Transformations of special pieces - 2

12th TT CCM seems to have well chosen theme. Not only good and original problems started to arrive to my address, but below given examples show there are many-many possibilities for motivation of moves as well as various formal themes. Transforming pieces could be sometimes hard to understand, especially in the case of some chains or prospective line openings after the mate is given, but the effects offered are attractive.
Michel Caillaud
Denis Blondel
2nd-3rd Prize Zeller 75 JT 1986

1.Sg6! th. 2.Se7#
1...Kxd6 2.dxe8Q#
1...Kc4 2.c8R#
1...Kc6 2.a8B#
1...Ke6 2.f8S#
(1...g4 2.Sf4#)

The key gives 4 flights and defences of transmuting king there are answered by white mating AUW. Note (in the context of our 12th TT) that bK never transforms to Queen, queen promotion appears after firing pawn-rook battery.









#2 (12+7)
1+1 transmuting king
Alexander Zidek
27th Place 6th WCCT G C 1.5.1998

1.Qd2! th. 2.Se3#
1...Ke5 2.gxh8G#
1...Ke4 2.exf3#
1...Kd4 2.e3#
1...Kc4 2.exd3#
1...Kc5 2.Gc8#
1...Kxc6 2.Bxf3#
1...Kd6 2.c7#
1...Ke6 2.f7#
1...Ge1 2.e4#

After excellent key - gives 5 flights! - bK defends against knight mate by run to all 8 possible flights. White answers by checks using humble units in the terms of mobility, thus transforming bK to pawn or grasshopper. Grasshopper defence variation finishes another formal theme - albino.









#2 (12+7)
1+1 transmuting king, 2+2 grasshopper
Kjell Widlert
2nd Prize TT British Chess Magazine 1972


1.Sxc2! th. 2.Rxd4#
1...Qxb4 2.Oxb7#
1...Qd1 2.Of3#
1...Qxc2 2.Of5#
1...Sc6 2.Oe7#
1...S~b5 2.Oc7#
1...Se2 2.Of4#
1...Se4 2.Of6#
1...Rh7 2.Od7#
1...Kc4 2.Of1#

Good key provides flight and threats simple mate. But after 9 black defences the matters are very different. All of them allow firing orphan-bishop battery with lethal double check by bishop and transformed orphan. 8 easily imaginable mates of this fashion (b7, c7, d7, e7, f6, f5, f4, f3) are skillfully completed by ninth variation after bK's run to flight.









#2 (10+12)
1+0 orphan
Kalyanasundram Seetharaman
ex 3rd HM Giuseppe Brogi MT 1978
incorrect

1.e7! zz
1...Oxb6 2. e8S#
1...c2 2.e8B#
1...b4 2.e8R#
1...Kh5 2.e8Q#

Quite exotic combination of fairy units: friends and orphans in the same problem. In the first 3 variations defences avoid attack of bO that would be able to parry the chesk. Queen promotion appears after flight defence as White must guard both g4 and h6 - and Black cannot parry double check in this case.

Update 23.6.2013: The author has informed me that the problem is not sound, e.g. it is cooked by 1.bxc7! th. 2.c8Q#. He sees no easy way to save the problem.









#2 (11+6)
5+0 friend, 0+3 orphan
Cedric C. L. Sells
2nd HM TT British Chess Magazine 1972

1.d4! th. 2.d5!
1...Oad5 2.Bf7+! Oxf7 3.Rxf5# (2.Bxf3? Oxf3 3.Rxf5 Oxf5)
1...O7d5 2.Rxf5! Oxf5 3.Bxf3# (2.Bf7? Oxf7 3.Bxf3 Oxf3)
1...O3d5 2.Bxf3! Oxf3 3.Bf7# (2.Rxf5? Oxf5 3.Bf7 Og6)

As a defence against simultaneous interference with 3 lines in threat Black plays to the most important square d5. This way he seemingly allows two checks - but no, it allows only one of them. Thus we get the rotation of 2nd and 3rd white moves without dual.

+++ Composition In the Spotlight (CIS) No. 29 +++

Spotlight comment by Juraj Lörinc:

The choice of the White's second moves is forced by presence of black orphans and white pieces activating them. In each variation it is clear, which white piece would checkmate. However, it is important to choose right move making the black orphan leave its line via d5. The similar mechanism can be perhaps shown with other fairy elements too.









#3 (10+11)
4+6 orphan
Hans Peter Rehm
bernd ellinghoven
Hans Gruber
Prize Brown 50 JT C 19.11.1996 - A

1.Ra6! th. 2.Rb6+ Ka4,Kxa3 3.Ra7#
1...Rxg6 2.Ofxe3+ Bf3, Rxe3 3.Ogxd5, Bd1#
1...Bxe7 2.Ofxd5+ Rf3, Bxd5 3.Ogxe3, Bd1#

Departure of Of3 allows Bd1#. But White must wait until Black makes possible answers to interference selfpins at f3. Two variations are very analogous, with bBs/bRs correspondence.









#3 (10+9)
2+0 orphan
Manfred Nieroba
feenschach 1975

1.Qh5+! Oxh5+ 2.c5 Oxf1+ 3.b5 cxb5 4.c6 b4#

More sketch than a real problem, but well, the idea is interesting. Both Black orphans are set to position aiming well at wK and Black is finally forced to open simultaneously two white lines - thus giving double check.









s#4 (10+5)
0+2 orphan
Anatolij Vasilenko
Andrej Frolkin
7986 feenschach 134 - December 1999

1.Sf3 Sc6 2.Sd4 Se5 3.Sb3 Sf3+ 4.Kd3 Rb8 5.Qe1 Sxe1+ 6.Kc5 e6+ 7.Kxa7 Qh4 8.Kxb8 Ke7 9.Kxc8 Kf6 10.Kd8 Ke5+ 11.Kxh4 Sxg2+ 12.Kxg2 Kf4

White transmuting king is checked by bS, bB, bQ and again by bS. In the meantime he eats 5 different black units. Note how the duals are avoided - knight play in the initial phase is still orthodox trick, but then there is the timing of 6...e6 (to give check) or the very precise move 10...Ke5 (as Kf5 would prevent 11...Sxg2?? because of a selfcheck).









Proof game in 12,0 moves (14+11)
1+1 transmuting king

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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