Final Award in Quick Composing TT-273 | Окончательные итоги блицконкурса ТТ-273

Four corners – penalty! | Четыре корнера – пенальти!


Theme | Тема

54 entries were received from 16 authors representing 12 countries | На конкурс поступило 54 композиций от 16 авторов из 12 стран


EN <-> RU

The most popular motifs of the theme realization were the following:
- in #N/s#N – a visit of wR/Q to corners with further sacrifice of this piece in order to provide/force a mate;
- in h# – a visit of bR/Q to corners with further sacrifice of this piece under wP that performs an excelsior;
- in h# and hs# – wR/Q chasing bR/Q to all corners (as in yacpdb/585854).
But I decide to include in the award only problems that, besides above motifs, have another additionally content (or problems where above motifs are realized at least without technical shortcomings and in economic form). As a result, in every of four sections I marked four problems – it happened by accident but symbolically taking into account the name of the theme.

Award is the following | Отличия распределились следующим образом

#3-N
Prize - No 30
Grigory Popov
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
K3R3/1p6/1p1p4/1P1P4/2P1pN2/4pN2/4Pp1r/5k1B
#10(9+8)
1st Honorable mention - No 32
Grigory Popov
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
R7/R2p1p1K/1p1Pp3/NP6/8/pN6/kbB3P1/r7
#8(9+8)
2nd Honorable mention - No 31
Grigory Popov
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
7R/1p2Kb1B/4p1p1/4kp2/2P3P1/1pP3P1/5N2/8
#5(8+7)

Prize - No 30, Grigory Popov (Russia) K3R3/1p6/1p1p4/1P1P4/2P1pN2/4pN2/4Pp1r/5k1B

If 1.Sxh2+? Ke1! then the White will checkmate only on 11th move (С+). That is why the White choose another way:

1.Rxe4! Rxh1 2.Rd4 Rh8+ 3.Ka7 Ra8+ 4.Kxb6 Ra1 5.Rd3! zz Re1 6.Ra3!
6...Rxe2 7.Ra8 Ra2 8.Rh8 Ra6+ 9.bxa6 bxa6 10.Rh1#;
6...Rd1/Rc1 7.Ra8 Rb1 8.Rh8 Rxb5+ 9.Kxb5 b6 10.Rh1#


A plot of the problem:
1) wR after Re8-e4-d4 “draws out” a bR (from h1 to a1) via a threat Rd1#;
2) an attempt of wR to go to mate square h1 via returning by the shortest way Rd4-e4-e8 is unlucky because bR manages to return (on a8) too;
3) so the White changes a route of the Rook – after a move on d3, the White Rook forces a Black Rook to go out from a line “a”, and after that the White Rook goes on h1 through the line “a”.
EN <-> RU

1st Honorable mention - No 32, Grigory Popov (Russia) R7/R2p1p1K/1p1Pp3/NP6/8/pN6/kbB3P1/r7

1.Sc4! (2.Rxa3+ Bxa3 3.Rxa3#) 1...Rh1+ 2.Kg8 Rh8+ 3.Kxf7 Rxa8 4.Rxa8 zz e5 5.Rh8 ~ 6.Rh1 ~ 7.Ra1+ Bxa1 8.Sc1#
The theme is realized both for White and Black – it’s an undoubted merit of the problem. But it is made mechanically – unlike previous problem, the play of both sides is slightly less interesting and inventive. That is why a range of distinction is lower.
EN <-> RU

2nd Honorable mention - No 31, Grigory Popov (Russia) 7R/1p2Kb1B/4p1p1/4kp2/2P3P1/1pP3P1/5N2/8

Main plan: 1.Sd3#? Ke4! Preliminarily the White needs to guard a e4-square but 1.Rd8? b2! 2.Rd4 b1Q(B)!
In the solution, the White at first creates another threat
1.Ra8! (2.Ra5+ b5 3.Rxb5#) 1...b6 2.Ra1 (3.Re1#)
but after that luckily turned onto main plan:
2...fxg4 3.Rh1 ~ 4.Rh5+! gxh5 5.Sd3#

Author: “Paradox. In order to guard f5, firstly it is need to unguard f5: the White firstly forces the Black to unblock f5 and after that guards f5 by Bh7”.

It sounds interesting, but I dare to argue with the author. When the White performs a maneuver Rh8-a8-a1, he doesn’t attempt (by himself or by the hands of the Black) to guard on unguard f5. He doesn’t think about it at all because he means another mate (Re1#), and a defense against this mate is unblocking f5 coincidentally. But since this defense opens a line e5-h5, is allows the White to open another line and to guard f5 by Bishop. And since this Bishop along the way guards e4 additionally, the White timely "remembered" the main plan.

So, the paradox (pointed out by the author), if there is, then with a big stretch. But there is a good “short” logic problem where the TT theme is realized in a very light and economic construction – for sure.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 37
Zoltán Laborczi
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
8/1p2Bnp1/2p3Pk/7P/4pp1K/8/b7/7R
#6(5+8)

Commendation - No 37, Zoltán Laborczi (Hungary) 8/1p2Bnp1/2p3Pk/7P/4pp1K/8/b7/7R

1.Ra1? e3! 2.Rxa2 e2 3.Rxe2 - #7
1.Rd1! Bd5 2.Ra1 Ba2/Be6 3.Rxa2/Ra8 ~/Bc8 4.Ra8/Rxc8 ~ 5.Rh8+ Sxh8 6.Bg5#
Simply problem with a choice of the key – the White firstly perform a diversion the bB from the file “a” in order to wR freely goes to 8th rank via this file.
EN <-> RU

s#3-N
Prize - No 45
Dimitris Liakos
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
8/2Qp2B1/1P1P3p/1pK1PP1r/1PpNk1p1/2R1b1Pp/4RP1P/7r
s#7(14+10)
Honorable mention - No 42
Zoltán Laborczi
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
7B/5B2/3p3p/3P2k1/4Ppr1/5PpK/1P4PR/2R5
s#8(10+6)
Commendation - No 12
Ralf Krätschmer
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
8/4R1p1/1p1P1kp1/5pn1/5K1B/2r5/1B6/7R
s#5(6+7)

Prize - No 45, Dimitris Liakos (Greece) 8/2Qp2B1/1P1P3p/1pK1PP1r/1PpNk1p1/2R1b1Pp/4RP1P/7r

1.f6!! (2.Qb7+ Kxe5 3.Qe4+ Kxe4#) 1...Kxe5(Rh4) 2.Qb7(+) Rh4(Kxe5) 3.Qxh1 h5 4.Qa1 Ke4 5.Qa8+ Ke5 6.Qh8 Ke4 7.Qxh5 Rxh5#
As a winner of #3-N, this problem has an interesting plot too:
1) excellent flight-giving-key with “provoked checkmate” (Rxe5#);
2) bR goes out from battery line in order to prevent a battery mate (Kxe4#) that the White created by the key;
3) the White changes a play by capture Rh1 and by forcing a “self-incarceration” of Rh4 by the move h6-h5;
4) wQ “forgets” about battery mate and after thematic maneuver captures bPh5 in order to “unincarcerate” bR and force Rxh5#.
Yes, a capture Qxh1 is rough on its own, but since Rh1 would not be able to prevent with the battery mate from the original threat, the need to eliminate this Rook is far from obvious.
EN <-> RU

Honorable mention - No 42, Zoltán Laborczi (Hungary) 7B/5B2/3p3p/3P2k1/4Ppr1/5PpK/1P4PR/2R5

1.Rhh1 h5 2.Bg7! (2.Rc8? Kh6 3.Rh8+??) 2...h4 3.Rc5! (3.Rc8?? stalemate) 3...dxc5 4.Ra1 c4 5.Ra8! (Ra6?) c3 6.Bxc3! (6.bxc3?? stalemate) 6...Kh6 7.Rh8+ Kg5 8.Rxh4 Rxh4#
The White Rook needs to get to h8, but the c1-rook will not be able to do this, both because the Bishop does not have time to free this square and because c1-Rook has to sacrifice itself on c5 to unstalemating. So it is need to go to h8 with another rook, and since the sacrifice on c5 blocked the c-file, it is need to do this through the only remaining free a-file.
EN <-> RU

Commendation - No 12, Ralf Krätschmer (Germany) 8/4R1p1/1p1P1kp1/5pn1/5K1B/2r5/1B6/7R

1.Ra1 b5 2.Ra8 b4 3.Rh8 b3 4.Rh6 gxh6 5.Bxg5+ hxg5#
This and next problems, unlike two previous, don’t contain any big subtleties in the solution, but nevertheless show the theme without captures in the corners and in a very economic form.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 14
Ralf Krätschmer
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
k7/2BP4/1P6/2p5/1rp5/K7/8/Q2n4
s#4(5+5)

Commendation - No 14, Ralf Krätschmer (Germany) k7/2BP4/1P6/2p5/1rp5/K7/8/Q2n4

1.Qh8+ Kb7 2.Qh1+ Ka6 3.Qa8+ Kb5 4.Qa4+ Rxa4#

h#3-N
Prize - No 22B
Zlatko Mihajloski
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
8/7K/4p3/3p1p2/7p/4p1p1/2pp2P1/b1k4r
h#7(2+11)
Honorable mention - No 40
Zoltán Laborczi
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
K7/2q5/3pp1pk/6p1/2p4p/5p2/5P2/bb5r
h#7(2+12)
Commendation - No 5
János Csák
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
1nn5/3p4/1p4pk/6pp/2K2p2/8/4p1P1/1b1rr2q
h#5(2+14)

Prize - No 22B, Zlatko Mihajloski (Macedonia) 8/7K/4p3/3p1p2/7p/4p1p1/2pp2P1/b1k4r

1.h3 gxh3 2.Bg7! h4 3.Kb2 h5 4.Ra1 h6 4.Ra8 hxg7 5.Rh8+ gxh8Q+ 6.Kc1 Qa1#
Anticritical move of bB, further Klasinc for thematic maneuver of bR and mating move from corner to corner (well complementing the content) – all this are clearly “tied up” on the same field a1.
EN <-> RU

Honorable mention - No 40, Zoltán Laborczi (Hungary) K7/2q5/3pp1pk/6p1/2p4p/5p2/5P2/bb5r

1.Qc5 Kb7! (Kb8?) 2.Qe3 fxe3 3.Bf5 e4 4.Bg7 exf5 5.Ra1 f6 6.Ra8 fxg7 7.Rh8 gxh8Q#
A curious subtlety with a choice of square for unstalemated wK: if 1...Kb8? 2.Qe3 fxe3 3.Bf5 e4 then it can try to swap squares g7 and h8 for sacrifices of Bishop and Rook – 4.Bh8 exf5 5.Ra1 f6 6.Ra7? – but unfortunately the Rook can’t get in time in g7. Generally wide play of Black pieces create a good impression.
EN <-> RU

Commendation - No 5, János Csák (Hungary) 1nn5/3p4/1p4pk/6pp/2K2p2/8/4p1P1/1b1rr2q

1.Rd6! g4 2.Qa8 gxh5 3.Qa1 hxg6 4.Qh8 g7 5.Rg6 gxh8Q#
Substitution of g6-blocker that is captured by wP performs an excelsior.
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 15
Ralf Krätschmer
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
7r/1q6/6B1/1pp2bpp/3pprkb/5pn1/1K4P1/8
h#4(3+14)

Commendation - No 15, Ralf Krätschmer (Germany) 7r/1q6/6B1/1pp2bpp/3pprkb/5pn1/1K4P1/8

1.Ra8 Bf7! (Be8?) 2.Ra1 Bc4 3.Rh1 Bf1 4.Rh3 gxh3#
One of the few helpmates in this TT without excelsior but with a subtlety in a choice of route of wB that can get under a pin: 1...Be8? 2.Ra1 Bxb5 3.Rh1 Bf1??
EN <-> RU

hs#3-N
1st Prize - No 27
Mikhail Khramtsevich
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
7R/2p2qk1/6p1/4K3/4b3/1r1p4/1p6/8
hs#4.52 sol.(2+8)
2nd Prize - No 36
Zoltán Laborczi
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
3b4/2p5/b1P5/R1P5/Pp5n/kP6/B1KP4/8
hs#5.5(8+6)
Honorable mention - No 54
Balasubramanian S. K. & Velmurugan N.
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
2k3b1/2pp1r1n/7P/1p6/1p6/3K4/2P1P3/8
hs#5.5(4+8)

1st Prize - No 27, Mikhail Khramtsevich (Belarus) 7R/2p2qk1/6p1/4K3/4b3/1r1p4/1p6/8

1...d2 2.Rh8-h1 Kf8 3.Rh1-a1 Qg7+ 4.Ke6 Re3 5.Ra1-a8+ Bxa8#
1...Bc6 2.Rh8-a8 Kh6 3.Ra8-a1 Qe8+ 4.Kf6 Rb6 5.Ra1-h1+ Bxh1#
Excellent doubled realization of the theme in a form of two solutions. The author well avoided a symmetry: a play is quite variety for such schemes. The only small shortcoming: in the mate Bxa8# bR guard a square around wK, but in Bxh1# – doesn’t guard.
EN <-> RU

2nd Prize - No 36, Zoltán Laborczi (Hungary) 3b4/2p5/b1P5/R1P5/Pp5n/kP6/B1KP4/8

1...Be2 2.Ra8 Bg5 3.Rh8 (Rf8?) Sf3 4.Rh1 Sxd2 5.Ra1 Sxb3 6.Bb1+! Sxa1#
Prize distinction for this problem is giving for an idea of threefold peculiar “valves” in performing of Black pieces. On one side, these pieces successively open lines for wR; on other side, these pieces closes for wR “dual” files “e”, “f” and “g” on that wR would get on a1 but instead goes on “thematic” file “h”. That is, something that the authors of many other problems of this TT roughly avoided by piling up Pawns on dual lines, the author of this problem gracefully avoided and wove it into the thread of the game, – it’s very originally!
And final battery hit 6.Bb1+! is a spectacular point of the solution.
EN <-> RU

Honorable mention - No 54, Balasubramanian S. K. & Velmurugan Nallusamy (India) 2k3b1/2pp1r1n/7P/1p6/1p6/3K4/2P1P3/8

1...Sf6 2.h7 Sg4 3.h8Q (h8R?) Rf6 4.Qh1 Bd5 5.Qa1 Rd6 6.Qa8+ Bxa8#
Meredith with interesting maneuvers of Black pieces: ready indirect diagonal battery Bishop+Rook is destroyed (because it’s perspectiveless – c4-square is guarded by bPb5) and transformed in direct frontal from the same pieces in reverse order!
EN <-> RU
Commendation - No 17
Ralf Krätschmer
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
8/3b4/2p5/6p1/6pP/6K1/1P2rn2/rRB1k3
hs#4.5(5+8)

Commendation - No 17, Ralf Krätschmer (Germany) 8/3b4/2p5/6p1/6pP/6K1/1P2rn2/rRB1k3

1...Ra8 2.Ra1 Rh8 3.Ra8 Rxh4 4.Rh8 Rh1 5.Rxh1+ Sxh1#
Among many sent hs# with doubled theme in the from of chase, I decided to mark this problem instead that compositions (including problems with many pieces) where there is a capture of passive White piece in the corner.
EN <-> RU

Dedicated to the participants of TT-273 | Посвящается участникам ТТ-273
Grigory Popov
TT-273, SuperProblem, 25-05-2023
r7/1p1bP2k/1rp2Bp1/2p1K1p1/2P1p1P1/5p2/p7/R7
#13(6+12)

Grigory Popov (Russia) r7/1p1bP2k/1rp2Bp1/2p1K1p1/2P1p1P1/5p2/p7/R7

1.Rh1+ Kg8 2.Rh8+ Kf7 3.Rxa8 a1Q(B)+ 4.Rxa1 Ra6 5.Rh1 Ra8 6.Rh7+ Ke8(g8) 7.Rh8+ Kf7 8.Rxa8 Be8 9.Ra1 f2/e3 10.Rh1 f1Q/e2 11.Rh7+ Kg8 12.Rh8+ Kf7 13.Rf8#
White Rook visits 11 corners but doesn’t self-sacrifice – so for this TT the problem is non-thematic.
EN <-> RU

Judge: Aleksey Oganesjan
May 25, 2023
Судья: Алексей Оганесян
25.05.2023