Selections 2

1.Sg5! th. 2.Se6#
1...Se3 2.Sf3#
1...Sc3 2.Rd3#
1...Sb4 2.Sb5#
1...Sc7 2.Qc5#
1...Se7 2.Bc5#
1...Sf4 2.Qe4#
1...f6~ 2.Bxe5#
1...Rxe8 2.Qc5#
1...Qxg3,Qf3 2.Sc2#

I am currently slowly studying 1951 book edited by R. Kofman and E. Umnov named Shakhmatna Kompozitsiya, with contributions from many leading Soviet composers of that period. It contains many excellent problems, but while they can be easily found in current databases, it is the most interesting to read contemporary comments to them and theoretical considerations surrounding them. Some considerations have nothing to do with chess composition and are more of ideological nature, but the rest is very valuable. On the other hand, would you say that arrival correction was not recognized in these days as correction theme, rather as a kind of dual avoidance?

The problems itself is a good example of strategy in 3+3 variations: three valves and three bivalves.

1.Sc2 Rxc2(Sg8) 2.Se2 Rxe2 3.Se7 Rxe7 4.a3 Rb7=

1.a3 Rxa2(a7)+ 2.Kxa2(Rh1) Rxe1 3.a5 Rxc1 4.a4 Rb1=

One of knights might be captured, the other pinned - if only wK was closer. This plan does not work, thus it turns out both black knight have to be captured. Moreover the first white capture results in rebirth, so White has to capture more than twice in eac solution. The final stalemates are models, one of the Circe specific with self-protection of wR

1...Gc7 2.Qb5 Ga6 3.Qc6 Rd6#

1...Gg5 2.Qg3 Gh3 3.Qg4 Bf5#

Attractive echo diagonal-orthogonal in very open position, actually without any cookstoppers. I like a lot model mates with two indirect antibatteries activated and pin of bQ.

1.Ke6(+e7) 2.Kd5 3.e5 4.e4 5.e3 6.e2 7.e1R 8.Re2 9.Re6(+e2) 10.e1B 11.Bf2 12.Bc5(+f2) 13.f1S 14.Sd2 15.Se4(+d2) 16.d1Q 17.Qd4 18.Qe5(+d4) c4#

The heap of black pawns is needed for nonstandard motivation of AUW. The black promoted pieces have to leave pawn on the 2nd rank for another quick promotion. It is important that two pawns cannot be left at the same time.

1...Qxc1+ 2.g5 Qh1#

1.g5! th. 2.Rh1 Qxh1#
1...Qxc1 2.a8S Qh1#
1...Sd1 2.g8S Qh8#

Set check shows the way the threat is prepared. The mate after the capture of Rc1 is the same, but slightly suprisingly there is only one possible waiting move for White. Knight defence is a kind of double masked valve - it opens and closes two lines of bQ not yet opened by White. (It is however necessary to say that also line of wR is cut, thus the valve of bQ is not pure, rather it is bi-coloured bi-valve.) Second knight promotion adds unity to two variations.

1.Sd5? C th. 2.PAxh4# A
1...h3 a 2.LEh4# B
1...VAxd5+ b 2.Rxd5# D
1...d2!

1.Rd5! D th. 2.LExh4# B
1...h3 a 2.PAh4# A
1...VAxd5+ b 2.Sxd5# C

Half-battery on the long diagonal is opened first in a try and a key. The key cuts line of bPA, threatening capture of Ph4 in a Sushkov fashion (one of potential threats is avoided by departure of necessary hurdle). The departure of bp allows the avoided mate, resulting in the le Grand, while check provoked by the key is neutralized by another diagonal opening and capture on d5, resulting in the key-mate reversal. Altogether we have here a good example of Lender combination (C[A]BD - D[B]AC) with Chinese motivation.