Chess Problems, Set 3: Checkmate in Two Moves

The theme for this problem set is pins: situations in which a piece cannot move, because it screens a player’s king from check. (Under the rules of chess, you’re never allowed to make a move that puts your own king in check.)

In this simplified position, for example, Black’s rook, bishop, and pawn are all pinned:

[SetUp “1”]
[FEN “3R2rk/6p1/7b/6Q1/3B4/8/r3q4/6KR w – – 0 1”]
[Result “*”]

So White can play either

  • rook takes bishop, checkmate!
  • queen takes bishop, checkmate! or, most dramatically,
  • queen takes pawn, checkmate!

In each case, Black can’t recapture, because the pieces needed to do the job are pinned. So near, and yet so far! (Do you see why, after White plays queen takes pawn, neither Black’s rook nor bishop can capture the queen?)

Now, on to the real problems. Each is a “forced mate in two”: White moves, then Black moves, then White checkmates no matter what Black tries to do:

Continue reading “Chess Problems, Set 3: Checkmate in Two Moves”

KaiYves at the World Science Festival

Okay, as promised, long World Science Festival post, with pictures!

The whole area around NYU was a street fair, with booths set up for different organizations. The NASA area was CRAZY. I met up with my friend Erin, and we did moon jigsaw puzzles, looked at a Mars panorama through 3-D glasses, laid down and had a rover climb over us, and signed a shuttle tire!
Continue reading “KaiYves at the World Science Festival”

Kmt Pwns!*

This month’s Random thread travels to the ancient land of Kemet, kingdom of the Pharaohs, a country you more likely know as Egypt. Perhaps someone would care to try ens hand at translating the story at the top of the papyrus?

[*The title appears in the cartouche (the oblong enclosure in the picture).] Continue reading “Kmt Pwns!*”

June 2010 “Happy Birthday!” Thread

Known MBer birthdays and “K Days” this month:*

06-09 Beetles’s birthday (1999 – purple)
06-12 TreeCafe’s birthday (1997 – green and brown)
06-13 muselover’s birthday (1997 – green)
06-14 Grant O. turns 7,000 days old
06-19 Raynpho’s birthday (1994)
06-19 Elwing (formerly Sam)’s birthday (1994)
06-26 cellogirl26’s birthday (1996)
06-29 Selenium the Quafflebird’s birthday (1996)
06-29 bluefire27’s birthday (1997)

You turn 5,000 days old this month if you were born between September 23 and October 22, 1996.
You turn 6,000 days old this month if you were born between December 28, 1993, and January 26, 1994.
You turn 7,000 days old this month if you were born between April 3 and May 2, 1991.

*Note: Listed MBers who have been inactive for several months won’t appear on next year’s birthday calendar unless they show up again.

Attention, iPhone (et al.) Users!

We’ve just installed a plug-in that’s supposed to make the blog look and behave better on iPhones and other small-screen devices. The documentation says you can toggle between the new and old formats.

We have no idea what it looks like or how well it works, so tell us, please. It’s just an experiment.

Thanks,

The GAPAs

Alter Ego Thread, v. 2010.1

Pick a pseudonym; guess who the other pseudonymous posters are while they try to guess you. It’s a little like “Battleship.”

Continued from version 2009.4.

REMINDER: Check your posts before sending them — the preview button is useful for that. The Administrators will not rescue you if you accidentally submit one under your “real” blogname or post elsewhere with your alter ego.