My works 348 - 352

1...EAe2 2.Kf2 Kd2 3.Kf1 EAd3 4.Ke1+ Kd1#

1...Ke3 2.Kf2 Kf4 3.Kg3+ Kg5 4.Kh4+ Kh5#

1...Ke2 2.Kf2 EAg2+ 3.Kg1 EAe3 4.Kf1+ Ke1#

3-fold echo of Köko model mate - some standard tanagra.

Personal rating: C.

a) 1.Gc5 Kb6 2.Kd6 Kc7+ 3.Kd7 Kc8 4.Kd8 Nc6#

b) 1.Kc5 Nd4+ 2.Kb6 Nb8 3.Ka7 Nc6 4.Gc5 Ka6#

c) 1.Gc4 Na4 2.Kc6+ Kb6 3.Kb7 Ka5 4.Ka6+ Nc5#

Again 3-fold echo of Köko model mate. But this time was the echo attained by twinning and this is surely much simpler.

Personal rating: D.

All fairy pieces here are combined leapers:
X1c8 = (2,0) + (3,1) + (4,2)
X2h8 = (5,2) + (6,6)
X3a4 = (5,1) + (7,1)
X4b3 = (5,3) + (4,4) + (6,5)
X5a2 = (4,2) + (5,3) + (7,6)
X6b1 = (4,2) + (3,3) + (5,5) + (7,6)
X7c2 = (4,0) + (3,1) + (6,2) + (6,5)

1.Rxb3! th. 2.X2b2#
1...X4xh8, X5xh8, X6xh8, X7xh8
2.-, X1f7#, X1g6#, X1e8#

1.Rxa2! th. 2.X2b2#
1...X4xh8, X5xh8, X6xh8, X7xh8
2.X1f7#, -, X1e4#, X1c6#

1.Rxb1! th. 2.X2b2#
1...X4xh8, X5xh8, X6xh8, X7xh8
2.X1g6#, X1e4#, -, X1d5#

1.Rxc2! th. 2.X2b2#
1...X4xh8, X5xh8, X6xh8, X7xh8
2.X1e8#, X1c6#, X1d5#, -

Celebration of combined leapers. I composed this problem in 2000 and it was intended for MT Calvet. I've sent it to Denis Blondel by e-mail, however, he didn't get it. I think it's a pity as it would have a good chance in the tourney. Although all keys are captures, general strategy and geometry is intriguing and perhaps this combination of thematical elements wasn't shown yet: carousel change in 4 phases, keys form cross of rook and all defences are to the same square, all errors are unguards.

Personal rating: B.

1.Kg6 Gg7 2.LIxc4(w) Gf6#

1.Kg7 Gf6 2.LIxa5(w) Gg6#

1.Kf6 Gg6 2.LIxh2(w) Gg7#

And now something completely different! 3rd TT PaM asked for helpmates with 3 solutions and a cycle of something. "Something" are here arrival squares of bK and white grasshoppers, giving complete cycle, or only moves of white grasshoppers, giving usual cycle in h#2. Andernach condition is here only a technical device allowing guard of transmuting flights by Black's move.

Personal rating: C.

1...Gd2 2.Rf2 Sd5 3.Ghc6 Scb6#

1...Ga1 2.Bd7 Se3 3.Ge2 Scd1#

MT of Alphonse Grünenwald asked for any kind of problems using grasshoppers and/or nightriders, but no other fairy pieces. Majority of my entries and many other problems were composed in the short time period in June 2001, when I had compulsory holiday and by coincidence I felt capable of composing a lot... and indeed I did it.

In this helpmate grasshoppers don't play prominent role, only a minor one, despite indirect antibattery in the mating move. That's why the problem didn't make it high in the award, it is understandable. Even if the analogy isn't perfect, it is not bad and rich, and moreover, despite twinning by moving bK pieces from one coal heap are mostly used in the other phase too.

Personal rating: C.