Good old times 12

1.Qb4+? Qxf8(Bc1)!
1.Rxc4+? Rxe4(Pe2)!

1.Se2? th. 2.Rxc4#
1...Qxe4!

1.Sa2? th. 2.Sxc3#
1...Bxd4(Ra1)!

1.Sb3? th. 2.Sc5#
1...cxd6(Qd1)!

1.Sxd3(d7)! th. 2.Sc5#
1...Bxd4(Ra1) 2.Qb4#
1...cxd6(Qd1) 2.Rxc4(c7)#

The checking tries by wQ and wR are easily parried by paralysis. Therefore White employs "idle" wSc1, whose every possible move creates some threat. Three of them are defensible, 1.Sxd3(Pd7)! works just perfectly.

In variations White takes advantage of rebirths that prevent defences of original checking tries due to rebirths of wB and wP. The mechanism emplys well both Circe and Madrasi.

Tries in fairy problems were a theme of the 23rd TT CCM. I think this twomover would be placed in the award, if it had competed.

1.Rxg4? th. 2.Rxc4 th. 3.Kb3
1...0-0-0! Rxc4#?

1.Bxg4? th. 2.Bd1 th. 3.Bb3
1...0-0! Bd1#?

1.Bf5! th. 2.Bc2 th. 3.Bb3

The theme tourney was dedicated to unusual aims like castling, zielfeld (destination square) or symmetry.

This problem shows quite unusual defence motif against plain zielfeld threat in tries: Black castles and White cannot finish his threat in time, because Black is checkmated. Of course, the solution is then plain and easy.

1.Kh8! b5 2.Bg8 b4 3.Sf7 R~ 4.Sxg5+ Rb3,b3,Rf7,Re6,Rd5,Rc4,Ka3 5.Sh3

A good key to corner prepares Indian combination of critical move by wB and interference by wS. The idea is that wS is the only white piece with realistic chance to enter h3 within available timeframe, but it still has to cross the minefield g5-f4-f2 with tempo.

1.Rc2! Kb1 2.Kc4! Ka1 3.Rc1+ Kb2 4.Kb4 a1~ 5.Rc2+ Kb1 6.Ra2

The plan of White is quite simple. Thanks to the No captures conditions it is necessary to force move of Pa2 - promotion. Then it is necessary to enter the square a2, without loss of tempo as black promoted Q or R could return to a2 immediately from a1. Especially tempo loss by 2.Kc4! is unexpected finesse in a position with only four units.