I have (somewhat) randomly chosen a puzzle from lichess.org with rating at least 2000. Can you solve it?
Guess the first move of the solution by adding answers, representing the moves in algebraic notation (i.e. Nf3, Qh8, exd5). The locations of the pieces are hidden and will be gradually revealed over time. (Pawns count as pieces.) Initially, the two kings and one other randomly-chosen piece will be revealed.
Each day (around 2pm PT), if there is a piece on the board I haven't revealed yet, I will randomly choose one to reveal and post its identity and location in the comments. Otherwise, if there are no remaining pieces to reveal, I will instead resolve the market to the correct solution if it has been added as an answer, or "Resign" if it has not. This means you will have about 24 hours after the full puzzle is revealed before the market resolves. However, the number of unrevealed pieces at any given time is a secret, so you may not realize that the full puzzle has been revealed. This means the market will resolve without warning and likely before the listed close date, which is chosen to be long enough regardless of how many pieces are in the puzzle.
Captures and non-captures will count as different moves, so Nc6 and Nxc6 are different moves and only one of them can be the correct answer.
Check (+) and checkmate (#) notation will be ignored and should not be included in answers, even if you think they represent check.
Ambiguous moves will resolve favoring the first-revealed piece. For example, suppose someone adds Nc6 as an answer, then a white knight is revealed at d4, then a second white knight is revealed at e5. This is ambiguous because both knights can move to c6; the Nc6 answer will represent moving the d4 knight because the d4 knight was revealed first. Use the disambiguated notation Nec6 in this case to represent moving the e5 knight to c6.
The puzzle has white to move, and only has one correct first move. Only the first move of the solution should be in the answer.
At resolution I will give a prize to the person who posted the winning answer, if it has been posted. The prize will be Ṁ25 per hidden piece at the time the answer is added, so the prize will be greater if you add the answer earlier, and zero if the entire puzzle is revealed when you add it.
I will post a Ṁ100 limit order for YES on "Resign" at 25% the start; other than that I will not trade on this question.
Happy hunting!
Update 2025-11-16 (PST) (AI summary of creator comment): Check notation (+) is ignored when matching answers. An answer of "Nd6" will be considered correct if the winning move is "Nd6+" (knight to d6 with check). However, captures are still distinguished - "Nd6" and "Nxd6" are different moves.
1,000
3.00
Could this be the complete puzzle? It is seeming more like a possible puzzle but I don't see the solution if it is. The obvious Nd6+ followed by NxQ on e4 does not seem enough to win due to RxR+ on a1. (Is the Nd6 a distraction or merely the NxQ afterwards that is a distraction?)
Rxa8 seems to give black lots of scope with Rxg2+.
Ra7+ seems easy enough for black to respond Kxb6.
Probably more pieces to reveal? I could easily be missing something though.
I did wonder about markets on what pieces would be revealed:
My current favourites would be
Black P on c6?
White P on c5? or white bishop on e3?
@ChristopherRandles Good idea! I’ll think about if there’s a good way to do that if I do this again.
@121 As explained in the rules, check notation is ignored. The Nd6 option is correct if the winning move is Nd6+. You are correct that Nxd6 would be counted differently.
