Award in SuperProblem - 2020 Informal Tourney | Fairies

Итоги годового конкурса SuperProblem - 2020 | Сказки

Awarding this important tournament was a difficult job for me, but also a pleasure and a good intellectual challenge. 82 entries took part, the general level of which was significantly above average; the prizewinners are excellent. I decided to divide the tourney into two sections according to the number of pieces.

I avoided аwarding compositions with many (3 or more) fairy conditions or different types of fairy pieces

Miniatures | Миниатюры

Prize - G309 Éric Huber (Romania)
1...nRd7+ 2.Ke5 nRd2+ 3.Kf4 nBe4#
1...nRb4 2.nSg4 nSd4+ 3.nBc4 nBc6#
1...nBd3 2.Ke6 nBf4 3.nSe4 nBf6#

Three chameleon echo mates by specific batteries. Mate with double checks in which nB threatened by bK and nS threatened by nR

1st Honorable mention - G317 Sergej Smotrov (Kazakhstan)
1...Bg7 (Rb4??) 2.Kxg7=rB Kb3 3.rBa1 Rb4 4.Rc4 Ba4 5.Rc3+ Ka2#
1...Rc4 (Bf5+? and no 2.Kxf5=rB) 2.Rd4 Bf5+ 3.Kxf5=rB Kc3 4.rBb1 Bb4 5.Rd3+ Kb2#

White R-minimal in miniature. Chameleon echo mates with transformation of white King in Bishop-king (on white and black field). An additional aesthetic element is bicolor Bristol in both phases

2nd Honorable mention - G284 Éric Huber (Romania)
a) diagram: 1.f8B+ Kf5 2.Bc5 Kg4 3.Be3+ gxe3# (thematic try: 1.f8R+? Kd5 2.c3+ Kd4 3.Rf3+ gxf3+ 4.Kg2!)
b) Kf1->e1: 1.f8R+ Kd5 2.c3+ Kd4 3.Rf3+ gxf3# (thematic try: 1.f8B+? Kf5 2.Bc5 Kg4 3.Be3+ gxe3+ 4.Kd2!)

Chameleon echo mates with thematic tries.

Commendation - G272 Jaroslav Štúň (Slovakia)
1.Kc4 Lxg3-g2[+bGg6] 2.Gc3 Lxd2-c2[+bGg2] 3.Gb1 Lxg2-h2[+bGc2] 4.Kb3 Lxc2-b2[+bGh2]+ 5.Kxb2[+wLb3] Lxf7-g8[+bGb3] 6.Ka1 Lxb3-a2[+bGg8]=
1.Gb5 Lxc6-b6[+bGg6] 2.Ga6 Lxb5-b4[+bGb6] 3.Kc6 Lxd2-e1[+bGb4] 4.Kb7 Lxg3-h4[+bGe1] 5.Gb8 Lxb4-a4[+bGh4] 6.Ka8 Lxa6-a7[+bGa4]=
1.Gc4 Lxg3-g2[+bGg6] 2.Ke6 Lxg6-g7[+bGg2] 3.Gh7 Lxg2-g1[+bGg7] 4.Kf7 Lxg7-g8[+bGg1]+ 5.Kxg8[+wLf7] Lxc4-b3[+bGf7] 6.Kh8 Lxf7-g8[+bGb3]=

Stalemates in 3 different corners in 3 solutions. It looks better to me than the 4 twin version

Commendation - G311 Ya'aqov Mintz & Jacques Rotenberg (Israel)
1.Kg8 2.f8S 3.Sg6 4.Se7 5.Kf7 6.g8R 7.Rh8 8.Kg8 9.Sf5 10.Sg7 11.Kf8 12.Rg8 13.h8B =

Smart white-play with an extended switchback of wK and three different (minor) promotions

Commendation - G320 Vladislav Nefyodov (Russia)
Dedicated to 5th birthday of author's granddaughter Miroslava

A witty echo

Main section | Общий раздел

I singled out 3 extraordinary compositions, which belong to different genres: antagonistic , help and serial play. It is impossible to compare them. I excluded my personal affinities, so I awarded them the first prize, which they share equally.

1st-3rd Prize - G300 Franz Pachl (Germany)
1.PAe5? Kxf6! (2.NAf5? VAxf4!)
1.PAd5? Kxg4! (2.PAff5? VAxe6!)
1.PAc5? Kxh6! (2.VAf5? VAxd4!)
1.PAb5! - 2.Rxg6#
1...Kxf6 2.NAf5# (2.VAf5? PAxf4!)
1...Kxg4 2.PAff5# (2.NAf5? NAxe6!)
1...Kxh6 2.VAf5# (2.Paf5? NAxd4!)

A wonderful "Chinese" twomover. The thematic fields are f6, g4 and h6, controlled by PAf4, VAe6 and NAd4 respectively. After departures in the 3 tries and the solution, WPAf5 always releases all three thematic fields! Defenses are 1…Kxf6, Kxg4, Kxh6. The mate is only with an anti-battery, which is activated by the cyclic arrival of a Chinese piece on the same field f5! In the tries, WPAf5 enables the neutralization one of the anti-batteries! So one of above defense is always a refutation. Four departures and cyclic white activation of anti-batteries with 3 different arrivals on f5!

1st-3rd Prize - G319 Lev Grolman (Russia)
*1...BLe4 2.RLf2 BLg2#
1.RLe2 BLb3 (A) 2.RLe6 LId1# (B)
1.RLd2 LIa1 (B) 2.RLd4 BLa8# (C)
1.RLa6 BLe8 (C) 2.RLc6 RLh5# (D)
1.RLa5 RLe8 (D) 2.RLe5 BLg8# (A)

Very clever cyclic mechanism of a 4 white and one black Lion-type fairy pieces with Patroulle condition. Each of these white pieces (LId4, RLIe5, BLIc6 and BLIe6) surrounds the BK and could give a check (or mate), but only if supported with a piece of the same color (the Patroulle rule). Due to that condition, BK can’t take any of them, because no black piece supports him. The supporting white piece also must be one of the above, but after its movement the field next to the BK is unblocked! The thematic black RLia2 (Rook Lion) in move B2 needs to blocks that field for the mate. This scenario is repeated 4 times with cyclic change of pairs and functions of pieces. Set-play shows a nice addition in which RLia2 neutralizes its Pf3. All black moves (9) are with Rook-Lion on a2, and they are all completely different!

1st-3rd Prize - G331 Valery Semenenko (Ukraine)
1.a1B 2.Bf6 3.g5 4.g4 5.gxf3 6.fxe2 7.e1R 8.Re5 9.g2 10.gxh1B 11.Bd5 12.dxc2 13.c1R 14.Rcc5 15.b3 16.b2 17.b1B 18.Bf5 19.Bd7 exd8Q=

Constructional masterpiece: stalemate with 5 (!) pinned promoted pieces (B-R-B-R-B). Task! The only “black officer" in the initial position is captured, and 5 promoted are pinned. Computer test: V. Kotesovec, Popeye Windows-64Bit v4.85 (Time = 281:54:16 h:m:s)

4th Prize - G313 Ladislav Salai jr., Emil Klemanič (Slovakia) & Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic)
1.Gxc4 e5 (c5??, d5?) 2.Ge2 Gd7#
1.Bxd4 c5 (d5??, e5?) 2.Be3 Gf5#
1.Gxe4 d5 (e5??, c5?) 2.Gc2 Ga6#

Fine 3 white tempo moves in a cyclic order. Three mates with Grasshoppers are possible, but only after blocking one field in B2. In B1 move Black has to take one of three white thematically pawns. So, in every solution, one pawn is taken, one is moveless, and one moves for the tempo in W1!

5th Prize - G290 Vlaicu Crisan (Romania), dedicated to Sebastien Luce & Pierre Tritten
1.b5[c4=w]+ cxb6 ep. 2.0-0-0 Sd6#
1.Sd6 cxd6 2.0-0-0 a8=Q[a6=w][b7=w]#
1.Sxc5[a6=w][b7=w]+ Kb5 2.Rxa7 b8=Q[a7=w]# ((but not 1... Kb4? 3.Sxa6[b8=bQ]+!))

Promotion, “en passant” capture and castling or Valladao task! Yes, but much more. The problem shows a special kind of Cyclic Zilahi theme with three thematically pieces of different colors: BPb7, BSc4 and WPa7. All three sacrifices are active, but one mat is passive (!) enabled by Masand condition. Of course, this condition is well applied in all 3 solutions. Unfortunately, same black castling-move is repeated in two solutions.Very original concept.

Special Prize - G329 Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic)
a) diagram: 1.hccLIa3[b3=w] hccBLf7[e6=w] 2.Rg6 hccLIh6[g6=w]#
b) Kh4->c5: 1.hccBLd1[c2=w] hccNLf8[e6=w] 2.Rd7 hccLIc8[d7=w]#
c) Kh4->c4: 1.hccNLg4[e3=w] hccLIe7[e6=w] 2.Rd6 hccLIa6[d6=w]#

Cyclic mutual hopping of 3 (Hurdle Colour Changing) pieces (hccLIe3, hccBLb3 & hccNLc2). Each time the hurdle from B1 changes colour of the next piece in W1. Finally in W2 the hccLIe6 gives a mate on 3 different fields. Nice 3x3 HCC moves. Unfortunately, in each twin one of the above pieces has no role (it can be removed, except for hccBLb3 in c, which can be replaced with BP).

1st Honorable mention - G299 Franz Pachl (Germany)
1.nRf6 nRxc3+ 2.Kd4 nRxf2#
1.nBf6 nBxf2+ 2.Kc6 nBxc3#

Perfect ODT with 4 neutral line-pieces (2 x R&B). Neutral Grimshaw on f6, and neutral self-pinning. Simple, but I like this!

2nd Honorable Mention - G280 Branko Koludrović & Ivo Tominić (Croatia)
1.g1Q d8Q 2.Qg2 Qe7 3.Qa8 b7=
1.g1S d8S 2.Sf3 Se6 3.Sg5 Rf3=
1.g1R d8R 2.Rf1 Rd7 3.Rf8 Rf7=
1.g1B d8B 2.Bd4 LIbf4 3.Bh8 Bf6=
1.g1Z g5 2.Kf5 Rd3 3.Ke4 d8Z=
1.g1LI Re3 2.LId4 d8LI 3.LIf2 Re7=

Extended or Super ‘Babson’ - Q + R + B + S + Zebra + Lion. This is not a task, because there are examples with 8 and 9 promotions, but this presentation looks very good and attractive

3rd Honorable Mention - G269 Franz Pachl (Germany)
1.nQfxf3? nQxc8!
1.nQhxf3? nQb8!
1.nQbxf3? nQaa4!
1.nQdxf3? nQa5!
1.Bxf3! - 2.Rd8#
1...nQxc8 2.nQcxe6#
1...nQb8 2.nQbxe5#
1...nQaa4 2.nQaxc4#
1...nQa5 2.nQaxd2#
1...nQaa7 2.nQxc5#

Remarkable twomover with a play of 5 neutral Queens in tries and solution. 4 tries are with a moves of 4 different nQueens on f3. In solution, after the key move 1.Bxf3! all defenses (4 of them are the refutations in tries) and all mates are with the same neutral Queen (nQa8)!

4th Honorable Mention - G339 Hubert Gockel (Germany)
1.Rxa4[-bPg7]! - 2.Sf6#
The bS attacks wSb4, so that the threat 2.Sf6+ would fail to 2...S:b4[-wSf6]!:
1...Sxd5[-wPf4] 2.Qe5# (Qh4+?)
1...Sxc6[-wPf4] 2.Qh4# (Qe5+?)
1...Sxd5[-wPf2] 2.Rd4# (Re1+?)
1...Sxc6[-wPf2] 2.Re1# (Rd4+?)
1...Sxd5[-wPc4] 2.Sxd5#
1...Sxc6[-wPc4] 2.Sxc6#
1...Sxg8[-wSb4] 2.c5# - competes the half-battery
(1...Sxd5[-wPc6]? and 1...Sxc6[-wPd5]! do not defend due to selfpins!)

An interesting twomover with an unusual anti-dual play. Three pairs of variants with 'dual avoidance' in seemingly the same pairs of defenses (1...Sxd5 and 1...Sxc6), but for different removal of white pawns (f4, f2, c4) based on BretonAdverse condition

5th Honorable Mention - G277 Igor Kochulov (Russia)
1.Rc3 Bg6 2.Rb6+ K:c3(+wRf6)#
1.Bb4 c6 2.Rb1+ K:b1(+wRg8)#
1.Rc6 Be8 2.Ba3+ K:a3(+wBh6)#

Cyclic double checks of 3 not moving Knights

Special Honorable Mention - G316 Sergej Smotrov (Kazakhstan)
Main plan: 1.Qh2#??
1.Qd1+ Kf2 2.Nc1+ Ke3 3.Qd3+ Kf4 4.Ne2+ Ke5 5.Ng1+ Kf4 6.Bg3+ Kg5 7.Nc3+ Kf6 8.Qf5+ Kg7 9.Be5+ Kg8 10.Qg6+ Kf8 11.Qg7+ Ke8 12.Qd7+ Kf8 13.Bg7+ Kg8 14.Ne4+ Kh7 15.Bxb2+! Kg6 16.Bf5+ Kh5 17.Ng3+ Kg5 18.Qg7+ Kf4 19.Qxh6+ Kf3 20.Bg4+ Kf2 21.Qd2+ Kg1 and main plan 22.Bd4+ Bxd4 23.Qh2+ Rxh2#

Logical selfmate with Berlin theme (Main plan does not work due to the other side's mate). Extraordinary round trip of bK (21 moves): g1-f2-e3-f4-e5-f4-g5-f6-g7-g8-f8-e8-f8-g8-h7-g6-h5-g5-f4-f3-f2-g1 with coordinated circular maneuvers of wQ and wN. The reason is the necessary arrival of wBh4 to the field b2. This is an "almost orthodox” selfmate in which the only fairy pieces (nightrider) is not the main actor, but the "most attractive helper". WSg3 would be sufficient for the Main plan, but wNg3 is necessary for its realization.

Commendation - G263 Anatoly Stepochkin (Russia)
1.h8R! zz
1...Bb3 2.f4+ exf3 e.p.#
1...Bf8 2.0-0-0 Ba3#

Valladao task, a one of favorite topics of the author in 2020. The similar problem with S promotion is published in the journal Shakhmatnaya kompozitsiya: 8/2k2Ppr/8/1p5P/8/p3p3/p3P3/R3K3, s#2 Maximmumer

Commendation - G295 Yevhen Trakhtman (Ukraine)
1.Ra7 2.Ba8 3.Rhb7 4.Kh7 5.Bh8 6.Qa1 7.Rh1 Bc2#

A welldone play of 4 line pieces (B-B-Q-R) in all corners.

Commendation - G296 Yevhen Trakhtman (Ukraine)
1.Kg2 2.Bg1 3.Rh2 4.Kh3 5.Rg2 6.Bh2 7.BPg1=S 8.Rf2 9.Kg2 10.Sh3 11.Bg1 12.Kh2 13.Rg2 14.BPf2 15.BPe3 16.Bf4 17.Sg5 18.Kh3 19.B1h2 20.BPg1=S 21.Rf2 22.Kg2 23.S1h3 24.Bg1 25.Kh2 26.Rg2 27.BPf2 28.Be3 29.Sf4 30.Kh3 31.Bh2 32.BPg1=S 33.Rf2 34.Kg2 35.S1h3 36.Kg1 37.Rg2 38.Kf2 39.Bg1 40.Rh2 41.Sg2 42.Shf4 43.Rh3 44.Bh2 45.Kg1 46.Bf2 47.Se3 48.Kg2 49.Bfg1 50.Kf2 51.Seg2 52.Ke3 53.Bf2 54.Bhg1 55.Rh2 56.Sfh3 57.Kf4 58.Be3 59.Sf2 60.Sgh3 61.Kg5 Qxh6#

A witty fairy chess puzzle with 3 bS promotions

Commendation - G314 Alberto Armeni (Italy)
1.Rxe4[bRa8] Ke5 2.0-0-0 Kd6 3.Be8 Kc7#
1.Rxa5[bRh8] Kg5 2.0-0 Kh6 3.Qe8 Kg7#

King's echo-mates after both castling and self-blockade of the initial fields: 2 x e8 + 1 x d8

Commendation - G315 Kostas Prentos (USA)
1.Bd4 Bf3+ 2.Kc5 Ka7 3.c7 Ba8 4.Bc4 Kb7 5.Qe6 d6+ 6.Kd5 Kxc7#

Black and white Indian. Where White’s is not pure, because 1.Bd4 is anti-critical move with blockade. Klasinc theme and Umnov effects. Nice solution with complex cooperative strategy.

Commendation - G327 Borisas Gelpernas (Lithuania)
a) diagram: 1...Bg8 2.Se4 Rf7 3.Kd5/bPe5 Rd7#
b) Kb6->c5: 1...Ra7 2.Rfe8 Bb7 3.Kd7/bBe6 Ba6#
c) Kb6->e1: 1...Ba8 2.Sg4 Rb7 3.Kf3/bSf4 Rb3#

Three Indian maneuvers combined with a castling condition