Solutions for Homebase Prior Art

{CP01} 1. Nf3 e5 2. Nxe5 Ne7 3. Nxd7 Nec6 4. Nxb8 Nxb8. (C+)
This is the shortest known "homebase" SPG (apart from the trivial SPG 0.0). It also features a "wanderer" on b8. This was a version by A. Frolkin of an earlier (away from home) composition (with Black pawns d5 & e7). A twin would also work: Nb1→g1 & Nb8→g8. See here to see all others of this length.

{CP02} 1. Nc3 d5 2. Nxd5 f6 3. Nxf6 Kf7 4. Ne4 Qxd2 5. Nxd2 Ke8 6. Nb1.(C+).
Features wN circuit and bK switchback without capture. (Circuit = return to an earlier square after visiting more than one other square.)

{CP03} a) 1. d4 Nh6 2. Nd2 Nf5 3. Nf3 Nxd4 4. Kd2 Nxc2 5. Ne1 Nxe1 6. Kxe1
b) 1. c3 Nf6 2. c4 Ne4 3. c5 Nxd2 4. c6 Nxb1 5. Rxb1 Nxc6 6. Ra1 Nb8. (C+).
Completely different solutions, depending on who has the move. Switchbacks of wK, wR & bN.

{CP04} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nc6 3. dxc6 Qd5 4. cxb7 Qxg2 5. bxa8=B Qxg1 6. Bag2 Qxf1+ 7. Bxf1. (C+). Minimal possible number of moves for bishop Pronkin.

{CP05} 1. e4 d5 2. exd5 Nc6 3. dxc6 Qd5 4. cxb7 Qxa2 5. bxa8=R Qxb1 6. Rxa7 Qxa1 7. Rxa1. (C+). Apparently minimal possible number of moves for rook Pronkin.

{CP06} 1. d4 Nh6 2. Bxh6 g5 3. Bxf8 Nc6 5. Bxe7 Nxd4 5. Bxd8 Nb3 6. Bxg5 Nc1 7. Bxc1. (C+). Bishop circuit.

{CP07} 1. b4 h5 2. b5 h4 3. b6 h3 4. bxc7 hxg2 5. cxb8=Q Rxh2 6. Qxh2 gxh1=R 7. Qh8 Rxh8. (C+). Double promotion (R, Q). Phoenix & Pronkin bR. [Phoenix theme = promotion to replace a piece that was captured.] Ceriani-Frolkin for wQ.

{CP08} 1. e4 Nf6 2. Qh5 Nxe4 3. Qxh7 Nc3 4. Qh5 Nxa2 5. Qd1 Nxc1 6. Qxc1 Rxh2 7. Qd1 Rh8. (C+).
Circuit & switchback of wQ. Switchback of bR.

{CP09} 1. Nf3 Nc6 2. Ne5 Nd4 3. Nc6 Rb8 4. Nxb8 Nxe2 5. Nc6 Nd4 6. Ne5 Nc6 7. Nf3 Nb8 8. Ng1. (C+).
Circuit of two knights. Parity. Opposition.

{CP10} 1. d4 h6 2. Bxh6 e5 3. Bc1 exd4 4. Qxd4 Rxh2 5. Qxa7 Rh8 6. Qxb7 Rxa2 7. Qd5 Ra8 8. Qd1. (C+).
Circuit of wQ, 3 switchbacks (wB & bRs). (C+) This is the only published single solution "at home" where only pawns are missing. That would obviously be achievable more quickly, but less interestingly by e.g. rnbqkbnr/ppppppp1/8/8/8/8/PPPP1PPP/RNBQKBNR SPG 4.5 (C+).

{CP11} 1. h4 g5 2. Rh3 gxh4 3. Rb3 h3 4. Rxb7 h2 5. Rxb8 hxg1=Q 6. Rxa8 Qxg2 7. Rxc8 Qa8 8. Rxd8+ Qxd8.
Queen Pronkin. (C+) Popeye 3. 75 in 26" by Thierry le Gleuher.

{CP12} 1. g4 d5 2. g5 Qd6 3. g6 Qxh2 4. gxh7 Qxg1 5. hxg8=N Qg6 6. Nxe7 Qxc2 7. Nxd5 Qxc1 8. Nc3 Qxb1 9. Nxb1. (C+) Popeye 3.75 in 102h 20' by Thierry le Gleuher.
Minimal possible number of moves for knight Pronkin.

{CP13} 1. h4 a5 2. h5 a4 3. h6 a3 4. hxg7 axb2 5. gxf8=N bxc1=B 6. Ne6 Bb2 7. Nxd8 Bxa1 8. Ne6 Bg7 9. Nf8 Bxf8. (C+) Natch by Thierry le Gleuher.
Double promotion (B, N). Phoenix & Pronkin for bB. Ceriani-Frolkin for wN. Circuit including switchback for wN.

{CP14} 1. h4 b5 2. h5 b4 3. h6 b3 4. hxg7 bxa2 5. gxf8=B axb1=B 6. Bxe7 Bxc2 7. Bxd8 Bxd1 8. Bxc7 Bxe2 9. Bxb8 Bxf1 10. Bxa7 Rxa7 11. Kxf1 Ra8 12. Ke1. (C?)
Double promotion (B, B) Double Ceriani-Frolkin. Switchbacks for wK & bR.

{CP15} 1. h4 g5 2. hxg5 Nf6 3. gxf6 d6 4. fxe7 Be6 5. exf8=B Bxa2 6. Bxd6 Bxb1 7. Bxc7 Bxc2 8. Bxb8 Bxd1 9. Bxa7 Rxa7 10. Rxa7 Bxe2 11. Rxb7 Bxf1 12. Rxf7 Bxg2 13. Rfxh7 Bxh1 14. Rxh1. (C+).
Ceriani-Frolkin for wB. Circuit for wR. On the way to being a massacre, with 22/27 moves being captures.

{CP16} 1. f4 c5 2. f5 c4 3. f6 c3 4. fxe7 cxb2 5. exf8=N cxb1=N 6. Nxh7 Nxe2 7. Ng5 Rh3 8. Nxh3 Nxg1 9. Nxg1. (C+).

{CP17} 1.Cf3 é5 2.Cxé5 Fd6 3.Cxd7 Fxh2 4.Cb6 axb6 5.Txh2 Txa2 6.Txh7 Txb2 7.Txg7 Txb1 8.Txg8+ Txg8 9.Txb1 Txg2 10.Txb6 Txf2 11.Txb7 Txf1+ 12.Rxf1 Dxd2 13.Txç7 Dxç2 14.Txç8+ Dxç8 15.Ré1 Dd8. (C?)
Thierry believes this is the length record for homebase massacres.

{CP18} 1. Nf3 e5 2. Nxe5 Qe7 3. Ng6 Qxe2 + 4. Qxe2 + Ne7 5. Qxe7 + Bxe7 6. Nf8 Bxf8.
(C+).

{CP19} (a) 1. Nf3 e5 2. Nxe5 Qf6 3. Nc4 Qxb2 4. Na3 Qxb1 5. Nxb1
(b) 1. Na3 e5 2. Nc4 Qg4 3. Nxe5 Qxg2 4. Nf3 Qxg1 5. Nxg1.
(C+).

{CP20} 1. e4 a6 2. Bxa6 Nc6 3. Bf1 Rxa2 4. e5 Ra8 5. Rxa8 Nxe5 6. Rxc8 Nc6 7. Ra8 Nb1 8. Ra1. (C+) Natch by Thierry le Gleuher. Four switchbacks.

{CP21} 1. d4  e5 2. dxe5 Bd6 3. exd6 Qf6 4. dxc7 Qxb2 5. cxb8=B Qxa2 6. Bxa7 Qxb1 7. Be3 Qxc1 8. Bxc1. (C+).

{CP22} 1. c4 f5 2. c5 f4 3. c6 f3 4. cxb7 fxg2 5. bxc8=N gxh1=B 6. Nxe7 Bb7 7. Nc8 Bxc8. (C+). Shifting Pa7 to e7 is also sound.

{CP23} 1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Bd6 3. exd6 Qf6 4. dxc7 Qxb2 5. cxb8=B Qxb1 6. Bf4 Qxc1 7. Bxc1.
(C+).

{CP24} 1. b3 d6 2. Ba3 Be6 3. Bxd6 Bxb3 4. Bxe7 Bxa2 5. Ba3 Be6 6. Bc1 Bc8
1. Nf3 e5 2. Nxe5 Qf6 3. Nxd7 Qxb2 4. Ne5 Qxa2 5. Nf3 Qd5 6. Ng1 Qd8
Each twin has two circuits. (C+).

{CP25} 1. f4 b5 2. f5 b4 3. f6 b3 4. fxg7 bxc2 5. Qxc2 Bxg7 6. Qd1 Bf8
1. c4 g5 2. c5 g4 3. c6 g3 4. cxb7 gxf2+ 5. Kxf2 Bxb7 6. Ke1 Bc8. (C+).
Each twin has two switchbacks. The pawns go nearly all the way but never get to promote.

{CP26} 1. d4 e5 2. dxe5 Bd6 3. exd6 Nc6 4. dxc7 Nd4 5. cxd8=B Nxe2 6. Bdg5 Nxc1 7. Bxc1
1. d4 Nc6 2. Bg5 Nxd4 3. Bxe7 Nxe2 4. Bxd8 Bd6 5. Bxc7 Bf4 6. Bxf4 Nc1 7. Bxc1. (C+).
Pronkin contrasts with circuit for wB.

{CP27} 1. h4 Nf6 2. h5 Nxh5 3. d4 Ng3 4. d5 Nxh1 5. d6 Nxf2 6. dxc7 Nxd1 7. cxb8=Q Nxb2 8. Qd5 Nd1 9. Qxd1.
1. h4 Nf6 2. h5 Nxh5 3. f4 Nxf4 4. Rh6 c6 5. Rxc6 Nxc6 6. d4 Sxd4 7. b3 Nxb3 8. Bxf4 Nc1 9. Bxc1. (C+) Natch 2.0 by Thierry le Gleuher. The two solutions share the first 2.0 moves.

Discussion

Common thematic elements in homebase compositions are Promotions (Pronkin & Frolkin), Wanderers, Circuits, Switchbacks and more rarely Tempo & Opposition. That so much is possible is surprising, given that there are only a billion different homebase positions!

There appear to be many opportunities for new or improved compositions, for example:

  • Minimal representations of single themes.
  • Double promotions (PF, PP or FF).
  • Double promotion by the same player (prerequisite for triple promotion).
  • Single wandering (no rook wandering yet at all).
  • Double wandering.
  • Wandering + promotion
  • Wandering + double promotion (maybe easier than triple promotion).

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