Ladislav Salai 70 JT C 19.8.2004

1.Rcd5? zz
1...R4~ 2.Rd4#
1...Rxf4! 2.Re6#
1...R5~ 2.Re6#
1...Rxf5! 2.Rd4#
1...Kxf4!

1.Ba4! zz
1...R4~ 2.Rc4#
1...Rxf4! 2.Bc6#
1...R5~ 2.Bc6#
1...Rxf5! 2.Rc4#
1...f2 2.Qe3#
1...Kxf4 2.Rd4#

There is a fight for 2 flights f5 and f4 in this twomover. Black opens white lines to these in random moves and blocks them in corrections. Thus we get reciprocal corrections in both phases.

1.Ka6! th. 2.Sb5#
1...S~ 2.Sf5#
1...Sg6! 2.Gxg1#
1...Sg4!! 2.Gd1#
1...Gxd3 2.Sf5#
1...Gc4 2.Gxg1#

Random defence is based on unblocking the square guarded by White in a hope that white in threat will close the line of guard, this is known as theme A2. Corrections reguard f5, but close black lines and the corection of 3rd degree is attained.

1.Kxb7! th. 2.Sxf6#
1...Qxe5(e2) 2.Qxh1#
1...Qxg7(Bc1)! 2.c3#
1...Qxe7(Sg1)!! 2.Qe1#
1...Qxe6(Bf1)!!! 2.Bg2#
1...Qxg5(g2) 2.Sxg5#
1...Rxh7 2.c3#

White would like to mate by queen from the base rank, but Black has different ways to parry the check by captures of white pawns, whose reborns would close the lines. Thus white makes bQ move and there is an interesting Circe motivation throughout.

1.e7! zz
1...CA~ 2.e8GI#
1...CAe8! 2.dxe8GI#
1...GI~ 2.d8CA#
1...GId8! 2.exd8CA#
1...GIb8! 2.Qa6#

something lighter - random moves and corrections on promotion squares are followed by 4 fairy promotions as model mates. Fine miniature.

1.h4! th. 2.RBd3#
1...S~ 2.RBxg6#
1...Se7! 2.Sc5#
1...Sf4!! 2.Sg5#
1...Se3!!! 2.Sf2#
(1...f2 2.RBg2#)

Reflecting bishops have nice long bent lines allowing switching the actions from one side to the other without much effort and also cutting these lines by e.g. knight on more than 2 squares. No wonder someone tried to show higher degree black correction using them. Quite successfully, I think.

1.VAg1! th. 2.Sf2#
1...S~ 2.Qxf4#
1...Sg5! 2.Bxb1#
1...Sd2!! 2.LEa8#
1...Sd4!!! 2.Sef6#
1...Se5!!!! 2.Sd6#

The motivation for random moves is the same as in the problem by Johannes Burbach, but the rest is more complicated. Black graduates the crrection to the 5th degree. Chinese pieces are extremely suitable for thematical complexes of this kind.

1.Kf8! zz
1...S+A~ 2.Re6#
1...S+Ab5! 2.Rh6#
1...S+Ae5!! 2.Rf5#
1...S+Ad5!!! 2.Qd8#
1...S+Axe8! 2.Sxe8#
(1...S~ 2.S+Ah4#)

Madrasi motivation for the random defence. Any move of S+A to 5th row unparalyses Ra5, but brings Rh5 into action as well. That's why bS+A paralyses wS+A, but this allows Rf5#. So S+A unparalyses both queens as well and that is the final black correction of the 4th degree.

1.S~? th. 2.Re3,Bf4#
1...Re3!

1.Se2? th. 2.Re3,Bf4#
1...Rxb1(w)!

1.Sxe6(b)! th. 2.Rd5#
1...S~ 2.Bf4#
1...Sf4! 2.Re3#
1...Sxg5(w)! 2.Qe4#
1...Rxb1(w) 2.Re1#

Andernach chess motivated and well constructed blend of 3 well known themes: white correction in tries and solution, black correction in the solution and Rudenko theme (1.? th. A#, B#, 1.! 1...a, b 2.A#, B#).

1.Qe6? zz
1...d1~ 2.Qg4#
1...d1G! 2.Qa2#
1...Gf6!

1.Qe4? zz
1...d1~ 2.Qf3#
1...d1G! 2.Ra2#
1...Gf3!

1.Qe5! zz
1...d1~ 2.Qh5#
1...d1G! 2.Qb2#
1...Ke1 2.Qxe3#

Hardly a fairy selection of any kind could miss Petko Petkov's work. His systematical approach allows him to find extremely elegant settings for various themes. Here we see changed mates in theme Z-23-36 with defences random promotion and grasshopper correcting promotion.