Charles et al,
You would normally be notified of whose move it is and the object of the
problem. However, it is very rare in a problem (defined as an artificial or
constructed position rather than a real position which would then go by the
appellation of puzzle) for it to be Black to move. Generally it should say
either White to play and mate in x moves, or White to play and win, or White to
play and draw. The latter two may also be regarded as "studies".
I had a friend who sent me a problem the other day with Black only having two
pieces and White an enormous material plus. Because he hadn't told me I assumed
it was a mate in two and quickly, or so I thought, solved the problem and wrote
back. He then told me it was a mate in three, whereupon I found the subtle
riposte to my solution. I readjusted my reply accordingly and then checked on
Deep Rybka. That quickly came up with three 3-move solutions, including mine,
so the problem was actually 'cooked'. A 'cook' in a chess.problem occurs when
there are multiple solutions that the composer did not intend to happen.
At Paignton one year I was sitting next to an amateur problemist who announced
'mate in three'. His discomfited opponent (White) retorted "Well, play it
then!" and the composer played move 1 of his intended sequence. There came the
forced reply, then move 2 and White resigned. Meanwhile I was grinning away
because I had seen the mate in two! The moral: Never announce a mate just in
case you're wrong. Play it out.
Hope this helps now and in the future.
Regards,
Tyson
On 19 October 2018 at 22:00 Charles Rivard <wee1sman@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
One thing I notice about their chess problems is that they never let you
know whose move it is. Is it always White’s move?
If you think you're finished, you! really! are! finished!!
From: mordue andrew (Redacted sender "tyson.mordue" for DMARC)
mailto:dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Friday, October 19, 2018 2:14 PM
To: usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx mailto:usbca_chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; Jim ;
mailto:jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [usbca_chess] Re: Chess Problems From Braille Chess Magazine
Hello Jim,
Quite happy to help. Just bear in mind the time difference between the UK
and the US. I'm writing this at 8.10 in the evening.
If possible please quote the problem composer and the year it was first
published. The BCM may not give these details but if they do then I can try
double-checking if necessary.
Regards,
Tyson
> On 19 October 2018 at 20:07 Jim <jhomme1028@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>
> Hi,
> I want to see if I can solve any of the problems in Braille Chess
> Magazine. If I get stuck understanding the notation, does anyone here
> want to answer questions about it?
>
> Thanks.
>
> Jim
>
> --
> ==========
>
> Jim Homme
> http://www.jimhommewebdev.com
> Twitter: @jimhomme
> Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jimhomme
> LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimhomme
>
