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Author A Chess Quiz
Sam Sloan

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

Harry Kerry is:

1. A Chinese term for suicide
2. A Candidate for President of the United States
3. An Irish Grandmaster
4. The move 1. g4

Pelican is:

1. A tall blue bird
2. A type of round container
3. A chess opening
4. An Argentine Grandmaster

Kramnik is:

1. A dull chess player
2. The Birdbrain World Champion
3. A Variation of the Sicilian Defense
4. An Island in the Mediterranean

Lucena is:

1. An Argentine Chess Master
2. A type of rook and pawn against rook endgame
3. A former President of the Professional Chess Players Association
4. A Street in Moscow

A variation of chess played in Asia is:

1. Shogi
2. Xiangqi
3. Makrook
4. All of the Above

The Spanish Game is:

1. A form of Three Card Monte
2. Characterized by the move 3. Bb5
3. Played with dice
4. Begun with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6

Jerome:

1. A station on the IRT
2. A variation of the Kingfs Gambit
3. An Italian Grandmaster
4. A sacrifice of two pieces

Fried Liver is:

1. Popular in China
2. A knight sacrifice
3. The favorite food of Bobby Fischer
4. A variation of The Giuoco Piano

Giuoco Piano is:

1. Older than Steinway
2. With 52 white Notes and 36 black Notes
3. A King-Pawn Chess Opening
4. Made in Italy

Orang-Utan is:

1. Also known as the Polish
2. A City in Mongolia
3. A type of gorilla
4. The move 1. g4

The best women chess players in America come from:

1. Georgia
2. Florida
3. Pennsylvania
4. California

OK. Now, I admit that these questions are not very good and I hope
that everyone can answer them.

I would like to receive some suggestions for better questions.

Sam Sloan

Sam Sloan

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

Pandolfini is

1. Played by Ben Kingsley
2. A manager of the Marshall Chess Club in the 1970s
3. An author of chess books
4. All of the above

Weikel is:

1. A slang term for masturbation
2. A variation of the Sicilian Defense
3. An organizer in the Sands
4. A chess master

Sam Sloan

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

I have just posted the first 10 questions of this quiz at
http://pub.alxnet.com/quiz?id=2150304

Please test this to see if it works.

Sam Sloan
StanB

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

Most of your questions have been plagiarized from Tim Hanke's soon to be
released Chess Trivia Game.

"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:416ca1fd.44293171@ca.news.verio.net...
quote:

> Harry Kerry is:
>
> 1. A Chinese term for suicide
> 2. A Candidate for President of the United States
> 3. An Irish Grandmaster
> 4. The move 1. g4
>
> Pelican is:
>
> 1. A tall blue bird
> 2. A type of round container
> 3. A chess opening
> 4. An Argentine Grandmaster
>
> Kramnik is:
>
> 1. A dull chess player
> 2. The Birdbrain World Champion
> 3. A Variation of the Sicilian Defense
> 4. An Island in the Mediterranean
>
> Lucena is:
>
> 1. An Argentine Chess Master
> 2. A type of rook and pawn against rook endgame
> 3. A former President of the Professional Chess Players Association
> 4. A Street in Moscow
>
> A variation of chess played in Asia is:
>
> 1. Shogi
> 2. Xiangqi
> 3. Makrook
> 4. All of the Above
>
> The Spanish Game is:
>
> 1. A form of Three Card Monte
> 2. Characterized by the move 3. Bb5
> 3. Played with dice
> 4. Begun with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
>
> Jerome:
>
> 1. A station on the IRT
> 2. A variation of the Kingfs Gambit
> 3. An Italian Grandmaster
> 4. A sacrifice of two pieces
>
> Fried Liver is:
>
> 1. Popular in China
> 2. A knight sacrifice
> 3. The favorite food of Bobby Fischer
> 4. A variation of The Giuoco Piano
>
> Giuoco Piano is:
>
> 1. Older than Steinway
> 2. With 52 white Notes and 36 black Notes
> 3. A King-Pawn Chess Opening
> 4. Made in Italy
>
> Orang-Utan is:
>
> 1. Also known as the Polish
> 2. A City in Mongolia
> 3. A type of gorilla
> 4. The move 1. g4
>
> The best women chess players in America come from:
>
> 1. Georgia
> 2. Florida
> 3. Pennsylvania
> 4. California
>
> OK. Now, I admit that these questions are not very good and I hope
> that everyone can answer them.
>
> I would like to receive some suggestions for better questions.
>
> Sam Sloan
>



Sam Sloan

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 08:09:41 -0400, "StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net>
wrote:
quote:

>Most of your questions have been plagiarized from Tim Hanke's soon to be
>released Chess Trivia Game.


I doubt that it is true but it would be interesting if it is.

I wrote these questions myself and have never seen his chess trivia
game, so it would have to be a coincidence.

I have been thinking of putting Hanke into my chess quiz as follows:

Hanke is:

1. The son of a Nazi War Criminal who escaped to Paraguay
2. The man who ran for USCF Executive Board so that he could force the
USCF to sell his chess trivia game.
3. A great place to blow your nose
4. A person who wants to expel scholastic chess players from the USCF
5. The Dirty Vicar
StanB

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm


"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:416d1d1d.75813218@ca.news.verio.net...
quote:

> I have been thinking of putting Hanke into my chess quiz as follows:
>
> Hanke is:
>
> 1. The son of a Nazi War Criminal who escaped to Paraguay
> 2. The man who ran for USCF Executive Board so that he could force the
> USCF to sell his chess trivia game.
> 3. A great place to blow your nose
> 4. A person who wants to expel scholastic chess players from the USCF
> 5. The Dirty Vicar


It would have to be 2 or 3. As 5 is Frank Niro.


Bill Smythe

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

Here's a more genuine chess quiz question (sorry to put a wet blanket on
your attempts at humor, Sam):

Is there such a thing as a SYMMETRIC position in which, no matter whose move
it is, the player on the move loses, with best play by his opponent?

SYMMETRIC means that, for example, if white has a knight on e3, then black
has a knight on e6.

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<14qdnRUvXaeQA_PcRVn-oA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> Here's a more genuine chess quiz question (sorry to put a wet blanket on
> your attempts at humor, Sam):
>
> Is there such a thing as a SYMMETRIC position in which, no matter whose move
> it is, the player on the move loses, with best play by his opponent?
>
> SYMMETRIC means that, for example, if white has a knight on e3, then black
> has a knight on e6.
>
> Bill Smythe


The first position that occured to me was...

whoever moves loses
White: Ke5, Pd4
Black: Kc4, Pd5

....but there's no axis of symmetry here (it would work on a 9 x 8 board!).

I bet there are quite a few such positions....
Bill Brock

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

wbrock@21stcentury.net (Bill Brock) wrote in message news:<ea907f13.0410141455.79304c4c@posting.google.com>...
quote:

> "Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<14qdnRUvXaeQA_PcRVn-oA@rcn.net>...
>
> The first position that occured to me was...
>
> whoever moves loses
> White: Ke5, Pd4
> Black: Kc4, Pd5
>
> ...but there's no axis of symmetry here (it would work on a 9 x 8 board!).
>
> I bet there are quite a few such positions....


here are four (eight if you count queenside reflections, which I
wouldn't):

White to move, Black wins

1)
White: Kf3, Pf2, Ph6, Pf5
Black: Kf6, Pf7, Ph3, Pf4

2)
same as 1), shifted one file to the left
White: Ke3 etc

3)
White: Kh3, Ph2, Pf6, Ph5
Black: Kh6, Ph7, Pf3, Ph4

4)
same as 3), shifted one file to the left
White: Kg3 etc

Same trivial idea in all four: many other positions could obviously be
constructed using this one-move mutual zugzwang (by adding pawns &
tempo moves on queenside, e.g.)

A more interesting task: are there any such symmetrical zugzwang
positions in which the winning side (Black) crosses the barrier
between 4th & 5th ranks to win? In other words, the mutual zugzwang
is "full-court," not "half-court"?
Bruce Leverett

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

How about :

W: Kh1, Pg2, Pg6, Ph7, Pb3, Pa4
B: Kh8, Pg7, Pg3, Ph2, Pb6, Pa5


wbrock@21stcentury.net (Bill Brock) wrote in message news:<ea907f13.0410142146.414d1d96@posting.google.com>...
quote:

> wbrock@21stcentury.net (Bill Brock) wrote in message news:<ea907f13.0410141455.79304c4c@posting.google.com>...
>
> here are four (eight if you count queenside reflections, which I
> wouldn't):
>
> White to move, Black wins
>
> 1)
> White: Kf3, Pf2, Ph6, Pf5
> Black: Kf6, Pf7, Ph3, Pf4
>
> 2)
> same as 1), shifted one file to the left
> White: Ke3 etc
>
> 3)
> White: Kh3, Ph2, Pf6, Ph5
> Black: Kh6, Ph7, Pf3, Ph4
>
> 4)
> same as 3), shifted one file to the left
> White: Kg3 etc
>
> Same trivial idea in all four: many other positions could obviously be
> constructed using this one-move mutual zugzwang (by adding pawns &
> tempo moves on queenside, e.g.)
>
> A more interesting task: are there any such symmetrical zugzwang
> positions in which the winning side (Black) crosses the barrier
> between 4th & 5th ranks to win? In other words, the mutual zugzwang
> is "full-court," not "half-court"?

Bill Smythe

2004-10-15, 5:50 pm

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> here are four ....


"Bruce Leverett" wrote:
quote:

> W: Kh1, Pg2, Pg6, Ph7, Pb3, Pa4
> B: Kh8, Pg7, Pg3, Ph2, Pb6, Pa5


Aw, phooey. You guys have made this too easy.

The position I had in mind (not entirely dissimilar to the above) was:

W: Ka3, Pa2, Pb2, Pb3, Pb4, Pd4, Pe2
B: Ka6, Pa7, Pb7, Pb6, Pb5, Pd5, Pe7

-- and the question then is, HOW does the second player win? (It's not
quite as easy as Bruce's.)

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-10-17, 12:47 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<JbydnbykOOUrqu3cRVn-qA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> "Bruce Leverett" wrote:
>
> Aw, phooey. You guys have made this too easy.
>
> The position I had in mind (not entirely dissimilar to the above) was:
>
> W: Ka3, Pa2, Pb2, Pb3, Pb4, Pd4, Pe2
> B: Ka6, Pa7, Pb7, Pb6, Pb5, Pd5, Pe7
>
> -- and the question then is, HOW does the second player win? (It's not
> quite as easy as Bruce's.)
>
> Bill Smythe


Underpromotion is a nice touch (you'd shown me this problem before,
but I'd forgetten).

New tasks:

Are there symmetrical mutual zugzwang positions in which the winning
King crosses the median (from 5th to 4th rank)? My guess is no....

How about Knight endings?

How about Rook endings?
Bill Smythe

2004-10-17, 12:47 am

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> .... you'd shown me this problem before,
> but I'd forgetten). ....


Yeh, I've probably inflicted this one on just about everybody I've met at
any club or tournament.

Even more often have I inflicted the following:

white: Kf2, Rb1, Rh7.
black: Ka8, Rg2.

How does white win?

Bill Smythe



Sam Sloan

2004-10-19, 12:45 am

On Wed, 13 Oct 2004 08:09:41 -0400, "StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net>
wrote:
quote:

>Most of your questions have been plagiarized from Tim Hanke's soon to be
>released Chess Trivia Game.


I doubt that it is true but it would be interesting if it is.

I wrote these questions myself and have never seen his chess trivia
game, so it would have to be a coincidence.

I have been thinking of putting Hanke into my chess quiz as follows:

Hanke is:

1. The son of a Nazi War Criminal who escaped to Paraguay
2. The man who ran for USCF Executive Board so that he could force the
USCF to sell his chess trivia game.
3. A great place to blow your nose
4. A person who wants to expel scholastic chess players from the USCF
5. The Dirty Vicar
StanB

2004-10-19, 12:45 am

Most of your questions have been plagiarized from Tim Hanke's soon to be
released Chess Trivia Game.

"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:416ca1fd.44293171@ca.news.verio.net...
quote:

> Harry Kerry is:
>
> 1. A Chinese term for suicide
> 2. A Candidate for President of the United States
> 3. An Irish Grandmaster
> 4. The move 1. g4
>
> Pelican is:
>
> 1. A tall blue bird
> 2. A type of round container
> 3. A chess opening
> 4. An Argentine Grandmaster
>
> Kramnik is:
>
> 1. A dull chess player
> 2. The Birdbrain World Champion
> 3. A Variation of the Sicilian Defense
> 4. An Island in the Mediterranean
>
> Lucena is:
>
> 1. An Argentine Chess Master
> 2. A type of rook and pawn against rook endgame
> 3. A former President of the Professional Chess Players Association
> 4. A Street in Moscow
>
> A variation of chess played in Asia is:
>
> 1. Shogi
> 2. Xiangqi
> 3. Makrook
> 4. All of the Above
>
> The Spanish Game is:
>
> 1. A form of Three Card Monte
> 2. Characterized by the move 3. Bb5
> 3. Played with dice
> 4. Begun with the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6
>
> Jerome:
>
> 1. A station on the IRT
> 2. A variation of the Kingfs Gambit
> 3. An Italian Grandmaster
> 4. A sacrifice of two pieces
>
> Fried Liver is:
>
> 1. Popular in China
> 2. A knight sacrifice
> 3. The favorite food of Bobby Fischer
> 4. A variation of The Giuoco Piano
>
> Giuoco Piano is:
>
> 1. Older than Steinway
> 2. With 52 white Notes and 36 black Notes
> 3. A King-Pawn Chess Opening
> 4. Made in Italy
>
> Orang-Utan is:
>
> 1. Also known as the Polish
> 2. A City in Mongolia
> 3. A type of gorilla
> 4. The move 1. g4
>
> The best women chess players in America come from:
>
> 1. Georgia
> 2. Florida
> 3. Pennsylvania
> 4. California
>
> OK. Now, I admit that these questions are not very good and I hope
> that everyone can answer them.
>
> I would like to receive some suggestions for better questions.
>
> Sam Sloan
>



Bill Brock

2004-10-20, 9:45 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<14qdnRUvXaeQA_PcRVn-oA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> Here's a more genuine chess quiz question (sorry to put a wet blanket on
> your attempts at humor, Sam):
>
> Is there such a thing as a SYMMETRIC position in which, no matter whose move
> it is, the player on the move loses, with best play by his opponent?
>
> SYMMETRIC means that, for example, if white has a knight on e3, then black
> has a knight on e6.
>
> Bill Smythe


The first position that occured to me was...

whoever moves loses
White: Ke5, Pd4
Black: Kc4, Pd5

....but there's no axis of symmetry here (it would work on a 9 x 8 board!).

I bet there are quite a few such positions....
Bill Brock

2004-10-20, 9:45 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<JbydnbykOOUrqu3cRVn-qA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> "Bruce Leverett" wrote:
>
> Aw, phooey. You guys have made this too easy.
>
> The position I had in mind (not entirely dissimilar to the above) was:
>
> W: Ka3, Pa2, Pb2, Pb3, Pb4, Pd4, Pe2
> B: Ka6, Pa7, Pb7, Pb6, Pb5, Pd5, Pe7
>
> -- and the question then is, HOW does the second player win? (It's not
> quite as easy as Bruce's.)
>
> Bill Smythe


Underpromotion is a nice touch (you'd shown me this problem before,
but I'd forgetten).

New tasks:

Are there symmetrical mutual zugzwang positions in which the winning
King crosses the median (from 5th to 4th rank)? My guess is no....

How about Knight endings?

How about Rook endings?
Bill Smythe

2004-10-20, 5:46 pm

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> .... you'd shown me this problem before,
> but I'd forgetten). ....


Yeh, I've probably inflicted this one on just about everybody I've met at
any club or tournament.

Even more often have I inflicted the following:

white: Kf2, Rb1, Rh7.
black: Ka8, Rg2.

How does white win?

Bill Smythe



Bill Smythe

2004-10-21, 9:45 am

Here's a more genuine chess quiz question (sorry to put a wet blanket on
your attempts at humor, Sam):

Is there such a thing as a SYMMETRIC position in which, no matter whose move
it is, the player on the move loses, with best play by his opponent?

SYMMETRIC means that, for example, if white has a knight on e3, then black
has a knight on e6.

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-11-02, 12:46 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<Bfidnegum7RyY-3cRVn-iA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> Yeh, I've probably inflicted this one on just about everybody I've met at
> any club or tournament.
>
> Even more often have I inflicted the following:
>
> white: Kf2, Rb1, Rh7.
> black: Ka8, Rg2.
>
> How does white win?
>
> Bill Smythe




Something Smythetudinous:

Kasparian, 1937

White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
Black: Ka8, Pb7,h6

White to play and draw

The idea may be obvious, but the execution isn't....
Bill Smythe

2004-11-02, 5:46 pm

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
> Black: Ka8, Pb7,h6
> White to play and draw


Well, I'll give up for the time being. Obviously, the idea is something
like getting the king to a5 surrounded by a bunch of white pawns, but the
obvious attempted solutions seem a move or two short (as usual in a good
problem).

I could mention that, obviously, 1.Kd7 (or 1.Ke7 or 1.Kf7) forces 1...h5 (if
black wants to avoid an immediate draw) lest white get inside "the square".
By similarly forcing an h-pawn push on every move, white can prevent, for a
while, ...b7-b6, which looks important. But that's as far as I have the
patience for right now.

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-11-04, 5:47 pm

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<Bfidnegum7RyY-3cRVn-iA@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> Yeh, I've probably inflicted this one on just about everybody I've met at
> any club or tournament.
>
> Even more often have I inflicted the following:
>
> white: Kf2, Rb1, Rh7.
> black: Ka8, Rg2.
>
> How does white win?
>
> Bill Smythe




Something Smythetudinous:

Kasparian, 1937

White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
Black: Ka8, Pb7,h6

White to play and draw

The idea may be obvious, but the execution isn't....
Bill Brock

2004-11-05, 12:46 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<sbudnWAQ8OITYBrcRVn-2Q@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> Well, I'll give up for the time being. Obviously, the idea is something
> like getting the king to a5 surrounded by a bunch of white pawns, but the
> obvious attempted solutions seem a move or two short (as usual in a good
> problem).
>
> I could mention that, obviously, 1.Kd7 (or 1.Ke7 or 1.Kf7) forces 1...h5 (if
> black wants to avoid an immediate draw) lest white get inside "the square".
> By similarly forcing an h-pawn push on every move, white can prevent, for a
> while, ...b7-b6, which looks important. But that's as far as I have the
> patience for right now.
>
> Bill Smythe


The first four moves go pretty much as you predict: 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 h4
3.Kb6 h3 4.Ka5 h2 (not 4...b6?! 5.Ka4!). Then what?
Bill Smythe

2004-11-05, 12:46 am

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
> Black: Ka8, Pb7,h6
> White to play and draw


Well, I'll give up for the time being. Obviously, the idea is something
like getting the king to a5 surrounded by a bunch of white pawns, but the
obvious attempted solutions seem a move or two short (as usual in a good
problem).

I could mention that, obviously, 1.Kd7 (or 1.Ke7 or 1.Kf7) forces 1...h5 (if
black wants to avoid an immediate draw) lest white get inside "the square".
By similarly forcing an h-pawn push on every move, white can prevent, for a
while, ...b7-b6, which looks important. But that's as far as I have the
patience for right now.

Bill Smythe



Sam Sloan

2004-11-05, 6:46 am

On 4 Nov 2004 16:55:47 -0800, wbrock@21stcentury.net (Bill Brock)
wrote:
quote:

>"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<sbudnWAQ8OITYBrcRVn-2Q@rcn.net>...
>
>The first four moves go pretty much as you predict: 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 h4
>3.Kb6 h3 4.Ka5 h2 (not 4...b6?! 5.Ka4!). Then what?


OK. Now 5. b6 h1=Q 6. b5 Qb1 7. a4 and I do not see how White can be
stopped from playing b4 and it is stalemate.

Sam Sloan
Bill Smythe

2004-11-05, 9:46 am

> >> > White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
quote:


Bill Brock wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]

"Sam Sloan" wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]
> OK. Now 5. b6 h1=Q 6. b5 Qb1 7. a4 and I do not see how White can be
> stopped from playing b4 and it is stalemate.


Ouch!! I got that far, but stupidly did not realize (egg on my face) that
after 7.a4 the b-pawn cannot be captured.

However, I have another concern. (Maybe I'll have more egg on my face after
somebody explains this one.) What if, instead of 2...h4, black plays
2...b6? The refutation suggested for the same idea at move 4 is not
available at move 2, and black still has plenty of time to queen the pawn.

Bill Smythe



Bill Smythe

2004-11-05, 9:46 am

> > >> > White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
quote:

>

I wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> However, I have another concern. (Maybe I'll have more egg on my face

after
quote:

> somebody explains this one.) What if, instead of 2...h4, black plays
> 2...b6? The refutation suggested for the same idea at move 4 is not
> available at move 2, and black still has plenty of time to queen the pawn.

.....

Ooh, I do indeed have egg on my face (but I am hereby wiping it off myself).
In this variation white draws as follows:

1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
the same idea as in the main variation.

Of course, if at any time black moves his king instead of pushing the
h-pawn, white still plays the same moves.

Bill Smythe



Claus-Jürgen Heigl

2004-11-06, 12:45 am

Bill Smythe wrote:
quote:

>

quote:

> after
>
> 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
> the same idea as in the main variation.


3. a4 and White wins. The a or b-pawn queens first.

Claus-Juergen
Bill Smythe

2004-11-06, 6:45 am

> > .... 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 ....

"Claus-Jürgen Heigl" wrote:
quote:

> 3. a4 and White wins. The a or b-pawn queens first.


You're right, of course. I guess that puts this one to bed.

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-11-06, 6:45 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<lfGdnbE6w51F4xbcRVn-vg@rcn.net>...
quote:

>
>
> I wrote:
>
> after
> ....
>
> Ooh, I do indeed have egg on my face (but I am hereby wiping it off myself).
> In this variation white draws as follows:
>
> 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
> the same idea as in the main variation.
>
> Of course, if at any time black moves his king instead of pushing the
> h-pawn, white still plays the same moves.
>
> Bill Smythe


2...b6?? 3.a4 +-, as the WK controls the key squares for the b-pawn.
Bill Smythe

2004-11-06, 5:46 pm

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> 2...b6?? 3.a4 +-, as the WK controls the key squares for the b-pawn.


I just noticed that my variation doesn't work anyway, because then black can
maneuver his queen to a7, and either force mate or win all the marbles.

Bill Smythe



fs

2004-11-06, 5:46 pm

How about:

Which of these players has "defeated Najdorf, Dzindzichashvili, Browne,
Benko, Polgars3, Kupchik, Edward Lasker and many other famous players" in
chess?

a. Tim Hanke
b. Jason Repa
c. Matt Nemmers
d. Pete Casso
e. Sam Sloan


Sam Sloan

2004-11-07, 12:45 am

On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:51:19 GMT, "fs" <a@b.c> wrote:
quote:

>How about :
>
>Which of these players has "defeated Najdorf, Dzindzichashvili, Browne,
>Benko, Polgars3, Kupchik, Edward Lasker and many other famous players" in
>chess?
>
>a. Tim Hanke
>b. Jason Repa
>c. Matt Nemmers
>d. Pete Casso
>e. Sam Sloan


I give up.
fs

2004-11-07, 12:45 am


"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:418d551f.1370515@ca.news.verio.net...
quote:

> On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:51:19 GMT, "fs" <a@b.c> wrote:
>
in[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> I give up.


Don't give up so easily - would a hint help?


StanB

2004-11-07, 12:45 am


"fs" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:X1fjd.1025$rx5.842@trnddc06...
quote:

>
> "Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
> news:418d551f.1370515@ca.news.verio.net...
> in
>
> Don't give up so easily - would a hint help?


1. g4



fs

2004-11-07, 12:45 am


"StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net> wrote in message
news:eOGdnf45BJD0ChDcRVn-jw@comcast.com...
quote:

>
> "fs" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:X1fjd.1025$rx5.842@trnddc06...
Browne,[vbcol=seagreen]
players"[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> 1. g4
>
>
>


What does the Orangutan have to do with this?? ;-)

P.S. To make the question more precise, it should have read "... famous
players in *at least one game* of chess.


Bill Brock

2004-11-07, 6:45 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> I just noticed that my variation doesn't work anyway, because then black can
> maneuver his queen to a7, and either force mate or win all the marbles.
>
> Bill Smythe


Your idea was more interesting; a self-stalemate in which one has to
choose between frontdoor and backdoor routes, depending on the other
side's play.

Back to symmetrical positions.... It's not that hard to construct a
mutual zugzwang study won by crossing the center of the board
(Leverett); can we get pieces other than pawns to cross? (Trivial
variations after a traditional "last move of study" don't count.)
Few Good Chessmen

2004-11-07, 6:45 am

"Bill Brock" <wbrock@21stcentury.net> wrote in message
news:ea907f13.0411062313.1bf39600@posting.google.com...
quote:

> "Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message

news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
quote:

can[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Your idea was more interesting; a self-stalemate in which one has to
> choose between frontdoor and backdoor routes, depending on the other
> side's play.


You lost me there. I think Bill just throw a STink bOM at you with Black
Queen at a7. With 3. a4 White is able to Check latest by 3 moves before
promoting the Checking Pawn and Black h-Pawn is 4 moves to promotion (White
can block the attempt later his Queened Pawn)...or am I walking into a mine
field here?


Bill Brock

2004-11-09, 6:45 am

"Few Good Chessmen" <NonReturnedMessenger@BadKarma.com> wrote in message news:<2v6acuF2hu2ujU1@uni-berlin.de>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" <wbrock@21stcentury.net> wrote in message
> news:ea907f13.0411062313.1bf39600@posting.google.com...
> news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
> can
>
> You lost me there. I think Bill just throw a STink bOM at you with Black
> Queen at a7. With 3. a4 White is able to Check latest by 3 moves before
> promoting the Checking Pawn and Black h-Pawn is 4 moves to promotion (White
> can block the attempt later his Queened Pawn)...or am I walking into a mine
> field here?


Totally unsound lines can give composers ideas for constructing sound
studies. My intended point was that one might be able to construct an
interesting study in a similar position if the WK had to choose one of
two routes to the self-stalemate trap based on Black's play.
Few Good Chessmen

2004-11-09, 6:45 am

"Bill Brock" <wbrock@21stcentury.net> wrote in message
news:ea907f13.0411082205.1a8f8359@posting.google.com...
quote:

> "Few Good Chessmen" <NonReturnedMessenger@BadKarma.com> wrote in message

news:<2v6acuF2hu2ujU1@uni-berlin.de>...
quote:

b-pawn.[vbcol=seagreen]
black[vbcol=seagreen]
marbles.[vbcol=seagreen]
(White[vbcol=seagreen]
mine[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Totally unsound lines can give composers ideas for constructing sound
> studies. My intended point was that one might be able to construct an
> interesting study in a similar position if the WK had to choose one of
> two routes to the self-stalemate trap based on Black's play.


Well, nice STink bOM for you then...lucky you :-)


Sam Sloan

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:51:19 GMT, "fs" <a@b.c> wrote:
quote:

>How about :
>
>Which of these players has "defeated Najdorf, Dzindzichashvili, Browne,
>Benko, Polgars3, Kupchik, Edward Lasker and many other famous players" in
>chess?
>
>a. Tim Hanke
>b. Jason Repa
>c. Matt Nemmers
>d. Pete Casso
>e. Sam Sloan


I give up.
fs

2004-11-10, 6:47 am


"Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
news:418d551f.1370515@ca.news.verio.net...
quote:

> On Sat, 06 Nov 2004 20:51:19 GMT, "fs" <a@b.c> wrote:
>
in[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> I give up.


Don't give up so easily - would a hint help?


StanB

2004-11-10, 6:47 am


"fs" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:X1fjd.1025$rx5.842@trnddc06...
quote:

>
> "Sam Sloan" <sloan@ishipress.com> wrote in message
> news:418d551f.1370515@ca.news.verio.net...
> in
>
> Don't give up so easily - would a hint help?


1. g4



fs

2004-11-10, 6:47 am


"StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net> wrote in message
news:eOGdnf45BJD0ChDcRVn-jw@comcast.com...
quote:

>
> "fs" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:X1fjd.1025$rx5.842@trnddc06...
Browne,[vbcol=seagreen]
players"[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> 1. g4
>
>
>


What does the Orangutan have to do with this?? ;-)

P.S. To make the question more precise, it should have read "... famous
players in *at least one game* of chess.


Bill Brock

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> I just noticed that my variation doesn't work anyway, because then black can
> maneuver his queen to a7, and either force mate or win all the marbles.
>
> Bill Smythe


Your idea was more interesting; a self-stalemate in which one has to
choose between frontdoor and backdoor routes, depending on the other
side's play.

Back to symmetrical positions.... It's not that hard to construct a
mutual zugzwang study won by crossing the center of the board
(Leverett); can we get pieces other than pawns to cross? (Trivial
variations after a traditional "last move of study" don't count.)
Few Good Chessmen

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

"Bill Brock" <wbrock@21stcentury.net> wrote in message
news:ea907f13.0411062313.1bf39600@posting.google.com...
quote:

> "Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message

news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
quote:

can[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Your idea was more interesting; a self-stalemate in which one has to
> choose between frontdoor and backdoor routes, depending on the other
> side's play.


You lost me there. I think Bill just throw a STink bOM at you with Black
Queen at a7. With 3. a4 White is able to Check latest by 3 moves before
promoting the Checking Pawn and Black h-Pawn is 4 moves to promotion (White
can block the attempt later his Queened Pawn)...or am I walking into a mine
field here?


Bill Brock

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<lfGdnbE6w51F4xbcRVn-vg@rcn.net>...
quote:

>
>
> I wrote:
>
> after
> ....
>
> Ooh, I do indeed have egg on my face (but I am hereby wiping it off myself).
> In this variation white draws as follows:
>
> 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
> the same idea as in the main variation.
>
> Of course, if at any time black moves his king instead of pushing the
> h-pawn, white still plays the same moves.
>
> Bill Smythe


2...b6?? 3.a4 +-, as the WK controls the key squares for the b-pawn.
Bill Smythe

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

"Bill Brock" wrote:
quote:

> 2...b6?? 3.a4 +-, as the WK controls the key squares for the b-pawn.


I just noticed that my variation doesn't work anyway, because then black can
maneuver his queen to a7, and either force mate or win all the marbles.

Bill Smythe



Bill Brock

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<sbudnWAQ8OITYBrcRVn-2Q@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> Well, I'll give up for the time being. Obviously, the idea is something
> like getting the king to a5 surrounded by a bunch of white pawns, but the
> obvious attempted solutions seem a move or two short (as usual in a good
> problem).
>
> I could mention that, obviously, 1.Kd7 (or 1.Ke7 or 1.Kf7) forces 1...h5 (if
> black wants to avoid an immediate draw) lest white get inside "the square".
> By similarly forcing an h-pawn push on every move, white can prevent, for a
> while, ...b7-b6, which looks important. But that's as far as I have the
> patience for right now.
>
> Bill Smythe


The first four moves go pretty much as you predict: 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 h4
3.Kb6 h3 4.Ka5 h2 (not 4...b6?! 5.Ka4!). Then what?
Sam Sloan

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

On 4 Nov 2004 16:55:47 -0800, wbrock@21stcentury.net (Bill Brock)
wrote:
quote:

>"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<sbudnWAQ8OITYBrcRVn-2Q@rcn.net>...
>
>The first four moves go pretty much as you predict: 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 h4
>3.Kb6 h3 4.Ka5 h2 (not 4...b6?! 5.Ka4!). Then what?


OK. Now 5. b6 h1=Q 6. b5 Qb1 7. a4 and I do not see how White can be
stopped from playing b4 and it is stalemate.

Sam Sloan
Bill Smythe

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

> >> > White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
quote:


Bill Brock wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]

"Sam Sloan" wrote:[vbcol=seagreen]
> OK. Now 5. b6 h1=Q 6. b5 Qb1 7. a4 and I do not see how White can be
> stopped from playing b4 and it is stalemate.


Ouch!! I got that far, but stupidly did not realize (egg on my face) that
after 7.a4 the b-pawn cannot be captured.

However, I have another concern. (Maybe I'll have more egg on my face after
somebody explains this one.) What if, instead of 2...h4, black plays
2...b6? The refutation suggested for the same idea at move 4 is not
available at move 2, and black still has plenty of time to queen the pawn.

Bill Smythe



Bill Smythe

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

> > >> > White: Ke8, Pa2,b2,b4,b5
quote:

>

I wrote:
[vbcol=seagreen]
> However, I have another concern. (Maybe I'll have more egg on my face

after
quote:

> somebody explains this one.) What if, instead of 2...h4, black plays
> 2...b6? The refutation suggested for the same idea at move 4 is not
> available at move 2, and black still has plenty of time to queen the pawn.

.....

Ooh, I do indeed have egg on my face (but I am hereby wiping it off myself).
In this variation white draws as follows:

1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
the same idea as in the main variation.

Of course, if at any time black moves his king instead of pushing the
h-pawn, white still plays the same moves.

Bill Smythe



Claus-Jürgen Heigl

2004-11-10, 6:47 am

Bill Smythe wrote:
quote:

>

quote:

> after
>
> 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 3.Kc6 h4 4.Kd5 h3 5.Kc4 h2 6.Kb3 h1=Q 7.Kh4 with
> the same idea as in the main variation.


3. a4 and White wins. The a or b-pawn queens first.

Claus-Juergen
Bill Smythe

2004-11-12, 6:45 am

> > .... 1.Kd7 h5 2.Kc7 b6 ....

"Claus-Jürgen Heigl" wrote:
quote:

> 3. a4 and White wins. The a or b-pawn queens first.


You're right, of course. I guess that puts this one to bed.

Bill Smythe



fs

2004-11-13, 12:45 am

How about:

Which of these players has "defeated Najdorf, Dzindzichashvili, Browne,
Benko, Polgars3, Kupchik, Edward Lasker and many other famous players" in
chess?

a. Tim Hanke
b. Jason Repa
c. Matt Nemmers
d. Pete Casso
e. Sam Sloan


Few Good Chessmen

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

"Bill Brock" <wbrock@21stcentury.net> wrote in message
news:ea907f13.0411082205.1a8f8359@posting.google.com...
quote:

> "Few Good Chessmen" <NonReturnedMessenger@BadKarma.com> wrote in message

news:<2v6acuF2hu2ujU1@uni-berlin.de>...
quote:

b-pawn.[vbcol=seagreen]
black[vbcol=seagreen]
marbles.[vbcol=seagreen]
(White[vbcol=seagreen]
mine[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> Totally unsound lines can give composers ideas for constructing sound
> studies. My intended point was that one might be able to construct an
> interesting study in a similar position if the WK had to choose one of
> two routes to the self-stalemate trap based on Black's play.


Well, nice STink bOM for you then...lucky you :-)


fs

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm


"StanB" <stanbooz@comXXXcast.net> wrote in message
news:eOGdnf45BJD0ChDcRVn-jw@comcast.com...
quote:

>
> "fs" <a@b.c> wrote in message news:X1fjd.1025$rx5.842@trnddc06...
Browne,[vbcol=seagreen]
players"[vbcol=seagreen]
>
> 1. g4
>
>
>


What does the Orangutan have to do with this?? ;-)

P.S. To make the question more precise, it should have read "... famous
players in *at least one game* of chess.


Bill Brock

2004-11-16, 5:00 pm

"Bill Smythe" <chichess@beforeRCNafter.com> wrote in message news:<eb2dnSb-DLOPgBDcRVn-gg@rcn.net>...
quote:

> "Bill Brock" wrote:
>
> I just noticed that my variation doesn't work anyway, because then black can
> maneuver his queen to a7, and either force mate or win all the marbles.
>
> Bill Smythe


Your idea was more interesting; a self-stalemate in which one has to
choose between frontdoor and backdoor routes, depending on the other
side's play.

Back to symmetrical positions.... It's not that hard to construct a
mutual zugzwang study won by crossing the center of the board
(Leverett); can we get pieces other than pawns to cross? (Trivial
variations after a traditional "last move of study" don't count.)
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