043 – Puzzle Genres — Chess puzzle

A chess puzzle is a puzzle in which knowledge of the pieces and is used to solve logically a chess-related problem. The history of chess puzzles reaches back to the Middle Ages and has evolved since then. Usually, the goal is to find the single best, ideally aesthetic move or a series of single best moves in a chess position, which was created by a composer or is from a real game. But puzzles can also set different objectives. Examples include - deducing the last move played, - deducing the location of a missing piece - whether a player has lost the right to castle. Sometimes the objective is antithetical to normal chess, such as helping (or even compelling) the opponent to one's own king. While a chess puzzle is any puzzle involving aspects of chess, a is an orthodox puzzle in which one must play and win or a game, starting with a certain composition of pieces on the chess board, and playing within the standard rules of chess. Orthodox chess problems involve positions that can arise from actual game play (although the process of getting to that position may be unrealistic). The most common orthodox chess puzzle takes the form of checkmate in n moves. The puzzle positions are seldom similar to positions from actual play, and the challenge is not to find a winning move, but rather to find the (usually unique) move which forces checkmate as rapidly as possible. Heterodox chess problems involve conditions that are impossible with normal play, such as multiple kings or chess variants, while problems employ pieces not used in orthodox chess, such as the (a piece combining the powers of the and the ).

Puzzle Genres — Chess puzzle ● Page 1 of 3 Chess puzzles can also be regular positions from a game (with normal rules), usually meant as training positions, tactical or positional, from all phases of the game (openings, middlegame and endings). These are known as tactical puzzles. They can range from a simple "Mate in one" combination to a complex attack on the opponent's king. Solving tactical chess puzzles is a very common chess teaching technique. Although it is unlikely that the same position will occur in a game the student plays, the recognition of certain patterns can help to find a good move or plan in another position.

Some chess problems — have connections to mathematics, especially to graph theory and combinatorics. A mathematical chess problem is a mathematical problem which is formulated using a chessboard and chess pieces. These problems belong to recreational mathematics. The most known problems of this kind are Eight queens puzzle or Knight's Tour problems, which have connection to graph theory and combinatorics. Many famous mathematicians studied mathematical chess problems; for example, Thabit, Euler, Legendre and Gauss. Besides finding a solution to a particular problem, mathematicians are usually interested in counting the total number of possible solutions, finding solutions with certain properties, as well as generalization of the problems to N×N or rectangular boards.

There are different types of chess problems : - Directmates o Two-movers o Three-movers o Moremovers - Helpmates - Selfmates - Helpselfmates - Reflexmates - Seriesmovers o Seriesmate o Serieshelpmate o Seriesselfmate o Seriesreflexmate - Studies.

Puzzle Genres — Chess puzzle ● Page 2 of 3 In all the above types of problem, is assumed to be allowed unless it can be proved by retrograde analysis. Of far greater relation to standard chess problems, however, are the following, which have a rich history and have been revisited many times, with magazines, books and prizes dedicated to them : - Retrograde analysis problems - Construction tasks. The role of aesthetic evaluation in the appreciation of chess problems is very significant, and indeed most composers and solvers consider such compositions to be an art form.

Various tournaments (or tourneys) exist for both the composition and solving of chess problems. - In tourneys conducted by correspondence, the participants send their entries by post or e-mail. These are often run on similar terms to informal composition tourneys — the same problems which are entries in the informal composition tourney are often also set in the solving tourney. - Other solving tourneys are held with all participants present at a particular time and place. The title International Judge of Chess Compositions is given to individuals considered capable of judging composing tourneys at the highest level.

A good address for mathematical chess problem is https://www.chessvideos.tv/past-chess-puzzles-of-the-day.php but you’ll have to ignore the invading publicities which populate the site. Everything is free there, so be indulgent. If you need (and want) to improve your check skills, try — and buy (for a ridiculous small price) — the ChessPuzzle+ from https://www.chesspuzzleplus.com/

Source : Wikipedia

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