The limitations of AI

Mimoko glanced out the window of the school as snow gently fell and blanketed Kawaguchi in a cozy white.

"Damn! It really is snowing! And it's only what, December 6th? Think some Desperado did some shit?" Iori gawked as she pressed her face against the window.

"Possible. Tanabe-kun would probably know," Mimoko frowned.

"I can give him a quick call."

"Students! Do not gawk at the snow! School is in session! And Ishikiridokoro, what was that I heard about calling?" the teacher glared.

"Um, calling out? Like, "OKI-KUN! YOU MAke it snow!?" You know, verbal calling?"

The teacher shook his head. "Smartass. You're lucky I gave a lesson to teach, otherwise I'd be dragging you off to detention."

...

Once school was out, the chess club gathered once more in Maida's classroom.

"So it really is snowing, like, real snow!?" Iori gasped.

"I thought otherwise too, but I couldn't find any Desperados nearby. That being said, it could be something similar to what those Desperados from London did with the fog, so maybe DESPERs are the source of this snowfall," Okisato stated.

"So no one was being targeted?" Mimoko asked.

"Not a key member here at least, but that doesn't mean Desperados won't stir up trouble wherever and whenever. We may be the league's biggest threat, but the world doesn't revolve around us, nor does every Desperado even care about us."

Club activity started proper soon after with Mimoko facing yet another member of the club in her president's challenge match, winning handily.

"I don't get to rematch you for the challenge at the end of club, do I?" the student mumbled.

"Sorry, but those are the rules. Now if no one else wishes to challenge me that can, different story," Mimoko smiled.

Everyone then sought to their own devices with some choosing to practice, and others picking up where they left off with the Troitsky mystery.

"Alright, so this time we're going to push the AI to the limits in order to get this solved. First the prompt. If we word it right, we might be able to get things done proper," the AI-obsessed member of the club stated.

"You really think this shit will work?" Iori scowled.

"It's worth a try," Mimoko smiled.

"If it fails, four-eyes here becomes fodder for the second demonstration match."

"Iori-chan, the president's challenge matches I give at the start and end of club are primarily meant to serve as learning experiences. Considering how much lower rated most here are compared to me, I don't earn any elo from winning, but should I lose or draw, I'll lose quite a bit."

"Though in Numakawa-senpai's name, being awarded a berth of elo for this breakthrough would be a worthy accolade," the student swooned.

"Was Numakawa-senpai always a reward-driven man?" Okisato asked.

"Curious about Numakawa-senpai? Well, to put it bluntly, he was egotistical, but all scientists are."

"... Yes, I guess in a sense she was a bit egotistical- No, VERY egotistical," Okisato mumbled as he thought of his mother.

"Huh? What did you say?"

"Nothing. Did he ever mention a man named, Peter Morphy?"

"Nope. He never really was a guy that referred to people by names, save for those he really meshed well with and teachers."

"Why're you asking about that idiot nerd now? Guy's been dead for months," Iori scoffed.

"Just a slight curiosity, nothing more," Okisato grumbled.

"Anyway, allow me to solve the Troitsky question with the power of AI," the student proclaimed as he opened up a chat log with AI chatbot, Oogle Jebediah. "Alright, Jebediah, here's the state of the game up until... move 24 I think it was? Utilize retrograde analysis in order to list the moves that were made prior to this."

The AI began to think. "That is a great question. To retrograde analyze is quite difficult, a worthy brain teaser. White's move is 24. Rook d1, so we must assume Black's 23rd move was Queen f3."

"Where did the queen move from though?"

"Ah, a great conjuncture. We must assume it came from f6, thus the full move is Queen f3 +, forcing King g1..."

"Wait, but the next move is rook d1! Stupid ass AI," Iori scoffed.

"I'll raise that point," the student nervously frowned.

Unfortunately, the AI continued to remain fixated on impossible moves.

"Alright, lets just try asking it to give the moves, and not ask where the pieces could have moved from."

The result was a full game, but at just a glance, Mimoko could tell it would not solve the problem. "I see castling for White. That's impossible given the piece placement."

"No, maybe White castles, king g2, rook h1, king g1?" the student suggested.

"No, that seems counterproductive. I get the game was played in 1896, but I don't see why anyone would castle, then barricade the rook. That's completely against the principle of castling. Though even if we give the AI the benefit of the doubt here, Black 100% does not castle king's side. It has to castle queen's side."

"What if it walked around?"

"Lol, you're dumber than the AI. If the king was walking out like that, this scenario wouldn't even be a thing," Iori snickered.

"Then is this even possible?"

"Of course it is," Mimoko countered.

The student shook his head. "I have my doubts, but I'll try exploring this more in my free-time. I need more context on the history of this game."