Broodings 3 - January 2002

a) 1.Qxe5 cxb8Q+ 2.Qc5 Qxb4#

b) 1.Qxe4 cxd8Q+ 2.Qc6 Qd5#

Black queen have to open line e4-b4/e5-c3. But as she is tightly pinned, she must capture her pinner. Then she turns out to be unpinned, naturally, and thus she can interfere with own bishops. Unfortunately (for me), the reasons why the 2nd black move can't be made by bishop, are different - bishop battery check to white in a) and double guard on d5 in b).

1.Qd8 Sxh5 2.Bd6 Re5#

1.Qa5 gxh5 2.Rb4 Re4#

Very unusual approach to white economy - the pieces making white moves are unused in mating nets around black king. On the bright side, the first white moves destroy Rh5 and open lines for 2nd black move. The second white moves open battery line and close black lines. On the other hand, black play consists of 4 critical moves and the role of Bh2 and Rh4 respectively is funny: they are opened and after crossing the battery line again closed.

1.Bxb4 Bf5 2.Rc6 dxc6#

1.cxb4 Qc2 2.Re6 dxe6#

White mates by pawn battery. As simple move forward closes own bishop's line, he must capture black rook that sacrifices itself. For that black rook must be first unpinned. As white must take care of guarding c8, the unpinning is done by white rook capture. "Any" capture represented by 1.Bxb4 leaves White with only 1st move Bf5 keeping the given scenario, effectively forcing 2.Rc6 as 2.Re6 would close the line. Other working capture 1.cxb4 places another guard on h1-b7 line by line opening, but allows other 1st white move Qc2 using this line. Looks like black correction in helpmate! Incredible strategy! In relatively humble position.

1.Kd4 Bd5 2.Rxe5 Qxe5#

1.Kf4 Sf7 2.Rxe4 Qxe4#

Good analogy: B1 opens rook line, W1 opens line, unpins wQ and guards, B2 opens Re1 line unblocks square for mating move.

1.Kxg3 Bd6+ 2.Qe5 Qe3#

1.Kf3 Qxb7+ 2.Qe4 Ra3#

1.Ke1 Ra1+ 2.Qd1 Bb4#

Analogous play is crowned by formal theme - cycle of functions of white pieces: guarding, pinning and mating.

1.Kd3 Re8 2.Bxd4 Qxd4#

1.Kb3 Bf8 2.Rxc4 Qxc4#

1.Rd7 Rb8 2.Rxd4 Qxd4#

1.Qd5 Bh6 2.Qxc4 Qxc4#

Helpmate of the future? Well, for me with dry impression...

1.Sxb7 cxb8Q 2.Sd8 Qxb6+ 3.Kf4 Qe3#

1.Rxc6 c8Q 2.Ra6 Qxc5+ 3.Kf3 Qf2#

Very cute opening of lines b8-b6 + a7-e3 and c8-c5 + a7-f2, twice by capture and once by withdrawal. Fresh h#3!

1.Kf3 Bc2 2.Qd3 Ba4 3.Ke4 Bc6#

1.Kxg4 Bxd3 2.Qe4 Bf1 3.Kf5 Bh3#

At first I expected some trick with unpinning of wQb1, but the reality is just opposite - her black colleague is pinned after magnet play with wB and bK's walk.

1.Qf5 Kd2 2.Bb7 Kc3 3.Ka7 Kb4 4.Ka6 Qa5#

1.Qd3 Kf2 2.e1B+ Kg1 3.Bf2+ Kxh1 4.Ba7 Qc6#

Helpmate much in the spirit of recently announced Holger Helledie 50 JT - reason for 1st black move becomes apparent only in 3rd white move. In the 1st solution bQ unguards b4, in the 2nd solution it unguards h1. In spite of the fact there is almost whole board available for bQ, the hideaway is precisely determined. Another incredible work!

1.Rh3 Gh4 2.Ge7 Gd8#
1.Rh4 Gh5+ 2.d5 Gc5#
1.Rh5 Gh6 2.Se3 Gd2#
1.Rh6 Gh7 2.Gb7 Ga7#
1.Rh7 Gh8 2.Sb2 Ga1#

Strong geometric theme.

1...Gg5#

1.Gd1 2.Gf3 3.Gd3 4.Ga6 5.Gc4 6.Gf7 7.Ge7 8.Gg7 9.Gh7 10.Gh5 Sg5#

Change of mate. Comparing the initial position and the position after 10th black move shows there is only Gh7>g7 difference. But how long way there is between them!

1...Rh7#

1.Gh2 2.Gh4 3.Ga4 4.Gc4 5.Gb3 6.Gd5 7.Ge6 8.Gf7 9.Kg7 10.Kf6 11.Gf5 12.Gg4 13.Gxh3 14.Gf5 15.Gf7 16.Kg6 17.Gg7 18.Kh7 19.Kh8 20.Gh7 Rd8#

This seriesmover is even better, in my opinion. Black cannot keep set mate, naturally, but to allow mate he must capture white grasshopper! Only then he can block enough squares. It is unbelievable 20 moves have no dual... simply unbelievable find. Well done!