Peter Aronson wrote on Tue, Aug 13, 2002 05:10 PM UTC:
What about this situation (white to move):
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
8 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
7 |:::| P |:::| |:::| |:::| |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
6 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
5 |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
4 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
3 |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
2 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::|
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
1 |:n:| |:::| |:N:| |:::| |
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+
a b c d e f g h
If white b8=Q or b8=R, then stalemate. If b8=B, then I believe there
is insufficient material for mate -- thus b8=K. I'm fairly sure that K+N
can mate bare N. If not, add a B at g1. Two B on the same color + N vs
N is still not promising, but K+B+N vs N is surely enough!
What about this situation (white to move):
+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 8 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 7 |:::| P |:::| |:::| |:::| | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 6 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 5 |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 4 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 3 |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 2 | |:::| |:::| |:::| |:::| +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ 1 |:n:| |:::| |:N:| |:::| | +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+ a b c d e f g hIf white b8=Q or b8=R, then stalemate. If b8=B, then I believe there is insufficient material for mate -- thus b8=K. I'm fairly sure that K+N can mate bare N. If not, add a B at g1. Two B on the same color + N vs N is still not promising, but K+B+N vs N is surely enough!