Saturday, January 31, 2015

Adventure in composition with Andernach Lions

In this post we will observe the attempt for composing problems having specific fairy pieces, namely Andernach Lions.

Lion : Is a hurdle jumper, moves at Queen lines, jumps over a hurdle and steps on one of the empty squares (or captures a piece there) which are exactly behind the hurdle.
The "hurdle-color changing" Lion (or 
Andernach Lion) when passes over a hurdle changes the color of the hurdle (except it is a King or a neutral piece).


Last year we had seen, among the awarded problems in the World Congress on Chess Composition (WCCC) in Bern, the following problem with one Andernach Lion.
The composition tourney asked from the composers a helpmate two-mover with hurdle-color changing Lions. We had two ideas but the deadline was only three hours, so we barely had the time for checking one composition, the problem-776.

Problem-776
Manolas Emmanuel (GRE) and Prentos Kostas (GRE)
Commendation, Quick Composing Ty, WCCC 2014 Bern

2Sk4/3p4/8/3K4/8/8/1(whL)2r3/8 (3 + 3)
(hL hurdle-color changing Lion b2 + 0)
h#2, two solutions

1.Re2-f2 hLb2-g2(wRf2) 2.Kd8-e8 hLg2-a8#

1.Re2-e5+ hLb2-g7(wRe5) 2.Kd8xc8 Re5-e8#


The Judge wrote : "Nice miniature. The white rook and Lion exchange functions in the mate".


The second idea lead us to the Problem-795. The idea here was to put the black Lions as epaulets from both sides of the mating piece, so they cannot capture it. This is achieved with Orthogonal - Diagonal Transformation, as you can see in the solution. 

The prominent composer Kostas Prentos, international maitre and multi-champion of Greece in solving contests, has moved to Uinted States of America, that is why his name is appended with USA.

Problem-795
Prentos Kostas (USA) and Manolas Emmanuel (GRE)
Julia's Fairies No.593, 04-09-2014

8/8/(whL)5b1/2(bhL)p4/3pk3/1K6/1(bhL)P1r3/8 (3 + 7)
(hL, Andernach Lion a6 + b2 c5)
h#2, a) Diagram, b) wPc2 to g2

a)
1.hLc5-f2(wPd4) Kb3-c3 2.hLb2-d2(bPc2) hLa6-f1(wRe2)#
b)
1.hLc5-g5(wPd5) Rb3-c4 2.hLb2-g7(wPd4) hLa6-h6(wBg6)#


For this problem we had many comments, mainly because the black pieces bRe2 and bBg6 stayed inert, waiting to change color. It is not forbidden for black pieces to stay inactive in some of the solutions (for white pieces this is forbidden), nevertheless the composition could be altered.


The composer Ladislav Packa had proposed to us the idea to convert the inactive pieces to Andernach Lions. In the following Problem-796, besides Lions (moving in Queen lines) we use a Rook-Lion (moving in Rook lines). To achieve what we want, we start with a white move, so the problem is now h#2,5 .

Problem-796
Packa Ladislav and Prentos Kostas and Manolas Emmanuel
Pat a Mat No.90, December 2014, page 242 Problem No.790

7b/3(bhRL)4/2p1p3/4(bhL)(bhL)2/P1kpP(whL)2/8/2p1p3/4K3 (4 + 10)
(hL, Andernach Lion f4 + e5 f5)
(hRL, Andernach Rook-Lion 0 + d7)
h#2.5, two solutions

1…hLf4-c7(whLe5)+ 2.hRLd7-b7(bhLc7) Ke1xe2 3.hLf5-d7(wPe6) hLe5-b8(whLc7)#

1…hLf4-f7(whLf5)+ 2.hRLd7-g7(bhLf7) Ke1-d2 3.hLe5-e7(wPe6) hLf5-f8(whLf7)#


Here there is Orthogonal - Diagonal Transformation and the idea of Lions as epaulets is well presented.


Since the moves have become 2.5, the question arises if we can make something different for helpmate twomover. I have tried the position which is shown as Problem-797.

Problem-797
Manolas Emmanuel (GRE)
original

3K1(whL)2/8/8/2SP2(bhL)1/3k4/1P6/5br1/1s4B1 (6 + 5)
(Andernach Lion f8 + g5)
h#2, a) Diagram, b) bRg2 to b4

a)
1.hLg5xg1(wRg2) Rg2-g5 2.hLg1-a1(wSb1) hLf8-f1(wBf2)#
b)
1.hLg5xc5(bPd5) Bg1-h2 2.hLc5-e3 hLf8-a3(wRb4)#


Here we see the Orthogonal - Diagonal Transformation, but not the epaulets, which may be abandoned. Black pieces are used that stay inactive in some phase (not forbidden, but not economical enough), and the solutions have not the same number of color changing.


Maybe I can do better. Let us try a new position.

Problem-798
Manolas Emmanuel (GRE)
original

8/8/8/1(bhL)pk4/p7/4Kp2/1P2(bhL)1(bhL)1/8 (2 + 7)
(hL Andernach Lion 0 + b5 e2 g2)
h#2, a) diagram, b) bPa4 to e6

a)
1.hLg2-c2(whLe2) b2-b4 2.hLc2-c6(wPc5) hLe2-a6(whLb5)#
b)
1.hLb5-f1(whLe2) b2-b3 2.hLf1-f4(wPf3) hLe2-h2(whLg2)#


Here White has minimal force, just one Pawn, but he can find the required forces to make two mates, one in an orthogonal way and one in a diagonal way. In each solution there are three changes of color.


Can this become better? The answer is yes. 

Problem-799
Manolas Emmanuel (GRE) and Prentos Kostas (GRE)
dedicated to Ladislav Packa
The Problemist vol.25 No.1, January 2015, problem F3184
Commendation, vol.27 No.6, November 2019, p.242

4K3/8/8/1(bhL)pk1p2/p2p4/5p1(whL)/1p2(bhL)1(bhL)1/8 (2 + 10)
(hL Andernach Lion h3 + b5 e2 g2)
h#2, two solutions

1.hLg2-c2(whLe2) hLh3-e3(wPf3) 2.hLc2-c6(wPc5)+ hLe2-a6(whLb5)#

1.hLb5-f1(whLe2) hLh3-c8(wPf5) 2.hLf1-f4(wPf3) hLe2-h2(whLg2)#


The composition is not in a twin form, it has two solutions.
There is orthogonal - diagonal transformation.
White has only an Andernach Lion. In each solution there are four color changes and they are all necessary!

Comment by Judge Michal Dragoun : Full analogy in recolouring of the pieces.



Thursday, January 29, 2015

ISC 2015, results

11. INTERNATIONAL SOLVING CONTEST, 25 JANUARY 2015
RESULT (Category 1)
(country) : GREECE / ATHENS
M = male / F = female      0=wrong solution  “-“=no solution
NAME Date of
birth
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 TOT.
Pts.
TIME
1
TIME
2
TOT.
TIME
PLACE
Kourkoulos-Arditis
Stamatis
7/6/1998 5 4 0 3 2,5 - 5 5 5 4 5 - 38,5 114 116 230 1
Mendrinos
Nikolaos
25/10/1964 5 5 5 1 2,5 - 5 5 0 5 5 - 38,5 120 120 240 2
Fougiaxis
Harry
20/4/1966 5 5 - - 2,5 0 5 5 0 - 5 - 27,5 116 116 232 3
Papastavropoulos
Andreas
28/3/1955 5 5 - - - 2,5 5 5 2 - 1,5 - 26 120 120 240 4
Skyrianoglou
Dimitrios
28/9/1973 5 5 - 0 2,5 1,25 5 - - 4 3 - 25,75 120 120 240 5
Papargyriou
Anastasis
1989 5 4 - 0 2,5 - 5 0 - 2 5 - 23,5 120 120 240 6
Kostouros
Alexandros
27/5/1977 5 5 0 0 2,5 0 5 0 0 2 3 - 22,5 120 120 240 7
Halkias
Stelios
11/4/1980 5 5 0 3 - - 5 0 0 2 - - 20 120 120 240 8
Vlahos
Elissaios
11/8/1973 5 4 0 2 - 0 5 0 - 2 - - 18 118 120 238 9
Petridis
Evangelos
11/10/1958 5 5 - 0 - 0 5 0 - 1 0 - 16 120 118 238 10
Mitsakis
Konstantinos)
22/5/1964 5 5 0 0 - - 5 - - 0 - - 15 120 120 240 11
Paggali
Marianna (F)
1983 5 - - - 2,5 - 5 - - - 1,5 - 14 120 120 240 12
Zervogiannis
Alexandros
1991 5 4 0 0 - - 0 0 0 1 0 0 10 120 120 240 13
Manolas
Emmanuel
12/7/1950 5 0 - 0 - 0 0 - - - 1,5 - 6,5 120 117 237 14


Other results from Patra here : http://sopatron.gr/11th_ISC.htm

Sunday, January 25, 2015

ISC 2015, problems and solutions

ISC 2015

categoriesproblemssolutions
1 difficult1st round
2nd round
1st round
2nd round
2 medium1st round
2nd round
1st round
2nd round
3 easyround oneround one


14 solvers in category 1 (very encouraging for us to see 14 solvers in the day of national elections!!! )
The Winners :
1 ... Kourkoulos Arditis Stamatis 38,5 points / 230 minutes
2 ... Mendrinos Nikos 38,5 p. / 240 m.
3 ... Fougiaxis Harry 27,5 p. / 232 m.


The judge Giannis Garoufalidis, Anastasis Papargyriou, Andreas Papastavropoulos, Nikos Mendrinos FIDE Maitre

Saturday, January 10, 2015

A monograph for the Leibovici theme for helpmate twomovers

The site kobulchess.com has published a monograph (in English) by the composer Massimo La Rosa about the Leibovici theme in helpmate twomovers.

This is a detailed monograph and we are lucky having internet access and reading excellent works, like this article.

The author was helped by Zivko Janevski, Mario Parrinello and Brian Stephenson and has dedicated his article to Chris Feather.

You may find the article here : http://kobulchess.com/images/pdf/leibovici.pdf

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

A gift for a nameday

Today in Greece is celebrated the nameday of John (=Ioannis, Gianni, Johannes). I will dedicate today's post to my good friend and excellent chess composer, Ioannis Kalkavouras.

Since he likes logical compositions, I created a small one, it is only threemover, not a multimover as they are the ones he usually composes.

Happy nameday, John!


Problem-794 (original)
Emmanuel Manolas, GR
dedicated to Ioannis Kalkavouras

2s1SBB1/p2pr3/1p3p2/8/2PkSP2/2pPp3/4K3/8 (8 + 9)
#3

Tries: {1.Bxe7? [2.Bxf6#] Sxe7!}, {1.Sc7? [2.Sb5#] a6!}

Key: 1.Sg7! [2.Sf5#]
1…Sd6 2.Bxe7 [3.Bxf6#] Sxc4 / Sxe4 / Sf7 / Se8 3.Sf5#
1…Re5 2.Bb4 [3.Bxc3#] Rxe4 3.Sf5#
1…Rxg7 2.Bxg7 [3.Bxf6#]

The try 1.Bxe7? with threat [2.Bxf6#] (this is the Main Plan) is answered with 1...Sxe7!
After the key 1.Sg7! with a different threat [2.Sf5#] (this is the Pre-Plan), Black tries to resist with 1...Sd6 and then reappears the try-move Bxe7 with the initial threat [Bxf6#] (that is the Main Plan).

Monday, January 05, 2015

2nd Greek Cup on Solving, the participants

2nd Greek Cup on Solving Chess Problems
04 January 2015
Unofficial Table of Grades
s/n Full name cat. Elo City po-
ints
ti-
me
1
#2
2
#2
3
#2
4
#2
5
+-
6
+-
7
#3
8
#3
9
#4
10
#4
11
h#2
12
h#5
13
s#2
14
s#6
1 Konidaris
Panagiotis
Preveza 64,2 148 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 4,2 5 0 5 5 5 5
2 Papargyriou
Anastasis
Ilioupoli 58 150 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 0 5 5 3 0
3 Papastavropoulos
Andreas
Ilioupoli 57,5 150 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 3,5 4 5 5 5
4 Sidiropoulos
Nikos
Ptolemaida 54 150 5 5 5 5 4 1,5 5 3,5 5 5 5 5
5 Fougiaxis
Harry
Ilioupoli 53 150 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 4 5 5 5
6 Petridis
Evangelos
Ilioupoli 50,5 145 5 5 5 5 5 1,5 5 5 4 5 5
7 Vlahos
Elisseos
Ilioupoli 50,5 147 5 5 5 5 4 1,5 5 5 5 0 5 5 0
8 Skyrianoglou
Dimitris
Aegaleo 49 148 5 5 5 5 4 5 5 5 5 5
9 Garoufalidis
Ioannis
Ilioupoli 49 150 5 5 5 5 5 0,5 5 0 3,5 5 5 5
10 Stamatopoulos
Apostolos
Y Patra 48 140 5 5 5 5 5 1,5 5 0 3,5 0 5 5 3 0
11 Mitsakis
Konstantinos
Ilioupoli 46,7 147 5 5 5 0 4 5 5 4,2 3,5 5 5
12 Sklavounos
Panagis
Ilioupoli 46 145 5 5 5 5 4 1,5 5 0 5 0 5 2,5 3 0
13 Manolas
Emmanuel
Aegaleo 46 148 5 5 5 5 5 0,5 5 0 5 0 5 2,5 3
14 Koutoukidis
Panagiotis
Ilioupoli 45 150 5 5 5 0 5 5 5 5 5 5
15 Anamodouras
Leocratis
Ilioupoli 44,3 150 5 5 5 0 4 5 1,8 3,5 0 5 5 5
16 Hatzimanolis
Antonios
Triandria 44 150 5 5 5 0 5 1,5 5 5 0 5 2,5 5
17 Spiliadis
Athanasios
Patra 41,4 150 5 5 5 0 5 5 5 2,4 3,5 0 2,5 3
18 Pountzas
Chrysanthos
Patra 39,5 148 5 5 5 5 4 0,5 5 0 0 5 5
19 Hahamis
Nestor
Y Preveza 35,5 131 5 5 5 0 5 5 0 5 0 2,5 3 0
20 Katagis
Thodoris
Y Preveza 35 137 5 0 5 0 5 5 0 5 5 5
21 Kodounas
Georgios
Ptolemaida 35 150 5 5 5 5 5 5 5
22 Masouros
Panagiotis
Patra 35 150 5 5 5 0 4 0,5 5 0 0 5 2,5 3
23 Marinakis
Christos
Y Chania 34,5 150 5 5 5 0 5 0,5 5 0 3,5 0 2,5 0 3 0
24 Christoforidis
Christoforos
Y Drama 34 134 5 5 5 0 4 5 5 5
25 Voutskidis
Panagiotis
Ptolemaida 33 150 5 5 5 1 0,5 5 3,5 5 3
26 Urosevic
Marija
W Agios
Kirikos
32,5 150 5 5 5 0 5 5 2,5 5
27 Ropakis
Christos
Y Preveza 32,5 150 5 5 5 0 5 0 5 2,5 5
28 Zaronikas
Dimitrios
Y Patra 31 140 5 5 5 0 5 1,5 5 0 0 0 2,5 2
29 Kollias
Dimitrios
Y Patra 31 150 0 5 5 5 0 5 3,5 0 2,5 5
30 Pagges
Vasilios
Y Preveza 31 150 5 5 5 0 5 0,5 5 2,5 3
31 Christoforidis
Vasilios
Y Drama 30,5 148 5 5 5 5 5 0,5 5 0 0
32 Kakoulidis
Vasilios
Y Patra 30 149 5 5 5 0 5 0 0 5 5
33 Diamantakos
Ioannis
Vathy 30 150 5 5 5 0 5 0,5 5 5 5 3 0
34 Hahamis
Efstathios
Y Preveza 29,5 141 5 0 5 0 1 0,5 5 0 5 5 3 0
35 Koulis
Ioannis
Preveza 29 150 5 5 5 5 4 5 0 0
36 Gizis
Konstantinos
Y Ermoupoli 28,5 150 5 5 5 0 1 5 2,5 5
37 Zemanas
Ectoras
Y Aegaleo 27,5 139 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 0 0 2,5 5
38 Teskos
Giorgos
Agios
Kirikos
27,5 145 5 0 5 0 5 0 5 2,5 5
39 Giavasopoulos
Thomas
Y Ilioupoli 27,5 146 5 5 5 0 4 5 0 3,5 0 0 0
40 Kefsikoglou
Petroula
W,Y Preveza 27,5 150 5 5 5 0 5 2,5 5
41 Daskalaki
Sofia
W Chania 25,5 150 5 0 5 5 4 1,5 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
42 Kollias
Ioannis
Y Patra 25,5 150 5 5 0 4 5 0 0 1,5 5
43 Spyropoulos
Marios
Ilioupoli 25,5 150 5 0 5 0 4 0 5 0 3,5 0 0 3
44 Symigdalas
Antreas
Ermoupoli 25,5 150 5 5 5 0 5 0,5
45 Georgakis
Spyridon
Preveza 25 149 5 0 5 0 5 1,5 5 3,5
46 Tsimpoukellis
Panagiotis-G.
Y Drama 24 146 5 5 5 0 4 0 5 0 0
47 Kefsikoglou
Athanasios
Preveza 23,5 150 5 0 5 0 1 0 5 2,5 5
48 Samonas
Konstantinos
Preveza 23,5 150 5 0 5 0 1 5 0 0 0 2,5 5
49 Mpouzas
Sotirios
Ilioupoli 21,5 150 5 0 5 0 4 5 2,5 0
50 Diamantakos
Sotiris
Y Vathy 21 150 5 0 5 0 1 0,5 5 0 0 0 2,5 2
51 Raftopoulos
Emmanouil
Y Preveza 20 150 5 5 0 4 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
52 Tsotsos
Alexandros
Y Ptolemaida 20 150 5 5 5 5
53 Merai
Savina
W,Y Agios
Kirikos
19 110 5 5 5 4
54 Diamantakou
Ecaterini
W Agios
Kirikos
19 112 5 5 5 4
55 Artsidakis
Giorgos
Y Chania 19 150 5 0 5 0 4 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
56 Rek-Doulos
Andreas-Pant.
Y Ermoupoli 17 150 5 0 5 0 1 5 1
57 Ziogas
Christos
Preveza 16 150 5 0 5 0 1 0 5 0
58 Ignatiadis
Alexandros
Y Aegaleo 16 150 5 0 5 0 1 0,5 2,5 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
59 Kapsaskis
Giorgos
Y Ermoupoli 16 150 5 0 5 0 1 5 0
60 Halavazis
Petros
Y Ermoupoli 16 150 5 0 5 0 1 5 0 0
61 Christodoulakis
Stefanos
Chania 16 150 5 0 5 0 1 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
62 Kefalou
Maria-Chrysoula
W Agios
Kirikos
15 85 5 5 5
63 Hatzinikolaou
Emmanouil
Vathy 15 120 5 5 5 0 0
64 Voutskidis
Ioannis
Y Ptolemaida 15 150 5 5 5
65 Giannopoulou
Anastasia
W Triandria 14,5 150 5 0 5 4 0,5 0 0
66 Ioannou
Panagiotis
Preveza 14 45 5 0 5 0 4
67 Bekirai
Juliano
Y Agios
Kirikos
14 105 5 0 5 0 4
68 Sifogiannakis
Andreas
Y Chania 13 150 5 0 5 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
69 Michailidou
Magdalini
W,Y Drama 12 150 5 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 3
70 Kefalos
Stamatis
Agios
Kirikos
11,5 80 5 0 5 0 1 0,5 0
71 Kefalos
Isidoros
Y Agios
Kirikos
11,5 86 5 0 5 0 1 0,5
72 Nikolaou
Giannis
Chania 11 150 5 0 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
73 Papoutsi
Theodora
W Preveza 11 150 5 0 0 0 1 0 5
74 Fandrithi
Antria
W Chania 10,5 150 5 0 0 0 3 0 2,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
75 Poulos
Stylianos
Agios
Kirikos
10 35 5 0 5
76 Daflos
Ioannis
Preveza 10 47 5 0 5 0
77 Kopsidas
Evangelos
Patra 10 95 5 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0
78 Gerontas
Alexandros
Preveza 10 116 5 0 5 0
79 Valsamidis
Antonis
Y Ermoupoli 10 150 5 0 5 0 0
80 Tzimas
Giorgos
Ermoupoli 10 150 5 0 5
81 Dellas
Sotirios
Preveza 9 47 5 0 0 0 4
82 Stroponiati
Elena
W,Y Karlovasi 6,5 120 5 0 0 0 1 0,5 0 0 0 0
83 Stathakis
Giannis
Chania 6,5 150 5 0 0 0 0 1,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
84 Dagkas
Spyros
Preveza 6 47 5 0 1 0
85 Marinos
Dimitrios
Preveza 6 112 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
86 Gemelas
Stergios
Y Agios
Kirikos
6 150 0 0 0 1 0 5
87 Panousou
Aggela-Maria
W,Y Karlovasi 6 150 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0
88 Felekis
Vasilios
Preveza 6 150 5 0 0 1
89 Balis
Georgios
Patra 5 20 5 0 0 0
90 Bekirai
Valentino
Y Agios
Kirikos
5 105 5 0 0 0
91 Kypreou
Maria
W Agios
Kirikos
5 150 5
92 Bouza
Myrto-Eleni
W,Y Ilioupoli 5 150 5 0 0 0 0
93 Pantelakis
Lefteris
Y Chania 5 150 0 0 0 0 2,5 0 2,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
94 Sifogiannakis
Giorgos
Chania 5 150 0 0 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
95 Voulgarakis
Giannis
Y Chania 4,5 150 0 0 0 0 4 0,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
96 Delaveris
Manolis
Y Vathy 4 145 0 0 4
97 Cristodoulakis
Mihalis
Y Chania 3,5 150 0 0 0 0 1 0 2,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
98 Koulis
Vasilis
Y Preveza 1,5 130 0 0 0 0 1 0,5 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
99 Porihis
Vasilios
Ilioupoli 1 150 0 0 0 1 0

This table is revised 15-01-2015. The new rank (in Greek) http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2015/01/2.html