Can You Solve a Quantum Consciousness Chess Puzzle? 

The creator of this puzzle is brilliant.

While it may appear to be a straightforward chess puzzle, this challenge could provide crucial insights into what distinguishes the human mind and why it may never be replicated by computers. Seventy-five years after Bletchley Park sought codebreakers during World War II by publishing a crossword in The Telegraph, scientists are once again encouraging the public to engage with a new puzzle to identify the sharpest thinkers.
There are many different chess programs where you can set this up and let the computer play white. Shredder chess app on Grand Master setting gives up.

Easy for humans, eh? I’ll have to come back to it later. What must white not do? Perhaps white must not let any one out of the trap, and just get the stalemate against the three bishops? That seems pretty tricky… unless you think backwards. Hmmm.

The newly established Penrose Institute, founded by Sir Roger Penrose—an emeritus professor at the Mathematical Institute of Oxford and a Nobel laureate—coincides with a public puzzle challenge aimed at exploring human consciousness. Sir Roger, who shared the 1988 World Prize in Physics with Professor Stephen Hawking for his contributions to understanding black hole singularities, leads this initiative. The Penrose Institute will operate branches at University College London (UCL) and Oxford University, focusing on the intersection of physics and human consciousness. Its mission is to investigate the fundamental distinctions between artificial intelligence and human cognition. If successful, this research could demonstrate that the human brain functions not merely as a vast supercomputer but may also exhibit quantum effects that extend beyond current scientific understanding—a notion that remains contentious among many scientists who deem it improbable.

It seems there are few known physical forces which are not somehow utilized by our biology. It would be surprising to me if quantum effects were not involved in cell division and also in brain cell functions connected with consciousness.

The chess problem, originally designed by Sir Roger Penrose, aims to challenge artificial intelligence (AI) while remaining solvable for human players. The Penrose Institute invites participants to determine how White can either win or force a stalemate, sharing their reasoning in the process. The initiative seeks to explore the nature of human insight and intuition by scanning the brains of those who solve the puzzle quickly or experience significant “Eureka” moments.

Despite appearing to be a hopeless position for White, who has only a king and four pawns left, the puzzle is constructed in such a way that it can lead to a draw or even a win. While AI typically assesses this scenario as a guaranteed win for Black due to its material advantage, average chess-playing humans can recognize the potential for a draw. The challenge arises from the presence of three bishops, which complicates calculations for computers, leading them to misinterpret the position as unwinnable.

Participants are encouraged to find a quiet space and reflect on their thought processes while solving the puzzle. Insights about how they arrive at solutions—whether through sudden flashes of understanding or prolonged contemplation—are of particular interest to researchers. The primary objective is to achieve a draw, but there is also potential for White to capitalize on Black’s mistakes.

The first individual to demonstrate a legal solution will receive a bonus prize. Both human players and AI systems, including quantum computers, are invited to engage with the puzzle, with solutions submitted via email to puzzles@penroseinstitute.com.

Sir Roger emphasized the distinction between human and machine cognition: “If you put this puzzle into a chess computer, it just assumes a black win because of the number of pieces and positions, but a human will look at this and know quickly that is not the case.” He noted that understanding how humans differ from computers could have significant sociological implications, particularly in light of concerns regarding job displacement by automation.

The Penrose Institute aims not only to investigate human consciousness but also to explore broader scientific questions, including developing technologies for treating brain diseases and enhancing our understanding of quantum biology. This chess puzzle is part of a series designed to delve into human ingenuity and creativity—areas where machines may never surpass human capability.

As part of its mission, the Penrose Institute will release additional puzzles in the coming weeks, further inviting public participation in this intriguing exploration of intelligence.

Trying the Puzzle

For the puzzle, the first thing I see is black is boxed in. I’ve gotten to the point where I can take one of the bishops, but I haven’t found the stalemate yet. Hope. It’s something we have that computers don’t… yet.

At first you might think you just need to get your king trapped so it can’t move for the stalemates. To avoid a draw, the chess computer will eventually let you get to this position.

Is this a step in the right direction? No. White can still move and in this case must move one of the top two pawns, taking one of the two black rooks, each of which releases the queen who then mates you, pretty sure… This is easy for humans with consciousness, you say?

Ah, got it.

I just beat my chess computer on Grand Master 2600 ELO setting. I doubt I’m the first, but I’ll send in my solution.

Update: The Institute sent back this reply:

Thank you very much for spending time on the puzzle. We hope it stimulated your brain. We … may get back to you.

It was pretty fun, but winning seemed silly, somewhat surprising and decidedly dull as far as strategy. This definitely taught me something about how chess computers work.

Another Chess Puzzle

For a bit more fun, here’s another surprising puzzle taken from the final play of the final game of the World Chess Chanpionship.

It’s white’s move. What move gives white the win? The answer won the championship.

 

Read More
^{[1] https://en.chessbase.com/post/a-chess-problem-holds-the-key-to-human-consciousness
[2] https://www.universityherald.com/articles/69294/20170315/quantum-effects-in-brain.htm
[3] https://www.chessbase.in/news/chess-position-by-roger-penrose/
[4] https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/can-you-solve-penroses-chess-problem-and-win-a-bonus-prize.911538/
[5] https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-need-someone-to-solve-this-chess-problem-and-reveal-the-key-to-human-consciousness
[6] https://www.chess.com/news/view/will-this-position-help-to-understand-human-consciousness-4298
[7] https://www.orangecyberdefense.com/global/blog/innovation/staying-ahead-of-machines-1/3
[8] https://www.iflscience.com/humans-can-solve-this-chess-puzzle-but-a-supercomputer-cant-40796
[9] https://en.chessbase.com/post/on-human-and-computer-intelligence-in-chess
[10] https://futurism.com/this-puzzle-could-reveal-the-key-to-human-consciousness}