Articles
From Retro-Wiki
Tutorials and Introductions
Un petit bouquet de rétros élémentaires
by J. Beasley
diagrammes 114, July 1995, pages 2690-2691
French
A small bouquet of elementary retros
Present six retros (oldies) geared towards the club chess-player
by ?
Chess Magazine issues. [Q] Which issues?
French
Detective at the Chessboard
by M. Charosh
Journal of Recreational Mathematics 5(2), pages 94-101, 1972
A very clear exposition of the most basic elements underlying retro-analysis: inventory and balance, promotions, en-passant and castling legality, (simple) impossible cages.
Initiation à l'analyse rétrograde
by Karl Fabel
Problème 74, March 1971
French
A special 54-pages issue of Problème containing Fabel's survey of the field.
Introduction to retrograde analysis
by Karl Fabel
published by Q Press, Kew Gardens, Surrey, 1973
P. Cohen's translation of the previous entry. Next thing to read after the Sherlock Holmes book. Ask me for a copy if you can't find it.
Surfing backwards
by David Norwood
The Daily Telegraph, April 5th, 1997
David Norwood's saturday chess chronicle features the Retro Corner.
Introducing retros. Part I - Last Move? Problems
by Mark Ridley and Brian Stephenson
The Problemist Supplement 24, Sep. 1996. pages 203-204
Introductory article with three examples.
Lösungsstrategien im Verteidigungsrückzüger mit Anticirce-Bedingung
by Wolfgang Dittmann
Die Schwalbe 204, Dezember 2003, pages 277-284
A detailed explanation, how to solve defensive retractors with Anticirce.
Technical articles
La famille des Rétractors
by M. Caillaud
4-parts split in Rex Multiplex 1, Jan. 1982, to 4, Oct. 1982.
Presents and classifies the different kinds of retractor problems.
Retrograde Analysis
by M. Caillaud
Rex Multiplex 13, Jan. 1985. pp 402-404.
A presentation of the classic Dawson and Hundsdorfer's Retrograde Analysis book.
Les problèmes de série "conséquents"
by M. Caillaud
4-parts split in Rex Multiplex 14, Apr. 1985, to 18, Apr. 1986.
Historical introduction and classification of themes in consequent series-movers.
Les parties justificatives exactes
by M. Caillaud
Rex Multiplex 19, Jul. 1986. pp 641-643; and
Rex Multiplex 20, Oct. 1986. pp 674.
Different themes in the Shortest Proof Game genre.
Meisterwerke der Retro-Analyse
by K. Fabel
Masterworks of Retro Analysis
Split in the six 1981 issues of Die Schwalbe
German
Written in 1971 (Fabel died 1975). Contains 50 problems with Fabel's comments.
Idées nouvelles dans l'analyse rétrograde
by A. Frolkin and A. Kornilov
New ideas in RA
Rex Multiplex, 6, Apr. 1983. pp 156 & 161-162.
Present several kinds of retro-rebuses.
=== Records "pièce promue prend pièce promue au dernier coup (Type C)" ???
by A. Frolkin and A. Kornilov
Rex Multiplex 8, Oct. 1983, pages 213-214.
Extends the well-known economical "Last Move" theme by adding the "promoted man captures promoted man" motif.
Rétro-variantes
by A. Frolkin and A. Kornilov
Variation Retroanalysis
Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #6 of diagrammes, Oct. 1990. pp 13-16.
An anthology of problems featuring several possible histories ("retro-variations") with a thematic link (e.g. four different promotions). NB: Not about Partial Retro-Analysis.
Un nouveau type de jumeaux, ou la logique quantique de la composition
by A. Frolkin and S. Komarov and A. Vasilenko
New type of twinning, or the quantum logic of chess composition
Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #6 of diagrammes, Oct. 1990. pp 10-13.
About problems where the twin "(b) after the key" has a different retro-past. (Clearer after you've seen an example)
Rétro-coups d'attente
by A. Frolkin
Retro tempo moves
Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #6 of diagrammes, Oct. 1990. pp 17-21.
An essay on tempo-losing moves in retro-play.
Novelty: a formula to estimate two-solution shortest proof games
by A. Frolkin
Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 12-16.
Argues that SPG problems with several solutions (click here for an example) are even better when the two solutions are completely different, and offers to quantify this.
Paradox and partiality in retroanalysis
by A. George
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 25-34.
An essay in defense of the Partial Retro-Analysis logic in ches composition. Offers a long argumentation and a clear definition.
Illegal Cluster en Wenigsteiner
by Hans Gruber and Frank Müller
in Phénix 42, June 1996. pp 3218-3241.
An impressive presentation of the Illegal Cluster genre, discussing history, ideas, themes, ... (includes Legal Clusters and fairy problems). Focusing on "Wenigsteiner" (problems with at most four units) is not a limitation with this genre. On the contrary, it brings unity and simplicity and allows quasi-encyclopedic exhaustivity.
Plus courtes parties justificatives (PCPJ) avec mat final
by Norbert Geißler and Richard Stanley
SPGs ending in mate
in Quartz 2, Autumn 1996. pp 22-23.
Lists currently known shortest dual-free proof games ending in mate. There is a variety of records depending on mating moves and assorted conditions (e.g. "game without capture"). Here is one of them, the quickest (so far) dual-free mate by castling: 1. e3 c6 2. Qg4 Qa5 3. Qxd7+ Nxd7 4. Ke2 Nb6 5. Kd3 Bf5+ 6. Kd4 O-O-O# (due to Wilts & Geißler).
If you'd like to improve on some records, you can get the latest standing by emailing to Norbert Geißler <norbert.geissler(at)mch.sni.de>
Wievel verschiendene letzte Züge?
by Josef Haas
How many different last moves?
Die Schwalbe 166, Aug. 1997. pp 179-180.
Six original retractors where there is a very large number of potential last moves.
Løsning af bevispartier
by Henrik Juel
Solving proof games
Thema Danicum 84, Oct. 1996. pp 94-95.
A gentle introduction explaining how solvers can attack SPG's.
KBP-Symmetrie
by A. Kornilow and A. Frolkin
Die Schwalbe 169, Feb. 1998. pp 340-342.
Symmetry in the final position of SPG's has mainly been axial symmetry. The authors list such examples and offer three original SPGs with central symmetry.
The SPGs can be found here
Ten retros by Nikita Plaksin
by A. A. Kislyak
The Problemist, Jul. 1991. pp 388-389.
A tribute written on the occasion of N. Plaksin's 60th birthday.
Werwolf-Figuren im Retroland
by A. Kisljak
feenschach 103, Jan. 1992. pp 272-274.
Title says it all!
Four, the magical figure of retroanalysis
by A. Kisljak
Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 2-7.
An essay (and anthology) about the ubiquity of number 4 in retro-analysis.
Mattsetzung des schwarzen Königs durch eine Rochade in Beweispartien
by A. A. Kisljak
Mate by castling in proof games
Die Schwalbe 164, Apr. 1997. pp 53-56.
Present short helpgames where Black is checkmated by White's castling, exploring all 17 possible mating squares.
La route de l'océan
A. Kuznetsov and N. Plaksin
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 17-20.
About multiple Ceriani promotions.
[Küh89] Last (Fairy-) Move
T. Kühn
feenschach 90, Jan. 1989. pp 43-56.
(completed in feenschach 94, Jan. 1990. pp 275-278.)
Lists economy records in the Last Move stipulation (Type A, B & C) in many fairy genres (Circe, Madrasi, Kamikaze, ... ). In orthodox as well.
[Lis91] The Post Factum Logic in Retro-Volages problems
V. Liskovec
feenschach 101, Nov. 1991. pp 157-163.
Title says all (that is, if you are familiar with retro-volages) !
[Lis98] Tours subordonnées dans les problèmes rétro-volages à analyse rétrograde (Alternative Rooks in Retro-Volages pRA Problems)
V. Liskovets
diagrammes 125, Apr. 1998. pp 3184-3191.
Further exploration by the author of the possibilities offered by the retro-volages fairy genre for pRA effects.
[NF89] Le Rétro-Rébus
H. Nouguier and A. Frolkin
Part I: diagrammes 89, Apr. 1989. pp 1591-1594.
Part II: diagrammes 92, Jan. 1990. pp 1715-1718.
A 2-parts survey of the different kinds of retro-rebuses. 1st part is about coloring problems.
[Oud69] La subordination des roques (Mutually exclusive castlings)
J. Oudot
in Europe-Echecs 130, Nov. 1969. pp 220-221.
A defense of the rule for mutually exclusive castlings.
[PK91] Letzter Zug? Monochromes / Bichromes Schach Typ A
N. Plaksin and A. Kornilow
feenschach 101, Nov. 1991. pp 152-156.
Original economical problems of the Last Move (Type A) genre, in monochromatic and bichromatic chess.
[PK94] Mo & Bi
N. Plaksin and A. Kornilov
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 21-24.
Retroanalysis with Monochromatic or Bichromatic chess.
[PK94] Dr. Ing. Luigi Ceriani teaches us
N. Plaksin and I. Vereshchagin
in Best Problems #2, Apr. 1997. pp 14-18.
A tribute to Ceriani.
[Pla69] Rokirovka v pravile 50-i khodov (Castling in the 50-moves rule)
N. Plaksin
problem 124-126, Mar. 1969. pp 1-9.
Castling can be the critical move in retro-play involving the 50-moves rule.
[Pla79] 50 x 50
N. Plaksin
problem 188-193, May 1979. pp 170-176.
50 problems by Plaksin, all of them based on the 50-moves rule, covering 10 years of his research on the theme.
[Pla90] Amplitude 44
N. Plaksin
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #6 of diagrammes, Oct. 1990. pp 21-24.
Presents 3 retro-problems by A. A. Troickij and tells about their eventful story and several versions.
[Pla92] The Great King's Waltz
N. Plaksin
feenschach 103, Jan. 1992. pp 275-278.
This theme requires that the King visits all four corners.
[PN94] La quadruple promotion en rétro-analyse
N. Plaksin and H. Nouguier
diagrammes 108, Jan. 1994. pp 2450-2453.
An anthology of retros (no SPGs) displaying the AUW (four distinct promotions) theme.
[PV94] Dans l'atelier de restauration (In the restoration wokshop)
N. Plaksin and S. Volobuev
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 8-11.
The history of the successive restoration attempts of a famous M. Wittlich 1948 problem displaying the "50 moves" theme.
[PZ94] Tema Ceriani
N. Plaksin and A. Zolotarev
in Sahovska kompozicija XIV(1994)55-56, Jul-Dec. 1994. pp 27-29.
A comprehensive article on the Ceriani Theme. Contains a literature review and 16 problems illustrating different promotion types.
[Ste90] Weiß zieht und setzt nicht Matt (White to play and not mate)
T. Steudel
feenschach 96, Oct. 1990. pp 378-381.
An anthology of the "White does not mate" problems. [Which are more construction problems than retros.]
[Tal95] Mats aidés à analyse rétrograde (Helpmates with RA)
Y. Tallec
diagrammes 112, Jan. 1995. pp 2603-2611.
An anthology of helpmates with a light retro-content.
[Tur90] Arrière-pensées (Thinking backwards)
R. Turnbull
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #6 of diagrammes, Oct. 1990. pp 3-9.
An essay on the conventions for castling and en-passant rights and their far-reaching consequences.
[Tur94] Abominable problems
R. Turnbull
The Problemist,Jul. 1994. pp 344-346.
Demonstrates and amplifies the paradoxes behind Constitutional Moves (allowed by default, e.g. castling), Police-court Moves (forbidden by default, e.g. en-passant capture), the A Posteriori logic, etc., in a setting with fairy men.
[Val91] Let's start at the beginning
P. Valois
The Problemist, May 1991. pp 380-381.
Presents the SPG genre (as "one of the more digestible types of retroanalysis").
[Vel95a] Bibliografia scacchistica, annotata
M. Velucchi
Scacchi e Scienze Applicate, Venezia, 1995.
An annotated bibliography for Retrograde Analysis, Maths Chess, Chess problems and computers. Introduction and comments in English and Italian.
This 21-pages booklet is available by writing to Romano Bellucci / Castello 5449 / I-30122 Venezia / ITALY.
[Vel95b] Luigi Ceriani: Tecnica, Logica, Matematica ... Passione per gli Scacchi
M. Velucchi
Sinfonie Scacchistiche, Jul. 1995. pp 36-37.
A tribute to Ceriani on the occasion of his 100th birthday.
[VK94] The Fischer theme
A. Vasilenko and A. Frolkin
in Analyse Rétrograde, special issue #15 of diagrammes, Jul. 1994. pp 35-40.
The Fischer theme is a King switchback after castling, as it actually occurred in the 8th Fischer-Spassky game of their 1992 match.
[Vol81] Retroanalysis in the U.S.A.
T. Volet
U.S. Problem Bulletin 21, Jan. 1981. pp 10-16.
Illustrated with 5 American retro-problems.
[VW98] Rétros pour Rois et Pions (Kings and Pawns retros)
Thomas Volet and Gerd Wilts
Phénix 65, Jul.-Aug. 1998. pp 4071-4074.
A study of orthodox retros with Kings and Pawns only. Include four originals.
[Was97] Coups d'attente de Cavalier dans une plus courte partie justificative (Waiting moves by Knights in an SPG)
Pascal Wassong
Phénix 49, Feb. 1997. pp 3498-3500.
A note inspired by a recent Peter Wong's SPG where a Knight makes tempo moves.
[Won96] Tempo play in shortest proof games
Peter Wong
U.S. Problem Bulletin 102/103, Jul.-Oct. 1996. pp 76-83.
A rich survey on the wide variety of SPGs having tempo play as main thematic content.
Retrograde Analysis and Computer Science
[AB81] Development of a program for solving retrograde analysis chess problems
B. E. Alden and M. A. Bramer
in Proc. 3rd Conf. Advances in Computer Chess, London, April 1981. pp 121-137
[AB88] An Expert System for Solving Retrograde-Analysis Chess Problems
B. E. P. Alden and M. A. Bramer
Int. J. Man-Machine Studies 29(2), 1988. pp 97-112.
[Ald86] An expert system approach to retrograde-analysis
B. E. P. Alden
PhD Thesis, Faculty of Mathematics, The Open University, 1986
available through British Thesis Service / Boston Spa, Whetherby / West Yorshire LS23 7BQ / UK
[Fil79] The interaction of Observation and Inference
R. Filman
PhD Thesis, Comp. Sci. Dept., Memo AIM-327, Stanford Univ., 1979
