In the chess problem of his Beginner’s Corner, does Mr. Lyman tell you whose move it is?
Not so in the Danbury News-Times. What we get instead, is a hint. For example in today’s column, Lyman says “Hint: Win the rook.”
Which is swell, except I don’t want a hint. All I want to know is who makes the first move and I’ll take it from there. From my point of view, there’s little fun in doing a chess problem when the author gives you clues.
Furthermore, in every book I have of chess problems, the author always indicates who makes the first move. In fact, until fairly recently, Lyman gave us that info. So, I’d avoid the hint and try to solve the problem.
The argument that it’s a Beginner’s Corner, and thus a hint might be needed doesn’t wash. I was solving chess problems from beginnerhood, and never wanted hints. I suspect most chess players feel the same way.
Please Note: There are factual answers to this question which is why I posted here in GQ.
No help at all on your question. Just wanted you to know that although I haven’t seen Lyman’s column in print, that I do remember him from the Fischer-Spassky I match in Reykjavik. Cool guy.
I haven’t seen the problem, but does it make sense if either one could move first? Do both have a shot at winning a rook? It could be a joke question/problem.
Chess Problem constructors have senses of humor like anyone else. But what I’m complaining about isn’t a Shelby Lyman joke. He’s a great guy, in my opinion, and he’s not going to mess around, week after week with joke chess problems.
Usually, the constructor, sets up a problem, and tells you, for example, White (or Black) to move and mate in two (or three, or four, etc.).
Occasionally, the directions can be “White (or Black) to move and…” whatever the author has set up.
You might want to get a book on Mate problems and you’ll see.
There are many varieties of problems, but the ones I’ve seen all tell you who has the move first - all except Shelby Lyman’s posers.
This isn’t specifically an answer to the OP, but a possibility (however unlikely. I’d guess it’s a problem with the paper leaving it out - maybe it’s supposed to print above the puzzle or something.)
When I do the chess problem in the paper (don’t think it’s Lyman’s) I make sure to cover up any text, so I see neither the hint nor whose turn it is to move. It’s more fun to look at it and try to figure as much out as possible just from the board. I kind of doubt it, but it’d be interesting if that were the case. It’s also something you can do if you want to avoid reading anything.
I usually step down in the following order :
Is this a strictly legal position based on retrograde analysis? - I’ve only seen a ‘no’ once (and only for the side whose turn was indicated).
Assuming the players play to win, is this a legal position? (i.e. if Black could have won on the last move but didn’t, then it’s illegal.) This occasionally may be true for one side but not the other, so I assume whose turn it is.
What is the best move for either side?
Assuming this is a chess problem, whose likely turn is it? (e.g. one side has ‘mate in 3’ but the other side has no clear advantage after moving, or one side has an obvious mate in 1 vs. some move that might rescue the other)
Another idea - sometimes it’s always white to move, and it gets left in each particular problem, but this is usually in a book or somewhere where that note can be found.