Chess Puzzle Generator

Main

Date: 19 Oct 2006 11:35:47
From: Chris
Subject: Chess Puzzle Generator

Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.

For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it would
create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
would create 10 positions with mates in 3.

Anything like this exist?

Thanks

Chris

Date: 27 Oct 2006 21:14:02
From: John Sloan
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

"Chris" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
>
> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it
> would create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and
> 3 it would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?
>
> Thanks

Here's a good site for interactive tactical problems, some of them mates. I
like this one because the problems are mixed up; that is, you have to figure
out the tactics involved, which makes it more realistic. It doesn't tell
you "pin" or "skewer" or "mate in 2" up front.

http://chess.emrald.net/

Watch out with being overly concerned about achieving a higher rating at
first. Ratings are based on how fast you solve the puzzle, but your
accuracy is also measured ("75.8%" right, etc). At the end of a logn
session I'm more concerned with how many I got right than whether my
rating's any higher). Over time I figure my speed will increase to match my
accuracy, but only if I "get" the tactics consistently first.

John Sloan

Date: 25 Oct 2006 23:15:34
From: Michael Vondung
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

On Thu, 19 Oct 2006 11:35:47 GMT, Chris wrote:

> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.

Not exactly what you are looking for, but not far from it:

http://www.chessproblems.com

M.

Date: 25 Oct 2006 05:37:50
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

fhub schrieb:

> Michel Van der Stappen schrieb:
>
> > the link seems to be broken; tried several times...
> >
> > ....
> > http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip
>
> Well, I thought it wont be needed any longer, so I=B4ve
> removed the file.
> But now it=B4s here again - just retry to download ...

File has been moved to a temporary folder -
use the following new link:
http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/temp/MateTest.zip

Date: 24 Oct 2006 06:45:55
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Michel Van der Stappen schrieb:

> the link seems to be broken; tried several times...
>
> ....
> http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip

Well, I thought it wont be needed any longer, so I=B4ve
removed the file.
But now it=B4s here again - just retry to download ...

Date: 20 Oct 2006 14:04:34
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Well, I=B4ve just found the position with K4 -
it=B4s simply after the 4th white move in your mainline:

1=2E Qxg6+ Kxg6 2. Bd3+ Kh5 3. g4+ Kxg4 4. Rg1+

The black king has 3 possible moves 4... Kh5,
4=2E.. Kf4 and 4... Kh3 - and with his own current
square (g4) this gives a total of 4 king squares,
i=2Ee. K4! :-)

Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 13:45:14
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

[email protected] schrieb:

> Well thanks, i understand everything now and one thing more:
> Does K=3D3 for example, means that Chest will try to search only these
> white moves that lead to positions that black King will have at most 2
> squares to go? Did i get it right?

Yes, that=B4s indeed right!
A bit more in detail: Chest only makes such moves, that black has
no more than 2 possible king moves in EVERY possible continuation,
even if it would be a =B4worse=B4 (i.e. shorter) mate for black.

> Also yes there may be a variation different from the mainline i gave,
> where black may has another move that will give its King 3 possible
> moves but unfortunately i DO NOT see such a move! The variations with
> different King moves or other moves that affect King moves, are not
> really so many so it is easy to see that.
>
> For example:
> 1. Qxg6+ Kxg6 2. Bd3+ Kh5 3. g4+ Kxg4 4. Rg1+ Kh3 (4... Kf4 5. Nc2) 5.
> Bf1+ Kh2
> 6. Bg3+ Kxg1 7. Ra1 Ra8 8. Rb1 Ra1 9. Rxa1 Ra8 10. Rb1 Ra1 11. Rxa1 Qa7
> 12. Rb1
> Qa3+ 13. Kxa3 f2 14. Bh3+ f1=3DQ 15. Rxf1# 1-0
>
> So what is happening?!? Can you find this K=3D4 position?

Well, if YOU (and I too) don=B4t find such a possible solution, it
doesn=B4t
mean that such a variation doesn=B4t exist.
Have you seen the parameter X47 in Chest=B4s soluion?
This means that (at least in some point of the solution tree) there are
47 possible moves for black - I hope you understand now, why I really
don=B4t like to look especially for the (maybe only one of several
thousands)
variation with K4 ... ;-)
(it=B4s easier to simply believe in Chest :-))

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 10:52:05
From:
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

> >
> > BUT i guess 1st move for black is a K3 right?
>
> Exactly - the black king has 2 moves and so 3 squares! :-)
>
> > So logically if i put now K=3D3 instead of K=3D4 it will solve it faste=
r=2E
> > But NO! This isn't happening again. Why....?
>
> No - your above solution may be ONE special mainline, where indeed the
> black king has only a maximum of 2 moves (i.e. K3), BUT somewhere
> in your solution there exists any other defension for black (i.e. an
> other
> black move), which would lead to a totally different mainline, and in
> THIS
> mainline anywhere black has 3 king moves, and so K4 is necessary!
> I don=B4t want to go through the complete solution tree (probably
> thousands
> of variations!), but of course Chest does it, and so it knows, that
> such a
> K4 position exists!
>

Well thanks, i understand everything now and one thing more:
Does K=3D3 for example, means that Chest will try to search only these
white moves that lead to positions that black King will have at most 2
squares to go? Did i get it right?

Also yes there may be a variation different from the mainline i gave,
where black may has another move that will give its King 3 possible
moves but unfortunately i DO NOT see such a move! The variations with
different King moves or other moves that affect King moves, are not
really so many so it is easy to see that.

For example:
1=2E Qxg6+ Kxg6 2. Bd3+ Kh5 3. g4+ Kxg4 4. Rg1+ Kh3 (4... Kf4 5. Nc2) 5.
Bf1+ Kh2
6=2E Bg3+ Kxg1 7. Ra1 Ra8 8. Rb1 Ra1 9. Rxa1 Ra8 10. Rb1 Ra1 11. Rxa1 Qa7
12. Rb1
Qa3+ 13. Kxa3 f2 14. Bh3+ f1=3DQ 15. Rxf1# 1-0

So what is happening?!? Can you find this K=3D4 position?

Thanks anyway.....

Date: 20 Oct 2006 07:11:04
From: [email protected]
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Chris wrote:
> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
>
> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it would
> create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
> would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?
>
> Thanks
>
> Chris

No such program, as far as I know. But, Polgar has a great book:

<a
href=http://www.amazon.com/Chess-5334-Problems-Combinations-Games/dp/1579125549/sr=8-1/qid=1161353212/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-4412766-1323309?ie=UTF8 >Chess:
5334 Problems, Combinations and Games</a >

All mates in 1, 2 or 3 moves, plus some game snippets.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 06:33:42
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Chris schrieb:

> Thanks man. But I'm not familiar with this notation? Is this something I
> can enter into a program or do I just need to learn to read it?
>
> Thanks
> Chris

I=B4ve already answered by Email ...

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 06:30:09
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

[email protected] schrieb:

> Oh ok, then now it's clear..... But 2 more questions:
> 1)What if i do NOT want ChestUCI to take the parameters from its
> EPD-database and only to accept mine? What do i have to do....?

Maybe you should have a look at ChestUCI=B4s options - there=B4s
something
like =B4UseDatabase=B4 in the menu of UCI options ... ;-)

> 2)Do you mean that whatever parameters i put for this position it will
> still have its own taken from the EPD-database?
> This can't be true since when i change the K, the solution time
> changes, so something else is happenning.....

Well, even with =B4UseDatabase=3DON=B4, ChestUCI only takes those values
from its database, which are set to 0 (zero) in the UCI options menu -
if you manually enter an other value ( >0), then this value has priority
over the database value.
(and of course by switching OFF =B4UseDatabase=B4 ChestUCI ignores all
parameters already existing in the database).

> This is what i thought it would be a K2 solution:
> 1. Qxg6+ Kxg6 2. Bd3+ Kh5 3. g4+ Kxg4 4. Rg1+ Kh3 5. Bf1+ Kh2 6. Bg3+
> Kxg1 7.
> Ra1 Ra8 8. Rb1 Ra1 9. Rxa1 Ra8 10. Rb1 Ra1 11. Rxa1 Qa7 12. Rb1 Qa3+
> 13. Kxa3
> f2 14. Bh3+ f1=3DQ 15. Rxf1# 1-0
>
> BUT i guess 1st move for black is a K3 right?

Exactly - the black king has 2 moves and so 3 squares! :-)

> So logically if i put now K=3D3 instead of K=3D4 it will solve it faster.
> But NO! This isn't happening again. Why....?

No - your above solution may be ONE special mainline, where indeed the
black king has only a maximum of 2 moves (i.e. K3), BUT somewhere
in your solution there exists any other defension for black (i.e. an
other
black move), which would lead to a totally different mainline, and in
THIS
mainline anywhere black has 3 king moves, and so K4 is necessary!
I don=B4t want to go through the complete solution tree (probably
thousands
of variations!), but of course Chest does it, and so it knows, that
such a
K4 position exists!

I know, it=B4s not so easy to fully understand the mode of action of all
those special parameters in ChestUCI ... ;-)

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 03:49:00
From:
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

>
> >Also a question:
> >1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - 0 1
> >Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/4/0/0 solves it
> >immediately (0.6 sec)
>
> 0.6 sec is absolutely impossible with ONLY a parameter K4 (except you
> have a CPU with 1000 GHz ;-)).
> Since this mate problem is already in my database ChestUCI.epd
> (with the parameters C0/R1/K4/P11/X47), ChestUCI automatically takes
> ALL values from this database even if you ONLY enter K4 manually
> (in Special mode)! So it=B4s clear how you get your time of 0.6 sec ...

Oh ok, then now it's clear..... But 2 more questions:
1)What if i do NOT want ChestUCI to take the parameters from its
EPD-database and only to accept mine? What do i have to do....?
2)Do you mean that whatever parameters i put for this position it will
still have its own taken from the EPD-database?
This can't be true since when i change the K, the solution time
changes, so something else is happenning.....

>
> >Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/2/0/0 does not
> >solve it after 30 seconds(i don't keep it more since i find it odd).
> >And here is the odd because the mate in this problem has a series of
> >moves where the black King has only 1 square it can go after a move by
> >white, so K=3D2 would be the optimal setting, but it isn't?!?!? Why?
>
> Well, Chest simply doesn=B4t solve it with K2 because there IS NO
> solution
> with K2 (at least not a #15)!
> If you believe you=B4ve found such a K2- solution, then please post it
> here, and I=B4ll have a look at it (or in other words: I=B4ll show you,
> where this =B4solution=B4 is not correct, i.e. allows more than only 1
> possible king move).

This is what i thought it would be a K2 solution:
1=2E Qxg6+ Kxg6 2. Bd3+ Kh5 3. g4+ Kxg4 4. Rg1+ Kh3 5. Bf1+ Kh2 6. Bg3+
Kxg1 7.
Ra1 Ra8 8. Rb1 Ra1 9. Rxa1 Ra8 10. Rb1 Ra1 11. Rxa1 Qa7 12. Rb1 Qa3+
13. Kxa3
f2 14. Bh3+ f1=3DQ 15. Rxf1# 1-0

BUT i guess 1st move for black is a K3 right?

So logically if i put now K=3D3 instead of K=3D4 it will solve it faster.
But NO! This isn't happening again. Why....?

>
> >Also which are the perfect(that solve it in less time) parameters for
> >this mate problem?
> >Automatic,Special C/R/K/P/X=3D?????, etc what?
>
> This is what the ChestUCI database says:
> 1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - bm #15;
> 00:04 @ C0/R1/K4/P11/X47;
>
> You get this optimum solution automatically in Special-mode (ChestUCI
> already knows these values from its database), or also in
> AutoTurbo-mode
> (where ChestUCI finds the values by itself).
>=20
> Regards,
> Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 01:45:24
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

[email protected] schrieb:

> =CE=9F/=CE=97 fhub =CE=AD=CE=B3=CF=81=CE=B1=CF=88=CE=B5:
>You beloved Chest again, is behind this? How this thing works?
>It creates random positions with the parameters specified, and Chest
>checks to see if there is a mate and if there isn't it just creates
>another position and so on? Or it works with another way?

No, this program MateTest is not written by me and has absolutely
nothing
to do with Chest - I=C2=B4ve found it on Dann Corbit=C2=B4s FTP-server long
time
ago, and just have put it on my download page for Chris to get it,
because Dann=C2=B4s server doesn=C2=B4t work most of the time.
But you=C2=B4re right - it randomly creates positions and checks them for
a mate in 1, 2 or 3 (but with an other integrated mate solving routine,
not with Chest).

>Also a question:
>1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - 0 1
>Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/4/0/0 solves it
>immediately (0.6 sec)

0=2E6 sec is absolutely impossible with ONLY a parameter K4 (except you
have a CPU with 1000 GHz ;-)).
Since this mate problem is already in my database ChestUCI.epd
(with the parameters C0/R1/K4/P11/X47), ChestUCI automatically takes
ALL values from this database even if you ONLY enter K4 manually
(in Special mode)! So it=C2=B4s clear how you get your time of 0.6 sec ...

>Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/2/0/0 does not
>solve it after 30 seconds(i don't keep it more since i find it odd).
>And here is the odd because the mate in this problem has a series of
>moves where the black King has only 1 square it can go after a move by
>white, so K=3D2 would be the optimal setting, but it isn't?!?!? Why?

Well, Chest simply doesn=C2=B4t solve it with K2 because there IS NO
solution
with K2 (at least not a #15)!
If you believe you=C2=B4ve found such a K2- solution, then please post it
here, and I=C2=B4ll have a look at it (or in other words: I=C2=B4ll show yo=
u,
where this =C2=B4solution=C2=B4 is not correct, i.e. allows more than only 1
possible king move).

>Also which are the perfect(that solve it in less time) parameters for
>this mate problem?
>Automatic,Special C/R/K/P/X=3D?????, etc what?

This is what the ChestUCI database says:
1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - bm #15;
00:04 @ C0/R1/K4/P11/X47;

You get this optimum solution automatically in Special-mode (ChestUCI
already knows these values from its database), or also in
AutoTurbo-mode
(where ChestUCI finds the values by itself).

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 20 Oct 2006 02:00:49
From: Ange1o DePa1ma
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Oh, I get it. You want a program where you can input 20/3/b7/bQ/wC/Th and it
will spit back 20 positions with mate in 3 delivered by a piece on b7,
specifically the black Queen, from games where White's name begins with a C,
with the game played on Thursday?

Sorry, there is no such program.

Why don't you write ChessBase GmbH with that suggestion. I'm sure they'll
accommodate you.

"Chris" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
>
> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it
> would create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and
> 3 it would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?
>
> Thanks
>
> Chris
>

Date: 19 Oct 2006 17:14:29
From:
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

When i copy the position, a space is entered before it, for no
particular reason so if you can't enter it then you know what's the
problem! Just remove the space.....

1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - 0 1

Date: 19 Oct 2006 17:08:44
From:
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

=CE=9F/=CE=97 fhub =CE=AD=CE=B3=CF=81=CE=B1=CF=88=CE=B5:
> Chris schrieb:
>
> > Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in =
1,
> > mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
> >
> > For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it w=
ould
> > create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
> > would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
> >
> > Anything like this exist?
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Chris
>
> Hi Chris,
>
> here=C2=B4s exactly what you=C2=B4re looking for: :-)
>
> http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip
>

You beloved Chest again, is behind this? How this thing works?
It creates random positions with the parameters specified, and Chest
checks to see if there is a mate and if there isn't it just creates
another position and so on? Or it works with another way?

Also a question:
1r4r1/3q1npk/2b1pbnp/Rp1p4/1N1P3P/2PQ1pP1/1K3B2/5B1R w - - 0 1

Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/4/0/0 solves it
immediately (0.6 sec)

Chest UCI 4.4 with:Special mode and C/R/K/P/X =3D 0/0/2/0/0 does not
solve it after 30 seconds(i don't keep it more since i find it odd).
And here is the odd because the mate in this problem has a series of
moves where the black King has only 1 square it can go after a move by
white, so K=3D2 would be the optimal setting, but it isn't?!?!? Why?

Also which are the perfect(that solve it in less time) parameters for
this mate problem?
Automatic,Special C/R/K/P/X=3D?????, etc what?

Date: 19 Oct 2006 07:25:28
From: fhub
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Chris schrieb:

> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
>
> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it wou=
ld
> create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
> would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?
>
> Thanks
>
> Chris

Hi Chris,

here=B4s exactly what you=B4re looking for: :-)

http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 24 Oct 2006 14:54:16
From: Michel Van der Stappen
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

the link seems to be broken; tried several times...

....
http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip

Date: 20 Oct 2006 12:30:10
From: Chris
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Thanks man. But I'm not familiar with this notation? Is this something I
can enter into a program or do I just need to learn to read it?

Thanks

Chris

"fhub" <[email protected] > wrote in message
news:[email protected]...

Chris schrieb:

> Does anyone know of a chess puzzle generator? I'm looking for mate in 1,
> mate in 2, mate in 3 type puzzles.
>
> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it
> would
> create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
> would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?
>
> Thanks
>
> Chris

Hi Chris,

here�s exactly what you�re looking for: :-)

http://www.geocities.com/fhub55/chess/MateTest.zip

Regards,
Franz.

Date: 19 Oct 2006 13:19:52
From: Anders Thulin
Subject: Re: Chess Puzzle Generator

Chris wrote:

> For example I would like a program where I can input 500 and 1 and it would
> create 500 positions where I could mate in 1. If I entered 10 and 3 it
> would create 10 positions with mates in 3.
>
> Anything like this exist?

Not sure what you mean by 'generate'. There are chess databases where
I'm fairly certain you can search for that type of positions ... is
that what you're looking for?

>
> Thanks
>
> Chris
>
>

--
Anders Thulin ath*algonet.se http://www.algonet.se/~ath