Questions tagged [chess]
A puzzle related to the game of chess. Questions about chess which aren't puzzles are off-topic but can be asked on Chess Stack Exchange.
379
questions
25
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3answers
5k views
A Checkmate of Dubious Legality
Full-size image
Black has just delivered checkmate in the above position - but is the position legal?
If no, explain why.
If yes, give Black's mating move.
FEN: 3r4/2r4b/8/8/8/3Kp3/5k2/8 w - - 0 1
...
6
votes
1answer
185 views
De-zephyr The Solution!
Here's another original chess problem of mine for you all to solve today!
In the following position, White wants to stalemate Black even though they can win, for unknown, unclear, unexplained, and ...
2
votes
1answer
203 views
The Sea Snake's Slithering Problem
Here's a really long chess puzzle, not made by me, that has the "sea snake" theme, which just basically means that it's super long.
It's White to move and checkmate Black in 122 moves.
Миљанић, ...
5
votes
2answers
100 views
Piece-drop Mate #4
Piece-Drop Mate
Piece-drop Mate #2
Piece-drop Mate #3
Here's another installation of the Piece-drop Mate series!
I'll try to be more explicit about the rules of the puzzle, as recommended by @...
6
votes
2answers
114 views
Piece-drop Mate #3
Piece-Drop Mate
Piece-drop Mate #2
Here's a third one and an interesting one at that:
Your task is to place a piece on the board as White and checkmate Black.
The correct answer is the one which ...
4
votes
3answers
122 views
Piece-drop Mate #2
Piece-Drop Mate #1
Here's a second piece-drop mate, but with a twist.
Just like last time, you may only place the maximum number of pieces allowed on the board in a regular game of chess. You're ...
5
votes
1answer
207 views
Piece-Drop Mate
Find a way to checkmate Black by placing pieces!
You must use as little material as you can(in points).
You cannot place more pieces than allowed in a regular game of chess!
The Position
Good luck! ...
2
votes
0answers
94 views
The Switchup-2.0
This question from last year (which in itself was anticipated on CSE two years prior) has a complete switchup of all non-pawn pieces on the board. The idea is to optimize the amount of moves needed to ...
7
votes
0answers
201 views
An Unusual Amount Of Help
Another day, another helpmate to solve!
Here's a really complicated one!
The Black pawn on Black's first rank moves like a normal Black pawn. It's White to move first.
Given that White moves to ...
6
votes
1answer
521 views
Chess Construction Challenge #2-Check!
Xit's time for round two!
Given that:
-Black has 6 pawns and a king
-White ehas three pieces of any kind you to deduce the identity of and a king
Construct:
-A nlegal position in which both sides ...
7
votes
2answers
239 views
A “Simple” Task
Here's a "simple" task for all of you solvers out there: With White to play first, and with both sides working together to checkmate White, aka a helpmate, what is the quickest way for Black to ...
4
votes
2answers
205 views
Chess Construction Challenge #1-Read First Please!
I'm starting a new series in which I set a very specific goal with a unique (to be more specifically defined here in a bit) answer in which the solver must construct a chess position, sometimes a game,...
2
votes
4answers
212 views
Find Those Chess Notations! #7
It's been awhile, so welcome to my series if you haven't seen it before!
Number Of Moves: 15
Checkmater: Black
Given Game:
? ?
? ?
? ?
? ?
? fxe3
? ?
? ?
? ?
? dxe4
? dxe6
? ?
? ?
? fxe5
? ?
? ...
18
votes
3answers
1k views
Where are the Wazirs?
A wazir is a fairy chess piece that moves like a rook, but can go only one square.
&...
11
votes
2answers
622 views
The Coded Chessboard
"If you're worthy, the secret is found within you," the wise old lady had told you before you had entered the villain's lair. When the townspeople had told you to seek her out for advice, you thought ...
8
votes
1answer
287 views
3D Chess - Stale NBA (kNight-Bishop Assault)
This is my very first chess puzzle. Any constructive feedback is more than welcome. Thanks!
Introducing 3D Chess!
To make things simple for the first time, we are using a $3\times3\times3$ ...
7
votes
4answers
677 views
Tricky Tricky!-Can you find the secret?
Here's a selfmate problem that just might be baffle you! Thus, I name it "Tricky Tricky!"
It's White to move and selfmate themselves in 8 moves.
Can you find the secret?
As always, no computers ...
18
votes
4answers
2k views
White's last move?
You guys have proven to be quite capable chess detectives.
So here is one more mystery for you to solve:
What was White's last move?
1
vote
1answer
81 views
Chess Puzzle to calculate the minimum number of movements of pawn [closed]
Given an N×N chessboard, with two pieces, a black pawn and a white pawn randomly placed on the chessboard. What is the minimum number of steps required by the white pawn to reach the black pawn under ...
-2
votes
2answers
103 views
Mighty Knight Makes only Minimal Moves
Mighty Knight(regular chess moves only) is trapped in corner cell H1.
What are the minimum number of moves needed for the Knight to visit each X marked cells?
Example: F2..1. D1...2. Etc
Final ...
14
votes
1answer
1k views
Chess problem: Make a crossword in 3 moves
A crossword position is a legal chess position with the following property: The board can be thought of as a crossword grid where the pieces on board work as clues. Each type of piece is a clue for ...
7
votes
2answers
185 views
Puzzling Knight has a Message for all- Especially Newcomers
Of all the more than a Trillion messages he can deliver, he has especially selected this message for all.
Follow his(normal chess moves for the Knight) path to get the message.
His journey starts ...
1
vote
1answer
187 views
Especially Special
Here's a special and interesting chess problem that I came across the other day.
As usual, no using a computer and no Googling or anything like that for the solution. You must use your own brain ...
3
votes
1answer
178 views
Valiant Knight is back..but he is in grave danger from the Evil Queen
King has placed a bounty on Valiant Knight and enlisted his evil queen’s help.
Queen knows knight’s regular stops of his journey and knows he goes through all odd prime cells.
She strategically ...
1
vote
3answers
141 views
Don't Checkmate White!
Quite simply, find the one move by Black that doesn't checkmate White! It's really not that hard!
Good luck solving!
UPDATE: There's no need to solve this, but I finally dug up my original diagram , ...
7
votes
1answer
185 views
The Slaughterhouse
Yeah, I'm currently obsessed with selfmates. Here's one where it's just three Black pieces against the entire White army.
I named this puzzle "The Slaughterhouse" for a reason.
It's Black to move ...
4
votes
1answer
128 views
Kill me or I kill you first!
How many mates are possible under 10 moves?
Rule:
Mate can go both ways.
Under 10 moves.
Feel free to let White or Black move first.
Board diagram:
Apronus PGN Viewer board for white taking the ...
3
votes
1answer
215 views
All The King's Men-Selfmate In 14 Moves?
I call this "All The King's Men" because lots of White's pieces are needed in this selfmate. It was somewhat of an accident actually, but it is still a pretty position in my opinion.
It's White to ...
89
votes
4answers
6k views
Checkmate in 1 on a Tangled Board
Lots of pieces are tangled here.
Can you find mate in one?
Small hint to guide you in the right way:
6
votes
1answer
146 views
Down The Board-Selfmate In 10 Moves
Here's a miniature selfmate puzzle that I composed today. I just got an idea and I managed to successfully create it. I got the basic idea down to just 9 pieces, none of which are promoted.
It's ...
16
votes
3answers
1k views
Can White Castle? #3
Since it seems at least some people are enjoying these I'm continuing the series.
This one is not quite as elegant, but still interesting.
Can White Castle?
5
votes
1answer
137 views
You versus Computer - Who will be the Winner?
You sit down to play a “new” game of chess.
In this game only one Knight is on the regular 8x8 chessboard.
Only regular legal moves of Knight are allowed.
Game begins with computer going first to ...
16
votes
1answer
591 views
Can White Castle? #2
Following on my previous puzzle that was well received (here).Note that this one is a lot shorter / easier, so feel free to participate!
Can White Castle?
4
votes
2answers
407 views
To Win The Right To ****************
I found this nice little problem on Tim Krabbe's website the other day. I found it so unique and beautiful, that I felt compelled to share it here as a puzzle to be solved. Please do not use a ...
30
votes
6answers
3k views
Swapping rooks in a 4x4 board
You have a 4x4 chessboard with four black rooks on the top and four white rooks in the bottom.
Your goal is to swap these rooks using the minimum number of steps. It does not matter which rook is ...
76
votes
3answers
8k views
Can White Castle?
This is the first chess puzzle I composed in the retrograde genre. I originally posted this in a chess dedicated forum. Hope you like it!
In the following position, is it possible that White could ...
2
votes
2answers
213 views
Magical Knight Moves with Effortless Ease in his Magical Kingdom
Magical Knight knows every Square of his Magical Kingdom.
In many respects, he is like any other knight...Literary,Prime, Normal(makes same allowed chess moves).
He is people Knight . As he traverses ...
3
votes
1answer
165 views
Normal Knight sees the Big Picture during his Countrywide Travels [duplicate]
Normal Knight is savvy, energy saving as he travels through Regular Country... Ride along and Document Details of his Journey
As this Knight (only chess move allowed) journeys through ,
he takes ...
4
votes
1answer
159 views
Prime Knight travels through Prime Country
Prime Knight travels through Prime Country... Ride along and Document Details of his Journey
As this Prime Knight (only chess move allowed) journeys through Prime land, he makes a pit stop at every ...
8
votes
3answers
273 views
Lead the way to this Literary Knight to its final “DESTINATION”
As this Literary Knight (only chess move allowed) hops along, picks up a letter each time to make it to final
$DESTINATION$
Starting from a cell containing right D, ride the Knight picking up each ...
0
votes
1answer
157 views
Where is the White King? [duplicate]
I recently stumbled upon this puzzle on a known video platform. Apparently it's from the cover of an old book named "The Chess Mysteries of the Arabian Knights".
The white king made himself ...
4
votes
5answers
363 views
A Humourous & Simple Selfmate In One
Here's simple and humourous chess puzzle that I created after a few non-consecutive hours. I had to prove the concept feasible while making it as economic as possible.
White To Move, And Selfmate In ...
5
votes
1answer
411 views
Something Large From Something Small
I have created a miniature chess puzzle that takes advantage of a piece of chess semantics that has some debate to it.
This is the puzzle:
Construct a legal (meaning that two opposite colored ...
1
vote
2answers
279 views
A Fairy-ly Odd Chess Identification Puzzle
I had an odd idea. I made a mate in two that uses a fairy chess piece. However, the twist is that you must figure what fairy piece is going to be used (changing a piece or by promotion) or is being ...
2
votes
2answers
233 views
Place The Black King Legally-Two Solutions
Warning: If the wording seems cryptic to you, that’s because it is meant to be.
Here’s a puzzle for you: legally place the black king in the following diagram.
Additionally, assuming that all white ...
13
votes
3answers
1k views
Crossword gone overboard
This puzzle is part 24 of Gladys' journey across the globe. Each part can be solved independently. Nevertheless, if you are new to the series, feel free to start at the beginning: Introducing Gladys.
...
5
votes
3answers
242 views
A Multitude Of Mates In 5-An Original Chess Puzzle
Here’s a toughie for you-and no computers allowed!
I have created this unique chess puzzle which white mates black in many different ways, all in 5 moves, no matter what black does. Options do exist ...
2
votes
1answer
101 views
A minimal stalemate with no possible illegal moves [duplicate]
Imagine that the main goal of the game of chess were to actually capture the opponent's king, not just checkmating him. So a stalemate would (usually) no longer be a draw, but a loss for the ...
1
vote
2answers
343 views
Placing rooks on a chessboard
We have a big chessboard with N rows and N columns (numbered 1 through N). Let's denote the square in row r and column c of the chessboard by (r,c). We want to place some rooks on the chessboard in ...
6
votes
2answers
367 views
Pawn Promotion Double Checks
In chess, it is possible to double check whilst giving promotion. An example of this would be a pawn promoting to a queen while a discovered attack from a rook behind the pawn checks the opponent’s ...
