Ecto-battery 1

1.Ra5! th. 2.Bxh1(Bf1)#
1...Ra3 2.Bxd1(Bf1)#
1...g2 2.Qa6#
1...Be1 2.Qe8#

There is a lot of tension in the diagram position. Qc6 pins Rd1, Ra4 pins Bh1 and also is a firing piece of battery with Bf3 as rear piece. There are two ecto-batteries in the threat (removing Bh1) and after 1...Ra3 (removing Rd1). In the other two variations the mentioned battery is fired.

1.b5! zz
1...Bd~ 2.dxe8S(Sb1)#
1...Sf~ 2.dxe8B(Bf1)#
1...Bxb5(Bc8) 2.dxe8R(Rh1)#
1...b2 2.dxe8Q(Qd1)#
(1...e~ 2.Ke7#
1...bxc5(c7) 2.Sc6#)

A very interesting concept. Capture on e8 is always ecto-battery check by Rf8, but then White has to choose the type of promoted piece. Initially all of them do some harm, therefore it is necessary to wait for an error. Any move of Bd4 opens Qd1 to d7, allowing knight promotions. Any move of Sf1 unblocks f1 for bishop promotion (this is the cheapest motif). Bishop capture at b5 blocks c8, allowing rook promotion. Finally b2 closes d4-a1, thus allowing unpin of Bd4 by ecto-battery landing at pin line at square d1. A specific kind of Goethart?

1.Ba5! th. 2.Bxe1(Bc1)+ Re1+ 3.Sxe1(Sg1)#
1...gxf3(f7) 2.dxc7(c2)+ Ke7 3.d8Q#
1...Rc1 2.Kf7+ Qe8 3.Kxe8(Ke1)#

There are two ecto-batteries in the threat, both fired by capture on e1. Then the ecto-battery is fired by capture on c7 in the 2nd move and by capture on e8 in the third move in the variations.

a) 1.Rf1 Bf5 2.Re8 Kxf1(Ke1)#
b) 1.Bh1 Re5 2.Qe8 Kxh1(Ke1)#

The ecto-battery is in this problem fired twice by wK, capturing on f1 and h1 black piece blocking the Circe square of R/B.

1.Qxf2(Qd8) Sxd6(Sg1) 2.Qh8 Kxg4(Ke1)#
1.Rxf4(Rh8) Sxf6(Sg1) 2.Rd8 Kxg3(Ke1)#

While in the previous problem the capture is made on the Circe sqaure, here wK captures on the "normal" line, between white linemover and bK. Note also reciprocal blocking of d1 and h1.

1.Bd8 Qf1 2.Ba8 Qxf7(Qd1)#
1.Raa8 Qh1 2.Sd8 Qxc6(Qd1)#

Black pieces have to block d8 and a8 so that batteries aimed at wK are opened harmlessly. Then white play includes unpin by blocking Circe square of wR and wB and is finished by battery opening as well as ecto-battery opening, with direct check by wQ. It means mating triple check (basically the same in both solutions).

a) 1...g8B 2.bxa1Q(Qd8) Rxc7(Ra1) 3.Qb6 Bxa2(Bf1)#
b) 1...g8Q 2.bxa1B(Bf8) Rxe7(Ra1) 3.Bb4 Qxa2(Qd1)#

The complete analogy between two phases includes final ecto-battery resulting in double check.