[Retros] Points

[Francois Labelle]

Hi all,

Maybe we can formalize Eric's idea as the "net change in material 
value", where a capture causes a negative change, and (I propose) a 
promotion causes a positive change. For example, a queen promotion would 
be worth +8 (+9 for the queen, and -1 for the disappearing pawn). The 
standard valuation is 1,3,3,5,9 for P,N,B,R,Q.

> -- Black has just long-castled at the
>
> 5th move, leaving 24 points out of
>
> the board; what points?
>
>
> [in other words, what pieces were
>
> captured during the game, representing
>
> a total amount of 24 points as explained
>
> above]
>

According to my computer, the maximum net loss in material is indeed 24, 
but the captured pieces are not unique as the captured knight can be 
white or black:

1. e4 Nc6 2. Qg4 d5 3. Qxc8 Qxc8 4. Nh3 Qxh3 5. gxh3 O-O-O
1. e4 Na6 2. Qg4 d6 3. Qxc8 Qxc8 4. Bxa6 Qf5 5. exf5 O-O-O

Without the O-O-O constraint, the maximum is 30 and the solution turns 
out to be unique (I mean the game is unique, not just the identity of 
the captured pieces), so maybe this is a nicer problem:

"Find a game in 5.0 moves with a net loss in material of 30 points"

     François

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