Thursday, June 28, 2012

Nikos Pergialis & Manos Pantavos

The Greek composers Nikos Pergialis and Manos Pantavos are creating together nice problems, in miniature or meredith form.
In this post we present five original problems by them, all direct-mate two-movers, and we thank them very much.



N. Pergialis (Greece), M. Pantavos (Greece)
original

8/8/2p5/4Q3/K1kb1sRr/2S5/2PP4/8
#2
 
Problem-584

Set play
1...Bg1/f2/xc3 [c] /e3/c5 [a] /b6/a7 2.d3# [A]
1...Sg2/d3 [d] /h3/d5 [b] /h5/g6 2.Qxd4# [B]

Tries : {1.Sb5? Bxe5!}, {1.Rxf4? Rxf4!}, {1.Qxd4+? Kxd4!}, {1.Qxf4? Rxg4!}, {1.Qb5+? cxb5+!}, {1.d3+? Kxc3!}.

Key : 1.Qd6! [2.Qb4#]
1...Bxc3 [c] 2.d3# [A]
1...Sd3 [d] 2.Qxd4# [B] (2.Qxc6??)
1...Bc5 [a] 2.Qd3# [C]
1...Sd5 [b] 2.Qxc6# [D] (2.Qxd4??)
1...c5 2.Qa6#

Half pin. Pin-mates [ACD].
Changed mates (in set-play [ab AB], after the key [ab CD]).
Anti-dual (Sd3, Sd5).
Black correction (Bxc3, Bc5, c5 correct Sd5).

N. Pergialis (Greece), M. Pantavos (Greece)
original

BR1R2Q1/2B5/2p1p1s1/2k5/2b5/2K5/8/4s3
#2
 
Problem-585

Tries : {1.Bb6+? [A] Kb5!},
{1.Bd6+? [B] Kd5!},
 {1.Rb4? [2.Bb6# [A] ] Bb5!},
{1.Rd4? [2.Bd6# [B] ] Bd5!},
 {1.Qxe6? Bxe6!}, {1.Qf8+? Sxf8!}.

Key : 1.Qe8! [2.Qxc6#]
1...Se5 2.Qe7#/Qf8#
1...Se7 2.Qxe7#
1...Bb5 2.Bb6# [A]
1...Bd5 2.Bd6# [B]

Echo(0,0) vertical mirror.
Themes Dombrovskis, Somov B2, Option.

N. Pergialis (Greece), M. Pantavos (Greece)
original

Q4SR1/S2K3B/3P4/4k1P1/8/2s1P1s1/8/8
#2
 
Problem-586

Tries : {1.Sc6+? / Qe8+? Kd5!}, {1.Sg6+? / Rg6? Kf5!}, {1.Qf3? Sce4!}, {1.Qd5+? Kxd5!}.

Key : 1.Rg7! [2.Re7#]
1...Sd5 2.Sc6#
1...Sf5 2.Sg6#

Self-blocks and white interferences.

N. Pergialis (Greece), M. Pantavos (Greece)
original

3SS3/8/8/4k3/4P3/R7/8/3KQ3
#2
 
Problem-587

Tries : {1.Sc6+? Ke6!}, {1.Se6? Kxe6!}, {1.Rc3? / Rd3? / Ra4? / Qb4?Kf4!}, {1.Rf3? / Qh4? Kd4!}, {1.Qd2? / Qf2? Kxe4!}
Thematic tries :
{1.Sf7+?,
1...Kd4 [a] 2.Qb4# [A],
1...Kf4 [b] 2.Qh4# [B], 1...Ke6!},
{1.Qa5+?,
1...Kd4 [a] 2.Qd5# [C],
1...Kf4 [b] 2.Qf5# [D], 1...Kxe4!}.

Key : 1.Re3!,
1...Kd4 [a] 2.Qc3# [E],
1...Kf4 [b] 2.Qg3# [F]

Echo(0,2) vertical mirror. Zagorujko 3x2.
Themes Option, Banny, Dombrovskis (paradoxe).

N. Pergialis (Greece), M. Pantavos (Greece)
original

8/8/R7/S7/1kP2S2/8/R3K3/8
#2
 
Problem-588

Tries : {1.Se6? / Sd3+? [A] Kc3! [a] },
{1.Kd3? / Sd5+? [B] Kc5! [b] },
{1.Rc6? [2.Sd5# [B] ] Kc3! [a] },
{1.Kd2? [2.Sd3# [A] ] Kc5! [b] }.

Key : 1.Ke3!,
1...Kc3 [a] 2.Sd5# [B],
1...Kc5 [b] 2.Sd3# [A]

Themes Dombrovskis, Threat anti-reversal, Banny.

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Strange twinning

The following problem has various stipulations. Let us say we have five twin problems.
Each stipulation results in some tries and a single-variation solution.

The solution of each twin is just a try in the next twin. Enjoy!


8/P1Sr3P/1PpR2rq/6p1/1pp2p2/1Sk5/2P5/1K1R4
(9 + 9)
C+ WinChloe
Problem-571
Emmanuel Manolas, Greece
original

Twins :
a) r#2,
b) #2 Circe Parrain,
c) #2,
d) #2 Madrasi,
e) #2 Circe


a) r#2 (reflex) (It is helpmate problem where White plays first and Black gives mate when it is possible).
Tries : {1.Sd5+? / Sb5+? cxb5!}.
Key : 1.R1d3+! cxd3 2.Kc1 Qh1#

b) #2 Circe Parrain (The captured piece is reborn, but the rebirth-square is in such direction and distance from the capture-square as is exactly specified by the next move).
Tries : {1.R1d3+? cxd3!}, {Sd5+? cxd5!}, {1.Sc1? [2.Se2# / Sa2#], 1...Rgxd6 2.Se2(+wRf7)# / Sa2(+wRb7)#, 1...Rxc7 2.Se2(+wSe8)# / Sa2(+wSa8)#, 1...Rdxd6 2.Se2(+wRf7)# / Sa2(+wRb7)#, 1...b3!}, {1.Sc5? [2.Sa4# / Se4#], 1...Rgxd6 2.Sa4(+wRb5)/ Se4(+wRf5)#, 1...Rxc7 2.Sa4(+wSa6)# / Se4(+wSe6)#, 1...Rdxd6 2.Sa4(+wRb5)# / Se4(+wRf5)#, 1...b3!}, {1.a8=Q? [2.Qa1#] cxb3!}.
Key 1.Sb5+! cxb5 2.Rf1(+wSd5)#

c) #2 (Direct mate)
Tries : {1.Sb5+? / Sd5+? cxb5!}, {1.Sc1? [2.Sa2# / Se2#] b3!}, {1.Sc5? [2.Sa4# / Se4#] b3!}, {1.R1d3+? cxd3!}.
Key : 1.a8=Q! [2.Qa1#] cxb3 2.Qxc6#

d) #2 Madrasi (Similar pieces of different colors are paralysed when threating each other)
Tries : {1.a8=Q? [2.Qa1#], 1...Qf8 2.h8=B#, 1...cxb3! (2.Qxc6+?? Qh1!)}, {1.h8=B+? Qxh8!}, {1.Rd3+? cxd3!}, {1.Sd5+? / Sb5+? cxb5!}, {1.Sc5? [2.Sa4# / Se4#] b3!}.
Key : 1.Sc1! [2.Se2# / Sa2#] b3 2.Sa2#

e) #2 Circe (The captured piece is reborn in its initial square of a chess game)
Tries : {1.Sc1? [2.Se2# / Sa2#] b3!}, {1.R1d3+? cxd3(+wRh1)!}, {1.Rxc6? [2.Sb5#], 1...Rxc7(+wSg1) 2.Rd3# / Se2#, 1...Rd5 2.Sxd5(+bRa8)#, 1...Rxd1(+wRh1)+!}, {1.Sd5+? / Sb5+? cxb5!}, {1.Sc5? [2.Sa4# / Se4#] b3!}.
Key : 1.Kc1! [2.Sd5# / Sb5#] Rxc7(+wSg1) 2.Se2#