Fairy series helpmates with more phases 3

a) 1.c1S 2.Sd3 3.Sxf4 4.Sxg6 fxe8nQ#

b) 1.c1B 2.Bb2 3.Bg7 4.Bf8 fxe8nR#

c) 1.c1R 2.Rh1 3.Rh7 4.Rg7 f8nB#

d) 1.c1Q 2.Qxd2 3.Qd6 4.Qf6 fxg8nS#

e) 1.cxb1S 2.Sc3 3.Sd5 4.Sf6 f8nQ#

Even untrained eye easily spots the main theme here, promotions - and promotions nicely matched on both sides. In the first four solutions there is mixed Babson task, while the fifth solution is a pleasant addition, drilling as much from the scheme as possible. No wonder this problem has found its way into Album FIDE for these years. Would it enter the Album today?

1.Ke4 2.Kxf3(Sne4) 3.Snc3 4.Kf2 Rf1#

1.Kxf4(Bnf5) 2.Kxf3(Snf4) 3.Bnxb1(Rf5) 4.Bnd3 Rxf4(Snf5)#

Here the combined white and neutral force is very strong. Neutral units can find a lot of suitable places, they can be moved by Black and then attack his king... so it is a wonder something lke this is correct.

1.f4 2.Bf5 3.g6 4.Kg7 5.Kf6 h8nB#

1.f4 2.Bd3 3.Rd7 4.Ree7 5.Ke8 hxg8nR#

1.f6 2.Kf7 3.Rf8 4.Ree8 5.Be7 h8nS#

1.f6 2.Bf7 3.g6 4.Kg7 5.Kh6 h8nQ#

This seriesmover somewhat resembles the first problem from this collection. Again white mates by promotions (AUW), what is on of usual neutral mates. Black play is however different. Precise manoeuvres forming mating nets - or rather mating cages - involve rich arsenal of follow-my-leader effects, finished in a fairly varying ways. One could appreciate also the form with no twinning.

1...cxb8nR#

1.a5 ... 5.a1R 6.Ra7 cxb8nR#

1.d5 ... 5.h1B 6.Bb7 cxb8nR#

1.c5 ... 5.c1nR 6.Rnc8 nRxb8#

The mate is always the same - the one from set play. But there are together 3 different ways that return the position into the one with similar properties. These are 3 excelsiors - normal pawn, berolina pawn and neutral pawn. Very well done for sixties!

1.Qnb3 2.Kg2 3.h1Rn 4.Rnd1 5.Rnd4 6.Kh1 7.Qng8 Kxd4(Rnh8)#

1.Qnh4 2.Kg2 3.Qne1 4.Kh3 5.h1Bn 6.Bnd5 7.Qnf2+ Kxd5(Bnc8)#

Unbelievably precise play for such a length and fine final mates by rebirth of neutral promoted line mover. The crystal clear initial position does not provide a lot of hints for mates and the first moves by nQ are finely determined too, making the whole real solving experience.

a) 1.a1S 2.Sc2 3.Se3 4.Sd5 5.Sxc7(c2) 6.c1Bn 7.Bnb2 8.Bnf6 9.Bnd8 Bnxc7(Sb8)#

b) 1.a1Q 2.Qg7 3.Qxc7(c2) 4.c1Sn 5.Snd3 6.Sne5 7.Snf7 8.Snd8 9.Qb7+ Snxb7(Qd8)#

Although here you can see neutral pawn on 7th rank, it does not mate by immediate promotion as in the first and third problems of this file. Rather neutral pawn is captured, reborn on 2nd rank and then it hurries in the newly acquired form back up. Mates are analogous - captures of black units that block their initial squares and thus disable return of the mating move.