Which pieces don't really matter? (Posted on 2005-01-02)
Set up a chess board with all the pieces in their correct starting positions. Now remove all the Pawns. There are now four unthreatened squares on the board.
How many, and which pieces can you remove from the board so that the position and number of unthreatened squares remains unchanged?
Three pieces. The two King's Knights and either of the Queen's Rooks.
Interestingly enough, two of the four "safe" squares are squares that are probably most commonly moved to as an opening move (King's Pawn forward two squares).
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