Solver's impressions - 2004 - 4


Still feeling a bit depressed from the Saturday's last, studies round I entered the room on Sunday. A rumour was circulating that I declined to participate in the Solving Show and Quick Show the day before because I was disappointed too much, but the truth was that I was somewhat ill already since Thursday morning and I even took the day off on Friday to have enough of rest... and hence I spent the Saturday evening in the bed too, with the hot tea (and two books, selection of Zoltan Labai's works and a history of Popes).

Helpmate round is usually among my favourite and this time it was proven. Twomover was extremely simple, solved in the matter of seconds from diagram, threemover a bit more difficult, but the change of block was one of the earliest ideas and fourmover was at last difficult. More below... enough to say that I won the round for full points in 30 minutes (together with the only competing GM and later - expected - winner, Piotr Murdzia).
Tibor Csoltó
Sakkelet 1986

1.Sg2 Rxd2 2.Sf4 Bg1#

1.Bg6 Bg1 2.Bf7 Rxg4#

1.Rb3 Rxg4 2.Rb4 Rxd2#

Three black pieces set for pinning, three white linemovers... it was clear from the first sight.









h#2 (6+10)
3.1.1.1

Christopher Jones
Sachove umení 2004

1.e4 Rxb3 2.Sfe5 Rxd3+ 3.Sxd3 Bc3#

1.Sa5 Bb4 2.Sb7 Bxc5+ 3.Sxc5 Rb4#

Doublecheck mates were out of question, so I turned my attention to two ther ideas that came to mind immediately: moving bK to some other square or change of block allowing simple mates Bc3# and Rb4#. I spent a minute or two on the first idea and after finding nothing I tried the second idea. It worked and I even managed to avoid two traps that might be overlooked in a hurry - precise way for Sc4 to c5 (2nd solution) and possibility of ambiguity in Se5 move (1st solution). Nice analogy, by the way.









h#3 (4+11)
2.1.1.1.1.1

László Apró
1st Prize J. Bebesi-70 JT 1985
reconstruction

1.Sxe5 Bf7 2.Sxd4 Bxd5 3.Se6 Bc4 4.Sf7 Bc3#

1.Rxc6+ Kf6 2.Rc5 Bf8 3.Rxb5 Bxb5 4.Bb4 Bxb4#

I've spent a lot of time on the idea of clearing both bishop paths to c3 and b5. There was a hint of possible analogy - Sf7xe5xc6 and Se6xd4xb5, Rxe5 and Rxd4, Rxc6 and Rxb4, so to say, possibly well matched captures by black pieces - but to my surprise it didn't work any way! White king always appeared checked or one of white bishops pinned. So I have suspiciously tried completely different idea - switch of diagonal for white bishop, and as Be8 looked more out of play and Bg7 was on masked pin line, I betted on Bf7. Yes, I've found the solution with double switchback of bS. What then? Which kind of analogy one may find in the second solution? I didn't try, fortunately, anything crazy like Bxh5 with block of f1, I had good luck in finding switch of the diagonal by the other white bishop - but this solution isn't so nice...









h#4 (9+14)
2.1.1...

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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