Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Cecil's Saturday Puzzle - October 4, 2014

From the Winnipeg Free Press
a help double stalemate in 12 1/2 moves. (Bodnar)
Cecil Rosner writes:
  "I'll admit: this may be the the most unusual problem I have ever published.
  It is composed by Zoltan Bodnar of Winnipeg as a tribute to singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen on the occasion of Cohen's 80th birthday last month. Bodnar, a prolific problem composer, calls it Five Queens for Mr. Cohen.
  The idea is for White to move first (the first move is forced) and then to help Black reach a position where nothing can move - effectively, a double stalemate.
  I do not expect anyone to be able to solve this one..."

Oct 18 column indicates Answered by Myron Samsin. 1 Kxb3 Rxa4 2. Bxc3 Rxa5 3.Bxa5 Qf5xa5 4. g8B Qc3 5. Kxc3 Qd4 6. Kxd4 Qe5 7.Kxe5 Qf6 8. Kxf6 Kh4 9, Kg7 Kg5 10. Kh8 Kf6 11. f4 Ke7 12. f5 Kf8 13. f6




2 comments:

*as* said...

Was the solution ever published in the newspaper?

MJS said...

It was, actually, in the very next column. I still have the clipping at home somewhere. Being, uh, the guy that solved it :)