Circe problems without captures 2

1...Kg7 2.LIh8 Ra3 3.LIe5 Rg3 4.LIh2 Rg1#

It is easily seen that Circe effect is not the point, but rather means for showing something visually attractive. With 4 pieces in 4 corners of the board a mate is attained with active participation or play of all 4 pieces.

1.Kb7 Ga8 2.Kc6 Gd5 3.Kb5 Ga6 4.Kc4 Gd3 5.Kc3 Gb3 6.Kb2 Gc3+ 7.Ka1 Gb2#

Actually, there were many similar 4-coin problems published in Suomen Tehtäväniekat. With one grasshopper more, also placed on the edge, the mate is reached with 4 grasshoppers, one of them Circe-selfprotected. Well known Circe mate - can anyone find something new with it?

a) 1.c5 Bc6+ 2.Kc4 d3#

b) 1.Ka2 Be4 2.b3 Bb1#

A rare guest in fairy problems: indirect antibattery. In both phases, mating piece checks directly while activating a grasshopper line of guard by providing the hurdle. Moreover (and that is interesting for the 26th TT CCM), mating piece is twice selfprotected in an interesting manner - its capture by bK and rebirth would activate another antibattery, aimed at the capture square. Nice use of the geometry.

1.Gge5 d4 2.Gc7 NHe7#

1.Ge1 Gc7 2.Ge7 Gf7#

1.Ga3 NHe7+ 2.Gf8 Gc7#

I happened to be judge of the tourney and this problem have got the second place, right after the only prize. My comment was:

"The most unusual cycle of antibatteries I've ever seen! It is shown thanks to peculiarities of Mars Circe - it separates the square from which a piece moves and the square from which a piece captures or checks. Besides antibattery scheme there is a good deal of by-strategy adding a variety to a content, unfortunately, there is a mating double check in 1.Ge1 solution."

1.Kg2 Ke1 2.Kf3 Gf4+ 3.Ke3 Ge4#

1.Kh2 Kf1 2.Kg3 Gg5+ 3.Kf3 Gf4#

And here it (the Circe mate with 4 grasshoppers) is again, in the echo form.

1.Kd2 Gc1 2.Nf8 Rb8#

1.Kd4 Gc5 2.Ng7 Ra8#

1.Kd3 Kc3 2.Na8 Rc8#

In spite of the rather heavy material the idea is crystal clear. Black king will be mated by battery fired by wR vacating Circe square of white grasshoppers and nightrider. Mating fairy piece must be unguarded, it is done by twice blocking Circe squares of their attackers (once by bN, once by firing wR). Further bN unguards d8 directly. Quite intensive use of the fairy elements.

1.Sf1 Ng2+ 2.Ke4 Nh2#

1.Bg1 Ne6+ 2.Kc4 Na7#

White Nd8 is pinned by bQ. The black piece making the 1st move not only unpins wN, but also vacates arrival square of the mating move. White then fires the first Anticirce typical antibattery, bK moves under possible fire of the reciprocal white batteries - note configuration Nc8+Ne8. H. Fougiaxis JT was very successful tourney for batteries and antibatteries in h#2-3, note this problem have got only the 3rd HM there.

1.c1G Ge4 2.Gf4 Ke2 3.Kf3 Ge1 4.Kf2 Gg3+ 5.Ke1 Ge5#

1.c1Q Ge4 2.Qc2 Gb1 3.Qd1 Ge1 4.Ke2 Ge3+ 5.Ke1 Ke2#

And finally something lighter. What is interesting here, it is dynamic nature of the position, allowing bK to enter square e1 where it becomes totally stuck. Then it is mated by wG - checking from e8, of course.