PhÂœnix - 36 DD (doubly difficult)

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 2:52 pm

You can do it with fewer pieces than that.

Istenem · Post by **Istenem** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:15 pm

how about two queens?

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 3:39 pm

Given that you always have a king, the answer isn't 2 queens. It is a KING + other stuff

Istenem · Post by **Istenem** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 4:06 pm

ah, i hadn't considered the king to be capable of attack. that is one of the many, many reasons i'm not an international grandmaster.

how about king, rook, pawn

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:50 pm

Nearly there. The King itself cannot attack, but it can restrict the movement of the opposing king.

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 12:31 am

ISTR the shortest game of chess being three moves. I think White moves a pawn, Black moves a pawn, then White moves a bishop through the gap left by White's pawn to mate the king through the gap left by Black's pawn. I could be wrong, it's been a while.

EDIT: But that's not the question. Must read more closely...

I used to mate with two Rooks quite a bit, which would make it four pieces (two Rooks and a King, with just the King opposing). Sounds too high though.

I think, though, it's a King and a Pawn vs a King. The King has the other King trapped in a corner diagonally (so it's on one of the potential moves and covering the other two), and the Pawn moves to mate the King.

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 1:51 pm

It is possible to trap the enemy king so that it can only move to one other square. However, if a king is in check from a pawn, then it will be able to get out of check by moving to its other square.

Keep pressing. Keep guessing.

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:21 pm

Code: Select all

k.......
.PK.....
.P......
........
........
........
........
........

?

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:25 pm

You said a king and a pawn... true, you could do it with 2 pawns, but the answer I had in mind was a king and a rook.

Anyway, over to you sir.

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:11 pm

Cardinal Richelieu wrote:You said a king and a pawn...

I know. I was, however, talking complete crap.

Somehow I got it into my head a pawn could move like a knight. Duh. Shows I haven't played for a while! I fear my arse would get kicked if I ever played you in real life.

Anyway, staying with board games:

In 1978, in the US, retailer Neiman Marcus manufactured and sold an edition of Monopoly through their "Christmas Wish Book" for that year. The set retailed for $600. What was it made of?

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 11:22 pm

Mahogany?

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 12:06 am

Nope. The substance in question enabled you to do something else with the set other than play Monopoly with it.

Cardinal Sin · Post by **Cardinal Sin** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 8:13 am

Chocolate?

Istenem · Post by **Istenem** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 9:36 am

real currency?

Weyland · Post by **Weyland** » Mon Dec 11, 2006 10:05 am

The Cardinal has it. Apparantly everything in the set was chocolate, pieces, board, money, the lot. Preumably this meant you had to play it in the fridge and not get too excited lest your winnings melt.

Mind you, I can remember playing Monopoly with real money. We copped out and used 1500p rather than £1500 though.

Over to CR.