Award of 12th TT Chess Composition Microweb C 31.8.2003

a) 1.Sc2 Oe6 2.Qa7 Og1#

b) 1.Sb2 Oxa6 2.Rf8 Of1#

Typical (orphan) double mates; diagonal-orthogonal echo extends to the twinning device. Similar mates have been shown with more simple strategy (1st Comm and 2nd Comm in D. Brown 50 JT 1998 for example). Ra8 useful only in b) (and making Pa6 needed only in a)!) and Bg8 useful only in a) are not very serious defects.

1.Sg7 Ff2 2.Kf7 Qe2#

1.Sf6 Fb4 2.Ke7 Qb3#

Typical (friend) double mates with diagonal-orthogonal echo; no twin but strategy less complex than in 1st HM.

1.Nh2 Od2 2.Qh1 Od4#

1.Wb7 Oc7 2.Qa8 Oe7#

I hesitated to elevate this one to the HM level because of additional fairy pieces, each one figuring in only one solution, but this is one of the best strategies displayed in the tourney: black "battery" formation for self-pinning of front piece and white tempo play.

1.Bxf2? th. 2.Kd7#
1...Gf4+ 2.Kb4# (2...Gd6??)
1...Kxd4 2.Kc7#
1...Kf4 2.Kxc5#
(1...Ghe7 2.Kxe7#
1...Gce7, Gxe5, Gc1 2.Kc6#
1...Ge6 2.Kxe6#
1...f5, Gf5 2.Bxf3#)
1...fxe5!

1.Gf5! th. 2.Bxf3#
1...Gf4+ 2.Kg6# (2...Gd6??, Kg3??)
1...Kxd4+ 2.Kb5# (2...Nd6??, Kxd1??)
1...Kf4+ 2.Kb2# (2...Nd6??, Kc4??)

Really much more elaborated than other Commendations or even HMs. Basically the same mechanism than 13rd Place in WCCT with Nighriders and Grashoppers exchanging their roles. Thanks to that, we have 3 changes (instead of 2) and all 6 "thematical" mates by wK; quite good on the paper but the form is ugly with unprovided checks (not very important I admit) and "terrorist" try.but prevents higher placing.

1...BRe5 2.d1R Oxd7+ 3.Rb1 Of3#

1...BRd4 2.Rb1 Oe3 3.Re1 Of1#

1...BRc3 2.Rf4 Oe4 3.d1R Of5#

Rather ambitious idea: cycle of white batteries; but I definitely don't like the use of additional fairy piece, out of the theme, just for introducing first moves: a h#2 presentation with twins would have been preferable (at least with me as a judge!)

1.Sc2 Oc6 2.Rxc4 Og6#

1.Rxc4 Od8 2.Bxb6 Oh4#

1.Bxb6 Oe3 2.Sc2 Oxg4#

Cycle of black moves, neatly done.

1.g4+ Kxe1 2.Sc2+ Kxc2#

1.f5+ Kxd5 2.Sb6+ Kxb6#

Neat diagonal-orthogonal echo; simple strategy.

1.Kb6 Nd7+ 2.Kh3 Ng1+ 3.Kg5 Mg4#

1.Kd8 Nh6+ 2.Kc6 Ng8+ 3.Kg4 Mg5#

1.Kb7 Na5+ 2.Kd3 Nc1+ 3.Kf4 Me3#

1.Kc6 Nd4+ 2.Kg4 Nh6+ 3.Ke3 Mf4#

By now, there exists a multitude of these light-weights (though I don't consider 2 conditions + 2 pieces as exactly "light-weight") with multiple echo; and such a problem must now have something to distinguish it from the mass to gain high award; I don't feel this is the case here with the checking condition being a constructional facility.

a) 1.Oxd4 Re4 2.Oc6 Sc3#

b) 1.Oxe3 Sg1 2.Og5 Bf2#

c) 1.Oxe2 Be5 2.Og2 Re1#

Cyclic Zilahi with cyclic play of Oc3; but the twinning deprieves it from most of its value.

1...CHg4(B)+ 2.Kb3 CHh3(R)+ 3.Kb1 CHh1(Q)+ 4.Kb3 CHa1(S)+ 5.Kxa1 CHc3(B)#

1.Ke2? CHg4(B)+ 2.Kf1 CHf5(R)+ 3.Kb1 CHf1(Q)+ 4.Kb3 CHa1(S)+ 5.Kxa1 CHc3(B)#
1...d3+!

1.Kc1! CHd2(B)+ 2.Kb2 CHb4(R)+ 3.Kf2 CHb2(Q)+ 4.Kf3 CHg4(B)+ 5.Ke4 CHe2(R)#

Mutate with mechanical play (due to checking condition making things easy). Annoying by-play in set and try blurs the impression.

1.Rh2 Oe6 2.Se3 Of8#

1.Se3 Oe7 2.Bg5 Of8#

1.Bb1 Oxf3 2.Rh3 Of8#

The same mate is produced in 3 different ways, with cyclic effect as to the moving of white Orphan; rather mechanical (differents mates in T19 bring more variety).