version 18 offers completely new possibilities for chess training and analysis: playing style analysis, search for strategic themes, access to 6 billion Lichess games, player preparation by matching Lichess games, download Chess.com games with built-in API, built-in cloud engine and much more.

The twin problems by artist Abraham Jacob Bogdanove (reconstructed from a painting by Luke Neyndorff) were fairly simple.

White to mate in two moves
White to mate in one move

In both diagrams there is an engine waiting to play defensive moves and prevent White from mating in two and one moves. So it will be fairly easy for you to follow the solutions:

Problem 1: 1.Ne2 Kxd2 (1...cxd2 2. Nf4#; 1... Ra1 2. Nf4#; 1... Nc2 2. Nxc1#) 2. Nf4#. 
Problem 2: 1.exf8=N#.

To help you get over the one-mover we showed you two unusually long problems by James Malcom. In the first Black will gladly move his bishop between g1 and h2, unless we force him to play something else – which should be a mate.

In the second problem White's goal is to castle long, while Black is bent on preventing exactly this! It turns out that White needs 67 moves to force Black to allow O-O-O. This sounds insane, but it is quite logical once you have understood the basic logic.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
In this problem you soon notice that the only black piece that can move is that bishop on h2. And after a little thought you will discover that the final forced mate must involve the pawn on h7 capturing something on g6. There are two problems: the white king has an escape square, e4, which has to be blocked; and Black must be forced to play Ph7xg6, and not simply make another bishop move, as he would gladly do. 1.a4 Bg1 2.a5 Bh2 3.a6 Bg1 4.a7 Bh2 5.a8B We need to take a bishop in order to block the e4 square. Bg1 6.Be4 Bh2 7.Bxd3 Bg1 8.Be4 The d-pawn is needed for promotion to a vital piece. Bh2 9.d4 Bg1 10.d5 Bh2 11.d6 Bg1 12.d7 Bh2 13.d8N It's a knight we need! Bg1 14.Nc6 Bh2 15.Ne7 Bg1 16.Ng6+ and Black is forced to mate! hxg6#
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Malcom,J-Selfmate in 16-2020ChessBase India
Malcom,J-White castles in 76-2020ChessBase India Christmas Solving

So who is the author of these imaginative many-move problems. Some elderly problemist with decades of experience, you may think? Well, think again.

James Malcolm is a 17-year-old high-school student! He lives in Iowa, USA, and just like chess enthusiasts his age, loves playing online games. But he is different in one aspect, he also takes a lot of pleasure in composing chess problems, and he is especially fond of record tasks, jokes, and anything related to the three special moves of chess: castling, promotion, and en passant.

A rather uncommon interest for a young man!

 

Christmastide Solving Contest

On December 25 our colleagues at ChessBase India staged a solving contest in which around a large number of enthusiasts took part. They were not just from within India, but also from various parts of the world, like Germany, Romania, Russia, USA – to name just a few! What was surprising was the outstanding quality of these entries. At least 17 readers who wrote in had perfect solutions, and twice more scored more than fifty percent. This is what a solution to the 76-mover looks like in Hindi.

How many moves to mate?

In 1986 John Nunn sent us a chess problem by Danish composer Walther Jørgensen. It was, at the time, the longest dual-free direct-mate with a legal starting position that had ever been devised. You can replay this astonishing 203-mover on our replay board below, and understand everything, thanks to the comments by John Nunn.

On our December 31 puzzle page I predicted that this 44-year-old record would probably have been broken. Within a day problemist Werner Keym informed me that it had indeed been increased to 226 moves – by the same Walther Jørgensen, using the same basic pattern.

The picture of Walther Jørgensen (1916-1989) was taken from Thema Danicum, the publication of the Danish Chess Problem club.

 
New ...
Open...
Share...
Layout...
Flip Board
Settings
MoveNResultEloPlayers
Replay and check the LiveBook here
1.Qg1+ Leading to mate in 203! The longest dual-free direct-mate problem without promoted pieces. All notes are by Dr John Nunn. Kf3 2.Qf1+ Kg4 2...Ke4 3.Qd3# 3.Qe2+ Rf3 4.Qe6+ Rf5 5.Bh2 Blocking the enemy forces. The next black move is forced. Kf3 5...N6e7? 6.Ne5# 5...N8e7? 6.Qe2+ Rf3 7.Qe4+ Rf4 8.Nf6# 5...Nf6? 6.Nxf6+ Kf3 7.Qe3+ Kg2 8.Qg1+ Kf3 9.Qf1# 6.Qe3+ Kg2 7.Qg1+ Kf3 8.Qf1+ Kg4 9.Qe2+ Rf3 10.Qe6+ Rf5 The 'Jørgensen Manoeuver', which repeats the position after five moves, with a free move for White. If Black had no pawn moves he would soon be mated. Note that White cannot move his king to a4 because of ...Kf3+. 11.Kb2 Kf3 12.Qe3+ Kg2 13.Qg1+ Kf3 14.Qf1+ Kg4 15.Qe2+ Rf3 16.Qe6+ Rf5 17.Kc1 Kf3 18.Qe3+ Kg2 19.Qg1+ Kf3 20.Qf1+ Kg4 21.Qe2+ Rf3 22.Qe6+ Rf5 23.Kd1 Now Black must move a pawn (23...Kf3? 24.Qe2#) a4 This offers the greatest resistance. 24.Kc1 24.Ke1? allows the a-pawn to promote Kf3 25.Qe3+ Kg2 26.Qg1+ Kf3 27.Qf1+ Kg4 28.Qe2+ Rf3 29.Qe6+ Rf5 30.Kd1 a5 After 30...a3? 31.Kc1, 37. Kb1, 43.Ka2, 49.Kxa3, 55.Kb2, 61.Kc1 White can make three king moves without the Jörgensen Manoeuver (67.Kd1 a5 68. Ke1! a4 69.Kd1) saving a total of ten moves. 31.Kc1 Kf3 32.Qe3+ Kg2 33.Qg1+ Kf3 34.Qf1+ Kg4 35.Qe2+ Rf3 36.Qe6+ Rf5 37.Kd1 a6 38.Kc1 Kf3 39.Qe3+ Kg2 40.Qg1+ Kf3 41.Qf1+ Kg4 42.Qe2+ Rf3 43.Qe6+ Rf5 44.Kd1 a3 45.Kc1 Kf3 46.Qe3+ Kg2 47.Qg1+ Kf3 48.Qf1+ Kg4 49.Qe2+ Rf3 50.Qe6+ Rf5 51.Kb1 Kf3 52.Qe3+ Kg2 53.Qg1+ Kf3 54.Qf1+ Kg4 55.Qe2+ Rf3 56.Qe6+ Rf5 57.Ka2 Kf3 58.Qe3+ Kg2 59.Qg1+ Kf3 60.Qf1+ Kg4 61.Qe2+ Rf3 62.Qe6+ Rf5 63.Kxa3 Now the wK must return to d1 to force another pawn move Kf3 64.Qe3+ Kg2 65.Qg1+ Kf3 66.Qf1+ Kg4 67.Qe2+ Rf3 68.Qe6+ Rf5 69.Kb2 Kf3 70.Qe3+ Kg2 71.Qg1+ Kf3 72.Qf1+ Kg4 73.Qe2+ Rf3 74.Qe6+ Rf5 75.Kc1 Kf3 76.Qe3+ Kg2 77.Qg1+ Kf3 78.Qf1+ Kg4 79.Qe2+ Rf3 80.Qe6+ Rf5 81.Kd1 a4 82.Kc1 Kf3 83.Qe3+ Kg2 84.Qg1+ Kf3 85.Qf1+ Kg4 86.Qe2+ Rf3 87.Qe6+ Rf5 88.Kd1 a5 89.Kc1 Kf3 90.Qe3+ Kg2 91.Qg1+ Kf3 92.Qf1+ Kg4 93.Qe2+ Rf3 94.Qe6+ Rf5 95.Kd1 c4 96.Kc1 Kf3 97.Qe3+ Kg2 98.Qg1+ Kf3 99.Qf1+ Kg4 99...Ke4 Now White cannot mate with Qd3, but 100.d3+ does the job: Kd5 100...Ke3 101.Bg1+ Rf2 It is important that the wK is on c1, otherwise the bK would find a safe spot on d2. 102.Qxf2# 101.Qxf5+ Ne5 102.Qxe5# 100.Qe2+ Rf3 101.Qe6+ Rf5 102.Kd1 c5 103.Kc1 Kf3 104.Qe3+ Kg2 105.Qg1+ Kf3 106.Qf1+ Kg4 106...Ke4? Black can try to use the free c6 square, but in vain 107.d3+ Kd5 108.Qxf5+ Kc6 109.Qe6+ Kb7 110.Qb6+ Kc8 111.Qc7# 107.Qe2+ Rf3 108.Qe6+ Rf5 109.Kd1 109.Kb2? White still cannot pick up the pawn on a4 Kf3 110.Qe3+ Kg2 111.Qg1+ Kf3 112.Qf1+ Kg4 113.Qe2+ Rf3 114.Qe6+ Rf5 115.Ka3 Kf3 116.Qe3+ Kg2 117.Qg1+ Kf3 118.Qf1+ Kg4 119.Qe2+ Rf3 120.Qe6+ Rf5 121.Kxa4 Kf3 122.Qe3+ Kg2 123.Qg1+ Kf3 124.Qf1+ Ke4! 125.Qe1+ 125.Qxc4+ Kf3-+ The queen is pinned! 125.d3+ Ke3-+ 109...a3 110.Kc1 Kf3 111.Qe3+ Kg2 112.Qg1+ Kf3 113.Qf1+ Kg4 114.Qe2+ Rf3 115.Qe6+ Rf5 116.Kb1 Kf3 117.Qe3+ Kg2 118.Qg1+ Kf3 119.Qf1+ Ke4! This forces White to capture the pawn on c4, giving the pawn c5 an extra move 120.Qxc4+ 120.d3+? Ke3!-+ 120...Kf3 121.Qf1+ Kg4 122.Qe2+ Rf3 123.Qe6+ Rf5 124.Ka2 Kf3 125.Qe3+ Kg2 126.Qg1+ Kf3 127.Qf1+ Kg4 128.Qe2+ Rf3 129.Qe6+ Rf5 130.Kxa3 Kf3 131.Qe3+ Kg2 132.Qg1+ Kf3 133.Qf1+ Kg4 134.Qe2+ Rf3 135.Qe6+ Rf5 136.Kb2 Kf3 137.Qe3+ Kg2 138.Qg1+ Kf3 139.Qf1+ Kg4 140.Qe2+ Rf3 141.Qe6+ Rf5 142.Kc1 Kf3 143.Qe3+ Kg2 144.Qg1+ Kf3 145.Qf1+ Kg4 146.Qe2+ Rf3 147.Qe6+ Rf5 148.Kd1 a4 149.Kc1 Kf3 150.Qe3+ Kg2 151.Qg1+ Kf3 152.Qf1+ Kg4 153.Qe2+ Rf3 154.Qe6+ Rf5 155.Kd1 c4 156.Kc1 Kf3 157.Qe3+ Kg2 158.Qg1+ Kf3 159.Qf1+ Kg4 160.Qe2+ Rf3 161.Qe6+ Rf5 162.Kd1 a3 163.Kc1 Kf3 164.Qe3+ Kg2 165.Qg1+ Kf3 166.Qf1+ Kg4 167.Qe2+ Rf3 168.Qe6+ Rf5 169.Kb1 Kf3 170.Qe3+ Kg2 171.Qg1+ Kf3 172.Qf1+ Kg4 173.Qe2+ Rf3 174.Qe6+ Rf5 175.Ka2 Kf3 176.Qe3+ Kg2 177.Qg1+ Kf3 178.Qf1+ Kg4 179.Qe2+ Rf3 180.Qe6+ Rf5 181.Kxa3 Kf3 182.Qe3+ Kg2 183.Qg1+ Kf3 184.Qf1+ Kg4 185.Qe2+ Rf3 186.Qe6+ Rf5 187.Kb2 Kf3 188.Qe3+ Kg2 189.Qg1+ Kf3 190.Qf1+ Ke4 Black extends the solution by two moves. 191.Qxc4+ Kf3 192.Qf1+ Kg4 193.Qe2+ Rf3 194.Qe6+ Rf5 195.Kc1 Kf3 196.Qe3+ The Jörgensen manoeuvre is executed for the last time. Kg2 197.Qg1+ Kf3 198.Qf1+ Kg4 199.Qe2+ Rf3 200.Qe6+ Rf5 201.Kd1 N8e7 201...Kf3 202.Qe2# 202.Nf6+ Kf3 203.Qe2# Note that every single white move in this problem was forced! 1–0
  • Start an analysis engine:
  • Try maximizing the board:
  • Use the four cursor keys to replay the game. Make moves to analyse yourself.
  • Press Ctrl-B to rotate the board.
  • Drag the split bars between window panes.
  • Download&Clip PGN/GIF/FEN/QR Codes. Share the game.
  • Games viewed here will automatically be stored in your cloud clipboard (if you are logged in). Use the cloud clipboard also in ChessBase.
  • Create an account to access the games cloud.
WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Jørgensen,W-Mate in 203 moves-1–01976
Jørgensen,W-Mate in 226-1982Thema Danicum

Note that you can click the Autoplay icon to have the entire solution replayed for you – while you sit back and enjoy your coffee or mate tea?! Shift+Autoplay click is slowest replay, Ctrl+click is faster and Alt+click is fastest.

A logical non-chess problem

What have I done? Ten years ago, at a German railway station, I had asked young grandmaster Anish Giri why the overhead power lines ran zigzag instead of straight. I posed this innocent question to our readers.

Looking from above (even from a bridge) you can clearly see that the power line trace a zigzag path above the trains, and that this has been done purposefully: the masts have longer and shorter arms.

Anish was baffled, and when I brought it up a few weeks ago he still didn't have an answer. Neither did a dozen 2750+ GMs, who have been working on the problem for weeks now. Some days ago Anish got it, but only after I had helped him – I gave him a video showing the bow collector (pantograph) getting power from the overhead line. You can watch some of this seven-minute video and see if you also hit on the answer.

Interestingly two readers had the correct solution. One of them, Albitex, is an electronic technician and who worked for a railway signalling company. No wonder. Also Vishy Anand solved it – his father worked in the railways. But even highly educated scientists – quantum physicists, astronomers, mathematicians – as well as the super-GMs – didn't even get close.

Now for the answer. The reason for the zigzagging is incredibly simple: if the power wire was straight it would cut through the bow collector, like a chain saw, in a couple of miles! The wire need to glide back and forth over the collector for it to last. Watch the video above.

This is what would happen after a mile or two if the power line were straight. The wire would stay in the groove and continue to cut through the bow collector. 

Sorry to have spent such a lot of time on this – it spun unexpectedly out of control. And now a dozen close friends will be cursing me. I must be more careful in the future. For the “gimme-more” friends and readers here are a few more non-chess New Year’s puzzles.

 


Editor-in-Chief emeritus of the ChessBase News page. Studied Philosophy and Linguistics at the University of Hamburg and Oxford, graduating with a thesis on speech act theory and moral language. He started a university career but switched to science journalism, producing documentaries for German TV. In 1986 he co-founded ChessBase.

Discuss

Rules for reader comments

 
 

Not registered yet? Register

We use cookies and comparable technologies to provide certain functions, to improve the user experience and to offer interest-oriented content. Depending on their intended use, analysis cookies and marketing cookies may be used in addition to technically required cookies. Here you can make detailed settings or revoke your consent (if necessary partially) with effect for the future. Further information can be found in our data protection declaration.