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An Old time problem solved

Submitted by NM cldng on Wed, 01/30/2008 at 4:17pm.

   There was a chess problem that I always have my students try and solve. The problem is take one set of chess pieces and cover every square on the board. It must be done with only the pieces and no Pawns.

      I thought that this problem was of the same ilk as the Kobeashi Marou scenario in Star Trek. The unwinable sequence, Captain Kirk was the only student to every solve the problem, he did it by reprogramming the scenario in the computer and got commended for original thinking.

     I gave this problem to my student, William Evangelakos, thinking he would go crazy trying to find a solution. A little background, I once showed William the eight Queen problem (which has 12 solutions that I knew of at the time) and William found a 13th solution.

    Like Captain Kirk William came up with a unique solution. See if you can figure it out. Well did ya try? Well William got as far as the diagrammed position and then he had a brilliant idea. It reminds me of the time when a Roman general went in and had to figure out  how to undo Gordian's Knot, he cut it with his sword! 

 

 

What was William's Solution?

 Opps! the Bishop should be on c6
The first one to solve it gets the Colding no-prize and mention in the next article.

Where we will give the solution.

 

» posted in Fun & Trivia
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Comments:

by Amniel - 2 years ago
Vantaa Finland
Member Since: Jun 2009
Member Points: 15

It wasn't a Roman general who cut down the Gordian's Knot, it was Alexander the Great (like sasha2 already pointed out). I know these things since I'm almost as much a history nut as I am a history nut. Otherwise a great article.

by figrock - 3 years ago
United States
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 1438

Got it..! Wink

by julian8x8 - 3 years ago
Michoacán Mexico
Member Since: Jul 2008
Member Points: 162

its to dificult to onderstand.

by sasha2 - 3 years ago
Waterloo, Ontario Canada
Member Since: Jun 2008
Member Points: 431
The Gordon Nought was cut by Alexander the Great - a Macedonian( from Macedon a kingdom north of Greece) in Persia during his war with Persia. School pays off!Cool
by terry25 - 3 years ago
Toronto Canada
Member Since: May 2008
Member Points: 4

very difficult puzzle, i hope the solution doesnt involve any tricky stuff. But this what i got to, every square is under attack except d6


by languagedove - 3 years ago
Ireland
Member Since: Mar 2008
Member Points: 8

i may be in a different wavelength, but I still don't understand either the question or the solution?

lol 


by Longboylegend - 3 years ago
san pedro de macorris Dominican Republic
Member Since: Feb 2008
Member Points: 104
wow i like how u play!!
by NM cldng - 3 years ago
Brooklyn, New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 244
bECAUSE YOU NEED BOTH A QUEEN BISHOP AND A KING'S BISHOP BUT EXCELLENT TRY! LOL
by Philip_Lu - 4 years ago
United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 536
why would it be illegal? a bishop is still a bishop.  If a queen can ride on a knight, the bishop could become white or black (not intended to be rascist)
by NM cldng - 4 years ago
Brooklyn, New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 244
To ibuss, that would be illegal since you have to use all the pieces. Steve
by jbuss - 4 years ago
Fort Collins, CO United States
Member Since: Aug 2007
Member Points: 30
Has it been tested whether it can be done with both bishops on the same color?
by 1red5a - 4 years ago
Cainta Rizal, Philippines
Member Since: Nov 2007
Member Points: 225

 


 hmmm,

this is a hard one

all pieces could be captured

 this is what I call a puzzle

 

Laughing 


 


by Idioteque - 4 years ago
Santa Barbara United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 6
Add a second knight on the same square as the queen is now (keeping the queen there, two pieces on the same square), and you've got it! As long as that's not against the rules...

by NM cldng - 4 years ago
Brooklyn, New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 244
To Mafta, yes you do! lol
by mafta - 4 years ago
Alabama United States
Member Since: Dec 2007
Member Points: 67
So you don't have to use both knights?
by ataha13 - 4 years ago
Ottawa, ON Canada
Member Since: Oct 2007
Member Points: 41

The person who 'solved' the Gordian knot was Alexander the Great. There was a knot in a city in what is now present day Turkey and it was rumoured that whoever solved the knot would conquer Asia. Alexander the great came through and cut it with his sword.

I guess that works 


by DeadMansChess - 4 years ago
Fort Worth, Texas United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 68
You mean the queen and knight on the same square thing???
by NM cldng - 4 years ago
Brooklyn, New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 244
HAha look up in the comments and I give the right answer.
by DeadMansChess - 4 years ago
Fort Worth, Texas United States
Member Since: Sep 2007
Member Points: 68
Who's got e3 and f4 on the "real" position???
by NM cldng - 4 years ago
Brooklyn, New York United States
Member Since: Jan 2008
Member Points: 244

 

The real position

 

 

of course you should ignore the Black King.

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