Page:Amusements in mathematics.djvu/118

106 is how to checkmate Black in the fewest possible moves with No. 8 rook, the other rooks being left in numerical order round the sides of their square with the break between 1 and 7.

349.—STALEMATE. years ago the puzzle was proposed to construct an imaginary game of chess, in which White shall be stalemated in the fewest possible moves with all the thirty-two pieces on the board. Can you build up such a position in fewer than twenty moves?

350.—THE FORSAKEN KING. up the position shown in the diagram. Then the condition of the puzzle is—White to play and checkmate in six moves. Notwithstanding the complexities, I will show how the



manner of play may be condensed into quite a few lines, merely stating here that the first two moves of White cannot be varied.

351.—THE CRUSADER. following is a prize puzzle propounded by me some years ago. Produce a game of chess which, after sixteen moves, shall leave White with all his sixteen men on their original squares and Black in possession of his king alone (not necessarily on his own square). White is then to force mate in three moves.

352.—IMMOVABLE PAWNS. from the ordinary arrangement of the pieces as for a game, what is the smallest possible number of moves necessary in order to arrive at the following position? The moves for both sides must, of course, be played strictly in accordance with the rules of the game, though the result will necessarily be a very weird kind of chess.



353.—THIRTY-SIX MATES. the remaining eight White pieces in such a position that White shall have the choice of thirty-six different mates on the move.



Every move that checkmates and leaves a different position is a different mate. The pieces already placed must not be moved.

354.—AN AMAZING DILEMMA. a game of chess between Mr. Black and Mr. White, Black was in difficulties, and as usual was obliged to catch a train. So he proposed that White should complete the game in his absence on condition that no moves whatever