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"Homebase" is where all the surviving pieces are apparently on their starting squares. Here is a very easy new example proof game: can you find the unique shortest game that leads to this position?

[Title "A.Buchanan 26-11-2020: shortest proof game?"]
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/ppppppp1/8/8/8/8/PPPP1P1P/RN2K1NR w - - 0 1"]

Yes c1 is empty!

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2 Answers 2

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I have no idea about this kind of problems, but my guess would be something like this.

[FEN ""]

1. g4 h5 2. Bg2 hxg4 3. Bf3 gxf3 4. Kf1 fxe2+ 5. Kg2 exd1=R 6. Kf3 Rxc1 7. Ke2 Re1+ 8. Kxe1

Is that unique? I have no idea.

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    @RewanDemontay thanks for the edit, how does that work? Simply adding [FEN ""] before the moves? And then presumably enter the position in the quotation marks if it's not the starting position.
    – koedem
    Nov 25, 2020 at 18:59
  • Very nice - and yes it’s unique. Can you make sure this is concealed by spoiler protection, so others can have a go
    – Laska
    Nov 25, 2020 at 19:10
  • @Laska do you happen to know if there is a way to hide a diagram? So apparently spoilers can be used through the usage of >! ? But then the diagram is gone again.
    – koedem
    Nov 25, 2020 at 19:16
  • @koedem I don't know how to hide a diagram: maybe ask in meta
    – Laska
    Nov 26, 2020 at 8:54
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    Spoilers are very limited in what formatting they support; the replayer won't work in them. I feel that people who visit the page know there must be solutions below, so a spoiler isn't really necessary.
    – Glorfindel ♦
    Nov 26, 2020 at 9:29
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For a partial answer, here are a semi-unique sequence sin 11 moves. They are no doubt revealing of the true solution's strategy.

[FEN ""]

1. e4 h5 2. Qxh5 Rxh5 3. g4 Re5 4. Bc4 Rxe4+ 5. Kf1 Re1+ 6. Kg2 Rxc1 7. g5 Re1 8. Be6 Rxe6 9. g6 Rxg6+ 10. Kf1 Rh6 11. Ke1 Rh8

Or this.

[FEN ""]

1. e3 h5 2. Qxh5 Rxh5 3. g3 Rh3 4. Bd3 Rxg3 5. Kf1 Rxe3 6. Kg2 Re1 7. Bf5 Rxc1  8. Bg4 Re1 9. Bh3 Re3 10. Kf1 Rxh3 11. Ke1 Rh8

And this.

[FEN ""]

1. e4 h5 2. Qxh5 Rxh5 3. g3 Re5 4. Bh3 Rxe4+ 5. Kf1 Re1+ 6. Kg2 Rxc1 7. Kf3 Re1  8. Kg2 Re3 9. Kf1 Rxg3 10. Ke2 Rxh3 11. Ke1 Rh8
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  • Good experiments! But the actual solution is a lot shorter!
    – Laska
    Nov 25, 2020 at 17:43

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