Hard Puzzle for Christmas

[Hobacle]

[fen]3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1[/fen]

White to win.

Original study: viewtopic.php?f=2&t=81180

[Paloma]

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.12.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hobacle"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2022.11.05"]
[SourceVersionDate "2022.12.25"]

1. g6+ Kg8 2. Nb4 Bxe7 3. Kh4 h5 4. Kg3 Kf8 5. Kf3 Bd8 6. Ke3 Bb1 7. f3 Kg8 8.
Nd3 (8. Kd2 Kf8 9. Nd3 Bc2) 8... Be7 9. Nc1 b5 10. Kd2 Bf8 11. Nd3 Be7 12. Kc3
Ba2 13. Kb4 {33#} Bb1 14. Ne1 {32#} Bc2 15. Kc3 $1 b4+ 16. Kd2 {30#} Bb1 17.
Kc1 {29#} Ba2 18. Nd3 {28#} Kf8 19. Nxb4 {27#} Kg8 20. h4 {27#(26#!)} Kh8 21.
Nd3 {26#} Kg8 22. Nf2 Bd8 23. Nd1 {24#} Be7 24. Nc3 Bd8 25. Kd2 Kh8 26. Kd3 {
21#} Be7 27. Kc4 Kg8 28. Kb4 Kh8 29. Ka3 Kg8 30. Nxa2 bxa2 31. Kxa2 Bd8 32. Kb3
Be7 33. Kb4 Bd8 34. Ka5 Be7 35. Ka6 Bd8 36. Kb7 Be7 37. b4 Bd8 38. Kc8 Be7 39.
Kd7 Kh8 40. Kxe7 Kg8 41. Kxe8 Kh8 42. b5 Kg8 43. b6 cxb6 44. Ke7 Kh8 45. c7 Kg8
46. c8=Q# {#24/86} 1-0
[/pgn]

[Hobacle]

I found the puzzle was unsound just now. Sorry.
I'll repair it as soon as possible.

[Paloma]

Why ?? I investet a lot Time.

[peter]

[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.12.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hobacle"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[Annotator ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "91"]
[EventDate "2022.11.05"]
[SourceVersionDate "2022.12.25"]

1. g6+ Kg8 2. Nb4 Bxe7 3. Kh4 h5 4. Kg3 Kf8 5. Kf3 Bd8 6. Ke3 Bb1 7. f3 Kg8 8.
Nd3 (8. Kd2 Kf8 9. Nd3 Bc2) 8... Be7 9. Nc1 b5 10. Kd2 Bf8 11. Nd3 Be7 12. Kc3
Ba2 13. Kb4 {33#} Bb1 14. Ne1 {32#} Bc2 15. Kc3 $1 b4+ 16. Kd2 {30#} Bb1 17.
Kc1 {29#} Ba2 18. Nd3 {28#} Kf8 19. Nxb4 {27#} Kg8 20. h4 {27#(26#!)} Kh8 21.
Nd3 {26#} Kg8 22. Nf2 Bd8 23. Nd1 {24#} Be7 24. Nc3 Bd8 25. Kd2 Kh8 26. Kd3 {
21#} Be7 27. Kc4 Kg8 28. Kb4 Kh8 29. Ka3 Kg8 30. Nxa2 bxa2 31. Kxa2 Bd8 32. Kb3
Be7 33. Kb4 Bd8 34. Ka5 Be7 35. Ka6 Bd8 36. Kb7 Be7 37. b4 Bd8 38. Kc8 Be7 39.
Kd7 Kh8 40. Kxe7 Kg8 41. Kxe8 Kh8 42. b5 Kg8 43. b6 cxb6 44. Ke7 Kh8 45. c7 Kg8
46. c8=Q# {#24/86} 1-0
[/pgn]

After 9...b5 in your line, at least two moves to mate can be spared:


4n1k1/2p1b1p1/2Pp1pP1/1p1P1p1p/5P2/1p2KP1P/1P6/1bN5 w - - 0 1

Analysis by Stockfish 11 64 POPCNT30:

10.h4 La2 11.Se2 Kh8 12.Sc3 b4 13.Sd1 Lb1 14.Kd2 Ld8 15.Sf2 Kg8 16.Sd3 Kh8 17.Sxb4 Le7 18.Kc1 La2 19.Sd3 Lf8 20.Sf2 Le7 21.Sd1 Lf8 22.Sc3 Le7 23.Kd2 Lf8 24.Kd3 Le7 25.Kc4 Ld8 26.Kb4 Le7 27.Ka3 Lf8 28.Sxa2 bxa2 29.Kxa2 Kg8 30.Kb3 Le7 31.Kc4 Ld8 32.b4 Kh8 33.Kb5 Le7 34.Ka6 Kg8 35.Kb7 Ld8 36.Kc8 Le7 37.Kd7 Lf8 38.Kxe8 Kh8 39.Kf7 Le7 40.Kxe7 Kg8 41.b5 Kh8 42.b6 cxb6 43.c7 Kg8 44.c8D#
Tiefe: 109/70 00:01:19 5670MN

Yet Black's pawn- move need not come there already at all, if any pawn move, which brings 50 moves nearer for that, the one on h-line is the choose of some more DTM yet still.

9...h4:

[fen]4n1k1/2p1b1p1/1pPp1pP1/3P1p2/5P1p/1p2KP1P/1P6/1bN5 w - -[/fen]

Engine: SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx20 (32768 MB)
von Jonathan Kreuzer


81/89 2:32 +M38 10.Se2 Kf8 11.Sc3 Lc2 12.Kd2 Kg8
13.Sb5 Lb1 14.Sa3 La2 15.Kc1 Ld8
16.Sb5 Kf8 17.Sc3 Le7 18.Kd2 Kg8
19.Kd3 b5 20.Sxb5 Lb1+ 21.Kd2 Kh8
22.Sa3 La2 23.Kc1 (4.579.908.993) 30073

Just giving another one move of King or Bishop:

4n1k1/2p1b1p1/1pPp1pP1/3P1p1p/5P2/1p2KP1P/1P6/1bN5 b - -

Engine: SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx20 (32768 MB)
von Jonathan Kreuzer


72/88 0:54 +M39 9...Ld8 10.Se2 Le7 11.Sc3 Lc2 12.Sb5 Lb1
13.Sa3 La2 14.Kd2 Kf8 15.Kc1 Kg8
16.Sb5 Lf8 17.Sc3 Le7 18.Kd2 Kf8
19.Kd3 b5 20.Sxb5 Lb1+ 21.Kd2 Kg8
22.Sa3 La2 (1.955.588.004) 35928

After 3...h5 (?, again not moving a pawn would make it longer at least as for 50 moves) :


4n1k1/2p1b1p1/1pPp1pP1/3P1p1p/1N3P1K/1p5P/bP3P2/8 w - -

Engine: SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx20 (32768 MB)
von Jonathan Kreuzer


83/89 0:29 +M43 4.Kg3 Lb1 5.f3 Lc2 6.Kf2 Ld1 7.Ke3 Ld8
8.Sd3 Lc2 9.Kd2 Lb1 10.Se1 La2
11.Kc1 Kf8 12.Sd3 Ke7 13.Sf2 Kf8
14.Sd1 Kg8 15.Sc3 Kf8 16.Kd2 Le7
17.Kd3 (801.017.836) 27310

After 3...Bb1! instead of the pawn- move, I'm not sure, if things work as well for White anymore at all, 4.Kg3 Bc2 and then? Black Bishop comes to d1, I'm not sure, if things work as well for White then anymore at all.

Didn't check closely from there onwards, because I don't see much sense in just making things more complicated by adding a bishop, that doesn't do anything but letting itself be taken and instead having the black King already walked to his Zurgwang- destination.
Let's wait for Hobacle's final version of an to me anyhow in orginal already quite beautiful piece.
For sure he'll find a way to have a mate in 150 avoing 50 moves 3 times

[Hobacle]

My original solution was like this:
[pgn]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. g6+ Kh8 2. Nb4 $1 (2. Na3 $2 2... Bxe7 3. f3 b5 $11) (2. Ne1 $2 2... Bb1 3.
f3 Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 $2 5... Be2 6. Bxd8 Bc4 $19) 2... Bb1 3. f3 (3. Bxd8
$2 3... Be4 4. Kh4 Bf3 $11) 3... Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 Bxe7 (5... Be2 6. Bxd8
$18) 6. Kf2 Kg8 7. Ke3 Kf8 8. Nd3 Bc2 (8... Kg8 9. Ne1 Bc2 10. Nxc2 $18) 9. Ne1
Bb1 10. Kd2 Kg8 11. Kc1 Ba2 12. Ng2 Kf8 13. Ne3 Kg8 14. Nf1 Kf8 15. Nd2 Kg8 16.
Kd1 Kf8 17. Ke2 Kg8 18. Kd3 Kf8 19. Kc4 Kg8 20. Kb5 Kf8 21. Ka6 Kg8 22. Kb7 Kf8
23. Kb8 (23. Kc8 $6 23... Kg8 24. Kd7 Kf8 25. h4 h5 26. Kc8 Kg8 27. Kb7 {is
slower}) 23... Bd8 24. Kc8 Ke7 25. h4 h5 26. Kb7 Kf8 27. Ka6 Ke7 28. Kb5 Kf8
29. Kc4 Ke7 30. Kd3 Kf8 31. Ke2 Ke7 32. Kd1 Kf8 33. Kc1 Ke7 34. Nf1 Kf8 35. Ng3
Ke7 36. Nxh5 Kf8 37. Ng3 Ke7 38. Nf1 Kf8 39. Nd2 Ke7 40. Kd1 Kf8 41. Ke2 Ke7
42. Kd3 Kf8 43. Kc4 Ke7 44. Kb5 Kf8 45. Ka6 Ke7 46. Kb7 Kf8 47. Kc8 Ke7 48. h5
b5 49. Kb7 Kf8 50. Ka6 Ke7 51. Kxb5 Kf8 52. Kc4 Ke7 53. Kc3 Kf8 54. Nc4 Bb1 55.
Na3 Ba2 56. Kb4 Ke7 57. Kb5 Kf8 58. Ka6 Ke7 59. Kb7 Kf8 60. Kb8 Be7 61. Kc8 Kg8
62. Kd7 Kf8 63. Nb5 Bb1 64. Nd4 Bd3 65. Ne6+ Kg8 66. Kxe8 Bc4 67. Kxe7 Bxd5 68.
Kd7 Bc4 69. Nxc7 d5 70. Ne6 Bb5 71. Nd4 Bxc6+ 72. Nxc6 Kf8 73. Nd4 Kg8 74. Ke7
Kh8 75. h6 Kg8 76. h7+ Kh8 77. Nxf5 d4 78. Nd6 d3 79. Nf7# 1-0[/pgn]

But later I realized that Nc3, Ka3 and then Nxa2 also win. When I claimed my mistake, Paloma had already posted his solution. It's sad.

Now I can only make the puzzle like this:
[pgn]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "4n3/2p1bkp1/1pPp1p1p/3P1PP1/3PK3/Np5P/bP6/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. g6+ Kf8 2. Kd3 Kg8 3. Kd2 Kf8 4. Kc1 Kg8 5. Nc4 Kf8 6. Nd2 Kg8 7. Kd1 Kf8 8.
Ke2 Kg8 9. Kd3 Kf8 10. Kc4 Kg8 11. Kb5 Kf8 12. Ka6 Kg8 13. Kb7 Kf8 14. Kb8 Bd8
15. Kc8 Ke7 16. h4 h5 17. Kb7 Kf8 18. Ka6 Ke7 19. Kb5 Kf8 20. Kc4 Ke7 21. Kd3
Kf8 22. Ke2 Ke7 23. Kd1 Kf8 24. Kc1 Ke7 25. Nf1 Kf8 26. Ng3 Ke7 27. Nxh5 Kf8
28. Ng3 Ke7 29. Nf1 Kf8 30. Nd2 Ke7 31. Kd1 Kf8 32. Ke2 Ke7 33. Kd3 Kf8 34. Kc4
Ke7 35. Kb5 Kf8 36. Ka6 Ke7 37. Kb7 Kf8 38. Kc8 Ke7 39. h5 b5 40. Kb7 Kf8 41.
Ka6 b4 42. Kb5 Be7 43. Kxb4 Bd8 44. Kc3 Be7 45. Kd3 Bd8 46. Ke2 Be7 47. Kd1 Bd8
48. Kc1 Be7 49. Ne4 Bd8 50. Nc3 Be7 51. Kd2 Bd8 52. Kd3 Be7 53. Kc4 Bd8 54. Kb4
Be7 55. Ka3 Bd8 56. Nxa2 bxa2 57. Kxa2 Be7 58. Kb3 Bd8 59. Kb4 Be7 60. Kb5 Bd8
61. Ka6 Be7 62. Kb7 Bd8 63. Kc8 Be7 64. Kd7 Kg8 65. Kxe8 Bf8 66. b4 Be7 67.
Kxe7 Kh8 68. b5 Kg8 69. b6 cxb6 70. c7 Kh8 71. c8=Q# 1-0[/pgn]

It's not so bad, but not so good as the earlier version.

[peter]

My original solution was like this:
[pgn]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. g6+ Kh8 2. Nb4 $1 (2. Na3 $2 2... Bxe7 3. f3 b5 $11) (2. Ne1 $2 2... Bb1 3.
f3 Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 $2 5... Be2 6. Bxd8 Bc4 $19) 2... Bb1 3. f3 (3. Bxd8
$2 3... Be4 4. Kh4 Bf3 $11) 3... Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 Bxe7 (5... Be2 6. Bxd8
$18) 6. Kf2 Kg8 7. Ke3 Kf8 8. Nd3 Bc2 (8... Kg8 9. Ne1 Bc2 10. Nxc2 $18) 9. Ne1
Bb1 10. Kd2 Kg8 11. Kc1 Ba2 12. Ng2 Kf8 13. Ne3 Kg8 14. Nf1 Kf8 15. Nd2 Kg8 16.
Kd1 Kf8 17. Ke2 Kg8 18. Kd3 Kf8 19. Kc4 Kg8 20. Kb5 Kf8 21. Ka6 Kg8 22. Kb7 Kf8
23. Kb8 (23. Kc8 $6 23... Kg8 24. Kd7 Kf8 25. h4 h5 26. Kc8 Kg8 27. Kb7 {is
slower}) 23... Bd8 24. Kc8 Ke7 25. h4 h5 26. Kb7 Kf8 27. Ka6 Ke7 28. Kb5 Kf8
29. Kc4 Ke7 30. Kd3 Kf8 31. Ke2 Ke7 32. Kd1 Kf8 33. Kc1 Ke7 34. Nf1 Kf8 35. Ng3
Ke7 36. Nxh5 Kf8 37. Ng3 Ke7 38. Nf1 Kf8 39. Nd2 Ke7 40. Kd1 Kf8 41. Ke2 Ke7
42. Kd3 Kf8 43. Kc4 Ke7 44. Kb5 Kf8 45. Ka6 Ke7 46. Kb7 Kf8 47. Kc8 Ke7 48. h5
b5 49. Kb7 Kf8 50. Ka6 Ke7 51. Kxb5 Kf8 52. Kc4 Ke7 53. Kc3 Kf8 54. Nc4 Bb1 55.
Na3 Ba2 56. Kb4 Ke7 57. Kb5 Kf8 58. Ka6 Ke7 59. Kb7 Kf8 60. Kb8 Be7 61. Kc8 Kg8
62. Kd7 Kf8 63. Nb5 Bb1 64. Nd4 Bd3 65. Ne6+ Kg8 66. Kxe8 Bc4 67. Kxe7 Bxd5 68.
Kd7 Bc4 69. Nxc7 d5 70. Ne6 Bb5 71. Nd4 Bxc6+ 72. Nxc6 Kf8 73. Nd4 Kg8 74. Ke7
Kh8 75. h6 Kg8 76. h7+ Kh8 77. Nxf5 d4 78. Nd6 d3 79. Nf7# 1-0[/pgn]

But later I realized that Nc3, Ka3 and then Nxa2 also win. When I claimed my mistake, Paloma had already posted his solution. It's sad.

Now I can only make the puzzle like this:
[pgn]
[Result "1-0"]
[FEN "4n3/2p1bkp1/1pPp1p1p/3P1PP1/3PK3/Np5P/bP6/8 w - - 0 1"]
[SetUp "1"]

1. g6+ Kf8 2. Kd3 Kg8 3. Kd2 Kf8 4. Kc1 Kg8 5. Nc4 Kf8 6. Nd2 Kg8 7. Kd1 Kf8 8.
Ke2 Kg8 9. Kd3 Kf8 10. Kc4 Kg8 11. Kb5 Kf8 12. Ka6 Kg8 13. Kb7 Kf8 14. Kb8 Bd8
15. Kc8 Ke7 16. h4 h5 17. Kb7 Kf8 18. Ka6 Ke7 19. Kb5 Kf8 20. Kc4 Ke7 21. Kd3
Kf8 22. Ke2 Ke7 23. Kd1 Kf8 24. Kc1 Ke7 25. Nf1 Kf8 26. Ng3 Ke7 27. Nxh5 Kf8
28. Ng3 Ke7 29. Nf1 Kf8 30. Nd2 Ke7 31. Kd1 Kf8 32. Ke2 Ke7 33. Kd3 Kf8 34. Kc4
Ke7 35. Kb5 Kf8 36. Ka6 Ke7 37. Kb7 Kf8 38. Kc8 Ke7 39. h5 b5 40. Kb7 Kf8 41.
Ka6 b4 42. Kb5 Be7 43. Kxb4 Bd8 44. Kc3 Be7 45. Kd3 Bd8 46. Ke2 Be7 47. Kd1 Bd8
48. Kc1 Be7 49. Ne4 Bd8 50. Nc3 Be7 51. Kd2 Bd8 52. Kd3 Be7 53. Kc4 Bd8 54. Kb4
Be7 55. Ka3 Bd8 56. Nxa2 bxa2 57. Kxa2 Be7 58. Kb3 Bd8 59. Kb4 Be7 60. Kb5 Bd8
61. Ka6 Be7 62. Kb7 Bd8 63. Kc8 Be7 64. Kd7 Kg8 65. Kxe8 Bf8 66. b4 Be7 67.
Kxe7 Kh8 68. b5 Kg8 69. b6 cxb6 70. c7 Kh8 71. c8=Q# 1-0[/pgn]

It's not so bad, but not so good as the earlier version.

I still like the original version by the original author most

You tend to make things too complicated for me, the positive side- effect is, it's getting too complicated for engines now and then too.
But then now and then they get too complicated for the composer too, don't they?
E.g at the first one version of yours, the duals aren't the only one problem, you didn't find the correct DTM neither so far, did you? Maybe you used too little hardware- engine- time on your own to check?

After the first 5 moves of your main line

3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - - 0 1

1. g6+ Kh8 2. Nb4 Bb1 3. f3 Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 Bxe7


[fen]4n2k/2p1b1p1/1pPp1pPp/3P1p2/1N3P2/1p3PKP/1P6/3b4 w - -[/fen]

Engine: SlowChess Blitz 2.9 avx20 (32768 MB)
von Jonathan Kreuzer


89/128 1:26 +M44 6.Kf2 h5 7.h4 Kg8 8.Ke3 Ld8 9.Sd3 Lc2
10.Kd2 Lb1 11.Sf2 La2 12.Sd1 b5
13.Kc1 Le7 14.Sc3 b4 15.Sb1 Kf8
16.Sd2 Ld8 17.Kd1 Le7 18.Ke2 Kg8
19.Kd3 (2.156.521.776) 24930

Whole line of output continued to mate would look like this then


[pgn][Event "?"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2022.12.24"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Hobacle"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "1-0"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3bn3/2p1B1pk/1pPp1p1p/3P1pPK/5P2/1p5P/bPN2P2/8 w - -"]

1. g6+ Kh8 2. Nb4 Bb1 3. f3 Bc2 4. Kh4 Bd1 5. Kg3 Bxe7
6. Kf2 h5 7. h4 Kg8 8. Ke3 Bd8 9. Nd3 Bc2 10. Kd2 Bb1
11. Nf2 Ba2 12. Nd1 b5 13. Kc1 Be7 14. Nc3 b4 15. Nb1 Kf8
16. Nd2 Bd8 17. Kd1 Be7 18. Ke2 Kg8 19. Kd3 Kf8 20. Kd4 Bd8
21. Kc4 Be7 22. Kxb4 Bd8 23. Kc3 Be7 24. Nc4 Bb1 25. Na3
Ba2 26. Kc4 Bd8 27. Kb5 Ke7 28. Ka6 Kf8 29. Kb7 Be7 30. Kc8
Kg8 31. Kd7 Kf8 32. Nb5 Bb1 33. Nd4 Bd3 34. Ne6+ Kg8
35. Kxe7 Bc4 36. Kxe8 Bxd5 37. Kd7 Bxf3 38. Kxc7 Kh8
39. Kxd6 Bxc6 40. Kxc6 Kg8 41. Kc7 Kh8 42. Nd4 Kg8 43. Nxf5
Kh8 44. Kd6 Kg8 45. Ke7 Kh8 46. Nh6 gxh6 47. Kf8 f5 48. g7+
Kh7 49. g8=Q# 1/2-1/2[/pgn]

After having made this with rather quick Backward of your .pgn only, I guess there could well be some more moves to be spared for best DTM. On the other hand I still don't trust in the first move neither to be best ones, as well as there were detours later on, there could be already some shortcuts at the very start hidden. Too much hardware- time fo me necessary once in a while again, to get output with best DTM from the very start.

Anyhow thanks for showing some more ways to deal with the oringal theme, even if, as I already said, I find it the clearer for human player the more beautiful, but that's a matter of taste of course, happy_holidays_regards,

[Hobacle]

I still like the original version by the original author most

You tend to make things too complicated for me, the positive side- effect is, it's getting too complicated for engines now and then too.
But then now and then they get too complicated for the composer too, don't they?
E.g at the first one version of yours, the duals aren't the only one problem, you didn't find the correct DTM neither so far, did you? Maybe you used too little hardware- engine- time on your own to check?

That line is compIetely provided by myself. I hadn't used engines to check the DTM, because it must be correct if there's only one way to win(Ne6). After another way to win(Nxa2) was found, I knew the DTM must be shorter. I'm just not interested in finding the DTM of the unsound version.

[peter]

That line is compIetely provided by myself. I hadn't used engines to check the DTM, because it must be correct if there's only one way to win

But the SlowChess- line I gave, is about 20 moves shorter then the one after the first 5 moves of yours, you saw?
Engines of today tend to have detours in their lines to mate with longer DsTM still, but very rarely give too short ones. so I'd bet, SlowChess' line is rather correct then yours is.
Nevermind, I'm on your side not to take versions of puzzles not as good as other one versions of them too crucial

[Hobacle]

[fen]4n3/2p1b1pk/1pPp1pNp/3P1PP1/3P4/Np5P/bP6/3K4 w - - 0 1[/fen]

My personal final version.