Award for 2nd TT Kobulchess Christmas 2014

(25.12.2014) Here is the Award of the 2nd KoBulChess TT - Cristmas Tourney 2014! Many thanks to all participants and to the judge IM Krassimir Gandev for his quick work. The award remains open for 1 month period. 2nd KoBulChess TT – Christmas Tourney 2014 Theme: All type problems (#/=, H#/H=, S#/S=, HS#/HS= etc.) in 2-4 moves (up to 8 moves for Series and P-Series problems) with the fairy condition Circle SneK. Other fairy pieces and conditions are not allowed. Royal pieces can be used of course. Circle SneK: When a Queen is captured - a Rook (or Royal Rook) of the same color (if exists on the board) becoming Queen; When a Rook is captured – a Bishop (or Royal Bishop) of the same color (if exists on the board) becoming Rook; When a Bishop is captured - a Knight (or Royal Knight) of the same color (if exists on the board) becoming Bishop; When a Knight is captured – a Queen (or Royal Queen) of the same color (if exist on the board) becoming Knight. Only one piece may change its type after a capture. In case of option – the capturing side choose which piece will be transformed. The capture and the change of type is a single move. If this full move result a selfcheck - the capture is forbidden.  The capture of a pawn is normal. The capture is normal also in the case when there is no piece on the board which should be transformed. Castling with Royal piece is not allowed. Entries: 22  Participants: Pierre Tritten, Manfred Rittirsch, Mario Parrinello, Kostas Prentos, Emmanuel Manolas, Rainer Kuhn, Themis Argirakopoulos, Sebastien Luce, Ralf Kraetschmer, Alain Bienabe Countries: Greece, Italy, Germany, France AWARD It was pleasure for me to be a judge of this interesting tourney. I received from the director Diyan Kostadinov 22 entries (including 2 versions) in anonymous form. I propose the following ranking: 1st Prize – Manfred Rittirsch    a) 1....Rd2? ... 3. ... Qxg3(wRh8)+ 4.hxg3(bQh5)! 1...Sf2 [~? ... 4.Sxc3(bBh3)!] 2.Rf5+ [~? ... 3.h8Q+ Rd,Rhxh8(wQf7)!] gxf5 3.h8Q+ Bxc3(wSh8)# [4.Sxc3(bBf2)??, 4.Kxf2(bSg4)??]    b) 1...Sf2? ... 3. ... Bxc3(wSh8)+ 4.Kxf2(bSh5)! 1....Rd2 [~? ... 4.hxg3(bQd8)!] 2.Sd6 [~? ... 3.h8B+ Qxh8(wBb5)!] cxd6 3.h8B+ Qxg3(wRh8)# [4.hxg3(bQd2)??, 4.Kxd2(bRb2)??] This is my favourite. Very rich Circle SneK specific logical maneuvers with reciprocal correspondence of pieces, change of promotions, cross checks and Circle SneK mates. 2nd Prize – Mario Parrinello a) 1…rQh8 2.Sa6 Sf6 3.rQa1 Sxg8(rSa1)+ 4.hxg8Q(rSh8)+ Qxa6(wSg8)# b) 1...rQc8 2.Sh6 Sc6 3.rQc1 Sxb8(rSc1)+ 4.axb8Q(rSc8)+ Qxh6(wSb8)# Wonderful Echo mates, creation of black batteries with ODT, change of functions between wSs and nice fairy play! 3rd Prize – Emmanuel Manolas 1.Bg7 fxe8Q(bQh7) 2.Bxc3(wBg1) Qxe2(bSh7)# 1.Sxc3(wBg1) fxe8S(bQh7) 2.Qd3 Sxd6(bRf8)# Model mates, selfblocks, promotions, all types of SneK conversions and SneK mates. 4th Prize – Pierre Tritten 1.Be4 Bxb3(bSf4) 2.Se2 Rxd1(bRc3)# 1.Sd2 Rxf4(bQd1) 2.Qe2 Bxg6(bBd2)# Same motivation for white captures: first one allows black transformed piece to block on e2, second one avoids black defense, change of functions, all types Circle SneK transformations. 5th Prize – Themis Argirakopoulos 1.d1B 2.b1R 3.Rb2 4.Rg2 5.Bf3 6.Bc6 Kxg2(Rc6)= [7.Rxb6(Rd6)? 7.Rxc7(Se6)? 7.Rxd6(Bc7)?] 1.d1S 2.b1Q 3.Qa2 4.Se3 5.Sg2 6.Qa8 Kxg2(Sa8)= [7.Sxb6(Rd6)?  7.Sxc7(Se6)?] A wonderful problem with AUW where the stalemate positions are possible because of SneK protections.   6th Prize – Argirakopoulos, Luce, Tritten a) 1.c2 2.c1B 3.Bf4 4.Bh2 5.g1R+ Sxg1(bRh2)# b) 1.b1S 2.Sd2 3.Sf1 4.g1Q 5.Qg4 Bxf1(bSg4)# Interchange of function between the white pieces, AUW. Special Prize – Pierre Tritten 1.Bf4+ Kxf4(bBh3) 2.Rf3+ Kxf3(bRh3) 3.Qe3+ Kxe3(bQh3) 4.Se2+ Kxe2(bSh3) 5.Sf2 Kxf2= Funny idea – the black Knight h3 plays like a Knight again after a full Circle SneK cycle of transformations 1st Honorable mention – Argirakopoulos, Tritten a) 1.Kd5 2.Kxe4(wRf8) 3.Kd5 4.Kd6 Rd8# b) 1.Sd7 2.Sxf8(wBh3) 3.Sd7 4.Sc5 Rd4# c) 1.Rc3 2.Rxh3(wRf8) 3.Rc3 4.Rc5 Rd8# Double switchbacks by three black pieces (King, Knight, Rook), Zilahi and nice white/back Forsberg suit twins.    2nd Honorable mention – Kostas Prentos 1.Qe3 Sg6 2.Bd4 Bd3# 1.Qxe5 Bc4 2.Be3 Rf4# Two Circle SneK specific mates. 3rd Honorable mention – Kostas Prentos 1.Bb1 Bg7 2.Se4 Bxe5(wBe4) 3.Bec2 Kxf5(wRc2) 4.Rf2+ Sxf2(wRb1)# 1.Rf2+ Kf7 2.Sh7+ Ke8 3.Sg5 Bxe5(wBg5) 4.Bc6+ Sxf2(wRc6)# Problem type ANI: in the 1st solution is presented a hybrid of Bristol and Indian - the first white Bishop opens the line for the second white Bishop, which on the next move will transform into Rook, creating a battery. 2nd solution reach the same mate after different active play of the white pieces. Commendations (equal rank): Com – Themis Argirakopoulos a) 1…g8R 2.e1S Rg2 3.Sc2 Rxc2(bSd3)# b) 1…h8Q 2.h1B Qh6 3.Bc6 Qxc6(bBb3)# Com – Alain Bienabe 1.Kxd5(wRe7) Ra7 2.Kc5 Ra5# 1.Kxe7(wBc4) Sc6+ 2.Ke8 Rd8# Com – Rainer Kuhn 1.Sxa1(bRd1)! Rxa1 2.a8Q+ Qxa8(wQe1)# 1.rBa8! Qa4 2.Re8+ Qxe8(rRa8)# 1.rBb7! Bxc2 2.a8Q+ Qxa8(wQe1)# Com – Sebastien Luce 1…Ba7 2.Sxa7(wBe4)+ Bxg2(bBa7) 3.Bb8 Kb6# 1…Bb6 2.Sxb6(wBe4) Bxg2(bBb6) 3.Ba7 Kc7# Com – Emmanuel Manolas 1.Qxd5(bBc3)+! (bBe6?) Kxd5(wQh5) 2.Qxe6(bSh2)+ Kxe6 3.Qxf7(bRc3)+ Kxf7 4.g8Q# Com – Rainer Kuhn 1.rSc3 Kg4 2.Bxf5+ Kxf5(rBc3) 3.rBa1 Be5# 1.rSb4 Kh3 2.rSc6 Be5 3.rSxe5(wBe8) d4# I wish to all participants and the tourney director – Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2015! Sofia 24.12.2014        Judge: IM Krassimir Gandev