[Retros] Pawn to-the-8th-rank mates - response to Francois Labelle's work

[Nicolas.Dupont at math.univ-lille1.fr]

Andrew wrote :


> 	(1) number of moves

> 	(2) timestamp

> I was happy with this because it left some leeway for creative flair.

Subjective criteria that I then tried to apply where possible (within
the

> very limited design space) were in no particular order:

> 	(1) no obtrusive promotions (as you have incorporated in your

> scheme)

> 	(2) "model mate" where possible (i.e. each unit which has moved

> contributes to the mate, and each flight square for the mated king is

only

> covered once.)

> 	(3) minimize the number of units in the diagram which are not on

> their start squares (to me personally a much more attractive aesthetic

attribute than minimizing the number of units captured).

> 	(4) (related to (2)&(3)) avoid having moved units which don't

> contribute to the theme (e.g. avoid having a rook pawn which makes a few

waiting moves while the opponent does something).

> 	(5) other features (tempo, dual avoidance, etc...)


A section (4'), stronger than (4), should perhaps be added : games where
each move is fixed. For exemple :

(a, N, NO, NO, NO, 7.0, 2) 1.c3 b5 2.Qa4 Ba6 3.Qd4 b4 4.a4 b3 5.Ra2 bxa2
6.Kd1 Bxe2+ 7.Kc2 a1=N# (Andrew Buchanan & Nicolas Dupont)

doesn't satisfy (4') only because 3.Qd4 can be replace by Qf4g4h4.

Nicolas.