THE HISTORY OF NORLO

The Brain, Samuel Lloyd and Me

On a hot summer day of 2003 I was talking to a friend. I will call him the Brain because he represents utmost intellectual power in a disabled body. We were discussing various ideas and projects.

Quite by chance we mentioned the game “15” or Taken, invented around 1870 by the genius of Samuel Lloyd. (It is among the games on mobile phones). We both knew about it. The Brain commented that Lloyd’s game was insoluble.

I said that I wanted to solve the problem of this game.

The Brain started explaining angrily that the game was insoluble when the numbers 14 and 15 have swapped places. (c). In practice it has been drastically manipulated and adjusted so as to produce a successful end of the game. The trick which has been used kills logic and correctness.

I had a guess and declared that I would solve the problem with the help of heuristics.

The Brain looked at me bored, riveted his blue and green eyes on me and that was the end of our conversation.

And this is how NORLO came into being – the game of Professor Orloev.

I am happy that I made the next step after my great predecessor Samuel Lloyd. I have admired him since my childhood because I grew up with the magic world of his fantastic chess problems and puzzles.