[Retros] Vowel Pawns

[Elkies, Noam]

Eric Angelini <eric.angelini at skynet.be> writes:

> it’s about a win in less than 10 moves, starting
> with the usual orthodox position --- but there is
> a soft fairy condition: the "vowel pawns" [a,e file]
> are very fragile (you capture them and the game is over):
> https://cinquantesignes.blogspot.com/2020/09/vowel-pawns-vp.html?m=1

1 c4 seems even stronger than 1 c3, because after b6 2 Qa4 Ba6
is not a "cross-check" and White can keep attacking with 3 Qa3 and 4 Qe3.
Note that White also has the option of continuing 2 Qb3, aiming for
Qa3 or Qe3 attacking both vowels.  If 1 c4 e6 2 Qa4 Na6 3 c5
also looks like a quick win though Black will have a few spite checks
(Qf6 4 Qe4 Qxf2+ 5 Kxf2 Bxc5+ 6 Kf3).

NDE