From: "Sean Brown, Department of Anthropology,
Date: 13 may 1993
Subject: tsume help

Shogi folks,
 
I normally don't have much time to practice with the Tsumes but I
collect them all.  The other day I had some time so I pulled out my
first tsume (week 21) and attempted number one.  I decided that since
it was my first attempt I would work throught the solution and figure
out the logic behind them.  Working through the solution to this
Tsume, I discovered that the solution would indeed work if white
played the way described.  However, one of the rules states that black
must always check and white must prolong the play as long as possible.
This does not always seem to be the case with the Tsumes, unless I am
doing something wrong.
 
The problem is as follows:
 
Black: +R1a, B2b, +P2a
White: K2c, G4a, G3d, P2d, P1d
 
    5    4    3    2    1
--+----+----+----+----+----+
  |    | wG |    |+bP |+bR |  a
--+----+----+----+----+----+
  |    |    |    | bB |    |  b
--+----+----+----+----+----+
  |    |    |    | wK |    |  c
--+----+----+----+----+----+
  |    |    | wG | wP | wP |  d
--+----+----+----+----+----+
  |    |    |    |    |    |  e
 
Here is the solution:
1) +R1b Kx1b  2) B1a+ K2c  3) +B1b ....mate!
 
Five moves and mate according to the solution.  But what if instead of
taking the Rook at 1b, White moved 3b. This would effectively prolong
the mate and possibly result in the King escaping.
 
Possible alternative for white following +R1b.
1) +R1b K3b  2) B3a+ (or 3c+) K4c (or x3c)  3) +B3b ... at this point
it doesn't matter because white has already outlived the five moves in
the solution.  I played another Tsume and it worked out the same way,
i.e. if white played the way described in the solution, the solution would work
otherwise white could prolong based on how the solution begins.
 
Am I missing something?  Am I doing something wrong?  Please advise an
unrateable player (the scale doesn't go low enough to rate me ;-)
Thanks for assistance.
Cheers,  Sean