Searching for Bobby Fischer

#1 December 4th 03, 07:15 PM

On Thu, 04 Dec 2003 16:32:52 GMT, (Sam Sloan)
wrote:

In the movie "Searching for Bobby Fischer", Bruce Pandolfini shows
Josh a chess problem. He tells Josh to solve the problem without
moving the pieces. When Josh complains that he cannot solve it
without
moving the pieces, Bruce sweeps the pieces off the board and says
that
now he must solve it in his head without even seeing the pieces.

I have just replayed the video and figured out the problem. In this
problem, White has a king on c7, a queen on d6, a rook on e6, a
bishop
on e8 and a knight on b6.

Black has a king on a7, a pawn b7, a queen on a3, a pawn on e3 and a
bishop on b2.

The problem is mate in four.

Actually, it is not a good problem, because it has three solutions.
One solution is 1. Qxa3+ Bxa3 2. Nc8+ Ka8 3. Ra6+ bxa6 4. Bc6# mate.

Another solution is 1. Nc8+ Ka8 2. Qxa3 Bxa3 3. Rxa6+ bxa6 4. Bc6
mate.

Finally, the best solution is Nc8+ Ka8 2. Qa6+ ! Qxa6 3. Rxa6+ bxa6
4.
Bc6# mate.

In the movie, Josh says Nc8 is the solution, and Bruce Pandolfini
rewards him by giving him points towards a master's certificate.

I am surprised that the problem is such a poor one.

Didn't you just say above you thought the problem was a good one? Now
you say it was a poor one. Did you take your medicine today?

Of course, this is
just a movie and Josh, who is seven years old in the movie, could not
be expected to solve a more difficult problem, but I am surprised
that
the real Bruce Pandolfini, who composed the problems used in this
movie, did noit realize that I would take it apart.

So you think that 4 move problems are too easy for 7 year olds? Yes
in every conversation I ever had with Bruce about the movie, he
remarked about how he wasn't sure how long it would take for Sam Sloan
to figure out a problem he devised in a movie.

I had to freeze the frame where the movie actor playing Bruce
Pandolfini sweeps the pieces off the board before I could see clearly
the pawn on 3e.

The problem has several faults. Not only are there three solutions,
but the black bishop on b2 and the black pawn on e3 serve no purpose.

In many problems the majority of the pieces on the board are not
directly serving a purpose, other than helping to disguise the
problem.

The problem could have been made much better simply by moving the
black queen on a3 to a2. With this change, only solution number 3
above would have worked.

Sam Sloan

It's a movie Sam. Have lots of time on your hands now that you're
not working? Doesn't your daughter need a diaper change or something
Sam?

Best Regards,

Bruce

#2 December 5th 03, 07:40 PM

(Bruce Draney) wrote in message . com...

The problem has several faults. Not only are there three solutions,
but the black bishop on b2 and the black pawn on e3 serve no purpose.

In many problems the majority of the pieces on the board are not
directly serving a purpose, other than helping to disguise the
problem.

It depends. If you look at the problems in "Key Krackers" or any
other problem column, you can bet that every piece is there for a
purpose. Even if the purpose is only to prevent extra solutions. You
can't even get your foot in the door if you add extra pieces. That
esthetic has been part of the problem composition world for over a
hundred years.

Same goes for endgame studies such as you see in "Benko's Bafflers".

On the other hand, if you look in collections of tactical exercises,
you see game-like positions where most of the pieces are not critical
to the success or failure of the combination you're supposed to find;
they're just there to make the position look like it could have been a
real game. (Or they're there because the position WAS a real game.)
If that's the kind of puzzle you're thinking of, then you're right.
But the position that Sloan is describing from the movie sounds more
like a composed problem.

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