Final Award in Quick Composing TT-264 | Окончательные итоги блицконкурса TT-264
183 entries were received from 27 authors representing 12 countries | На конкурс поступило 183 композиций от 27 авторов из 12 стран
EN <-> RU
I received 183 problems for judging. It was a difficult decision as there were very few trivial problems in the group. So I hope that unawarded authors take the chance to submit their problems elsewhere. I tend to be terse in my descriptions of problems, and like to let the chess speak for itself.
The idea behind this tourney was a material study, which is rare. I thus appreciated most those problems that combined the use of the required material with a thematic approach.
The top three were clear to me.
Thanks to all the authors who sent in problems. As I noted above, many more of these could have been a part of the award. Please submit them elsewhere!
Award is the following | Отличия распределились следующим образом
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1st Prize - No 2, Nikita Kravtsov (Russia) 8/8/1pQ5/2p5/2k5/6n1/2B5/B3K3
Main plan 1.Qf3? – 2.Qb3#, 1...Kb4 2.Qb3+ Ka5 3.Qa4#, 1...Kb5!1.Qa8! – 2.Qa2+ Kb5/Kb4 3.Qa4#
1...b5 2.Qf3 – 3.Qb3#, 2...Kb4 3.Qc3#, 2...b4 3.Qd3#
An excellent logical problem without pretense. The main plan of 1.Qf3? fails, so b5 has to be blocked. Excellent use of geometry with flight-giving-key.
EN <-> RU
2nd Prize - No 4, Yury Alekseev (Russia) 7K/3p4/3P1P2/3B4/3k4/6p1/2PB2Q1/8
1.Ba8? (2.Qd5#) 1...Kc5 2.Qd5+ (а) Kb6 3.Qa5#, 1...Ke5! (b)1.Bg8? (2.Qd5#) 1...Ke5 2.Qd5+ (а) Kxf6 3.Qg5#, 1...Kc5! (c)
1.c4! zz
1...Kd3 2.Bb4 Kd4 3.Qe4#, 2...Ke3 3.Qd2#
1...Ke5 (b) 2.Qxg3+ Kf5/xf6 3.Qg5#, 2...Kd4 3.Qe3#
1...Kc5 (c) 2.Qg1+ Kxd6 3.Bf4#
The clearance moves 1.Ba8? and 1.Bg8? look like winners but fail to opposing king flights. Refutations in tries become actual defenses in solution. The key grants a flight. First and second prize could be interchanged on a different day.
EN <-> RU
3rd Prize - No 27, Anatoly Stepochkin (Russia) 3KQ3/8/8/8/8/7B/5ppB/5k2
1.Qd7! (2.Qd1#)1...Ke2 2.Bg4+ Ke3 3.Be5 ~ 4.Qd4#
1...Ke1 2.Bg4 f1Q 3.Bg3+ Qf2 4.Qd1#, 2...f1S 3.Qd1+ Kf2 4.Qe2#
By far the best miniature and there were many. The key grants a flight but the king's demise is executed with flair. I have a special weakness for problems that allow differential queen and knight promotions.
EN <-> RU
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1st Honorable mention - No 10, José A. Garzón (Spain) 8/6p1/4K3/2p3p1/4k3/2B1r3/1Q2B3/7b
1.Qg8? (2.Qe5#) 1...Rxe2!1.Bxg7! (2.Qe5#)
1...Kf4+ 2.Be5+ Rxe5+ 3.Qxe5#, 2...Ke4 3.Qb7#
1...Rxe2 2.Qxe2+ Kf4 3.Be5#
1...Rc3 2.Qxc3 ~ 3.Qe5#
Bristol and Keller paradox with cross checks. I looked for a long time to see if the capture key could be avoided but of course the capture of a pawn is not a big concern.
EN <-> RU
2nd Honorable mention - No 28, Elmar Abdullayev (Azerbaijan) 8/4K1p1/6B1/2nk3p/nQ6/6BP/8/8
1.Bf2! – 2.Be4+ Sxe4 3.Qd4+ Kc6 4.Qd7#1...h4 2.Qb5 Ke5 3.Qc4 – 4.Qd4#, 3...Sb3/Se4/Se6 4.Qe4#
1...Kc6 2.Be8+ Kc7 3.Bg3+ Kc8 4.Qb8#; 2...Sd7 3.Bxd7+ Kc7 4.Bg3#, 3...Kd5 4.Qd4#
A great duel between knights and bishops. Took me a long time to see the good aspects of the change of function between bishop and queen.
EN <-> RU
3rd Honorable mention - No 34, Vladimir Kozhakin (Russia) 8/1QK5/8/8/4N3/3pN3/4kP2/8
1.Kc8? Kf3!1.Qa6/Qd5? Kf3!
1.Qc8!
1...d2 2.Qd7! Ke1 3.Qxd2#, 2...Kf3 3.Qg4#, 2...d1Q 3.Qxd1#
(2.Qa6+? Ke1 3.Qf1#, 2...Kf3!; 2.Qg4+? Ke1 3.Qd1#, 2...Kd3!; 2.Qd8? Kf3!)
1...Ke1 2.Qg4! d2 3.Qd1#
(2.Qa6? d2 3.Qf1#, 2...Ke2!; 2.Qd7? d2 3.Qxd2#, 2...Ke2!)
Excellent use of the ambush motif. This would be a good problem to show a player who doesn't appreciate chess problems as such an ambush is counterintuitive to the player who wants to throw his queen into the center of the board.
EN <-> RU
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Special Honorable mention - No 9, Aleksandr Feoktistov (Russia) N7/pr6/k1pN4/2p5/Kb6/8/8/Q7
a) diagram:1.Qh8? c4!
1.Qh1! – 2.Qxc6+ Rb6 3.Sc7#
1...Rc7 2.Qf1+ c4 3.Qxc4#
b) wBa8, wBd6: 1.Qh8! – 2.Qc8 – 3.Qxb7#
1...Rb8 2.Qxb8 ~ 3.Qb7#
1...Rc7 2.Bxc7 ~ 3.Qc8#
The queen occupies different corners depending on whether two knights or two bishops are used!
Special distinction – for excellent twinning.
EN <-> RU
Special Honorable mention - No 71, Miroslav Svítek (Czech Republic) 2B5/BQ6/6P1/4P3/5k2/K7/8/8
*1...Kxe5 2.Qe7+ Kf4 3.Qe3# (MM), 2...Kd5 3.Qe6# (MM)1.Qd7? (X) – 2.Qg4+ (A) Kxe5 3.Qd4# (MM), 2.Qf5+ (B) Kg3 3.Qf2# (MM), 1...Ke4 2.Qd4+ Kf3 3.Qg4# (MM), 1...Kg5!
1.Qb1? – 2.Qf5+ (B) Kg3 3.Qf2#, 1...Kf3 2.Qd3+ Kg2 3.Qh3# (MM), 2...Kf4 3.Qe3#, 1...Kg5!
1.Qg2! – 2.Qg4+ (A) Kxe5 3.Qd4#
1...Kxe5 2.Qg5+ Kd6 3.Qc5# (MM), 2...Ke4 3.Qf5# (MM)
1.Bd4? zz 1...Kg3 2.Qd7 (X) Kh2 3.Qh3# (MM), 2...Kf4(h4) 3.Qg4#, 2...Kg2 3.Qh3#, 2...Kf3 3.Qg4#, 1...Kg5!
1.Qb6? – 2.Qe3#, 1...Kxe5 2.Qd4#, 1...Ke4 2.Qd4+ Kf3 3.Qg4#, 1...Kf3 2.Qe3+ Kg2 3.Qh3#, 1...Kg3 2.Qf2#, 1...Kg5!
1.Qa6? zz 1...Kxe5 2.Qe6+ Kf4 3.Qe3#; 1...Ke4 2.Qc4+ Kf3 3.Qg4#, 2...Kxe5 3.Qd4#; 1...Kf3 2.Qd3+ Kg2 3.Qh3#, 2...Kf4 3.Qe3#; 1...Kg3 2.Qe2 – 3.Qf2# Kh4 3.Qg4#, 2...Kf4 3.Qe3#, 1...Kg5!
I love Rex Solus problems and this one, - so I give it special distinction as a best problem with “Rex solus”. It showing a Barnes theme, is an excellent addition. The try play is phenomenal! The key is the only drawback but the try play compensates.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 47, Vladimir Kozhakin (Russia) 1Q6/3p4/3K4/1N6/pk6/p3p3/3N4/8
*1...Ka5 2.Sc7 exd2 3.Qb5#1.Qa7? – 2.Qc5+ Ka5 3.Sc7#, 1...exd2!
1.Sxa3+? Kxa3 2.Sc4+ Ka2 3.Qb2#, 1...Ka5 2.Qb5#, 1...Kc3!
1.Qc7! – 2.Qc5+ Ka5 3.Sc7#, 2.Sd4 ~ 3.Qc5#
1...Kxb5 2.Qb7+ Ka5 3.Sc4#
1...a2 2.Qc5+ Ka5 3.Sc7#
1...exd2 2.Sd4 d1Q/a2 3.Qc5#
Kozhakin theme and I believe Kuechler theme as well as the obvious battery is dismantled. The double knight sacrifice is an added plus.
EN <-> RU
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Commendation - No 70, Miroslav Svítek (Czech Republic) 8/Kp2p1B1/4B3/8/pP2P3/8/2k5/6Q1
1.Qg2+? Kd1 2.Bg4+ (A) Kc1 3.Qb2# (MM), 2...Ke1 3.Qe2#; 1...Kc1 2.Bh6+ (B) Kb1 3.Qa2# (MM), 2...Kd1 3.Qd2#, 1...Kd3!1.Qd4? (C) – 2.Qc3+ Kd1 3.Bg4# (A), 2...Kb1 3.Qb2#, 1...a3!
1.Qe3? (D) – 2.Qc3+ Kd1 3.Bg4# (A), 2...Kb1 3.Qb2#, 1...Kd1!
1.Bg4? (A) – 2.Qd1# (E), 1...Kd3 2.Qd4+ (C) Kc2 3.Qd1# (E) (MM); 1...Kd2 2.Qf2+ Kc1 3.Qb2#, 2...Kd3 3.Qe2# (MM); 1...Kb3 2.Qb1+ Kc4 3.Be2#, 2...Ka3 3.Qb2#, 1...e5!
1.Bh6!! (B) – 2.Qc1+ (F) Kxd3 3.Qc4#
1...Kd3 2.Qd1+ (E) Kxe4 3.Qd5#, 2...Kc3 3.Qd2# (MM)
1...Kc3 2.Qc5+ Kb2 3.Qc1# (F) (MM), 2...Kd3 3.Qc4# (MM)
1...b5 2.Qe3! (D) zz 2...a3 3.Qb3# (MM), 2...Kb1 3.Qc1# (MM), 2...Kb2 3.Qc1# (MM), 2...Kd1 3.Qd2#
In a Bohemian tourney this would be clear first. An excellent model mate production.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 82, Mihail Croitor (Moldova) 8/1pN5/2k5/1N6/4K3/8/4P3/7Q
1.Qa1! zz1...Kd7 2.Qe5 b6/Kc8/Kd8 3.Qe8#, 2...Kc6 3.Qd6#
1...Kc5 2.Qd4+ Kc6 3.Qd6#
1...Kb6 2.Qa3 Kc6 3.Qd6#
1...b6 2.Qh8 Kd7 3.Qe8#, 2...Kb7 3.Qa8#, 2...Kc5 3.Qc3#
The queen finding her way into all the corners: a time-honored motif.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 12, Dan-Constantin Gurgui (Country) 8/8/8/3k4/1K6/8/5B2/5BQ1
a) diagram:1.Qg6! – 2.Bg3 Kd4 3.Qd3#
1...Ke5 2.Bh3 Kd5 3.Qe6#, 2...Kf4 3.Qf5#
b) Bf1->g6:
1.Bg3!
1...Kc6 2.Qa7 Kd5 3.Qd7#
1...Ke6 2.Qd4 Ke7 3.Qd6#
c) wSf1, wSf2:
1.Qg6!
1...Ke5 2.Kc4/Kc5 ~ 3.Sd3#, 2...Kf4 3.Qf6#
1...Kd4 2.Qe4#/Qd6#
I like the differentiation of a and c the best here. Same key move but different mates. Taking a flight in the key brings it down a notch.
Special distinction – for good twinning.
EN <-> RU
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Commendation - No 83, Mihail Croitor (Country) 2Q5/8/8/6N1/K2kp1p1/6p1/6N1/8
1.Kb3! zz1...Ke5 2.Qe6+ Kd4 3.Qd6#
1...Kd3 2.Qc4+ Kd2 3.Qc2#
1...Kd5 2.Sf7 e3/Kd4 3.Qc4#
1...e3 2.Qf5 e2 3.Se6#
All black pawns can be removed from board, but in this case only 2 mates will remain. g3 and g4 pawns removes dual on mate-move. (author.)
Special distinction for good construction. The author's description of why he used the black pawns should be noted by all beginning composers.
EN <-> RU
Special distinction for good construction. The author's description of why he used the black pawns should be noted by all beginning composers.