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MatPlus.Net Forum General Can we compile the names of Novotnys found in the directmate #2?!
 
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(1) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Thursday, Dec 26, 2013 21:39]

Can we compile the names of Novotnys found in the directmate #2?!


I'm looking at some old twomovers...
traditional Novotny: white moves to an intersection square and threatens two mates seperated by the two captures
disappearing Novotny: same, but when the two captures take place, two new mates appear

is there a "quiet" Novotny?
others?
Finnish?

David Shire introduced us last month to an English Novotny, I believe a mechanism found by Michael Lipton in which one of the line pieces is pinned...
 
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(2) Posted by Ian Shanahan [Friday, Dec 27, 2013 03:38]; edited by Ian Shanahan [13-12-27]

The Velimirovic & Valtonen Encyclopedia lists numerous types of Novotnys - as well as combinations of types. When I'm able, I'll make a list from it.

Finnish Nowotny: There's a Black pawn already on the intersection square. It's move refutes a try, so the key captures it.
 
 
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(3) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Friday, Dec 27, 2013 05:53]

thanks Ian-good to hear from you! in other words, it's not really a Nowotny! look forward to your list
 
   
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(4) Posted by Kevin Begley [Friday, Dec 27, 2013 20:27]

@Eugene,

>> " ... in other words, it's not really a Nowotny! ... "

Actually, it all depends (quite carefully) upon how you define "Nowotny."
 
   
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(5) Posted by Eugene Rosner [Friday, Dec 27, 2013 20:48]

Hi Kevin-you are right! I just faintly remember some chess composer(and I really don't know who it is!!) grumbling about the Finnish Nowotny and how, according to him, really didn't count it as one. I can see how it can be used in a longer directmate though...
 
   
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(6) Posted by seetharaman kalyan [Saturday, Dec 28, 2013 06:36]

Actually, even "Nowotny" is sometimes wrongly referred to as Nowotny interferences though there is no defensive error involved. It is after all a double shut-off by white.
 
 
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(7) Posted by Kevin Begley [Monday, Dec 30, 2013 17:30]; edited by Kevin Begley [13-12-30]

@Eugene,

Our semantic classifications will forever lag behind the progress of thematic ideas.
And, this problem only accelerates, because our naming conventions create difficulties in revisiting terminology, and categorization.

If you'll permit me to go off on a familiar tangent here... (if not, skip to below the emboldened dots).

Chess openings suffer from the same issue, and their situation is actually worse, for a number of reasons:
1) opening book authors like to pin animal names to every opening they dump without carefully research.
2) ECO (and ECO-CODES) prefer to pin their names upon sets of moves, rather than positions (an epic failure).
3) People like to classify systems (such as the Colle), under a broad umbrella... and countless positions wind up being called "Colle Opening."
4) The homage to opening innovators (a valuable thing) can tend to excessively burden the student (e.g., I played the Benko may refer to a single first move, or it may refer to a specific defense against the queen pawn opening, etc -- a name loses value when it requires more elaboration than the move list).
etc etc etc.

Problem chess has its unique set of issues (and epic classification failures)... just like opening classifications.
If you want to do it correctly, anymore, you have to write all your own software, and transcribe all your own books.
You'll find no experts with any authority to resolve such matters (as we all once expected).

If you classify the Novotny as an interference mechanism (read: obstructing mutual-interference of a pair of unlike units, upon a single square), then you can probably appreciate how the Finnish Novotny might trouble people.
On the other hand, if you enjoy studying the mechanism produced by interference patterns, you will probably insist that the common classification is better.

If you want the most logical classification structure, for the purpose of study, you probably realize it is better to prefer that naming conventions be kept entirely separate from the names of innovators (notable examples and first examples can always accompany thematic study, as can common practitioners, notable tournaments, etc).
No matter how much we want to give innovators their due, it tends only to impede the classification process.

Even if the whole world had come to appreciate the value of modern classification systems, the bigger problem is, the medium must constantly revisit the old ways. Like it or not, the old system will fall to better methods.
It is only a matter of:
1) who wants the responsibility?
2) who has the expertise (from a variety of perspectives)? and ultimately,
3) who merits the claim of sanctioned authority.

The matter of politics doesn't even come into the long-term consideration.
The best politics can ever hope to achieve is:
1) to forestall the inevitable march of progress (especially by discouraging those against whom you seek to gain advantage / head-start), and
2) to provide a legitimizing vehicle, to announce its own, inevitable surrender.

In the short-term, however, politics often chokes progress like an unwanted vine.

..............

Classification matters aside, I seem to recall that Mike Prcic wrote a fairly decent article, years ago for StrateGems, covering a large variety of Novotny interference patterns.
Maybe somebody could reference the fruits of that here, and we can all help expand upon it.

Personally, I think exciting developments are possible in the field of interference themes, if you're willing to brave one or two fairy elements.
This is particularly true, if you're willing to consider the mutual-interference of units, on multiple squares.
And, so far, nobody has put names to any of these largely unexplored themes (many of which would offer a wide variety of unique scenarios -- including cyclical realizations).

I think solvers love these kind of problems.
The primary reason the field has stagnated (at the peak of its infancy), quite frankly, is a long history of poor incentives set by self-serving fairy judges.
But, for those explorers who might like to plant their names upon a brand new theme... you couldn't dream of a richer soil.
 
 
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MatPlus.Net Forum General Can we compile the names of Novotnys found in the directmate #2?!