Popular fairy problems 9

1.Sde8! th. 2.Kg2#
1...exd1Q(Qd8) 2.Qxc5(Qd1)#
1...exd1R(Ra8) 2.Qxd3(Qd1)#
1...exd1B(Bc8) 2.Qxb3(Qd1)#
1...exd1S(Sg8) 2.Qe4#
1...g2 2.Kf2#

The AUW is executed by black pawn unblocking the square for own king. As it is capturing move, promoted black pieces block rebirth squares for other black pieces of the same kind. This allows 4 different mates by wQ. Very consequent use of Anticirce possibilities - note e.g. threat mate directly by wK or opening of black lines by captures.

1.Bf8! th. 2.Sxg5#
1...Rxe5+ 2.d8S#
1...Rd5+ 2.d8R#
1...Qxb6+ 2.d8Q#
1...Bxb6+ 2.d8B#

Fantastic problem! The key provides 4 checks to Black and as the answer to these White mates by 4 different promotions.

1...Rh2 2.Kf1#

1.Qf7? th. 2.Qf1#
1...g2!

1.Qh4? zz
1...Kh2!

1.Qc2! th. 2.0-0-0#, Qg2#
1...Kh2 2.0-0-0#
1...Kg2 2.0-0#

Castling is the other strange chess move. It is not usual to mate by castling and appearance of mates by both white castling in one problem, it is really rare case. Here we can see that in Patrol chess the motivation for king moves can be different compared to orthodox chess - in 1...Kh2 variation of the solution Kc1 patrols Qc2, while after 1...Kg2 his royal majesty checkmates directly, supported by rook guarding by the way f3.

1.Lxe6-f6! th. 2.Qxd7#
1...Sxb4 2.Lxc4-d3#
1...Sxf4 2.Lxe4-d3#
1...Sxe5 2.Lxc3-d3#
1...Sxc5 2.Lxe3-d3#
1...Lxe5-e6 2.Lxc3-d2#
1...Lxg6-h7 2.Lxc4-d5#
1...Rxc5 2.Lxc5-d6#
1...Lxf4-f5 2.Qxe4#

Here we can 4 mates by white locusts on the square just left by black knight. This knight is pinned, but only as a result of White's mating move - mating locust eats the piece on the line necessary for the pin. The 4th variation is the most interesting from this point of view as bS is pinned from behind.

In the by-play there are also some good locust tricks, e.g. checking by locust is forced by capture of pawn behind the king in the 1...Lxe5-e6 variation.

1.Qc2! zz
1...b1Q 2.a8S Qxa8 3.Sf5#
1...b1R 2.Sg8 Rxg8 3.a8S#
1...b1B 2.Sf5 Bxf5 3.a8S#
1...b1S 2.Qd2 Sxh6 3.a8S#

Black has no move in the initial position, White plans to mate him by placing a knight on the white square, but for that he must force promoted black piece to "jump away" from b1 by means of Mars Circe capture.

1.Sf3! th. 2.CHd4R+ Kc5 3.CHe5R#
1...CHxc4 2.CHe5R+ Kxd6 3.CHf6R#
1...Kxc4 2.CHc3R+ Kd5 3.CHd4R#

Very fine example of Bristol manoeuvre in fairy form. CHh8 copies in 3rd move the movement of his colleague from the 2nd move - follows him on the same line. The key is flight-giving!

1.CHe2Q! Kg1 2.CHg4S Kh1 3. CHe5B Kg1 4.CHb2R Kh1 5.CHg2Q#

The fight is easy to understand. White can mate only with queen, but transformation of chameleon to that shape takes time - and also White must take care not to allow bK run out of the cage. It means, h2 and f2 must be properly guarded during transformation. As a result we get nice round trip of chameleon, well, not very round, rather zig-zag, nevertheless, it is called round trip.