White to move

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

Tip over board and storm out.

Frankly, the fact black doesn't go for a mate with such an obvious advantage means white wins by dying with honor.

I accept your shameful resignation.

[Hanarchy Montanarchy]

No--the whole problem was either take the rook or don't. You made shit up. We could start with your king at c3 and you'd still lose.

Well, if the king started on c3, he could protect the pawn that takes the rook...

As far as this exercise, I was hoping you would take my d5 pawn with c3.

Nothing ventured nothing gained though, and I didn't see anyone else daring to dream a non cowardly draw.

We don't dream of winning tic tac toe either...

Okay, but connect four... that is a gentleman's game.

[Alexander PhiAlipson]

Well, Fife, are you going to enlighten as all as to your true purpose in posting this problem, or have you achieved your aim?

[Speaker to Animals]

Well, Fife, are you going to enlighten as all as to your true purpose in posting this problem, or have you achieved your aim?

I think you sabotaged his plan.

[Fife]

Fun thread so far. I saw some videos on Numberphile you guys might like.

[Alexander PhiAlipson]

Fun thread so far. I saw some videos on Numberphile you guys might like.

The game he used to illustrate in the beginning of his presentation is The Immortal Game--fitting.
There'll be peace in the Middle East long before anyone can figure out how many different games of chess could be played.
Do you know the shortest possible game of chess?

[Fife]

Ending in actual checkmate would be Fool's Mate by Black, correcto?

[Alexander PhiAlipson]

Right.
I've never seen it happen.
I've pulled Legal's mate at least a half a dozen times (once, twice in a row against two different players even though the second player had seen the first game!)
I did the knight's tour as a kid using mom's bingo pennies to track the spaces--the idea may have been in Bobby Fischer's little book. Times were tough some nights in the sticks with no television and a houseful of women.

Then this other time when I was a kid...

[Fife]

[Ph64]

Well, Fife, are you going to enlighten as all as to your true purpose in posting this problem, or have you achieved your aim?

I think you sabotaged his plan.

I don't think I've ever seen a game get that far without the loss of a single pawn.

Naturally white taking the took with the pawn is a horrible move. Knowing your enemy is always important though... I remember in HS playing the guy who was "board#1" (best in the chess club), after watching him trounce numerous other people I noticed he was very much a "queen centric" player - so at some point I baited him with a bishop - which he took with his queen rather than the rook he could have used - thinking he'd force me to move my queen, which instead I traded for his. Set me back a bishop, but totally threw his game off and I wound up trouncing him - pawn structure was his poor point, he saw them as expendable whereas I saw them strategically constantly frustrating him. By the end he had only 2 pawns and his king, I had 3 pawns a knight and the king - promoted a pawn to queen and he was done for.