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'''[[Main Page|Home]] * [[Engine Testing]] * [[Test-Positions]] * The Nolot Suite'''
A test-suite created by [[Pierre Nolot]], in 1994 introduced by [[Marc-François Baudot]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/79a6da1235df64e7# 11 tactical positions computers can't solve] by [[Marc-François Baudot]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 11, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/90b656d5218b1ed3# Pierre Nolot's solutions to the 11 positions] by [[Marc-François Baudot]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> in [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]].
=Discussion and Results=
The suite was widely discussed in the news groups by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/cca5343249f882f4# Nolot's 11 difficult positions (possible spoilers)] by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/eecc575a7e25fdd3# A second look at the Nolot positions] by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]] August 2, 1994</ref>, [[Steven Edwards]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/ce2a1506f6656821# Nolot test positions: EPD version] by [[Steven Edwards]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/a5e8ec975daa956a# Nolot's test vs. Spector] by [[Steven Edwards]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> and others.
=Bruce's Analysis=
[[Bruce Moreland]] made an analysis of those hard positions <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20040403210216/brucemo.com/compchess/nolot/index.htm The Nolot Suite] analyzed by [[Bruce Moreland]]</ref> :
The suite contains eleven positions:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #1 bm Nxh6
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #2 bm Rxc5
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #3 bm Nxg5
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r3qb1k/1b4p1/p2pr2p/3n4/Pnp1N1N1/6RP/1B3PP1/1B1QR1K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r4rk1/pp1n1p1p/1nqP2p1/2b1P1B1/4NQ2/1B3P2/PP2K2P/2R5</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r2qk2r/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/3pP1n1/3P2b1/2PB1NN1/PP4PP/R1BQK2R</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one seems to work, but I don't think that anyone has ever gotten a big score.
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is correct, but whether or not you find it could be a matter of luck. You might start out with a negative score, but you should get a score of +3 or so if you search long enough.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever solved this one.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #4 bm Nxe6
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #5 bm e5
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #6 bm ... axb
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b1kb1r/1p1n1ppp/p2ppn2/6BB/2qNP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r2qrb1k/1p1b2p1/p2ppn1p/8/3NP3/1BN5/PPP3QP/1K3RR1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">rnbqk2r/1p3ppp/p7/1NpPp3/QPP1P1n1/P4N2/4KbPP/R1B2B1R</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one also seems to work, but I don't know that anyone has gotten a big score.
| style="text-align:center;" | Deep Thought got > +3 in four hours. I've gotten +5 in 93 hours. So this one is correct and extremely difficult.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever solved this.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #7 bm Rxd8
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #8 bm Bxh7
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #9 bm Ng5
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">1r1bk2r/2R2ppp/p3p3/1b2P2q/4QP2/4N3/1B4PP/3R2K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r3rbk1/ppq2ppp/2b1pB2/8/6Q1/1P1B3P/P1P2PP1/R2R2K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r4r1k/4bppb/2n1p2p/p1n1P3/1p1p1BNP/3P1NP1/qP2QPB1/2RR2K1</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is hard but works. I've gotten +2 in 37 hours.
| style="text-align:center;" | Hsu expresses doubt about this one, but mine returned a score of +1 after a day. I don't know whether the key move wins or not.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever found the key.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #10 bm Rxf7
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #11 bm Rxh6
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b2rk1/1p1nbppp/pq1p4/3B4/P2NP3/2N1p3/1PP3PP/R2Q1R1K</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b3k1/p2p1nP1/2pqr1Rp/1p2p2P/2B1PnQ1/1P6/P1PP4/1K4R1</fentt>
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is easy. Rxf7 should come back at +1 pretty quickly. I don't know if anyone has done better than this.
| style="text-align:center;" | This one seems to be pretty easy to find, with a draw score or a score that is a little positive or negative, depending upon the program.
|
|}
So 3, 6, and 9 are monsters and remain unsolved, if they aren't actually broken.
1, 4, and 10 are solvable, but the scores haven't been convincing yet.
11 is also findable, but it seems that the best result is a draw, so don't expect a big positive score.
8 is also solvable, but it might be found due to speculation.
2, 5, and 7 are known to be findable as wins.
=EPD=
The Nolot Suite as [[Extended Position Description|EPD]] records:
<pre>
r3qb1k/1b4p1/p2pr2p/3n4/Pnp1N1N1/6RP/1B3PP1/1B1QR1K1 w - - bm Nxh6; id "Position 1";
r4rk1/pp1n1p1p/1nqP2p1/2b1P1B1/4NQ2/1B3P2/PP2K2P/2R5 w - - bm Rxc5; id "Position 2";
r2qk2r/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/3pP1n1/3P2b1/2PB1NN1/PP4PP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - bm Nxg5; id "Position 3";
r1b1kb1r/1p1n1ppp/p2ppn2/6BB/2qNP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - bm Nxe6; id "Position 4";
r2qrb1k/1p1b2p1/p2ppn1p/8/3NP3/1BN5/PPP3QP/1K3RR1 w - - bm e5; id "Position 5";
rnbqk2r/1p3ppp/p7/1NpPp3/QPP1P1n1/P4N2/4KbPP/R1B2B1R b kq - bm axb5; id "Position 6";
1r1bk2r/2R2ppp/p3p3/1b2P2q/4QP2/4N3/1B4PP/3R2K1 w k - bm Rxd8+; id "Position 7";
r3rbk1/ppq2ppp/2b1pB2/8/6Q1/1P1B3P/P1P2PP1/R2R2K1 w - - bm Bxh7+; id "Position 8";
r4r1k/4bppb/2n1p2p/p1n1P3/1p1p1BNP/3P1NP1/qP2QPB1/2RR2K1 w - - bm Ng5; id "Position 9";
r1b2rk1/1p1nbppp/pq1p4/3B4/P2NP3/2N1p3/1PP3PP/R2Q1R1K w - - bm Rxf7; id "Position 10";
r1b3k1/p2p1nP1/2pqr1Rp/1p2p2P/2B1PnQ1/1P6/P1PP4/1K4R1 w - - bm Rxh6; id "Position 11";
</pre>
=External Links=
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolot Nolot from Wikipedia]
* [http://www.blitzchess.fr/fr/tests/gambiscopresentation/index.html Gambisco] from [http://www.blitzchess.fr/ blitzchess.fr](French)
* [http://webchess.freehostia.com/diag/index.php Chess Diagrams by webchess.freehostia.com]
* [https://www.stmintz.com/ccc/index.php?terms=Nolot&search=1 search Nolot] from the [[CCC|Computer Chess Club Archives]]
=References=
<references />
'''[[Test-Positions|Up one level]]'''
A test-suite created by [[Pierre Nolot]], in 1994 introduced by [[Marc-François Baudot]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/79a6da1235df64e7# 11 tactical positions computers can't solve] by [[Marc-François Baudot]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 11, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/90b656d5218b1ed3# Pierre Nolot's solutions to the 11 positions] by [[Marc-François Baudot]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> in [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]].
=Discussion and Results=
The suite was widely discussed in the news groups by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/cca5343249f882f4# Nolot's 11 difficult positions (possible spoilers)] by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/eecc575a7e25fdd3# A second look at the Nolot positions] by [[Feng-hsiung Hsu]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]] August 2, 1994</ref>, [[Steven Edwards]] <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/ce2a1506f6656821# Nolot test positions: EPD version] by [[Steven Edwards]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> <ref>[http://groups.google.com/group/rec.games.chess/browse_frm/thread/a5e8ec975daa956a# Nolot's test vs. Spector] by [[Steven Edwards]], [[Computer Chess Forums|rec.games.chess]], July 29, 1994</ref> and others.
=Bruce's Analysis=
[[Bruce Moreland]] made an analysis of those hard positions <ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20040403210216/brucemo.com/compchess/nolot/index.htm The Nolot Suite] analyzed by [[Bruce Moreland]]</ref> :
The suite contains eleven positions:
{| class="wikitable"
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #1 bm Nxh6
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #2 bm Rxc5
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #3 bm Nxg5
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r3qb1k/1b4p1/p2pr2p/3n4/Pnp1N1N1/6RP/1B3PP1/1B1QR1K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r4rk1/pp1n1p1p/1nqP2p1/2b1P1B1/4NQ2/1B3P2/PP2K2P/2R5</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r2qk2r/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/3pP1n1/3P2b1/2PB1NN1/PP4PP/R1BQK2R</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one seems to work, but I don't think that anyone has ever gotten a big score.
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is correct, but whether or not you find it could be a matter of luck. You might start out with a negative score, but you should get a score of +3 or so if you search long enough.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever solved this one.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #4 bm Nxe6
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #5 bm e5
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #6 bm ... axb
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b1kb1r/1p1n1ppp/p2ppn2/6BB/2qNP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r2qrb1k/1p1b2p1/p2ppn1p/8/3NP3/1BN5/PPP3QP/1K3RR1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">rnbqk2r/1p3ppp/p7/1NpPp3/QPP1P1n1/P4N2/4KbPP/R1B2B1R</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one also seems to work, but I don't know that anyone has gotten a big score.
| style="text-align:center;" | Deep Thought got > +3 in four hours. I've gotten +5 in 93 hours. So this one is correct and extremely difficult.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever solved this.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #7 bm Rxd8
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #8 bm Bxh7
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #9 bm Ng5
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">1r1bk2r/2R2ppp/p3p3/1b2P2q/4QP2/4N3/1B4PP/3R2K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r3rbk1/ppq2ppp/2b1pB2/8/6Q1/1P1B3P/P1P2PP1/R2R2K1</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r4r1k/4bppb/2n1p2p/p1n1P3/1p1p1BNP/3P1NP1/qP2QPB1/2RR2K1</fentt>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is hard but works. I've gotten +2 in 37 hours.
| style="text-align:center;" | Hsu expresses doubt about this one, but mine returned a score of +1 after a day. I don't know whether the key move wins or not.
| style="text-align:center;" | I don't think that anyone has ever found the key.
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #10 bm Rxf7
| style="text-align:center;" | Nolot #11 bm Rxh6
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b2rk1/1p1nbppp/pq1p4/3B4/P2NP3/2N1p3/1PP3PP/R2Q1R1K</fentt>
| style="text-align:center;" | <fentt border="double" style="font-size:24pt">r1b3k1/p2p1nP1/2pqr1Rp/1p2p2P/2B1PnQ1/1P6/P1PP4/1K4R1</fentt>
|
|-
| style="text-align:center;" | This one is easy. Rxf7 should come back at +1 pretty quickly. I don't know if anyone has done better than this.
| style="text-align:center;" | This one seems to be pretty easy to find, with a draw score or a score that is a little positive or negative, depending upon the program.
|
|}
So 3, 6, and 9 are monsters and remain unsolved, if they aren't actually broken.
1, 4, and 10 are solvable, but the scores haven't been convincing yet.
11 is also findable, but it seems that the best result is a draw, so don't expect a big positive score.
8 is also solvable, but it might be found due to speculation.
2, 5, and 7 are known to be findable as wins.
=EPD=
The Nolot Suite as [[Extended Position Description|EPD]] records:
<pre>
r3qb1k/1b4p1/p2pr2p/3n4/Pnp1N1N1/6RP/1B3PP1/1B1QR1K1 w - - bm Nxh6; id "Position 1";
r4rk1/pp1n1p1p/1nqP2p1/2b1P1B1/4NQ2/1B3P2/PP2K2P/2R5 w - - bm Rxc5; id "Position 2";
r2qk2r/ppp1b1pp/2n1p3/3pP1n1/3P2b1/2PB1NN1/PP4PP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - bm Nxg5; id "Position 3";
r1b1kb1r/1p1n1ppp/p2ppn2/6BB/2qNP3/2N5/PPP2PPP/R2Q1RK1 w kq - bm Nxe6; id "Position 4";
r2qrb1k/1p1b2p1/p2ppn1p/8/3NP3/1BN5/PPP3QP/1K3RR1 w - - bm e5; id "Position 5";
rnbqk2r/1p3ppp/p7/1NpPp3/QPP1P1n1/P4N2/4KbPP/R1B2B1R b kq - bm axb5; id "Position 6";
1r1bk2r/2R2ppp/p3p3/1b2P2q/4QP2/4N3/1B4PP/3R2K1 w k - bm Rxd8+; id "Position 7";
r3rbk1/ppq2ppp/2b1pB2/8/6Q1/1P1B3P/P1P2PP1/R2R2K1 w - - bm Bxh7+; id "Position 8";
r4r1k/4bppb/2n1p2p/p1n1P3/1p1p1BNP/3P1NP1/qP2QPB1/2RR2K1 w - - bm Ng5; id "Position 9";
r1b2rk1/1p1nbppp/pq1p4/3B4/P2NP3/2N1p3/1PP3PP/R2Q1R1K w - - bm Rxf7; id "Position 10";
r1b3k1/p2p1nP1/2pqr1Rp/1p2p2P/2B1PnQ1/1P6/P1PP4/1K4R1 w - - bm Rxh6; id "Position 11";
</pre>
=External Links=
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nolot Nolot from Wikipedia]
* [http://www.blitzchess.fr/fr/tests/gambiscopresentation/index.html Gambisco] from [http://www.blitzchess.fr/ blitzchess.fr](French)
* [http://webchess.freehostia.com/diag/index.php Chess Diagrams by webchess.freehostia.com]
* [https://www.stmintz.com/ccc/index.php?terms=Nolot&search=1 search Nolot] from the [[CCC|Computer Chess Club Archives]]
=References=
<references />
'''[[Test-Positions|Up one level]]'''
