From: Hitoshi Matsubara CSLI STANFORD EDU> Date: 13 may 1993 Subject: Re: tsume help Dear Sean, >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 ... If White moved 3b, it would mated with three moves. 1) +R1b K3b 2) B4d+ ....mate!! (In Tsume-Shogi problems, White cannot take useless moves. So, for example, White cannot take G2b.) Three is shorter than five, so the five-moves solution is correct. Hitoshi MATSUBARA Stanford University, U.S.A.