No.749 (MN)

No.749 by Mike Neumeier –  A nonstandard way to the well known (classic) stalemate finals! (JV)

Definitions:

Grasshopper (G): Moves along Q-lines over another unit of either color to the square immediately beyond that unit. A capture may be made on arrival, but the hurdle is not affected.

Royal piece: Piece that executes a function of the King on the board.

Pser: This is the original definition by its inventor, Dan Meinking: A parry series-mover differs from a standard series-mover prior to the last move as follows:

1. the series-side may give check during the series;
2. when checked, the idle-side must immediately parry the threat;
3. a parry-move may be helpful or defensive, depending on the problem-type (for example – in Pser-s# the parry-move is defensive);
4. after a check-and-parry, the series-side continues the series.

Every Pser problem combines two stipulations:

Part 1 – Pser, which indicates the special series play with participation of both sides according to the author’s definition;

Part 2 – the kind of problem, according to well known stipulations, which can show direct play (n#, n=, s#, s= r#, r=, etc), help play (h#, h=, h==, etc) or mixed play (hs#, hs=, hs= =, etc).

(For more explanations about Pser see IGM Petko A. Petkov article “The Wonderful (new genre) Parry Series“)