Helpmates and fairies from Probleemblad 6/2000

1.Rxf5 Kg2 2.Rxe5 Qxe5#

1.Rxd5 Kg3 2.Rxe5 Rxe5#

1.Qxd6 bxc3 2.Qxe5+ Rdxe5#

Cyclical change of functions of 3 white pieces: captured piece, piece passively covering flights and mating piece. Very typical example for 3rd TT Pat a Mat. Pity that in 3rd solution 1st white move isn't by king...

1.Rh6 Bg6 2.f3 Ka6 3.Qd6+ Kb5 4.Be5 Bh5 5.Re6 Bxf3#

1.c6 Bh7 2.Rg6 Kb6 3.Ke4 Kc5 4.Kf3 Kxd4 5.Rg4 Be4#

Difficult helpmate from both views - difficult for composer as the idea is complicated and so many black pieces may be arranged for blocks in very varying formations, and difficult for poor solver as he must test almost whole board for the mating pictures. And now look more in detail at solutions: 1st solution - wB closes line of bR after its critical move, this allows passage of wK to b5, in the meantime bQ and bB make Bristol movement and after finishing of mating picture wB sets the mate in northwest direction. 2nd solution - critical move is made by wB and its line is closed by bR (!!!) that is before that interfered by bp. Then both kings make parallel linear marches and second model mate by bishop, this time in southeast direction, is given. Super!

1...Bc1 2.Ke5 Bg5 3.Rd5 Kc6 4.Qe4 Kd7 5.Sf5+ Ke8 6.Rh4 Kf7 7.Rf4 Bf6#

1...Bb2 2.Rc6+ Kb5 3.Bc5 Bd4 4.Kd6 Kc4 5.Qd7 Kd3 6.Se6 Ke4 7.Re7 Be5#

Echo model mates after long trips of white king. Naturally, it is almost unbelievable that there are the only two solutions...

1.Sh7 f8MA+ 2.Sf7 d8S#

1.Sc6 d8MA+ 2.Sd7 f8S#

Umnov chains are finished by mates by promoted knight with promoted mao pinning black knight. Reciprocally changed promotions. But whole content is mechanical.

1.EQf3 EQd2 2.EQd5 EQc8#

1.EQf5 EQd6 2.EQd3 EQc1#

Two analogical equihopperal solutions. Black equihopper twice provides hurdle for moving white equihopper, in 1st white move white battery is created, in 2nd move fired, but firing piece must recover guard of potential flight.

1.Qe2 2.f2 3.Bg2 4.Kf3 5.Se3 Se5#

1.Qd2 2.Qd5 3.Kd4 4.Re3 5.Sd3 Sb3#

Two model mates.

a) 1.Sxf4 2.Sxg6 3.Be5 4.Kf4 5.Kg5 6.Kh6 7.Bg7 Rxh5#

b) 1.Be1 2.Bxa5 3.Kd5 4.Kc6 5.Kc7 6.Kc8 7.Bc7 Se7#

Zilahi with model mates in relatively long series helpmate. In a) position both pf4 and Sg6 are captured, in b) position only Ra5, it is unbalanced.

1.Ge2! th. 2.Gc4+ Rxc4 3.Sf6+ Kxe5 4.Sxc4#
1...Gf5 2.Be3+! Kf3 3.Bxg5+ Ke4 4.Re3#
(2.Re3+? Kf4! 3.Rxg3+ Kxg3!)
1...Gf4 2.Re3+! Kf5 3.Rxg3+ Ke4 4.Ne3#
(2.Ne3+? Kf3! 3.Ng7+ Kf2!)
1...Gf3 2.Ne3+! Kf4 3.Ng7+ Ke4 4.Be3#
(2.Be3+? Kf5! 3.Bxg5+ Kxg5!)

Excellent fairy moremover! In threat there is move 3.Sf6+, Black defends by grasshopper moves to f-file as this would cause selfcheck after Sf6. Good defence motive, isn't it? Black error lies in blocking 3 potential flights, that allows anticritical moves by 3 white riders across e3 and then antibattery mate there. But white must be careful. This way the cycle of 2nd and 4th white moves is executed in an exceptionally attractive manner. Composition worth of the name above diagram!