[Retros] Traditional Christmas Contest of "Stuttgarter Zeitung"

Jens Guballa Jens.Guballa at online.de
Sat Dec 24 18:46:28 EST 2005


Hi everybody,

in the today's issue of the newspaper "Stuttgarter Zeitung" the
traditional solver competition of Harald Keilhack's chess column was
published.

For german speaking people here is the link:

http://www.kaniaverlag.de/htm/Weihnachts2005.html

For all others here is my english translation:

<translation-start>

Christmas Solver Competition

Five tricky chess puzzles

by Harald Keilhack


As every year the StZ-readers are invited to the contest. Among the
senders with the correct solutions of problem A and B the following
prices are drawn by lot: a Philips-television, a DVD-player and a
digital camera.

Please pay attention to receive a LEGAL position after the retraction of
a move or after the insertion of a piece. Aditionally check, which side
has the move (respectively can have the move).

Also please check whether more than one solution exists.

Additional question: In which puzzles does black castle?

Have fun solving!



"Last battle on b8"
A: Günther Weeth, Stuttgart
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| q | N | | k | B | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| b | | | p | p | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| K | P | R | P | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | P | R | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: qN1kB3/b2pp3/KPRP4/1PR5/8/8/8/8

Who checkmates in one move?



"Eternal rest on a8?"
B: Werner Keym and Günther Weeth
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | B | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | p | | N | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| N | | | P | K | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 5B2/1p1N4/N2PK3/8/8/8/8/8

Add a king and a rook for black. Then checkmate in one move.



For the experts three more puzzles follow. If necessary a retro analysis
has to be given. All sender of correct solutions will be mentioned in
the review, and they will receive a book price.



C: Werner Keym
From a position with four pieces it can be shown that on exactly three
light squares no white bishop ever occured. How many of those positions
exists where EXACTLY THREE PIECES - including both kings - are
positioned on squares of the same colour?

E.g.:
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | P | | P | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | K | | | | k | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 8/8/8/8/8/8/2P1P3/1K3k2

Here the white bishop never occured on the squares c2, d1, e2. But this
is not a solution as ALL FOUR pieces are positioned on squares of the
same colour!



D: Günther Weeth
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | k | | | r |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | R | p | | | p | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| P | P | | P | | P | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| r | | B | P | | p | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| P | K | | | | p | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| p | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | P | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 4k2r/1Rp2p2/PP1P1P2/r1BP1p2/PK3p2/p7/6P1/8

White retracts three, black retracts two moves. Then white checkmates in
two moves. Defensive Retractor, i.e. black does not cooperate during the
retraction, so he has a choice...



E: Jens Guballa and Werner Keym
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | K | | k | | | r |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| p | | p | p | | r | p | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | p | | | | B | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | Q | | | | | p |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | P | | | | | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | P | | | | | P | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | | P | P | P | P | | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| | b | | | | | B | |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 2K1k2r/p1pp1rp1/2p3B1/2Q4p/1P6/1P4P1/2PPPP2/1b4B1

Add a black pawn, then checkmate in two moves.



Send your solutions til latest 15th January 2006 (postmark!) to:

Stuttgarter Zeitung (Schach/Chess)
Postfach 10 60 32
70049 Stuttgart
Germany

<translation-end>

I tried to do the translation as close as possible to the original.

I want to invite everybody on this list to join the contest!

Have fun with these puzzles.


Merry Christmas to all of you!

Best regards,
Jens



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