Ken's Puzzle of the Week

Attacking a Chessboard

  1. Place as few pieces as possible on a chessboard from an entire set of 16 white chess pieces, to occupy or attack the entire board.  You do not need to attack squares occupied by pieces.  White is attacking up the board (important only for pawn placement.)
  2. Place one of each type of chess piece (white king, queen, rook, knight, bishop, and pawn) on a chessboard to occupy or attack the greatest number of squares.
  3. Place one of each color of each type of chess piece onto a chessboard (6 white and 6 black: king, queen, rook, knight, bishop, and pawn), such that no piece is under attack from the opposite color, and the greatest number of unoccupied squares are under attack.

Source: Original.


Solutions were received from Dan Chirica, Philippe Fondanaiche.

1. Dan Chirica covered the board with 8 figures:

 + + + + + + + +
 
 + K + + + + + +
 
 + + B + + B N +
 
 + + + Q + + + +
 
 + + + + + + + +
 
 + + + + + + + +
 
 + + N + + + R +
 
 + + + + + + + R

2. Dan covered all but 6 squares with 6 pieces:

 - - - - - - - -
 
 - K - - - - - -
 
 - - - - - - N -
 
 - - - Q - - - -
 
 - - - - - - - -
 
 - - B - - - - -
 
 - - - - - p - -
 
 - - - - - - - R

3. Dan and Phillipe both covered the entire board. Here is Philippe's solution.


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