Try to solve these problems, given in an actual Solving Contest in Greece.
Participating is also very important.
The practice in a real situation improves the abilities of a solver.
Observe in the solutions the way grading points are distributed in variations.
The points are written with boldface numbers inside brackets.
When we write down the solution, we must not omit important variations.
Sixth Solving Contest of Chess Problems in Greece
Organizers : Greek Chess Federation, Chess Club of Aegaleo, Municipality of Aegaleo
Date : June 03, 2007
Controller : Fougiaxis Harry
Instructions : The correct and complete solution of each problem is graded with 5 points. The incomplete solution takes less points.
#2 : Write only the first move (the "key").
#3 : Write the key, the threat (if exists) and all the variations up to the second white move.
More-mover : Write the key, the threat (if exists) and all the variations up to the last-but-one white move.
Study : Write all the moves up to the position of the obvious winning of White.
Selfmate : Write the key, the threat (if exists) and all the variations up to the last white move.
Helpmate : Write all the moves (for all the solutions). Black plays first.
First Round, Time : 2 hours
 | (Problem 169) Touw Hian Bwee, Fourth Prize, 113th TT British Chess Federation, 1966-67 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (8+11) |
| [b3R2r/p4sB1/3kSR2/1Q1p1B2/7q/3sP2p/5p2/b4K2] | |
There are a few tries : {1.Sd4+? Qxf6!}, {1.Sg5+? Bxf6!}, {1.Qd7+? Kxd7!}, {1.Qb8+? Kc6!}, {1.Qb6+? axb6!}, {1.Qc5+? Sxc5!}. The solution follows :
Key : 1.Qa5! [5.0] [2.Qc7#]
1...Kd7 2.Sc7#, 1...Kc6 2.Sd8#, 1...Ke5 2.Sf8#, 1...Qc4 2.Sd4#, 1...d4 2.Sg5#
 | (Problem 170) M. Marandyuk & V. Melnichenko, Fourth Prize, S. Brehmer MT, Die Schwalbe 1996-98 Mate in 3 moves. #3 (9+8) |
| [8/3BBbp1/p4b2/1P1kP3/1P2R1s1/1K1Pp3/2S3s1/8] | |
If the bK is moved, then the wK will be checked by the bBf7.
There are a few tries : {1.Bd6? Bxe5!}, {1.Kb2? Bxe5+!}, {1.Bc6+? Ke6!}, {1.exf6? axb5!}, {1.Rd4+? Kxe5+!}, {1.Sd4? Sxe5!}. The solution follows :
Key : 1.Ka3! [1.0] [2.Rd4+ [1.0] Kxe5 3.Bd6#]
1...Bxe5 2.Sd4 [1.0] [3.Bc6#] Be8 3.Be6#
1...Bg5 / Bh4 2.Bd6 [1.0] [3.Rd4#]
1...Bxe7 2.Bc6+ [1.0] Ke6 3.Sd4#
 | (Problem 171) Michael Herzberg, Second Prize, Problem-Forum 2000 Mate in 5 moves. #5 (7+7) |
| [8/1B3p2/4r1p1/2pS4/P1k2p2/5S1K/1pPB4/8] | |
Tries : {1.Sc7? Rd6!}, {1.Sb6+? Rxb6!}, {1.Ba5? [2.Sd2+ Kd4 3.Bc3#] b1=S!}. The solution follows :
Key : 1.Sxf4! [1.0] [2.Bd5#]
1...Rd6 2.Sd5! [1.0] [3.Se3#]
2...Re6 3.Ba5! [1.0] [4.Sd2+ [1.0] Kd4 5.Bc3#]
3...b1=S 4.Bc6 [1.0] [5.Sb6#]
4...Rxc6 5.Se3# (Mate is given from a doubly guarded square).
 | (Problem 172) Nikolay Kralin & Leonid Sokolenko, First Prize, Themes-64, 1983 White plays and wins. + (4+5) |
| [3k4/1pS5/8/2p5/K3R3/1p6/P7/1r6] | |
Key : 1.Se6+ (threatening the Pawn of the file-c) Kc8
2.axb3 b5+
3.Ka3 c4 (protecting the Pawn of file-c)
4.b4 [1.0] Rb3+ (takes the opportunity to capture the wP)
5.Ka2 Rxb4 (but the bR has restricted mobility)
6.Sc5! [1.5] Kd8 (cannot go through c7, since Sa6+ and bR is lost)
7.Ka1! [1.5] Kc8 (now bK will be retricted)
8.Rd4 [1.0] Kc7 / Kb8
9.Sa6+ +-
 | (Problem 173) Frank Richter, First Honourable Mention, Schach 1984 Selfmate in 3 moves. s#3 (9+7) |
| [5S2/1p5b/2P5/1Qbk1P2/P2s4/7p/6pB/1B1R2K1] | |
It seems that, if the Queen goes away and the black Knight is forced to move, a mate by the black Bishop Bc5 is possible.
Tries : {1.Qb3+? Kxc6!}, {1.Qxc5+? Kxc5!}, {1.Rxd4+? Kxd4!}, {1.Be4+? Kxe4!}, {1.Ba2+? Ke4!}.
Key : 1.c7! [1.0] [2.Qxb7+ Kc4 3.Rc1+ [1.0] Sc2#]
1...Bxf5 2.Ba2+ Ke4 3.Qe2+ [1.5] Sxe2#
1...b6 2.Qb3+ Kc6 3.Qf3+ [1.5] Sxf3#
 | (Problem 174) Evgeny Fomichev, Anatoly Skripnik & Christopher J.A. Jones Special Honourable Mention, Suomen Tehtavaniekat 2002-03 Helpmate in 3 moves. (3 solutions). h#3 3.1.1.1.1.1 (5+13) |
| [3K4/2p3p1/2P2p2/1s3sp1/1S1k4/2b2Rp1/1r3pq1/3rB3] | |
1.Kc5+ Rd3 2.Qxc6 Rd6 3.Bd4 Rxc6#
1.Kc4+ Sd5 2.Sbd4 Sxc7 3.Rb4 Rxc3#
1.Ke4+ Bd2 2.Sfd4 Bxg5 3.f5 Re3#
One solution = [2.0], two solutions = [4.0], three solutions = [5.0] points.
Second Round, Time : 2 hours
 | (Problem 175) Erich Brunner, First Prize, Leipziger Tageblatt 1924 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (10+9) |
| [K1B4b/p6q/P3R2r/r3k4/6p1/B1p1Q1Ps/1R1SS3/8] | |
The problem is a complete block. Any black move, from the 34 available for Black, is met with a mate. For example, 1...Qb1 2 Bb7#.
From the 21 tries, we show one : {1.Rb8? (zz) Qb1!}.
Key : 1.Rb7! [5.0] (zz)
Variations : 1...Q~b1 (anyplace towards b1) / Bg7 2.Rd7#, 1...Q~7 (anyplace on row-7) / Qe4 / Rg6 2.Q(x)e4#, 1...Qxb7+ 2.Bxb7#, 1...S~ 2.Sf4#, 1...Rxe6 2.Qxe6#, 1...Rh4 / Bf6 2.Rd6#, 1...Bd4 2.Qxd4#, 1...Be5 2.Qxe5#, 1...c~ 2.Qb3#, 1...Rc5 2.Qxc5#, 1...Rb5 / Rxa3 2.R(x)b5#.
 | (Problem 176) Mikhail Kuznetsov, First Prize, ‘64’, 1985 Mate in 3 moves. #3 (9+8) |
| [6K1/3S2S1/4R1p1/s2kp3/BR3pP1/7Q/q1P1b3/3s4] | |
Tries : {1.Se8? Qc4!}, {1.Sb6+? / Sf6+? Kc5!}, {1.Rxe5+? / Rd6+? K(x)d6+!}, {1.Bc6+? Sxc6!}, {1.Qg2+? / Qh1+? f3!}, {1.Qf3+? Bxf3!}, {1.Qd3+? Bxd3!}, {1.Qc3? Sxc3!}, {1.Qb3+ Qxb3!}.
The white Queen forms an indirect battery with the Rook Rb4. This is not a direct battery, because it does not aim towards the black King but towards its flights. The Black will try to place something on c4 to create a flight to d4. If the black Queen leaves the diagonal a2-g8, the white King is not threatened with a possible discovered check and he can take advantage of that.
Key : 1.Qa3! [0.5] [2.Sb6+ [0.5] Kc5 3.Rc4#]
1...Qc4 2.Rxe5+ [1.0] Kd6+ / Kd4+ 3.Rxc4# / Se6#
1...Bc4 2.Qf3+ [1.0] Kd4 / e4 3.Qd3# / Qxe4#
1...Sc4 2.Bc6+ [1.0] Kd4 3.Rd6#
1...Qxa3 2.Rxe5+ [1.0] Kd6 3.Se8#
 | (Problem 177) Angel Zlatanov, Fourth Honourable Mention, Zadachi i Etyudy, 2000 Mate in 4 moves. #4 (4+9) |
| [6r1/p3Q1p1/K1k3S1/2S3p1/82p5/4pp2/3s4/] | |
Tries : {1.Qd6+? Kxd6!}, {1.Qe4+? / Qe6+? / Qd7+? Kxc5!}, {1.Qe5? Re8!}, {1.Se5+? / Se4? / Sb7? Kd5!}.
Key : 1.Se6! [0.5] [2.Qc5+ Kd7 3.Qd5+ [1.5] Kc8 / Ke8 4.Qb7# / Sc7#]
1...Se3 2.Qc7+ Kd5 3.Qd7+ [1.5] Kc4 / Ke4 4.Qb5# / Sxg5#
1...Kd5 2.Qd7+ Ke4 3.Sc5+ [1.5] Ke3 / Kf3 4.Qd3# / Qh3#
 | (Problem 178) Dmitry Petrov, Vecherny Novosibirsk, 1979 White plays and wins. + (6+7) |
| [5b1q/7p/4P1Rp/1B4pk/3P4/4p1K1/8/1R6] | |
Key : 1.e7! Bxe7 (It does not allow the Pawn promotion. Not [1...Qxd4 2.Rxh6+ and exf8=Q+ / Be8+])
2.Bd3 [1.5] Qxd4
3.Rh1+ Qh4+ (gets rid of the bQ...)
4.Rxh4+ gxh4+ (...and presses the bK)
5.Kf4 Bg5+
6.Kf3 [2.0] hxg6
7.Be2 [1.5] +-
 | (Problem 179) Vukota Nikoletic, Prize, Mat Plus, 1995 Selfmate in 3 moves. S#3 (9+9) |
| [8/1r2SR1p/3B3P/4rBSK/5k2/2p2pq1/2p1R2Q/7b] | |
Key : 1.Re1! [1.0] [2.Qd2+ cxd2 3.Sh3+ [1.0] Qxh3#]
1...Qxh2+ 2.Bh3+ Kg3 3.Rxf3+ [1.0] Bxf3#
1...Bg2 2.Sh3+ Bxh3 3.Sg6+ [1.0] hxg6#
1...f2 2.Sd5+ Bxd5 3.Bd7+ [1.0] Bxf7#
 | (Problem 180) Chris Feather, Shakhmatna Misl, 2005 Helpmate in 4 moves. (2 solutions). h#4 2111... (3+9) |
| [3k4/1pS5/8/2p5/K3R3/1p6/P7/1r6] | |
Key : 1.Rg8! Re6 2.Rg7 fxg7 3.Bc6 g8=Q 4.Bb5 Qa8# [2.5]
Key : 1.Re4! Re7 2.Rxe7 fxe7 3.Ra8 e8=S 4.Ra7 Sc7# [2.5]
(This post in Greek language).
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