10th European Chess Solving Champioship, results

It is announced on the site of World Federation for Chess Compositions, WFCC, that the 10th European Chess Solving Contest, ECSC, was carried out in Igalo of Montenegro, May 16-18 2014.

The results were posted on the site www.selivanov.ru .

ECSC
18 problems, 90 points maximum

.	Solver	ELO	Points	Performance
1	Murdzia, Piotr	2775,72	86,00	2836
2	Evseev, Georgy	2778,06	79,00	2735
3	Filipovic, Marko	2624,82	74,50	2670
10	Mendrinos, Nikos	2346,72	68,50	2584
44	Kourkoulos-Arditis, Stamatis	-	40,60	2183
58	Fougiaxis, Harry	1982,75	25,30	1964

The Greek champion Nikos Mendrinos is very happy for the 10th place, the 2nd IM norm and the title FM (as he is over 2400 Elo).

Problems

Solutions
(A small surprise for me here it was the selected eight-mover).

Open
12 problems, 60 points maximum

.	Solver	ELO	Points	Performance
1	Mestel, Jonathan	2550,63	60,00	2776
2	Murdzia, Piotr	2775,72	57,00	2706
3	Gorski, Piotr	2500,04	56,50	2695
36	Fougiaxis, Harry	1982,75	36,50	2232
38	Mendrinos, Nikos	2346,72	35,75	2215
54	Kourkoulos-Arditis Stamatis	-	27,00	2012

Team
1.Πολωνία, 2.Ρωσία, 3.Σερβία

Quick

programm

participants

fotoalbum

Cooperation of composers (4)

In this post we see two helpmates and a direct mate, which are the result of cooperation of some Greek composers.
When chess composers are working together, the egoism is retreating. The composers cooperate and their friendship is elevated.

Problem_766 Byron Zappas and Nikos Siotis Recommendation, Jubilee Tourney C. Goumondy-40, 1986

1B6/5R2/6p1/2s3p1/3Sk1p1/3p4/3brp2/7K (4 + 9) h#2, 3.1.1.1 (Helpmate two-mover, three solutions)

1.Re3 Sf5 2.Kf3 Sg3# (Knight - Rook battery) 1.Be3 Rc7 2.Kf4 Re7# (Rook - Bishop battery) 1.Ke3 Ba7 2.Se4 Sc2# (Knight - Bishop battery) The white pieces form batteries in a circular manner. Black begins with putting a piece on e3 and is self-blocked. There is a Grimshaw interference (bR and bB) on e3 which is exploited by White giving Anderssen mates (the white piece A is interposed to white piece B, Black moves, the white piece B moves and gives indirect check).

Problem_767 Nikos Pergialis and Manos Pantavos original

8/7R/B7/8/8/1kP1S2R/8/2K5 (6 + 1) #2 (two-mover)

Tries : {1.Sc2? A Ka4! a}, {1.Bc4+? B Kxc3! b} Key : 1.Ra7! 1…Ka4 a / Ka3 / Ka2 2.Bc4# B 1…Kxc3 b 2.Sc2# A A miniature presenting theme Banny (tries {1.A? a!}, {1.B? b!} but after the key the defense of each try is mated by the key of the other try 1...a 2.B#, 1...b 2.A#). The key forms an indirect battery (because it aims to a flight of the bK, not straight on it) and it is like an ambush.

Problem_768 Ioannis Kalkavouras and Panagiotis Konidaris and Emmanuel Manolas Kudesnik, 2013

8/1p3q2/8/p4r1b/2kS1R2/2pS1s2/4BK2/8 (5 + 8) h#2, 4.1.1.1 (Helpmate two-mover, four solutions)

1.Sd2 Bxh5 2.Kxd3 Be2# (sacrifice of knight d3, switchback of  wB) 1.Rd5 Rxf7 2.Kxd4 Rf4# (sacrifice of knight d4, switchback of wR) 1.Rc5 Sc1+ 2.Kb4 Sc2# (the knights move from d3 d4 to c1 c2) 1.b6 Se6+ 2.Kb5 Se5# (the knights move from d3 d4 to e5 e6) This belongs to the subgenre HotF, Helpmate of the Future, where the similar solutions appear in pairs. In the first pair of solutions the bK comes near and is mated by contact, while in the second pair of solutions the bK goes away because of check and the white knights mate from afar by firing two batteries (direct and indirect). In all the solutions the black pieces make preventive self-block, (blocking a square which will become a flight after the move of the bK).

Problem_769 Harry Fougiaxis and Kostas Prentos 2nd Prize, 7th Moskovskaya Matreshka, Wageningen, 2006

3b4/1r3Bpq/p1s1Ss1p/1p3P1p/1Pk2K1R/2r5/4P3/8 (7 + 12) h#2, (Helpmate two-mover), a) diagram, b) wKf4 < -- > wSe6

a) 1.Se7 Sc5+ 2.Sfd5+ Ke5# b) 1.Sd7 Sd3+ 2.Sd4+ Kd6# 2x2 batteries are fired. Self-interferences, Cross-checks and Royal-battery mates. (The problem is included in the FIDE Album 2004/2006, p.285, E168 with 8 points).

A task by Nikos Pergialis, (3)

The Greek composer Nikos Pergialis (born 19-IX-1930) creates problems with clear theme and a few pieces.

Also, he aims to present ideal mates, where all the pieces have a role.

Problem_764 Nikos Pergialis (GRE) original

8/8/2R2p2/3k3s/2RP4/2p2K2/2p5/3s1B2 #2

Key: 1.Βg2! [2.Κe2# / Κg4#] 1...f5 2.Ke2# 1...c1=S 2.Kg4# 1...Sd1~ Ke3# / Kf2#, 1...Se3 2.Kxe3#, 1...Sf2 2.Kxf2# (antidual) 1...Sh5~ Kf4# / Kg3#, 1...Sf4 2.Kxf4#, 1...Sg3 2.Kxg3# (antidual) In this direct-mate two-mover we see the construction of a royal battery, which gives six different mates : a Task.

Problem_765 Nikos Pergialis (GRE) original

8/8/b1p5/r1p5/2pk1p2/8/3KP3/8 h#5

1.c3+ (a line opens for Ba6) Ke1 2.Bd3 (self-block) Kf2 3.c4 (a line opens for Ra5) Kf3 4.Rd5 (self-block) Kxf4 (takes the pawn which inhibits the mate) 5.c5 e3# In this help-mate five-mover we see openings of lines and self-blockings. The white achieves an ideal mate.