View source for Albino (chess)

{{Short description|Problem in the game of chess}}
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An '''Albino''' is a type of [[chess problem]], "in which, at some point in the solution, a white [[pawn (chess)|Pawn]] on its starting square makes each of its four possible moves (forward one square, forward two squares, capture to the left, capture to the right)."<ref>[[Milan Velimirović|Velimirovic, Milan]] and [[Kari Valtonen|Valtonen, Kari]] (2012). ''Encyclopedia of Chess Problems: Themes and Terms'', p.19. {{ISBN|9788672970647}}. Quoted in [https://www.chessproblem.net/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=625&p=1612&hilit=albino#p1612 Gary (2013)].</ref> When a Black pawn exhibits similar activity or a quadruple defense instead of "[[Chess problem terminology#A|Albino]]" it is termed a "'''[[Chess problem terminology#P|Pickaninny]]'''" (see: [[albino]] and [[pickaninny]]).<ref>[[George Botterill|Botterill, G. S.]] (1983). ''British Chess'', p.237. Pergamon Press. {{ISBN|978-0080241340}}.</ref> The Albino is, "the four possible moves of a WP [white pawn] on its initial square (excluding squares a2 and h2)," and, the Pickaninny, "the four possible moves of a BP [black pawn] on its initial square (excluding squares a7 and h7)".<ref>Moore, Robert Clyde (1986). ''Two-Move Chess Problems'', p.5 and 8. McFarland & Company. {{ISBN|9780899501772}}.</ref> The latter term was coined by [[Frank Janet]] by 1916.<ref>[[Hartwig Cassel|Cassell, Hartwig]] and [[Hermann Helms|Helms, Hermann]]; eds. (1916). ''[[American Chess Bulletin]], [https://books.google.com/books?id=CqJJAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA70 Volumes 13-15]'', p.70. H. Cassell and H. Helms. {{pre-ISBN}}.</ref>

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==Examples==
{{Chess diagram
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| Camil Seneca,<br />''Bulletin Ouvrier des Echecs'', 1949
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A simple example of an Albino is the problem to the right, a mate in 2 (White moves first and must checkmate Black in two moves against any defense). It is by [[Camil Seneca]] and was first published in the April 1949 edition of the ''Bulletin Ouvrier des Echecs''.<ref>Seneca, Camil (April 1949). ''Bulletin Ouvrier des Echecs''.</ref> The first move of the solution (or ''[[Chess problem terminology#K|key]]'') is 1.Nb1.  This threatens 2.Ra3#.  Black has four ways to defend against this, each of which leads to a different move of the White pawn.  After 1...Bb3, the only move that mates is 2.cxb3# (the pawn captures to the left).  After 1..Bd3, the only mate is 2.cxd3# (capturing to the right).  After 1...Bb5 only 2.c3# will do (forward one square; 2.c4 is no good because the b4 square needs to be covered by the pawn now the White queen has been cut off).  After 1...Bd5 only 2.c4# will do (2.c3 is no good, because Black could play 2...Bb3).
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{{Chess diagram
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| Lev Loshinsky,<br /> ''Moskau-Rostow'', 1930
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The Albino pawn moves need not necessarily be in the post-key play of the problem; they can instead be ''[[Chess problem terminology#T|tries]]'': moves which almost solve a problem but which fail to a single Black defense.  The mate in 2 to the right, which combines the Albino with a Pickaninny, is an example.  It is by [[Lev Loshinsky]] and was published in ''Moskau-Rostow'' in 1930.<ref>Loshinsky, Lev (1930). ''Moskau-Rostow''.</ref>  The key is 1.Nfd5 (threatening 2. Qf4#) with the variations 1...g5 2. h8=Q#; 1...Rxc3/Rxd5 2.Qf5#; and 1...Rd4 2.Qxg7/f5#.  The main point of the problem however, is in the Albino tries, each of which is refuted by a Pickaninny defense.  The relevant variations are:

*1.exd3 (capture to the left; threatens 2.Nd7#) fails to 1...gxf6 (capture to the right)
*1.exf3 (capture to the right; threatens 2.Qg5# and 2.f4#) fails to 1...gxh6 (capture to the left)
*1.e3 (one square forward; threatens 2.Qf4#) fails to 1...g5 (two squares forward)
*1.e4 (two squares forward; threatens 2. Qf5#) fails to 1...g6 (one square forward)

In each of these cases there are other ways for Black to counter White's threat, but the Pickaninny move is the only one that doesn't give White a new mate (for example, after 1.exf3, Bg6 prevents White's threats, but is not any good because it allows 2.Rxe6#).
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{{Chess diagram
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| Adrian Storisteanu,<br /> ''British Chess Magazine'', 1977
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|An albino chess problem with a [[fairy chess piece]] called a ''[[Grasshopper (chess)|grasshopper]]''.
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The nature of the Albino theme is such that in orthodox chess there must be at least four variations to show the four different moves of the White pawn.  However, if the rules of [[circe chess]] are applied, the number of required variations can be reduced to two (circe is a [[chess variant]] in which captured pieces, rather than being removed from the board, are returned to their home squares).  The problem to the right is an example; it is by [[Adrian Storisteanu]] and was first published in the ''British Chess Magazine'' in 1977.<ref>Storisteanu, Adrian (1977). ''[[British Chess Magazine]]''. [https://books.google.com/books?id=lDkuAQAAIAAJ]?</ref>  The problem is a [[Helpmate (chess)|helpmate]] in 2, which means Black moves first and cooperates with White to move to a position where Black is in checkmate after White's second move.  This problem features [[Grasshopper (chess)|grasshoppers]] (represented here by inverted queens), a [[fairy chess piece]] which moves along the same lines as a [[queen (chess)|queen]], but which must "hop" over another piece (friendly or enemy) and land on the square immediately beyond.

There are two solutions to the problem (note that in helpmates, Black's moves are given first):

*1.Rd3 c3+ 2.Gaxc3(pc2) cxd3(Ra8)#
*1.Rb3 c4+ 2.Gxc4(pc2) cxb3(Ra8)#

The first solution has the White pawn moving forward one square, then, after its rebirth on c2, capturing to the right; the second solution has the pawn first moving two squares and then capturing to the left.  Problems like this, showing an Albino with fewer than four variations, are very unusual.

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web |url=http://www.jurajlorinc.com/chess/ti_a.htm#albin |title=Index of themes - A: Albino |last= |first= |date= |website=Chess Composition Microweb |access-date= 16 June 2018}} A selection of four albino problems, mostly fairy.
*{{cite web |url=http://www.jurajlorinc.com/chess/ti_p.htm#picka |title=Index of themes - P: Pickaninny |website=Chess Composition Microweb |access-date= 16 June 2018 }} A selection of eight pickaninny problems, mostly fairy.
*{{cite web |url=https://www.chessproblem.net/viewtopic.php?f=44&t=625&p=1612&hilit=albino#p1612 |title=Albino Theme |last=Gary |date=28 March 2013 |website=ChessProblem.net |publisher= |access-date=16 June 2018 }}
*{{cite web |url=https://www.chessproblem.net/viewtopic.php?t=626 |title=Pickaninny Theme |last=Gary |date=4 April 2013 |website=ChessProblem.net |publisher= |access-date=16 June 2018 }}
*{{cite web |url=http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com/2008/04/pawns-albinos-and-pickaninnies-1.html |title= Pawns, Albinos, and Pickaninnies |last=Manolas |first=Emmanuel |date=April 18, 2008 |website=chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com |publisher= |access-date=16 June 2018 }}

[[Category:Chess problems]]