[Retros] Three SPG's from Paul Monsky

[Noam Elkies]

> NDE> Do you also have an example combining cross-captures

> NDE> with two impostor rooks?

>

> ND> Something like this ? [...]


NDE> Yes, except that in Monsky's game neither impostors is promoted
NDE> and the promoted piece is a cross-captured Bishop.

ND> I don't say that his game is without interest, just that cross-captures
ND> is a well-known field, where beautiful things have been already achieved
ND> (see Joost's examples). Thus, in my opinion, the motivation has to be
ND> strong enough to continue to work on it.

Well one has to start somewhere, and these seem to be Monsky's first
SPG's (other than last year's pawn-tower attempts that turned out
to be cooked) -- which makes it a very good start.

Even for non-beginners, I can't think of many (any?) composers
who won't publish a problem unless it breaks major new ground.
Problem journals are full of problems that achieve no more than
previous efforts, if that much; they may not win high prizes,
but can still challenge and entertain solvers, and there's nothing
wrong with that as long as the problem is not actually a copy of
an earlier publication.  Here no direct anticipation has been
claimed, so it seems the problems are good to go.

NDE