My works 199 - 204

a) 1.Sh6 Bxd6(Rh8) 2.Rxa3(Sg1) Bxf4(Bf8)#

b) 1.Bh6 Sxd6(Rh8) 2.Qxa3(Sg1) Sxf5(Sg8)#

Analogical strategy in two phases full of Circe. White wants to set battery on d-file, but for that the capture of Rd6 is needed. Thus two its lines from h8 are subsequently closed: h8-h5, avoiding selfcheck, and h8-d8 avoiding capture of rear battery piece. Choice of first move is based on the line that can be opened in 1st white move - it must be line abandoned by piece capturing Sa3.

Personal rating: A.

1.Qh8+ Qf8! 2.Qxf8(Qd1)+ Sxf1(Bc8)# (1...Qd8? 2.Qxd8(Qd1)+ Sxf1(Bc8)+ 3.Qxd5(pd2)!)

1.Bh2+ Qd6! 2.Bxd6(Qd1)+ Sxc4(pc7)# (1...Qe5? 2.Bxd6(Qd1)+ Sxc4(pc7)+ 3.Bxd4(pd2)!)

Other complicated Circe idea. White lets his queen be captured and transported to d1, setting battery and mating. But as captures of wQ are checks, mating moves are determined both by need to guard e3 and close checking line - dual avoidance on mating move. There is also choice on 1st white move - white must let his queen be captured on square, where the mate cannot be parried by capture of wp on d-file. Rather heavy position, but who can improve the economy? We were unable to do that...

Personal rating: B.

1.Kc4 RBHg4 2.Kd4 Ke3+ 3.Ke5 RBHe2 4.RBHd6 Kd4#

1.Kd4 Ke3+ 2.Ke5 RBHd3 3.RBHf3 RBHe2 4.RBHf6 Kf4#

1.RBHc4 Ke5 2.Kd6 + Kd4 3.RBHc6 RBHd3 4.RBHc7 Kc5#

1.RBHe4 Ke3 2.RBHe6 Kd4 3.Kd6 RBHd3 4.RBHe7 Ke5#

4-fold echo of ideal Köko mate. Normal echo is nothing unusual. 3-fold echo is worth something and 4-fold echoes are rare, as far as I know. Ideal form of 4 solutions.

Personal rating: A.

1.Rb7 Bh5 2.Sd2 Rc5#

1.Rf2 Bg6 2.d2 Rxg3#

The theme of tourney was mating by indirect battery. I managed to include gate opening in every black move as departure effect and interference as arrival effect, in first move unguarding and in second move unpinning. Of course, additional motive of withdrawal unguarding in 1st solution is rather unlucky. Model mates. But the thematical indirect battery plays only a minor and thus the problem couldn't pretend to high honour.

Personal rating: C.

1Sc1B Bb7R 2.Qxb7S(b) Sa5B 3.Bb2R+ Bd2R# (4.Rxd2Q(b)??)

1.Sd1B Bc8R 2.Rxc8Q(b) Qg4S 3.Bc2R+ Sf2B#(4.Rxf2Q(b)??)

Although I composed this problem a long time before, during finding some good idea involving chameleons I came across possibility of creation and firing indirect battery by chameleon bishop turning into chameleon rook. I managed to find an interesting matrix with reciprocal changes of functions of white pieces S-S and Q-R and with Andernach selfchecks disabling capture by white in 4th move. It was very much in spirit of TT for Andernach chess + Chameleon compositions. Judge Petko Petkov criticised a bit pair of wBe5, bSg3, but for me they are satisfactory - they both take part in nets around both kings.

Personal rating: B.

1.pRg2! th. 2.Rxb1#
1...Sd1, pSg3, Rxb5, Bxb5 2.-, pQc6#, pQe4#, pQc5#

1.pRg5! th. 2.Rxb1#
1...Sd1, pSg3, Rxb5, Bxb5 2.pQc6#, -, pQe2#, pQd4#

1.pRg6! th. 2.Rxb1#
1...Sd1, pSg3, Rxb5, Bxb5 2.pQe4#, pQe2#, -, pQc2#

1.pRg8! th. 2.Rxb1#
1...Sd1, pSg3, Rxb5, Bxb5 2.pQc5#, pQd4#, pQc2#, -

Of course, for JT of leading world expert for carousel change I wanted to produce something with carousel change. As tourney asked for #2 with fairy pieces, I browsed through my older schemes and found one that could have been finished with paralysing pieces. With 4-phase carousel in 3 variations. The result isn't bad, I only regretted need to use pSb8 and the fact that mate pQc6# not only paralyses Rb6, but also interferes with it...

Personal rating: A.