Commit | Line | Data |
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5e1bc651 BA |
1 | p.boxed. |
2 | White has only four pawns and the king, but move twice at each turn. | |
3 | ||
4 | figure.diagram-container | |
5 | .diagram | |
6 | | fen:rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/2PPPP2/4K3: | |
7 | figcaption Standard deterministic position | |
8 | ||
9 | p. | |
10 | The white army can appear much too small, but the power to move twice in a | |
11 | row shouldn't be underestimated. At each turn white plays two moves with | |
12 | only one constraint: do not be under check in the end. | |
13 | So if the white king attacks a defended piece, he can take it anyway by | |
14 | coming back on its initial square on (sub)move 2. | |
15 | ||
16 | figure.diagram-container | |
17 | .diagram.diag12 | |
18 | | fen:rbbknn1r/1p2pp1p/2p3qK/p2p2p1/2PPP3/8/5P2/8: | |
19 | .diagram.diag22 | |
20 | | fen:3rq3/1p4p1/1k1pKp2/3P1P1n/p7/5n2/8/8: | |
21 | figcaption Left: not a checkmate! Right: a "Monster-checkmate". | |
22 | ||
23 | p | |
24 | | The diagram position on the left looks pretty much like a checkmate, | |
25 | | but white can take the queen and come back to the h6 square. Finally, | |
26 | | white can mate in an unusual way, like the following diagram found | |
27 | a(href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monster_chess") on Wikipedia | |
28 | | . There is no way for the black king to avoid being captured since white | |
29 | | plays twice (the threat is 2.d7,dxe8). | |
30 | ||
31 | figure.diagram-container | |
32 | .diagram.diag12 | |
33 | | fen:4k3/8/4P3/8/3P4/8/2q5/7K: | |
34 | .diagram.diag22 | |
35 | | fen:4k3/8/3PP3/8/8/8/2q5/7K: | |
36 | figcaption Left: before 1.d5,d6. Right: after this move:, it's checkmate. | |
37 | ||
38 | h3 More information | |
39 | ||
40 | p | |
41 | | Ralph Betza analyses this variant and the double move on | |
42 | a(href="https://www.chessvariants.com/d.betza/chessvar/muenster.html") | |
43 | | this page | |
44 | | . There seems to be a common belief that black should win with accurate | |
45 | | play, but it's clearly hard to demonstrate. And if someone can show a | |
46 | | winning strategy, we'll add some white material to balance this game. | |
47 | | Meanwhile, the variant is also playable | |
48 | a(href="https://greenchess.net/rules.php?v=monster") on greenchess.net | |
49 | | . |