[Retros] The only move?

Joost de Heer joost at sanguis.xs4all.nl
Wed Mar 19 15:19:42 EDT 2008


There's an article by Bernd Schwarzkopf in Die Schwalbe about 'The only
move' (Der einzige Zug). This is about positions in which one side has
only one move, and the other side none at all.

This means several possibilities are impossible to construct (castling,
pawn double-step and where two pieces can capture each other.

Promotion is allowed if the only move is a promotion (it's impossible to
differentiate between the different promotions).

Criteria for economy: number of pieces < number of heavy pieces < number
of queens.

All compositions are by Bernd, except the last one (which is by Werner
Keym), and all are originals.

1. K-, KxB
8/8/8/8/8/5p2/5P1p/5K1k (2+3)
(b) bPf2
2. KxR
8/8/8/6p1/5pPk/5P1p/5Ppr/6Kb (4+7)
3. KxB
5bKS/4pPp1/4P1Pk/7p/7P/8/8/8 (6+5)
4. KxS
6sK/4p3/4Pp1k/5Pp1/6P1/8/8/8 (4+5)
5. Q-
4kBQK/4P1PP/4P3/8/8/8/8/8 (7+1)
6. QxR
5k1K/4pPrP/4P1PQ/6PP/8/8/8/8 (8+3)
7. QxB, RxB
Qb3k1K/RP2pP1P/P3P3/8/8/8/8/8 (8+3)
(b) wRa8
8. QxS
8/8/8/6pp/6pk/6p1/6Ps/6KQ (3+6)
9. QxP
6k1/6P1/6PK/6PQ/6Pp/7P/8/8 (7+2)
10. R-
5k1K/4pP1R/4P2P/8/8/8/8/8 (5+2)
11. RxS
8/8/8/8/5p1p/5P1k/5P1s/6KR (4+4)
12. RxP
6k1/6P1/6PK/6PR/7p/7P/8/8 (6+2)
13. B-
8/8/8/6p1/6P1/6PK/7B/7k (4+2)
14. BxR, BxS, BxP
B7/1r6/8/8/8/4p3/4Pp1p/5K1k (3+5)
(b) bSb7 (c) bPb7
15. S-
6kS/6P1/6PK/6PP/8/8/8/8 (6+1)
16. SxQ
8/8/8/5ppp/5prk/4pKpq/4P1pr/6Sb (3+12)
17. SxR
8/8/8/4p1p1/4P1Pk/4PKpr/4P1pr/6Sb (6+8)
18. SxB
8/8/8/5ppp/5prk/4pKpb/4P1p1/6S1 (3+10)
19. SxP
8/8/8/8/6p1/4p1Pk/4Pp1p/5K1S (4+5)
20. P-
8/8/8/8/7p/5P1k/5P1p/7K (3+3)
21. PxR
8/8/8/7p/6pr/5pPk/5Pp1/6K1 (3+6)
22. PxS
5k2/4pPps/4PpP1/5PpK/6p1/8/8/8 (6+6)
23. P=X
5k1K/3Pp2P/4P3/8/8/8/8/8 (4+2)
24. PxR=X
6kr/5pPp/5p1K/5P1P/8/8/8/8 (4+5)
25. PxS=X
6ks/5pP1/5PpK/6P1/8/8/8/8 (4+4)
26. PxPep (Werner Keym)
5b1b/1p2p1kP/1P2p1PR/1P2PpKR/5PpB/5pP1/5P2 (12+9)

Table (- means 'can't be shown') :

- xQ xR xB xS xP
K 5 - 11 11 9 5
Q 8 - 11 11 9 9
R 7 - - 11 8 8
B 6 - 8 - 8 8
S 7 15 14 13 - 9
P 6 - 9 - 12 -
P=X 6 - 9 - 8
PxPep 21

Possible improvement areas according to the author: SxQ and PxPep. (and
one by me: BxP without an obvious promoted piece on board).



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