No replies yet. Is it due to lack of interest, or the task being too hard? Anyway, here's the position I found, where White's first six moves and Black's first five moves are all "only" moves.
Consecutive "only" moves
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Didn't somebody throw away a win earlier in that position ?
Nov 7, 2015
0
#4
Nerwal wrote:
Didn't somebody throw away a win earlier in that position ?
Probably, but it doesn't matter. Just post a legal position that starts with 12 or more "only" half-moves, and you'll be the current champ for this task.
n9531l wrote:
No replies yet. Is it due to lack of interest, or the task being too hard? Anyway, here's the position I found, where White's first six moves and Black's first five moves are all "only" moves.
Is this a known endgame theme or something ?
Also, whose move is it ? White or Black ?
I'm guessing White ? You wrote " It will have to start as a drawn position, and each side will alternately have only one move to preserve the draw." and I cannot see how that applies to your example you have shown.
In your example White plays:
1. Rxe3 (enter whatever black move you want here)
2. Re1 or Re8 (doesn't matter what Black plays)
3. Rd1 or Rd8 (doesn't matter what Black plays)
4. RxB and the draw is preserved forever.
Only the first move seems like an only move here in order to preserve a draw ?
Tablebases provide the answer for all positions with up to 7 pieces on the board.
Nov 7, 2015
0
#7
Obviously White moves first. I'm not sure what Steve11537 is getting at. If 1. Rxe3, Black wins immediately with dxe3. White's only drawing move is 1. Rb1.
A tablebase won't find a position for you, but will help you quickly see whether your proposed position meets the requirement. If you want to check my position with an online tablebase program, I recommend this one, which has a continuous display of the tree, making it easy to see the "only" moves.
http://www.k4it.de/index.php?topic=egtb&lang=en
By "only" move, I mean a move that's the only move to preserve the win if you're winning, or the only move to preserve the draw if you're drawing.
Your task is to construct a position with a large number of consecutive "only" moves for both sides. It will have to start as a drawn position, and each side will alternately have only one move to preserve the draw.
I found a position where the first eleven half-moves are "only" moves for both sides. Can you top this?