Hello:
I composed today an easy problem for engines, but with a quite funny pattern to me. There are surely other problems like this out there, but I am not aware of any —any pointing to such a problem is welcome—. The idea came up from a real blitz game that I lost today, with different material imbalance, place of some pieces and so on; the checkmate was not played indeed —lose on time when I realised that I blundered while being up in material—, nonetheless it was a variant that showed up when analyzing and ready to be played or being toyed with the checkmating pattern, so I arranged a balanced position material-wise (KQP vs. kqpppp, GBR code +4010.14a7a4). Easy challenge: can you solve it on your own?
[d]8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/3Q4/8 w - - 0 1
[pgn][Event "Dancing Queen"]
[Site "Madrid (Spain)"]
[Date "2025/05/17"]
[White ""]
[Black ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/3Q4/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "15"]
1. Qd4+ Ka3 (1... Kb5 2.Qb4#) 2. Qb4+ Ka2 3. Qa5+ Kb1 (3... Qa4 4. Qxa4+ Kb1 5. Qxb3+ Kc1 6. Qb2+ Kd1 7. Qd2#) 4. Qa1+ Kc2 5. Qb2+ Kd3 (5... Kd1 6. Qd2#) 6. Qd2+ Kc4 7. Qd4+ Kb5 8. Qb4# 1-0[/pgn]
------------
The theme of the solution remembered me to the very famous song by ABBA, hence the title of the thread.
It also came on-topic because Q+B winning side also resembles a typical, regional dance in Madrid (Spain) called chotis, where the man (here the bishop) stands at a point and the woman (here the queen) dances around him (sample video of chotis). I say this is on-topic because it is traditionally danced on May 15th, a local holyday in Madrid (San Isidro Labrador, city's patron saint), which was two days ago.
Regards from Spain.
Ajedrecista.
Dancing Queen.
Moderator: Ras
-
Ajedrecista
- Posts: 2150
- Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2011 9:04 pm
- Location: Madrid, Spain.
-
Dann Corbit
- Posts: 12803
- Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:57 pm
- Location: Redmond, WA USA
Re: Dancing Queen.
It's one of those things where you think you have seen something like that, but I could not find any.
So, using a tool written by a friend of mine, I made a collection of them that includes yours:
So, using a tool written by a friend of mine, I made a collection of them that includes yours:
Code: Select all
3Q4/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/8/8 w - - acn 6375374; acs 5; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS4"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P1Q3/k3p3/1pB5/8/8 w - - acn 3730760; acs 3; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS5"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p3Q1/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/8/8 w - - acn 1102116; acs 1; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS7"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
7Q/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/8/8 w - - acn 1780457; acs 1; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS8"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB1Q3/8/8 w - - acn 6501664; acs 5; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS9"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/5Q2/8 w - - acn 2341425; acs 2; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS10"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/8/6Q1 w - - acn 2445723; acs 2; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS11"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pBQ4/8/8 w - - acn 298083; acs 0; bm Qc4+ Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS12"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/3Q4/8 w - - acn 247835; acs 0; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS13"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/8/3Q4 w - - acn 502282; acs 0; bm Qd4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1aS14"; pv Qd4+ Ka3 Bb2+ Ka2 Bc1 Qxc5+ Qxc5 b2 Qc2 Ka3 Qxb2+ Ka4 Kxa6 e3 Qa3#;
4Q3/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/8 w - - acn 6341382; acs 5; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS4"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/3Q1P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/8 w - - acn 3740968; acs 3; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS5"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/1Q3p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/8 w - - acn 993818; acs 1; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS7"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
Q7/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/8 w - - acn 1805442; acs 1; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS8"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/3Q1Bp1/8/8 w - - acn 6664173; acs 5; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS9"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/2Q5/8 w - - acn 2332834; acs 2; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS10"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/1Q6 w - - acn 2669778; acs 2; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS11"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/4QBp1/8/8 w - - acn 294677; acs 0; bm Qe4+ Qf4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS12"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/4Q3/8 w - - acn 241478; acs 0; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS13"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/5p1K/5q1p/5P2/3p3k/5Bp1/8/4Q3 w - - acn 519442; acs 0; bm Qe4+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1bS14"; pv Qe4+ Kh3 Bg2+ Kh2 Bf1 Qxf5+ Qxf5 g2 Qf2 Kh3 Qxg2+ Kh4 Kxh6 f6 Qh3#;
8/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/3q4 b - - acn 6783777; acs 5; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS4"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p1q3/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 3758105; acs 3; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS5"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P3q1/8 b - - acn 1174377; acs 1; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS7"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/7q b - - acn 1803731; acs 1; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS8"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/1Pb1q3/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 6823697; acs 5; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS9"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/5q2/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 2321504; acs 2; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS10"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
6q1/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 2574198; acs 2; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS11"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/1Pbq4/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 276295; acs 0; bm Qc5+ Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS12"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/3q4/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 240967; acs 0; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS13"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
3q4/8/1Pb5/K3P3/2p5/P1Q5/k1P5/8 b - - acn 574786; acs 0; bm Qd5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1cS14"; pv Qd5+ Ka6 Bb7+ Ka7 Bc8 Qxc4+ Qxc4 b7 Qc7 Ka6 Qxb7+ Ka5 Kxa3 e6 Qb4#;
8/8/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/4q3 b - - acn 5904385; acs 4; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS4"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/8/5bP1/3P3K/3q1p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 3662257; acs 3; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS5"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/8/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/1q3P1k/8 b - - acn 933672; acs 1; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS7"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/8/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/q7 b - - acn 1770479; acs 1; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS8"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/8/3q1bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 6530670; acs 5; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS9"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/2q5/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 2268403; acs 2; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS10"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
1q6/8/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 2516374; acs 2; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS11"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/8/4qbP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 303452; acs 0; bm Qe5+ Qf5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS12"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
8/4q3/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 247510; acs 0; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS13"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
4q3/8/5bP1/3P3K/5p2/5Q1P/5P1k/8 b - - acn 418475; acs 0; bm Qe5+; ce 32752; dm 8; id "P1dS14"; pv Qe5+ Kh6 Bg7+ Kh7 Bf8 Qxf4+ Qxf4 g7 Qf7 Kh6 Qxg7+ Kh5 Kxh3 f3 Qh6#;
Taking ideas is not a vice, it is a virtue. We have another word for this. It is called learning.
But sharing ideas is an even greater virtue. We have another word for this. It is called teaching.
But sharing ideas is an even greater virtue. We have another word for this. It is called teaching.
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Dann Corbit
- Posts: 12803
- Joined: Wed Mar 08, 2006 8:57 pm
- Location: Redmond, WA USA
Re: Dancing Queen.
I put a tag on those positions of "Queen orbit"
Taking ideas is not a vice, it is a virtue. We have another word for this. It is called learning.
But sharing ideas is an even greater virtue. We have another word for this. It is called teaching.
But sharing ideas is an even greater virtue. We have another word for this. It is called teaching.
-
towforce
- Posts: 12642
- Joined: Thu Mar 09, 2006 12:57 am
- Location: Birmingham UK
- Full name: Graham Laight
Re: Dancing Queen.
Ajedrecista wrote: ↑Sat May 17, 2025 8:14 pm[pgn][Event "Dancing Queen"]
[Site "Madrid (Spain)"]
[Date "2025/05/17"]
[White ""]
[Black ""]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/K1p5/p1q5/2P5/k3p3/1pB5/3Q4/8 w - - 0 1"]
[Result "1-0"]
[PlyCount "15"]
1. Qd4+ Ka3 (1... Kb5 2.Qb4#) 2. Qb4+ Ka2 3. Qa5+ Kb1 (3... Qa4 4. Qxa4+ Kb1 5. Qxb3+ Kc1 6. Qb2+ Kd1 7. Qd2#) 4. Qa1+ Kc2 5. Qb2+ Kd3 (5... Kd1 6. Qd2#) 6. Qd2+ Kc4 7. Qd4+ Kb5 8. Qb4# 1-0[/pgn]
Very aesthetic mate: here's the music to accompany it - and by playing it, you're helping it into the billion club (986 million views right now):
Human chess is partly about tactics and strategy, but mostly about memory