Thursday, April 17, 2008

Nowotny intersection (and the first Nowotny)

The first Nowotny


(Problem 125)
A. Nowotny,
1854
White plays and mates in 4 moves
#4 (6+4)
[1s5r/8/6b1/2R5/1B1k4/8/1R1K1S2/5S2]


Key: 1.Sg3! [2.Se2#] Re8
2.Rbc2 [3.R2c4#] Bxc2
3.Sfe4 [4.Bc3#]. (The Springer (=Knight) move aims to cut the influence lines of the black Rook and Bishop and, if Sf4 is captured, to threaten mate with Sg3 from two places).
3...Bxe4 / Rxe4
4.Se2# / Sf5#


Theme Nowotny intersection : it is a square, which is Grimshaw intersection for black pieces with dissimilar linear movement, and on which a white piece is placed in order to cut the black lines and to force black pieces (when they capture the white piece) to mutually interfere.
White Nowotny : it is an intersection of white pieces with dissimilar linear movement, and on this intersection a black piece is placed, in order to force white pieces to mutually interfere.



(Problem 40)
M. Lipton,
Second Prize, BCPS Ring Tourney, 1966
White plays and mates in 2 moves
#2 (6+5)
[2K1k3/1R4BS/3R4/5Ss1/8/2b5/4r3/3r4]

With a Nowotny intersection, the white has simultaneously two threats.

In Lipton’s problem we must locate which square is the Nowotny intersection and also discover which piece must be sacrificed there!

(Should become Nowotny the Grimshaw intersection e5?)
Try: 1.Be5? [2.Sg7# / Re7#] Sxh7!

(Or should become Nowotny the Grimshaw intersection d4?)
Try: 1.Sd4? [2.Sf6# / Rd8#] Re7!
Try: 1.Rd4? [2.Sf6# / Sd6#] Re6!

Key: 1.Bd4! [2.Sg7# / Rd8#] Se6 2.Re7#


[This post in Greek language].

2 comments:

papadoble said...

Hello Alkinoos,
If I may comment about the eponymous Novotny, you say
"3.Sfe4 (this is the Nowotny move, which aims to cut the influence lines of the black Rook and Bishop and thus to threaten mate with Sg3 from two places)"
This is not exactly so: 3.Sfe4 does not threaten 4.Sf5/Se2# but 4.Bc3#, the Springer mates will follow from Black's defence to the threat.
I am sure you understand all this much better than I and it was only a typo, but this brings the question: is it necessary that the Novotny move threatens something else than the Novotny mates?

Emmanuel Manolas said...

@papadoble
Thank you for your comment. The definition of the Nowotny theme is correct, stating 'when the piece is captured'.
My comment was not exact and now it is rephrased.