user30167: What is the shortest sequence of moves to move all of White's pieces to the third rank or beyond? Assume in this situation that Black is cooperating in trying to achieve this goal, and as such is simply shuffling their knight back and forth to not impede White's progress. The shortest I've found is the following:
[FEN ""]
1.e4 Nf6 2. d4 Ng8 3. Ba6 Nf6 4. Bh6 Ng8 5. Qh5 Nf6 6. Nf3 Ng8 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Rd1 Ng8 9. Rd3 Nf6 10. Kd2 Ng8 11. Re1 Nf6 12. Ree3

Is there a quicker way to do this? For a more challenging variant of the problem - what's the shortest series of moves to get all of White's pieces and pawns to the third rank or beyond?

user28439: (As @JamesMartin suggested) 11 moves is the quickest possible way. There are 7 pieces to move, 2 of them are bishops which you need to open the way, 2 of them are rooks which you also need to open the way. 7 + 2 + 2 = 11.
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/P1BPPBQP/R1N2N1R/1PP2PP1/4K3 b kq - 14 11"]
1. a4 Nf6 2. d4 Ng8 3. e4 Nf6 4. h4 Ng8 5. Rh3 Nf6 6. Raa3 Ng8 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Bf4 Ng8 9. Qg4 Nf6 10. Nf3 Ng8 11. Nc3

Bonus: The quickest way for all pieces to move to third rank or beyond. 8 pawns, 8 pieces, king needs to move 1 more to third rank, 8 + 8 + 1 = 17. (15 without king)
[FEN "rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RQNBBNKR/8/8 b kq - 18 17"]
1. a4 Nf6 2. b4 Ng8 3. c4 Nf6 4. d4 Ng8 5. e4 Nf6 6. f4 Ng8 7. g4 Nf6 8. h4 Ng8 9. Rh3 Nf6 10. Nf3 Ng8 11. Bd3 Nf6 12. Ra3 Ng8 13. Be3 Nf6 14. Nc3 Ng8 15. Qb3 Nf6 16. Kf2 Ng8 17. Kg3


30167: <p>What is the shortest sequence of moves to move all of White's pieces to the third rank or beyond? Assume in this situation that Black is cooperating in trying to achieve this goal, and as such is simply shuffling their knight back and forth to not impede White's progress. The shortest I've found is the following:</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;&quot;]
1.e4 Nf6 2. d4 Ng8 3. Ba6 Nf6 4. Bh6 Ng8 5. Qh5 Nf6 6. Nf3 Ng8 7. Nc3 Nf6 8. Rd1 Ng8 9. Rd3 Nf6 10. Kd2 Ng8 11. Re1 Nf6 12. Ree3
</code></pre>
<p>Is there a quicker way to do this? For a more challenging variant of the problem - what's the shortest series of moves to get all of White's pieces <em>and</em> pawns to the third rank or beyond?</p>
 28439: <p>(As @JamesMartin suggested) 11 moves is the quickest possible way. There are 7 pieces to move, 2 of them are bishops which you need to open the way, 2 of them are rooks which you also need to open the way. 7 + 2 + 2 = 11.</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/P1BPPBQP/R1N2N1R/1PP2PP1/4K3 b kq - 14 11&quot;]
1. a4 Nf6 2. d4 Ng8 3. e4 Nf6 4. h4 Ng8 5. Rh3 Nf6 6. Raa3 Ng8 7. Bc4 Nf6 8. Bf4 Ng8 9. Qg4 Nf6 10. Nf3 Ng8 11. Nc3
</code></pre>
<p><strong>Bonus:</strong> The quickest way for all pieces to move to third rank or beyond. 8 pawns, 8 pieces, king needs to move 1 more to third rank, 8 + 8 + 1 = 17. (15 without king)</p>
<pre><code>[FEN &quot;rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RQNBBNKR/8/8 b kq - 18 17&quot;]
1. a4 Nf6 2. b4 Ng8 3. c4 Nf6 4. d4 Ng8 5. e4 Nf6 6. f4 Ng8 7. g4 Nf6 8. h4 Ng8 9. Rh3 Nf6 10. Nf3 Ng8 11. Bd3 Nf6 12. Ra3 Ng8 13. Be3 Nf6 14. Nc3 Ng8 15. Qb3 Nf6 16. Kf2 Ng8 17. Kg3
</code></pre>
