League of Macedonian Problemists 2002-2003

Each composer may participate with an unlimited number of thematic problems. Ten Problems will be ranked in each round and will be awarded points as follows: 1st Place - 12 pts; 2nd Pl. - 10 pts; 3rd Pl. - 9 pts; ... 10th Pl. - 2 pts; a correct, non-anticipated and thematic problem - 1 point (provided that its composer does not have an honoured problem in the award in question). If a composer has another honoured problem in a certain award, only his/her highest placed entry will score. The final ranking will be based on the total points from all four rounds. The awards will be published in the spring 2004. All participants will receive a copy the award and the best five will receive problem books.

Composers are welcome to send originals (marking for LMP 2002-2003) until 1st September 2003 to Zoran Gavrilovski, p. fah 137, Skopje MK-1001, Macedonia or by e-mail to mprobl@yahoo.com.

MATE IN TWO MOVES (#2)
Judge: Wieland Bruch (Germany)
Theme: Try: 1? x~/x1 2.A/B#, Solution: 1! (2.A#) x~/x1 2.B/C#, or 1! (2.B#) x~/x1 2.C/A#, x=random move, x1=corrective move. Example I.

MATE IN THREE MOVES (#3)
Judge: Zivko Janevski (Macedonia)
Theme: Umnov (a white piece moves to a square vacated by a black piece) in two or more variations where either the black or the white piece is the same. Example II.A, example II.B.

SELFMATE IN TWO OR THREE MOVES (s#2, s#3)
Judge: Petko Petkov (Bulgaria)
Theme: White correction with a random try and at least two corrective tries. Example III.

HELPMATE IN THREE MOVES (h#3)
Judge: Toma Garai (USA)
Theme: On the second move either a black or a white piece moves back to its initial square (switchback), but then moves away on the third. Twinning is accepted but zeroposition is not. Example IV.A, example IV.B.

Anatolij Slesarenko
2nd Prize Spisska Borovicka TT 1994

1.Rh5? (th. 2.Rxc5#)
1...S~ x, Sxd3! x1
2.Sb2 A, Qb3# B
1...h1Q!

1.Bf1! (th. 2.Sb2# A)
1...S~ x, Sxd3! x1
2.Qb3 B, Rc6# C

Quite difficult theme - combination of threat paradox (random move once allows mate A, once defends it) and secondary threat paradox (correcting move once allows mate B, once prevents it as secondary threat).









#2 (10+4)
Robin C. O. Matthews
Robert Burger
4th Prize Schach Aktiv 1988

1.Ra5! (th. 2.Qxd6 Sxd6 3.Sxd6#)
1...Re3 2.Sg3+ Sxg3, Rxg3
3.Sf2#, Qf5#
1...Be5 2.Sd6+ Sxd6, Bxd6
3.Sc5#, Qf5#

Umnov moves by the same S.









#3 (11+12)
Robin C. O. Matthews
Robert Burger
1st Prize BCM 1988-89

1.Kd8! (th. 2.c8S Sc7 3.Sb6#)
1...Sxc7 2.e8S! th., Sxe8, Se6+
3.Sxc7#, c7#, fxe6#
1...Sxf6 2.e8Q! th., Sxe8, Sd7
3.Qxf7#, f6#, cxd7#

Doubling of the theme (bS against wP).









#3 (11+7)
Petko Petkov
Bulgarski problemist 1986

1.S~?/Sf3?/Sc6?
1...Rc3!/cxb4!/Sd6!

1.Sb3! (th. 2.Qg6+ hxg6 3.Bf5+ gxf5#)
1...cxb4 2.Re3+ Qxe3 3.Qf3+ Qxf3#
1...Sd6 2.Bd5+ Bxd5 3.Qe6+ Bxe6#

Random try is defended by closing wBb2 line to e5, that's why correcting tries provide second guard on this square. They however prevent variations. Solution has different correcting motivation - it closes gate for Ra3.









s#3 (10+12)
Toma Garai
1st HM Diagrammes 1988

a) 1.Kc3 Rxd4 2.Qb2 Re4 3.Rd2 Rxc4#

b) 1.Qh5 Bxg2 2.Kg4 Bf1 3.Bf3 Bxh3#

White temporary switchback.









h#3 (4+14)
b) d2 -» f5
Toma Garai
Macedonian Problemist 2001

1.Sxf2 Kc6 2.Sd3 Be1 3.Sf4 Bc3#

1.Sxg5 Kc4 2.Sh7 Bd8 3.Sf6 Bc7#

Black temporary switchback.









h#3 (4+7)
2 solutions

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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