Mixing
How did four chessmen disappear?
Clash Royale CLAN TAG#URR8PPP
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7
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favorite
I was visiting two friends yesterday and found them sitting at a chess table.
After a glance at the board, I thought I had interrupted them when they were installing the starting position and I said:
"Oh, how annoying, you have set the starting position but some pieces must be missing and you cannot play.
- What do you mean ?, asked Fabi, who was sitting behind the dark pieces. Nothing is missing, the game is already started and we have played four moves each. But Mag is thinking hard now, I must have put him in trouble already !
- No trouble at all, answered Mag, I am already two pawns up."
You will understand my mistake once you consider the position that was on the board at that time: all the pieces were on their possible starting squares, but four of them that were already taken !
What was the position, and how did the game start ?
TL;DR
Find a chess position:
- that is reached after four moves by each player,
- in which four units are taken,
- where White has a two pawns material advantage,
- where all the remaining units stands on the same squares as at the beginning of a game.
Remarks
- If this proves too hard, I will post the position as a hint and only ask for how the game went.
- This puzzle is an adaptation a chess problem published in 1981. I'll credit its authors after an answer has been accepted.
- This puzzle is an entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #40: Retrograde Analysis.
chess retrograde-analysis
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
I was visiting two friends yesterday and found them sitting at a chess table.
After a glance at the board, I thought I had interrupted them when they were installing the starting position and I said:
"Oh, how annoying, you have set the starting position but some pieces must be missing and you cannot play.
- What do you mean ?, asked Fabi, who was sitting behind the dark pieces. Nothing is missing, the game is already started and we have played four moves each. But Mag is thinking hard now, I must have put him in trouble already !
- No trouble at all, answered Mag, I am already two pawns up."
You will understand my mistake once you consider the position that was on the board at that time: all the pieces were on their possible starting squares, but four of them that were already taken !
What was the position, and how did the game start ?
TL;DR
Find a chess position:
- that is reached after four moves by each player,
- in which four units are taken,
- where White has a two pawns material advantage,
- where all the remaining units stands on the same squares as at the beginning of a game.
Remarks
- If this proves too hard, I will post the position as a hint and only ask for how the game went.
- This puzzle is an adaptation a chess problem published in 1981. I'll credit its authors after an answer has been accepted.
- This puzzle is an entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #40: Retrograde Analysis.
chess retrograde-analysis
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
1
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
up vote
7
down vote
favorite
I was visiting two friends yesterday and found them sitting at a chess table.
After a glance at the board, I thought I had interrupted them when they were installing the starting position and I said:
"Oh, how annoying, you have set the starting position but some pieces must be missing and you cannot play.
- What do you mean ?, asked Fabi, who was sitting behind the dark pieces. Nothing is missing, the game is already started and we have played four moves each. But Mag is thinking hard now, I must have put him in trouble already !
- No trouble at all, answered Mag, I am already two pawns up."
You will understand my mistake once you consider the position that was on the board at that time: all the pieces were on their possible starting squares, but four of them that were already taken !
What was the position, and how did the game start ?
TL;DR
Find a chess position:
- that is reached after four moves by each player,
- in which four units are taken,
- where White has a two pawns material advantage,
- where all the remaining units stands on the same squares as at the beginning of a game.
Remarks
- If this proves too hard, I will post the position as a hint and only ask for how the game went.
- This puzzle is an adaptation a chess problem published in 1981. I'll credit its authors after an answer has been accepted.
- This puzzle is an entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #40: Retrograde Analysis.
chess retrograde-analysis
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
I was visiting two friends yesterday and found them sitting at a chess table.
After a glance at the board, I thought I had interrupted them when they were installing the starting position and I said:
"Oh, how annoying, you have set the starting position but some pieces must be missing and you cannot play.
- What do you mean ?, asked Fabi, who was sitting behind the dark pieces. Nothing is missing, the game is already started and we have played four moves each. But Mag is thinking hard now, I must have put him in trouble already !
- No trouble at all, answered Mag, I am already two pawns up."
You will understand my mistake once you consider the position that was on the board at that time: all the pieces were on their possible starting squares, but four of them that were already taken !
What was the position, and how did the game start ?
TL;DR
Find a chess position:
- that is reached after four moves by each player,
- in which four units are taken,
- where White has a two pawns material advantage,
- where all the remaining units stands on the same squares as at the beginning of a game.
Remarks
- If this proves too hard, I will post the position as a hint and only ask for how the game went.
- This puzzle is an adaptation a chess problem published in 1981. I'll credit its authors after an answer has been accepted.
- This puzzle is an entry in Fortnightly Topic Challenge #40: Retrograde Analysis.
chess retrograde-analysis
chess retrograde-analysis
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
asked 2 hours ago
Evargalo
1,320215
1,320215
1
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
1
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago
1
1
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
This seems to work:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Apart from the symmetrical solution, this might very well be unique. (explanation coming up soon)
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Partial:
For white to be two pawns up, and 4 pieces to have been taken in total, this implies that black has lost 2 pawns, and each player has also lost 1 of the same type of piece, meaning that black has lost 3 in total, and white just the 1.
Now to solve the rest...
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
add a comment |Â
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
up vote
3
down vote
This seems to work:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Apart from the symmetrical solution, this might very well be unique. (explanation coming up soon)
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
This seems to work:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Apart from the symmetrical solution, this might very well be unique. (explanation coming up soon)
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
add a comment |Â
up vote
3
down vote
up vote
3
down vote
This seems to work:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Apart from the symmetrical solution, this might very well be unique. (explanation coming up soon)
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
This seems to work:
1. Nf3 e5
2. Nxe5 Ne7
3. Nxd7 Nec6
4. Nxb8 Nxb8
Apart from the symmetrical solution, this might very well be unique. (explanation coming up soon)
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
edited 7 mins ago
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
answered 15 mins ago
Bass
23.3k456150
23.3k456150
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Partial:
For white to be two pawns up, and 4 pieces to have been taken in total, this implies that black has lost 2 pawns, and each player has also lost 1 of the same type of piece, meaning that black has lost 3 in total, and white just the 1.
Now to solve the rest...
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
Partial:
For white to be two pawns up, and 4 pieces to have been taken in total, this implies that black has lost 2 pawns, and each player has also lost 1 of the same type of piece, meaning that black has lost 3 in total, and white just the 1.
Now to solve the rest...
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
add a comment |Â
up vote
0
down vote
up vote
0
down vote
Partial:
For white to be two pawns up, and 4 pieces to have been taken in total, this implies that black has lost 2 pawns, and each player has also lost 1 of the same type of piece, meaning that black has lost 3 in total, and white just the 1.
Now to solve the rest...
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
Partial:
For white to be two pawns up, and 4 pieces to have been taken in total, this implies that black has lost 2 pawns, and each player has also lost 1 of the same type of piece, meaning that black has lost 3 in total, and white just the 1.
Now to solve the rest...
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
answered 1 hour ago
AHKieran
2,321421
2,321421
add a comment |Â
add a comment |Â
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1
Does "a two pawns material advantage" mean specifically "two more pawns and equal material otherwise" or are you e.g. counting minor pieces as 3 and rooks as 5?
– Gareth McCaughan♦
1 hour ago
I found a way to do it ending on White's fifth move. Oof.
– Excited Raichu
40 mins ago
The term "material" is used to refer to anything, while "piece" is often used to refer non-pawn material. Are you using "piece" in that sense?
– Acccumulation
11 mins ago