Some puzzles by Luca Pacioli since 1500 ca

Recently I came across web articles on Luca Pacioli's chess treatise. A manuscript in Coronini Cronberg Library [ms 7955], under the title De ludo scachorum or Schifanoia, written by the mathematician Pacioli around 1500 ca and containing about 100 problems with both medieval and modern chess rules. While there's a strong assumption that the pieces designs were made by Leonardo da Vinci.

... for more info

• http://www.leonardochess.com/de-ludo-scachorum
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_ludo_scachorum
• http://www.coronini.it/en/patrimonio/biblioteca/
• http://www.leonardochess.com/uploads/datoteke/Leonardo%20Da%20Vinci%20SCACCHI%20inglese%20translation%20I.pdf in pdf

I've managed to track some chess diagrams in the web so here're two problems of modern chess where there's a key first move not checking. I liked the first one!

the above two positions

But a position that was interesting is one that seemed to be analyzed by Raymond Keene in The Times of Mar 10, 2008 [Renaissance chess master and the Da Vinci decode mystery in The Times and full copy in https://www.sott.net/article/150811-Renaissance-chess-master-and-the-Da-Vinci-decode-mystery // also check https://web.chessdailynews.com/davinci-chess-mystery/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_ludo_scachorum].

It was noted that there should be a mistake in the original diagram setting illegally a pawn on d1. It was replaced by a Knight. So the position was the following

But looking in the position in the medieval diagram, I've noticed that the above pgn position should be mistaken regarding the placement of Kings and Queens. Comparing them with other diagrams, there's should be a switch between them, I think. Check the diagram...

and compare it with this table taken from here in pdf

Also in the original diagram only the Rook on g3 is indicated just with four dots around, without any further letters or numbers that would show a move sequence, something that it should be expected with such a complex solution. So I switched the Kings with the Queens and rotated 90 degrees the diagram so the pawn to be set legally. And the solution is just to move this rook [after the rotation on c2] anywhere... and it's checkmate

Don't know but it seems more correct to me...

Very nice puzzles! Enjoyable.

Cool stuff mate 👍 I remember the Ray Keene story from the time. 

glad you've liked it.

@tzimakos1173 I liked the first one. It resembled more of a modern chess approach. Dont know

... and though I knew Keene's column existence, never read something till now. Times' access is a little difficult online free.