Award of 20th TT Chess Composition Microweb C 8.8.2006

1.Be8 Qf3 2.Sxe5 (Se3?, Sxf2?) Qd1#

1.Se8 Qf4 2.Sxf2 (Sxe5?, Se3?) Qc4#

1.Bd8 Qf5 2.Se3 (Sxf2?, Sxe5?) Q×d3#

Familiar triple-avoidance play by the black knight, but here occurring (less usually) on the second move, after differentiation by unpins which are also unguards, one anticipatory and two direct. A pleasing piece of logic without too many plugging black pawns, but the white ones, necessary to control the queen's movements, are certainly regrettable. I can declare without fear of contradiction that this is the best problem in the tourney, but although it is attractive, it is not quite good enough for a prize. (Chris Feather)

1.Gg8 fxg8R(Rh1) 2.Sb2 (Sdc3?, Se3?, Sf2?) Re1#
       2.Sf2? Re1 3.Sh1!!

1.Ge8 fxe8B(Bf1) 2.Sdc3 (Sb2?, Se3?, Sf2?) Bd3#
       2.Se3? Bd3 3.Sf1!!

1.Gd7 cxd7(Pd2) 2.Se3 (Sb2?, Sdc3?, Sf2?) d3#
       2.Sdc3? d3 3.Se2!!

1.Ga8 bxa8S(Sb1) 2.Sf2 (Sb2?, Sdc3?, Se3?) Sd2#
       2.Sdc3? Sd2 3.Sb1!!

Quadruple avoidance in the most unexpected problem of the tourney. Black knight has to free d1, Circe square of white queen. He has to choose his arrival square wisely to avoid either guarding of mating square, guarding of mating line, closing the mating line or, in the emphasized most Anticirce cases, guarding of Circe square of white mating unit. I liked the fact that quadruple avoidance is not shown in 4 blocking moves. But the unused Gg5 in the (first) "rook" solution prevented me from awarding the prize to this problem. (Juraj Lörinc)

1.c4 Sdxe6! (c3?, Sxf5?, Sdxf3?) 2.Rf4 NEf7#

1.NEc4 c3! (Sxf5?, Sdxf3?, Sdxe6?) 2.Re2 NEd3#

1.NAdc4 Sxf5! (Sdxf3?, Sdxe6?, c3!) 2.Qg3 NEh5#

1.NAec4 Sdxf3! (Sdxe6?, c3!, Sxf5!) 2.NEg1 NEh1#

More conventional four-fold blocking already in the first move by 4 units that also unblock - form and antiform of motif in the same move. In the rest of solutions both sides strive to allow mate by nonstop equihopper over the same white knight. The geometry of the board is extremely well employed, even if the (second) nonstop equihopper solution is different from others as it does not use unpin of white knight, it is still similar enough not to disturb unity too much. Of course, economy of white force is flawless here. (Juraj Lörinc)

1.Geg8 fxg8R(Rh1) 2.Sb2 (Sdc3?, Se3?, Sf2?) Re1#
       2.Sf2? Re1 3.Sh1!!

1.Ggg8 fxg8B(Bf1) 2.Sdc3 (Sb2?, Se3?, Sf2?) Bd3#
       2.Se3? Bd3 3.Sf1!!

1.Gd7 cxd7(Pd2) 2.Se3 (Sb2?, Sdc3?, Sf2?) d3#
       2.Sdc3? d3 3.Se2!!

1.Ga8 bxa8S(Sb1) 2.Sf2 (Sb2?, Sdc3?, Se3?) Sd2#
       2.Sdc3? Sd2 3.Sb1!!

After the publication of the award the author tried to remove weakness mentioned i my comment. And successfully! (Juraj Lörinc)