[Retros] A Nit-Picking Question

[Ryan M.]

The fastest route to uncapture is indeed 150 single moves.

Retract:

  -1.Rh1-g1 Bb8-a7 -2.Rh5-h1 Ba7-b8 -3.Rd5-h5 Bb8-a7 -4.Rd2-d5 Ba7-b8
-5.Rc2-d2 Bb8-a7
  -6.Rc1-c2 Kc2-b3  -7.Ra1-c1 Kd2-c2  -8.Bb4-a3 Ke1-d2  -9.Ra3-a1 Kd2-e1
-10.Rb3-a3 Ke1-d2
  -11.Ba3-b4 Kd2-e1  -12.Rb5-b3 Ke1-d2  -13.Ra5-b5 Kd2-e1  -14.Ra7-a5
Ke1-d2  -15.Rb7-a7 Ba7-b8
  -16.Rb8-b7 Kd2-e1  -17.Kg8-f8 Ke1-d2  -18.Rf8-b8 Re8-e7  -19.Kh8-g8
Rb8-e8  -20.Rc8-f8 Rb7-b8
  -21.Kg8-h8 Bb8-a7  -22.Kf8-g8 Ra7-b7  -23.Ke7-f8 Ra5-a7  -24.Rd8-c8
Ba7-b8  -25.Rb8-d8 Rb5-a5
  -26.Rb7-b8 Bb8-a7  -27.Ra7-b7 Rb3-b5  -28.Bb4-a3 Ra3-b3  -29.Ra5-a7
Ra1-a3  -30.Rb5-a5 Rc1-a1
  -31.Ba5-b4 Rc2-c1  -32.Rb3-b5 Rd2-c2  -33.Ra3-b3 Rd6-d2  -34.Ra1-a3
Rd5-d6  -35.Rc1-a1 Rf5-d5
  -36.Rc2-c1 Rf4-f5  -37.Rd2-c2 Re4-f4  -38.Rd6-d2 Rd4-e4  -39.Rd5-d6
Rd2-d4  -40.Rd4-d5 Rc2-d2
  -41.Rd2-d4 Rc1-c2  -42.Rc2-d2 Ra1-c1  -43.Rc1-c2 Ra3-a1  -44.Ra1-c1
Rb3-a3  -45.Ra3-a1 Rb5-b3
  -46.Bb4-a5 Ra5-b5  -47.Rb3-a3 Ra7-a5  -48.Ba3-b4 Rb7-a7  -49.Rb5-b3
Ba7-b8  -50.Ra5-b5 Rb8-b7
  -51.Ra6-a5 Rg8-b8  -52.Ra5-a6 Bb8-a7  -53.Ra7-a5 Rh8-g8  -54.Rb7-a7
Ba7-b8  -55.Rb8-b7 Rg8-h8
  -56.Rf8-b8 Bb8-a7  -57.Kd8-e7 Ba7-b8  -58.Kc8-d8 Rh8-g8  -59.Kb7-c8
Rg8-h8  -60.Rb8-f8 Re8-g8
  -61.Kc8-b7 Re7-e8  -62.Rb7-b8 Bb8-a7  -63.Ra7-b7 Kd2-e1  -64.Ra5-a7
Ke1-d2  -65.Rb5-a5 Kd2-e1
  -66.Rb3-b5 Ke1-d2  -67.Bb4-a3 Kd2-e1  -68.Ra3-b3 Kc2-d2  -69.Ra1-a3
Kb3-c2  -70.Rc1-a1 Ka2-b3
  -71.Rc2-c1 Kb1-a2  -72.Rd2-c2 Ka2-b1  -73.Rd5-d2 Kb1-a2  -74.Rh5-d5
Ka2-b1  -75.Rh1-h5 Ka1-a2
  -76.h3xBg4

I noticed that the wK need not come out to b5 like the solution claimed.
That would push the solution past 150 single moves.

-Ryan McCracken

-----Original Message-----
From: retros-admin at janko.at [mailto:retros-admin at janko.at] On Behalf Of
Renny Bosch
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 8:37 PM
To: retros at janko.at
Subject: [Retros] A Nit-Picking Question

In "A Collection of Instructive Problems" by Philippe Schnoebelen in the
Retro Corner, there is a lovely problem by T. Volet (Ded. M. Caillaud &
N. Plaksin - 1st Prize Rex Multiplex, 1983) with the stipulation "Draw".
The position is:

n4K2/b1pprppp/1p2p3/2p5/N1P3P1/BkP1P3/1P2PPP1/3N1BR1

In the solution given at http://janko.at/Retros/Misc/Volet1sol.htm it is
stated that "the last 75 moves (150 single moves) have been without any
capture or pawn move".  My question is:  Is this statement meant to be
the strongest that can be made, or does it allow the stronger statement
to be ". . . the last 76.5 moves (153 single moves) . . ."?

I have created the following proof game.

1. Nh3 Nh6 2. Nf4 Nf5 3. Nh3 Ne3 4. dxe3 e6 5. Qd4 Qh4 6. Qb6 Qc4 
7. Nf4 axb6 8. Nc3 Ra3 9. Nd1 Rb3 10. axb3 Bb4+ 11. Bd2 Ke7 12. Ra5 Kd6 
13. Rc5 bxc5 14. bxc4 Ba5 15. Bb4 Bb6 16. Ba3 Ba7 17. c3 Kc6 18. h3 Kb6 
19. Nd5+ Ka5 20. Bb4+ Ka4 21. Nb6+ Kb3 22. Kd2 Ka2 23. Kc2 Ka1 
24. Kb3 Nc6 25. Ka4 Ne7 26. Kb5 Nd5 27. Na4 Nb6 28. Rh2 Na8 29. Rh1 b6 
30. Rh2 Bb7 31. Rh1 Bf3 32. Ka6 Bg4 33. hxg4 Ka2 

This is the last pawn move/capture.  Then:

34. Rh5 Kb3 35. Rd5 Rg8 36. Rd2 Rh8 37. Rc2 Rg8 38. Rc1 Rh8 39. Ra1 Kc2 
40. Ra3 Kd2 41. Rb3 Ke1 42. Ba3 Rg8 43. Rb5 Rh8 44. Ra5 Rg8 45. Kb5 Bb8 
46. Ra7 Rh8 47. Rb7 Ba7 48. Rb8 Rg8 49. Rf8 Rh8 50. Ka6 Rg8 51. Kb7 Rh8
52. Kc8 Rg8 53. Kd8 Rh8 54. Ke7 Rg8 55. Rb8 Rh8 56. Rb7 Bb8 57. Ra7 Rg8 
58. Ra5 Ba7 59. Rb5 Rb8 60. Rb3 Rb7 61. Bb4 Bb8 62. Ra3 Ra7 63. Ra1 Ra5 
64. Rc1 Rb5 65. Ba5 Rb3 66. Rc2 Ra3 67. Rd2 Ra1 68. Rd4 Rc1 69. Re4 Rc2 
70. Kf8 Rd2 71. Kg8 Rd5 72. Rd4 Re5 73. Rd2 Rd5 74. Rc2 Rd2 75. Rc1 Rc2 
76. Ra1 Rc1 77. Ra3 Ra1 78. Rb3 Ra3 79. Rb5 Rb3 80. Bb4 Kd2 81. Ra5 Ke1 
82. Ba3 Rb5 83. Ra7 Ra5 84. Rb7 Ba7 85. Rb8 Ra6 86. Rf8 Bb8 87. Kh8 Ra7 
88. Kg8 Rb7 89. Kh8 Ba7 90. Kg8 Rb8 91. Kh8 Re8 92. Kg8 Re7 93. Rb8 Kd2 
94. Kf8 Kc2 95. Rb7 Bb8 96. Ra7 Kc1 97. Ra5 Kd2 98. Rb5 Ke1 99. Rb3 Ba7 
100. Bb4 Bb8 101. Ra3 Ba7 102. Ra1 Bb8 103. Ba3 Ba7 104. Rc1 Bb8 
105. Rc2 Ba7 106. Rd2 Bb8 107. Rd5 Ba7 108. Rh5 Kd2 109. Rh1 Kc2 
110. Rg1 Kb3

for the final position.  But it took me 77 moves, not 75.  Is there a
way to do it in 75?