I am trying to find the maximum number of squares that can be threatened on a standard chessboard using exactly one of each chess piece.
You have exactly 6 pieces of the same color:
- 1 King
- 1 Queen
- 1 Rook
- 1 Bishop
- 1 Knight
- 1 Pawn
The Rules: You must place all 6 pieces on a standard 8x8 chessboard. Only one piece can occupy a square.
Standard chess rules apply for attacks. The line of sight for sliding pieces (Queen, Rook, Bishop) is blocked by any piece in the way.
The Pawn attacks exactly two squares diagonally forward (e.g., towards the 8th rank). The pawn cannot be placed on the 1st or 8th rank.
A piece does not attack the square it is currently standing on.
If a square occupied by one of your pieces is attacked (defended) by another one of your pieces, that square does count towards your total threatened squares.
The Objective: Maximize the total number of squares on the board that are under attack by at least one piece. (The maximum theoretical score is 64).
What is the absolute maximum number of squares you can threaten, and what is the board layout that achieves this score?
