Multicapture h#3 - 1

Recently I've been working on some problems for thematical tourneys or international competitions. Rather successfully, that's why I dared to enter once again field I'm not so strong in: orthodox chess.

I concentrated myself on h#3 section of the match "Sdruzeni problemistu (Czechia) - Klub Pongracz (Slovakia)", that has deadline June 1st 2003. There is proposed a following theme suggested by Czechia for it: "h#3 with at least 2 phases, containing arbitrary theme based on the capture of the unit, this capture must appear at least in 50 % of moves."

I remembered some examples that were already presented at CCM, some of them very good, h#3 by: I wanted to make something original and that's why I did some more searches and I found a lot of excellent helpmates by various authors that I can only dream of. Simply my composing technique isn't so good enough right now (and probably never be) to compose anything like that. Well, I composed one "correct position" and created a few schemes that are perhaps finishable, but for that I'll probably need a help of other Slovak composers with "orthodox hand and brain".

As a by-product I'm left with selection of multicapture h#3 that I present to CCM readers. Let's begin...
Chris J. Feather
Moultings 12 - 1993

a) 1.Rc7 dxc7 2.Kd6 c8Q 3.Rxe6 Rxe6#

b) 1.Rd7 exd7+ 2.Kf6 d8Q 3.Rxe7 Qxe7#

This helpmate can serve as an example for 11th TT CCM too. We have here pawn capture allowing promotion on right file (in the case of exd7 capture there are some other motives too) and the play if finished by black sacrifice unblocking arrival square of mating move. One of the most economical positions with the theme given in the introduction.









h#3 (4+6)
b) -bSd5
Viktor Abrosimov
Alexandr Pankratiev
Buletin Problemistic 2001

a) 1.Sxh5 Bxg5+ 2.Kxg5 Sxh6 3.Kxh6 Sxf7#

b) 1.gxh5 Bxf5 2.Kxf5 Sg6 3.Kxg6 Se7#

Black first blocks in anticipation far flight h5, then we see 2x2 sacrificial unblocking of square for bK. White loses all his units except the one that mates (and wK resting on the other side of the board). Strange position, all active units are packed in the NE corner of the board.









h#3 (5+9)
b) e7 -» e6
Toma Garai
Suomen Tehtäväniekat 1994

1.Rxe4 Rxf2 2.Ke5 Rxf4 3.Kxf4 Bg3#

1.dxe4 Bxf2 2.Kd5 Bxd4 3.Kxd4 Rd2#

B1 opens way for bK and blocks e4, W1 clears line for the mating move and then we have unblocking sacrifice of white clearing unit.









h#3 (6+10)
2.1.1...
Hemmo Axt
2nd Place Berlin-München 1989

a) 1.Kd5 Sxc5+ 2.Kc4 Sxb3 3.Kxb3 Bd5#

b) 1.Ke5 Sxe4 2.Kf4 Sxg3 3.Kxg3 Bd6#

In 1st move wS clears line of wBs, in 2nd he sacrifices himself, giving bK acces to square where he will be mated. Nice analogy despite presence of "coal heaps", a groups of Black units serving mostly as a blocking material in one position of twin only.









h#3 (4+13)
b) b7 -» d6
Wladyslaw Rosolak
4th HM Warszawa 2002

a) 1.gxf5 Sxf5 2.fxe3 Sxe3 3.dxc2+ Sexc2#

b) 1.dxc2+ Sxc2 2.fxe3 Sxe3 3.gxf5 Sexf5#

Gallops of white knights in two directions allowed by pawn captures. All 12 moves are capturing!









h#3 (8+10)
b) a3 -» h4
János Csák
2nd Prize Orbit 2001/I

1.Bxf6+ Kxf6 2.Kb5 Bxd5 3.Rb4 Bc4#

1.gxf5 Kxf5 2.Kc3 Rxd4 3.Bb3 Rc4#

In 1st move there is sacrificial unblocking of square for wK, that must unpin both wB and wR that subsequently capture repinned black piece, setting direct battery. Mates are by doublechecks.









h#3 (5+14)
2.1.1...
Nikolaj Nagnibida
Ivan Soroka
1st Prize Cervonij Girnik 1997

a) 1.Rd5 Bxe5+ 2.Rxe5 Bxe4 3.Kxe4 Rd4#

b) 1.Rd4 Bxe4 2.Rxe4 Bxe5+ 3.Kxe5 Sd3#

Both white bishops sacrifice themselves, one with the aim to allow bK's access to square, where he will be mated, the other with the aim of destroying bp guarding mating square. As all sacrifices are with captures of pawns, we have 4 analogous captures in both solutions.









h#3 (5+14)
b) b3 -» b4

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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