[Retros] Traditional Christmas Contest of "Stuttgarter Zeitung"

[Jens Guballa]

Hi everybody,

in the today's issue of the newspaper "Stuttgarter Zeitung" the
traditional solver competition of Harald Keilhack's chess column was
published.

For german speaking people here is the link:

http://www.kaniaverlag.de/htm/Weihnachts2005.html

For all others here is my english translation:

<translation-start>

Christmas Solver Competition

Five tricky chess puzzles

by Harald Keilhack


As every year the StZ-readers are invited to the contest. Among the
senders with the correct solutions of problem A and B the following
prices are drawn by lot: a Philips-television, a DVD-player and a
digital camera.

Please pay attention to receive a LEGAL position after the retraction of
a move or after the insertion of a piece. Aditionally check, which side
has the move (respectively can have the move).

Also please check whether more than one solution exists.

Additional question: In which puzzles does black castle?

Have fun solving!



"Last battle on b8"
A: Günther Weeth, Stuttgart
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| q | N |   | k | B |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| b |   |   | p | p |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| K | P | R | P |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | P | R |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: qN1kB3/b2pp3/KPRP4/1PR5/8/8/8/8

Who checkmates in one move?



"Eternal rest on a8?"
B: Werner Keym and Günther Weeth
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   | B |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | p |   | N |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| N |   |   | P | K |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 5B2/1p1N4/N2PK3/8/8/8/8/8

Add a king and a rook for black. Then checkmate in one move.



For the experts three more puzzles follow. If necessary a retro analysis
has to be given. All sender of correct solutions will be mentioned in
the review, and they will receive a book price.



C: Werner Keym
From a position with four pieces it can be shown that on exactly three
light squares no white bishop ever occured. How many of those positions
exists where EXACTLY THREE PIECES - including both kings - are
positioned on squares of the same colour?

E.g.:
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   | P |   | P |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | K |   |   |   | k |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 8/8/8/8/8/8/2P1P3/1K3k2

Here the white bishop never occured on the squares c2, d1, e2. But this
is not a solution as ALL FOUR pieces are positioned on squares of the
same colour!



D: Günther Weeth
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   | k |   |   | r |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | R | p |   |   | p |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| P | P |   | P |   | P |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| r |   | B | P |   | p |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| P | K |   |   |   | p |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| p |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   | P |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 4k2r/1Rp2p2/PP1P1P2/r1BP1p2/PK3p2/p7/6P1/8

White retracts three, black retracts two moves. Then white checkmates in
two moves. Defensive Retractor, i.e. black does not cooperate during the
retraction, so he has a choice...



E: Jens Guballa and Werner Keym
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   | K |   | k |   |   | r |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

| p |   | p | p |   | r | p |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   | p |   |   |   | B |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   | Q |   |   |   |   | p |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | P |   |   |   |   |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | P |   |   |   |   | P |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   |   | P | P | P | P |   |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+

|   | b |   |   |   |   | B |   |

+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
FEN: 2K1k2r/p1pp1rp1/2p3B1/2Q4p/1P6/1P4P1/2PPPP2/1b4B1

Add a black pawn, then checkmate in two moves.



Send your solutions til latest 15th January 2006 (postmark!) to:

Stuttgarter Zeitung (Schach/Chess)
Postfach 10 60 32
70049 Stuttgart
Germany

<translation-end>

I tried to do the translation as close as possible to the original.

I want to invite everybody on this list to join the contest!

Have fun with these puzzles.


Merry Christmas to all of you!

Best regards,
Jens