Human ingenuity can find way for white to win

The puzzle above may seem hopeless for white, with just a king and four pawns remaining, but it is possible to draw and even win.

Scientists have constructed it in a way to confound a chess computer, which would normally consider that the game would end with a win for black.

However, an average chessplaying human should be able to see that a draw is possible. A chess computer struggles because it looks like an impossible position, even though it is perfectly legal.

Because it looks impossible it will not be found in the endgame book – a book of endings which tells the chess computer exactly how to play every position.

This puzzle is also hard for an artificial intelligence machine because the pieces are in a complex position.

The three bishops force the computer to perform a massive search of possible positions that will rapidly expand to something that exceeds all the computational power on earth.

Humans attempting the problem are advised to find some peace and quiet and notice how the solution arises. Was there a flash of insight?

Did you need to leave the puzzle for a while and come back to it?

The main goal is to force a draw, although it is even possible to trick black into a blunder that might allow white to win.

The first person to demonstrate the solution legally will receive a bonus prize.

Both humans, computers and even quantum computers are invited to play the game and solutions should be emailed to puzzles@ penroseinstitute. com. The solution will be published in tomorrow’s Daily Telegraph.