Problem-Echo 2000/2-1

1.Na8-d2 Ge8-a8 2.Ga6-a2 Sa3-c4#
1.Gh8-b2 Ge8-h8 2.Ng8-d2 Nc3-e4#

7,5; 8,5; 8; (6); 24

Battery mates with grasshopper in the role of rear piece are given over black grasshoppers immobilized on 2nd rank by blocking of d2.

a) 1.d6xe5 Nd7-f6 2.Qe3-f2 Gg4-b4#
b) 1.Nh7xg5 Nd7-b3 2.Rf3-f2 Nf5-b7#

8,5; (7,5); 10; 9,5; 28

Unpinning of pieces blocking f2 by capture of pinning white pieces change fo guard on e1, pin mates. Well mixed together.

1.Se7-c6 Nf3-h7 2.Sc6-d4 Gf6-c3#
1.Se7-d5 Nf3-e1 2.Sd5-c3 Gf6-b2#

5; 5; 5; (4,5); 15

Two model mates.

a) 1.Ng8-c6 Rd1-b1+ 2.Ge8-b5 f7-f8=N#
b) 1.Ng8-e4 Rd1xd4 2.Ge8-e3 f7-f8=G#

(4); 7,5; 7; 5; 19,5

Pin model mates by white fairy promotions, but some black material is used only in one of two phases.

a) 1.Ga8-c6+ Gd5xf7+ 2.d7-d5+ e5xd6 ep.#
b) 1.Qg6-h6+ Gf5xd7+ 2.f7-f5+ e5xf6 ep.#

5; 6; (8); 5,5; 16,5

Double check mates by en passant captures, but the positions are largely symmetrical.

a) 1.Ga6-f6 Na2-c3 2.Rd4-d6 Ne8-g7#
b) 1.Ge4-c4 Ne8-g7 2.Ga6-d3 Ng1-f3#
c) 1.c7-c5 Ng1-f3 2.Ge4-c6 Na2-c3#

(5); 6,5; 8; 7; 21,5

Cycle of white moves. Double blocks in black play. Although the twinning may seem too artificial, I like it. The question is whether it can be arranged without use of grasshoppers. Compare with similar problem.

1.Bh2-g1 Ng6-e2 2.Ne8-h2 Ne2-g3#
1.Ne8-c4 Ng6-c8 2.Nc4-g2 Nc8-f2#

6; (2); 4; 4; 14

Two model mates in miniature.

1.Nc2-g4+ Na1xg4 2.Kg5xg4 Ke5xd4#
1.Kg5-g4 Na1xc2+ 2.Sd4xc2 Ke5-e6#

9,5; (4,5); 8; 7,5; 25

Royal battery mates, but it needs some effort from both sides to allow wK enter destinations initially well guarded. Also Na1 is sacrificed for that sake...

1.Nc2-e6 Na1xg4 2.Gf5-f2 Ng4-e5#
1.Bf3-c6 Gh3xb3 2.Sc5-e6 Gb3-d3#

6,5; (5); 8; 7; 21,5

Reciprocal direct batteries N-G and G-N without moving black king. Compare to problem by Zvonimir Hernitz where black king walks to mating squares or with next problem...

a) 1.Bh1-g2 Ga6-c4 2.Kd7-e8 Gc4-f7#
b) 1.Rh2-g2 Nb2-d6 2.Ke5-f6 Nd6-c4#

9; (5); 7; 8,5; 24,5

Here not only bK walks to mating squares, but he is transported in twinning too, it helps a lot in arranging the squares. Known Grimshaw constellation at SE.

a) 1.f6-f5 Gd6-h2 2.Gg7-b2 Nf7-c1#
b) 1.c7-c5 Nf7-g5 2.Nh4-b1 Gd6-a6#

10; (7,5); 9; 8,5; 27,5

Unpinning of Gd6 and Nf7 in two phases, blocking, reciprocal changes of functions Gd6/Nh7 and Gg7/Nh4, pin mates.

1.Kg5-h5 Ga4xf4 2.Ge4-g4 Gf4-f7#
1.Kg5-f5 Ga4-c2 2.Nc6-g4 Nd3-b7#

(9); 5,5; 6; 8; 19,5

And another constellation of reciprocal batteries G-N, N-G. With double check mates and analogical taking care of g4, g5 flights.