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George Duke wrote on Mon, Mar 27, 2017 09:50 PM UTC:

A Chess Puzzle was to devise a game on 8x8 with no legal moves for White. All 8 Pawns(any kind) and 8 pieces(any mix of types) must start in own half of board, King only required to be within back-rank. Use already-invented pieces and Rules. Describe an initial set-up. This has Ibis(1,7) on f8, Crooked Bishop f7, Dragon b6, Elbow Rook c6, Immobilizer b5, Wazir d3, Ferz e1 and so on. To follow is the justification that it is solution.


George Duke wrote on Tue, Mar 28, 2017 07:18 PM UTC:

Dragon on b6 is the 5-square mandatory plural-path slider, Dragon. Crooked Bishop aka Boyscout is described by Betza, and the Elbow Rook always must make one 90-degree turn, and Ultima Immobilizers are common to both sides. Ibis at f8, described by Gilman in "M&B Ungulates" chapter as Namel, is the same earlier (1,7) leaper Ibis. Both sides have full complement in reasonable CV, but White cannot move. Beyond zugzwang, there can be no play whatsoever. If Wazir-d3 moves or Pawn-d4, Dragon has pathway to check. If Wazir-g2, Crooked Bishop could mate. If Knight moves, the same Crooked Bishop prohibits it. If Ferz e1-d2, Elbow Rook. If Dragon, Rook attacks King. If King would move, Ibis and the Elbow Rook prevent it. Total gridlock pre-existing on behalf of White in 64.

"Would you ...play already?" yells impatient Black.


George Duke wrote on Wed, Mar 29, 2017 08:22 PM UTC:

The Club met again the next month to settle the championship in one do-or-die game. White is to open the following array.

Flamingo d8 is (1,6)leaper this time. Dragon g6 enforced five-stepper. Scorpion a5 enforced four-stepper. Elbow Bishop e5 mandatory 90d. Elbow Rook e1 mandatory 90d. Grasshopper h5. Wazir e2.

If Knight moves, Grasshopper checks(illegal). If DxD, Elbow Rook has a pathway. Any King move is precluded by Flamingo or else Elbow Bishop. Moving Wazir or Elbow Bishop gives Dragon pathway(s) always combining both orthogonal and diagonal. To move one Scorpion lets in Dragon again, and the other Scorpion admits one Black Scorpion. Trying the White Grasshopper would hopelessly discover both Black Scorpions.

"Hustle up, Bo, make your move."


George Duke wrote on Thu, Mar 30, 2017 04:51 PM UTC:

Bo, the reigning champion, cried again that White's Pawns were not dispersed. Still squelched towards getting a decisive outcome, the Club in March set out all Berolina Pawns. Also part of full complement for both forces, there is Flamingo (1,6)leaper b7, Flamingo. Also Cannon d7 and Dabbabah Rider e7, DR_versus_DBT.

Dragon b6 the five-stepper, Elbow Bishop c6, Elbow Rook g5, Crooked Rook h5, Alfil h2, Gnu e4: N+Camel. All Pawns are Berolina.

If Rook moves, Elbow Bishop has path. If P-b4, Dragon. If P-d4 or P-d3, Cannon. If Gnu-e4 to any one of its fourteen(!) available squares, Elbow Bishop again checks King -- making Gnu move illegal too. If Dragon tries moving, Crooked Rook gets pathway. If Pawn-g1, Elbow Rook thwarts. King is unable to move because of the three Flamingo, Dabbabah-Rider and Elbow Rook.

Hurry up Bo? Locked and gridlocked again, the tournament was postponed until April.


George Duke wrote on Mon, Apr 3, 2017 08:18 PM UTC:

Bo, the reigning champion, saw no move to make. The tournament committee set up on a larger board ten normal Pawns for each side and two Queens and also two Cardinals for White. Cardinal can move as either Bishop or Knight. Those were strong pieces for White to go with Rook, Bishop, two Knights and Wolf. Quintessence is on c7. Dragon a6. Fox a5. Cannon e6. Elbow Rook g5. Immobilizer j5. Wolf g6. Sissa h7.

Again Bo was puzzled and embarrassed to find a way, not to say hamstrung, and the championship was at stake. Moving Knight-a1 gives Fox a pathway. Pawn-c3 or the Rook open up for five-step Dragon. Queen move allows Quintessence in. Either Cardinal (aka Archbishop, aka Centaur) brings on Cannon prohibition. Bishop moving gives Wolf its path needed, and Knight does so for Sissa. Unbeknownst the sudden death playoff game has not opening at all possible.

"Hustle up, Bo we're ready to watch. Show us what you got."


George Duke wrote on Tue, Apr 4, 2017 07:49 PM UTC:

Bo the world champion couldn't find a move in a bucket. It was even worse: he couldn't make any move at all. This, though Bo holds rank number one and is defending the televised title. The Committee gave him another opportunity in overpowering forces: 3 Queens, 2 Marshalls(RN) and 2 Cardinals(BN) -- against the like of lower-value Flamingo and Sissa and Vao.

Nightrider(NN) is on h7. Flamingo(1,6) e8. Sissa b7. Wolf c7. Camel-rider g7. Canon a5 (Canon aka Vao, Arrow, Lion), Vao. Quintessence b5. Diagonal Narrow Crooked Nightrider(Knappen) j5, Nachtmahr. Cardinal d3. Alibaba d1.

If either Marshall-b4 or -c3 moves, Canon threatens (illegal). If Queen-c2 moves, Quintessence has pathway. If Cardinal-d3 moves Wolf has path. If Cardinal-e2 moves, Sissa can reach King. If Queen-f3 moves, Nightrider at h7 is opened up. If Queen-h4 moves, Diagonal Narrow Crooked Nightrider of j5 prohibits. If Pawn-f4, Camelrider gets the reach. King cannot move because of Flamingo.

"Whoa Bo, pick up the pace! What piece would you be picking up?" choruses the common Foot Soldier.


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