Final Award in Quick Composing TT-225 | Окончательные итоги блицконкурса TT-225

Pinned but unbroken | Связан, но не сломлен

Theme | Тема

31 entries were received from 18 authors representing 12 countries | На конкурс поступила 31 композиция от 18 авторов из 12 стран

EN <-> RU

From the tournament director Aleksey Oganesjan we have received 31 compositions, one with two versions. The level of the tournament is very high, so we had to establish the additional criteria for retaining the problems in the award. Unfortunately No 19 (Kc2-Ke5) is partially anticipated by pdb/P0576633.

We have therefore discovered that the theme could be realized in several ways, for which we introduced the following classification:
1. “Fictitious” when the existence of the pin is totally irrelevant, i.e. the White move would be the same even in the absence of pinning by slightly modifying the position.
2. “Artificial” when the presence of the pin is essentially justified, but there is actually no choice of move for White except the Pelle move.
3. “Genuine” when the Pelle move is neither fictitious, nor artificial.

After a long debate, we decided to reward only the compositions featuring minimum 2 genuine thematic moves and having no fictitious thematic moves. Although quite a few excellent compositions failed to enter in the present award due to the above-mentioned constraints, we felt that they will have better chances to compete for top honors in other tournaments.

When ranking the remaining compositions, we paid high attention to the intricacy of the interplay. We both thought that the interplay should play an essential role in helpmates, hence the order.

No 12 (Kh7-Kd5), initially marked by 1st Prize, is excluded in view of several strong anticipations: yacpdb/483069, yacpdb/483071, yacpdb/483073.

We thank all participants for their entertaining entries, Eric Huber for his valuable advice and Aleksey for his diligent work as the tournament director.

Award is the following | Отличия распределились следующим образом

1st Prize, 1st Place - No 27
Fadil Abdurahmanovic
TT-225, SuperProblem, 08-08-2019
3b4/2p1B3/p7/2q2RK1/pk1p1p1n/2p5/8/4r3
h#32.1..(3+11)
1st Hon. mention, 2nd Place - No 3
Menachem Witztum
TT-225, SuperProblem, 08-08-2019
2K2Rq1/1p3p1p/1P3B1P/p7/P2n4/2b3P1/8/k1N5
h#32.1..(8+8)
2nd Hon. mention, 3rd Place - No 24
Aleksandr Pankratyev & Evgeny Gavryliv
TT-225, SuperProblem, 08-08-2019
4b3/5Bq1/pn6/3r1ppK/2kb3R/3p4/4p1p1/7r
h#3.52.1..(3+13)

1st Prize, 1st Place - No 27, Fadil Abdurahmanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) 3b4/2p1B3/p7/2q2RK1/pk1p1p1n/2p5/8/4r3

1.Ka5 Bf6 2.Re7 Be5 3.Qb4 Bxc7#
1.a5 Rd5 2.Sf5 Rd6 3.Qc4 Rb6#
We had two problems derived from the same scheme, probably created by the same author(s): 27 and 28 (Kh5-Kc4). In spite of the fact that the second one featured, in addition, very interesting black Pelle moves, we eventually decided to retain 27 for the best interplay: in both solutions W1 allows B2, B2 allows W2 and W2 allows B3! There is a slight mismatch in B1 and the non-essential pinning of wR in the second solution.
EN <-> RU

1st Honorable mention, 2nd Place - No 3, Menachem Witztum (Israel) 2K2Rq1/1p3p1p/1P3B1P/p7/P2n4/2b3P1/8/k1N5

1.Qxg3? Rd8 2.Bb4 2.Rxd4 3.Q?? Rxb4#
1.Bb4 Re8 (Rd8? 2.Bf8 Rxd4 3.Qg8?) 2.Bf8 Re5 3.Sb5 Rxb5#
1.Se6 Rd8 2.Sf8 Rd4 3.Bb4 Rxb4#
The two half-pinned black pieces alternatively unpin the wR in two moves, which in turn unpins the remaining pinned black officer. Surprisingly, the officer has no choice to hide away, but to sacrifice itself. The setting looks quite ugly at the first glance; half of the pieces are just pawns plugged into the position. This scheme was used in two other compositions which were considered – No 6 (Kb1-Kh8) and No 17 (Kb8-Kh1), – but here there is also a trap failing due to lack of black tempo. Here again the interplay follows the same pattern as in the first prize problem: in both solutions W1 allows B2, B2 allows W2 and W2 allows B3.
EN <-> RU

2nd Honorable mention, 3rd Place - No 24, Aleksandr Pankratyev (Russia) & Evgeny Gavryliv (Ukraine) 4b3/5Bq1/pn6/3r1ppK/2kb3R/3p4/4p1p1/7r

1...Bg6 2.Bb5 Bxf5 3.Rc5 Bg4 4.Bc3 Be6#
1...Rh3 2.Rb1 Re3 3.Rb4 Re6 4.Rdb5 Rc6#
The thematic moves are actually the keys! The creation of reciprocal batteries ending with double-check mates and many unpins: what can one want more? However, this familiar looking strategy is not quite unified and the theme seems somehow artificially realized in the second solution, as 1…Rh3 is solely a tempo move preserving the set play (not mentioned by the author). An imaginative way to show the imposed theme! Further, Pg2 can be removed by moving Pe2 to e3. Pity that bQ's duty is only to restrict wK's moves.
EN <-> RU
1st Commendation - No 18
Viktoras Paliulionis
TT-225, SuperProblem, 08-08-2019
8/8/rq6/8/5b1k/8/Q7/K7
h#3.5(2+4)
2nd Commendation - No 29
F. Abdurahmanovic & M. Klasinc
TT-225, SuperProblem, 08-08-2019
B7/8/3K2n1/3R4/2q5/2rrnP2/2bkp3/2b5
h#32.1..(4+9)

1st Commendation - No 18, Viktoras Paliulionis (Lithuania) 8/8/rq6/8/5b1k/8/Q7/K7

1...Qa5! (Q~?) 2.Bg5 Qa3! (Qa2?) 3.Ra4 Qa2 4.Rg4 Qh2#
The only problem featuring the wQ as the thematic piece! We liked both the miniature and the minimal, although we would have preferred to see a more dynamic white play, like for instance in the beautiful single-line yacpdb/301279 or in the wonderful Krikheli masterpiece – see pdb/P0500839. However, this problem deserves recognition for showing three consecutive Pelle moves, although 3...Qa2 is rather artificial.
EN <-> RU

2nd Commendation - No 29, Fadil Abdurahmanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) & Marko Klasinc (Slovenia) B7/8/3K2n1/3R4/2q5/2rrnP2/2bkp3/2b5

1.Kd1 f4 2.Rd2 Rd3 3.e1B Bf3#
1.Rd4 Kd7 2.Kd3 Rd6 3.Bd2 Be4#
An amusing idea: reciprocal white & black Pelle moves, shown with great humor. The lack of interplay, particularly in the second solution, hinders a higher honor.
EN <-> RU


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Sections | Разделы

H# (helpmates | коопматы)

Participants | Участники

Abdurahmanovic F. – No 27, 28*, 29*, 30*, 31*
Bhushan P. – No 20, 21, 22
Caillaud M. – No 15
Evseev V. – No 1
Gavryliv E. – No 23*, 24*, 25*, 26
Giakatis T. – No 14
Jonsson C. – No 8
Kerhuel M. – No 9
Klasinc M. – No 28*, 29*, 30*, 31*
Kostyukov A. – No 11, 12, 13
Medintsev V. – No 7
Oganesjan A. – No 2
Paliulionis V. – No 18, 19
Pankratyev A. – No 23*, 24*, 25*
Skripnik A. – No 4A, 4B, 5
Tar G. – No 10
Vieira R. – No 16, 17
Witztum M. – No 3, 6

The Winner | Победитель

Fadil Abdurahmanovic
Congratulations! | Поздравляем!

Judges | Арбитры

Vlaicu Crisan

Balasubramanian S. K.

Director and editor
Директор и редактор

Aleksey Oganesjan
alexeioganesyan@gmail.com

Comments | Комментарии

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