Rundlaufs: The Merry-go-rounds

Narayanan's Problem Corner

Rundlaufs: The Merry-go-rounds 09-July-03

Chess is very often compared to solid geometry. The player must change, build, move about mentally and use the board as a field for placement of chessmen according to a plan. But the problemist also uses the geometry of the board and Rundlauf is one such concept. The paths traversed by different pieces during the course of the solution of certain problems describe closed geometric figures and these configurations resemble merry-go-rounds are known as rundlaufs.In the history of evolution of chess problems. Rundlaufs have a special place and several great composers like E.Brigfeld, Meyer and W.Pauly have produced masterpieces at the turn of the century. W.Karsch and W.Hagemann in their booklet 'Figuren Rundlaufe in Schachproblem' have exhaustively analysed Rundlaufs covering the various types and geometric configurations achieved in various categories of problems. In the end game studies, rundlaufs are pronounced by their repetition as in the famous and oldest knights chase study given below.

White Kg1,Qg7,Bh1, Nd3, Ne3, Pa4 (6)
Black Kd6, Rb8, Rg8, Be1, Na1, Nb1, Pb3,Pb4,Pd2,Ph3 (10)

H.Meyer, 1868
White to play and draw

The black king and white knights follow the same route and mating traps always await His Majesty when he goes off the track. The solution to the study runs thus.

1. Nc4+, Ke6 2.Nc5+, Kf5 3.Nd6+, Kf4 4.Ne6+, Ke3 5.Nf5+, Kd3 (If 5.Ke2 6.Nf4+, Kd1 7.Ne3+, Kc1 8.Nd3 mate) 6.Sf4+, Kc4 (if 6.Kc2 7.Ne3+, Kc1, Nd3 mate) 7.Ne3+, Kc5 8.Nd3+, Kd6.

We have reached the diagram position again and the perpetual check continues! In Rundlauf the piece has to describe a closed figure. In other words, the piece which commences the de tour must complete by arriving at the original square. While the previous study shows an elliptical orbit, the following more-mover shows a rhombus like figure.

M.Havel ,
Novodni Osvobodzeni 1926
Mate in four moves

White Ka1, Rb6, Nb1 (3)
Black Ka4, Pa6 (2)

1.Nd2 ! waiting. 1.a5 2.Ne4 2.Ka3, Nc3 3.a4, Nb1 mate ( If 1.Ka3 or Ka5 2.Nc4+, Ka4 3.Ka2 4.Nb2 mate.An echo)

The next problem features black rundlauf with the black bishop describing a rectangle. The white strategy forcing the black bishop moves is interesting .The two white rooks are given up during the play and the little white pawn has the last laugh!

White Kc6, Rf5, Rh7,Pb2 (4)
Black Ka6, Ba5, Ng1, Nh3, Pa7 (5)

Dr.E.Zepler, Schwalbe 1937

Mate in five moves

1.R(h)h5, Be1 ( black tries to stall 2.Rf1) 2.Rh4, Bxh4 3.b4 (threatens 4.Ra5), Bd8 4.Ra5+, Bxa5 5.b5 mate.

Now a miniature 'rundlauf' (of yet another shape!) for solving.

C.G.S.Narayanan
Mate in four

White Kg3, Qh1(2)
Black Kg5, Pg4, Pf6, Pg6 (4)

Now for some hint. The initial move Kf5 is met by Qd5 and 1.f5 is countered by 2.Qh4 mate. But how do you hold this position?

- C G S Narayanan

The author offers an issue of a chess magazine as prize for the first correct solution received through e-mail for the study given for solving along with 'Exciting ways to draw' either to chathurangam or to cgsnarayanan@hotmail.com

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Glossary

Symbol	Meaning
+	Check
#	Checkmate
x	Capture
!	Good Move
!!	Excellent Move
?	Bad move
??	Blunder
!?	Interesting Move
?!	Dubious Move
1-0	White Wins
0-1	Black Wins
1/2	Draw
Twoer	Mate in Two Moves

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About the author

C G S Narayanan, an international composer of repute, has been composing Chess problems for the past thirty years. He has won several awards for his compositions in International composing tourneys and he has an output of over 300 problems to his credit. He is the second Indian to win the prestigious Brian Harley Award for the best two-mover composed by a subject of British Commonwealth twice in 1977 and 1991. He has been editing THE HINDU Chess problem column from 1982 onwards, after S K Narasimhan. He has captained the Indian team in the World Chess Compositions Tournaments held by FIDE.

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