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What names and icons would you use?
The Sneaky Snails!
An interesting group! I'd probably use different names and icons for the Bishop and Rook pieces, but to each his own.
These comments gave me an idea for a CwDA.
Sergio Sergeantsok, blBrfflNfrAflCfrZbrGflFXbrAY is 91
fAbA7lHflCflZfrbG is 124
best I've done I think is brFlDfsNlAfHblFXlbDYbrNY
Longest checkmate is indeed 130 moves, but there are only very few positions where this piece can force checkmate. Only 38.4% of the positions with the strong side to move are won (and immediate King capture already contributes 18.4%). So this is not a piece with mating potential. (For comparison: with the Wildebeest, which cannot even force mate in 2, white on move already wins 24%.)
130 if I understand it right
best I've done I think is brFlDfsNlAfHblFXlbDYbrNY
It is easy to see this piece cannot checkmate. The only mate positions are white: Ka3 or b3, Xc6; black Ka1 (and symmetry equivalents). But to force the King to a1 the X would have to cover c1 while the bare King is on b1. And to be able to move to c6 you have to cover that. But it cannot cover c1 and c6 at the same time; its move spans only 5 squares on the same rank or file. So there aren't any forced mate-in-2 positions.
FXDY could in principle do that, because it can cover c1 and c5 (where it has to be to deliver checkmate) at once. But it turns out to be too clumsy to drive the bare King towards the corner. Add a WX move, and it can, though.
I tried it. It does not checkmate
'Mate' is for positions with white to move, 'mated' for positions with black (the bare King) to move. Mated-in-0 means black is already in (check)mate, mate-in-1 means white's (best) move will terminate the game. The number in those columns is the number of positions from which the result can be forced in the given number of moves (3rd column). There is no mate-in-0, but the logical successor of mate-in-1 would be positions where white can capture the King (which would be illegal in a variant with a checking rule), given in the fore-last row.
The final row gives the total of the columns, expressed as a fraction of the total number of pseudo-legal positions (= ignoring any checking rule, but without multiple pieces on the same square). For generally won end-games the left will be close to 100%, but the black-to-move fraction will be much lower, because of positions where black can capture a King or an unprotected piece. For generally drawn end-games the right number will be close to 0%, but the left number will be much higher because of King captures, and can be over 50% if white has a strong piece.
How do you read the statistics table? What's the difference between mate and mated and what are all the numbers?
If I could try it with a Peacekeeper (AXNX) I think that might have a higher number.
Ok. So far we have fWbrFfD2lfNfrblA from Bn Em with a record of mate in 159! I haven't been able to improve it yet. The challenge is still on!
Is there a way to enter XBetza on this?
Not on this page. But you could use the configurable applet page that the Piececlopedia links to, and write the Betza move you want in the URL.
I wanted to try out the Blue Gecko (frB4lbW2flFbrFfW) but I can't limit the B move to 4 on this diagram.
I guess I should extend the move-definition aid to 11x11 one of these days. But in case of the Blue Gecko, why bother? The 4th step of the B move will hardly ever be needed. And even when you leave out the frB move altogether, it can already force checkmate. You could also use B3 plus a direct AY leap, which shows that adding the AY leap does not shorten the mate (on 8x8, at least).
Is there a way to enter XBetza on this? I wanted to try out the Blue Gecko (frB4lbW2flFbrFfW) but I can't limit the B move to 4 on this diagram.
with D2 rather than D7 that rises to 159
Your bFfhNfA can be called a Double Sword Aborigine (or something other with understanding that it’s forward Kangaroo + backward Ferz), and your fWbrFfD7lfNfrblA as Right Gun-Layer (looks very similar to optical gun), and its mirror will be Left GL.
You are right. This piece: bFfhNfA mates in 130.
Can anybody top this?
How this piece move?
Ferz/Hospitaler Hunter: 130
For this Fairy piece there is a forced mate (K+FP vs k) in 125 moves: rWbrFfDlfflNlA
Can anyone create a piece that can force a checkmate in more moves?
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Well, for names, since the Bishops are also slow checkmaters, I'd give them names to fit: Conway and Buzzi (it doesn't matter which is which). The Rooks are fine as Trumpets, but I'd go with Left and Right. Ranged Oyster would seem better as Giant Oyster (I do like the Oyster part).
As for icons, the Sloth and Turtle would be the Aardvark and Turtle (respectively) with the Three in front. The Conway and Buzzi could be Abbot and Abbess, either alone or with the Confused emoticon, Grey color, or Hourglass behind. The Trumpets are probably fine as they are (at least until I can figure out and upload a Trumpet icon for the set). A Giant Oyster could be what you use, or perhaps Malkia or Kuhani with the Large modifier.
(I'd do some experimenting to see which of these icons would look best, but I have a few other things going on today, and my brain isn't quite firing on all cylinders.)