Theme Elmgren

(Initial date of this post was 21/12/2015)

In this post we will see the Theme Elmgren under a different light. This theme is named after the Swedish composer Bertil Elmgren, born 25/05/1912.

In this theme, all the black pieces (3 or more), with a possible exception of the bK, are actively refuting white tries!
A try is an attempt by the White to win, but the Black has a unique defense.
The White has at least three such tries, and all the black pieces take their turn to refute.
With more black pieces on board, the probability all of them refuting a try diminishes, making it more difficult for the composer to achieve an Elmgren.
Likewise, the more the black pieces, the more are the tries, making the problem relatively more difficult for a solver.

Having all the black pieces struggling in defense, symbolizes a common battle where no one stays behind the trenches, waiting to see what will happen!
There are no idle pieces, simply blocking a flight or stopping an unwanted second solution.
Everything is useful and active!

I have published in this blog some problems containing the Elmgren theme.

15/10/2011, Manolas Emmanuel, problem_497
http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.gr/2011/10/manolas-emmanuel-4-compositions-from.html

16/11/2012, Pergialis Nikolaos, problem_625
http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.gr/2012/11/nikos-pergialis-5-compositions.html

27/01/2013, Retter Yosi, problem_687
http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.gr/2013/01/isc-9-compositions-solved-and-some.html

07/06/2014, Manolas Emmanuel, problem_771
http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.gr/2014/06/some-two-movers-for-you-to-solve.html

27/12/2014, Manolas Emmanuel, problem_792,
http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.gr/2014/12/farewell-to-2014.html


We shall see now some rare compositions with theme Elmgren, with at least five black pieces refuting white tries.

5 black pieces

Problem-808 Termaat Nicolaas I. J. 2nd Prize, Probleemblad 1951

1s6/SQ2pb2/1P6/P1S4R/2kp2B1/K1P2R2/1P1P4/2s5 (12 + 6) #2

Tries: {1.Sd3? [2.Rc5#] Sb3!}, {1.Se6? [2.Rc5/Qd5#] Bxh5!}, {1.Sa6? [2.Rc5#] Sd7!}, {1.Se4? [2.Rc5#] dxc3!}, 1.Sb3? [2.Rc5#] Sd3!}, {1.Sd7? [2.Rc5#] e5!}. Key: 1.Sa4! [2.Rc5#] 1...Bxh5 2.Be6#, 1...Bd5 2.Qxd5#, 1...e5 2.Qxf7#, 1...dxc3 2.Qe4#, 1...Sb3 2.d3#, 1...Sd3 2.b3#, 1...Sd7/Sa6 2.Q(x)a6# Themes Option and Elmgren.

Problem-809 Burbach Johannes J. Shakend Nederland, 1981

4Q3/8/3p4/1pp1Ppp1/4P3/RPP1kPPR/4SSP1/3KB3 (14 + 6) #2

Tries: {1.c4? [2.b4#] b4!}, {1.b4? [2.c4#] c4!}, {1.exf5? [2.exd6#] d5!}, {1.g4? [2.f4#] f4!}, {1.f4? [2.g4#] g4!}. Key: 1.Qxb5! [2.Qd3#] 1...c4 2.Qb6#, 1...fxe4 2.Sg4# Theme Elmgren.

6 black pieces

Problem-810 Manolas Emmanuel (GRE) original dedicated to Kostas Prentos

rB6/1sK1S2P/2P2p2/1R1Pk1P1/6R1/1B4P1/6bQ/6r1 (12 + 6) #2

Tries: {1.Sg6+? Kf5!}, {1.Bc2? [2.Sg6#] Sc5! (The square d5 is guarded by three white pieces Rb5 Bb3 Se7. One leaves making the try-move, one will leave to make mate, so the Black shuts off the third guardian : Theme Zappas simple)}, {1.d6+? Sc5!}, {1.Re4+? Kxe4!}, {1.Kxb7+?/Kd7+? Rxb8+!}, {1.Qxg1? [2.Qd4#] Be4!}, {1.Qxg2? [2.Re4#/Qb2#/Qe2#/Qe4#] Rxg2!}, {1.Qh6?/h8=Q?/h8=B? Rf1!}, {1.h8=S? [2.Shg6#/Sf7#] fxg5!}. Key: 1.Rf4! [2.Sg6#] 1...Be4 2.Qb2#, 1...Bxd5 2.Qe2# (horizontal-diagonal transformation) Theme Elmgren (here the bK is also refuting tries). In the phases {1.h8=S?} and {1.Rf4!} there is Anti-Dual with moves Be4 and Bxd5. (There are some more technical merits to examine: changed mates in two phases, a pin-mate, Urania, Bartolovic, Dombrovskis paradox, Anti-reversal, Anti reversal-menace).

Problem-811 Witt Andreas Commendation, Die Shwalbe 2005

4s1R1/4p2R/4pQ2/4Bsb1/B1P4r/K2SP3/2S5/1k6 (10 + 7) #2

Tries: {1.Bh2? [2.Qa1#/Qb2#] Rd4!}, {1.Bg3? Bxf6!}, {1.Bf4? Sd4!}, {1.Bd6? e5!}, {1.Bc7? exf6!}, {1.Bb8? Sxf6!}, {1.Rxe8? [2.Rb8#] Bxe3!}, {1.Kb3? [2.Sa3#] Sd4+!}. Κλειδί : 1.Ba1! [2.Qb2#] (line opening Bristol) 1...Rd4 2.Rh1#, 1...Bxf6 2.Rg1#, 1...Sd4 2.Qf1#, 1...e5 2.Qb6#, 1...exf6 2.Rb7#, 1...Sxf6 2.Rb8# Theme Elmgren. Multiple captures of the bQf6.

---

Upgrade on 12-01-2016

Motivated by this post, the Italian composer Alberto Armeni decided to compose a problem with more than 6 black pieces, all refuting tries. He has initially set the record to 8 pieces, which we were glad to present here, but then he created a task with 11 pieces (see Problem-814 below).

8 black pieces

Problem-812 Armeni Alberto International Composing Tourney "e4-e5" 2015-2016, section 2# Source: http://www.chessplayer.ro/tourneys_2015.html (with click on the blue 24)

1s5b/3B1PP1/p4Rr1/2Bk4/3P4/1pK1R1rb/pP2PS2/2Q2S2 (13 + 9) #2

Set play : {1...Sc6 2.Bxc6#, 1...Rxg7/g5 2.Rd6#, 1...R6g4 2.Rd6/f5#, 1...Rxe3+ 2.Sxe3#, 1...R3g4 2.Rf5# / Re5#, 1...Rg2/g1 2.Re5#, 1...Bg2/xf1/f5 2.R(x)f5#} Tries : {1.Sxg3? [2.Re5#] Sb8xd7!}, {1.g8=S? [2.Se7#] Bh8xf6!}, {1.Kb4? [2.Re5# / Qc4#] a6-a5+!}, {1.f8=Q? [2.Qd6#] Rg6xf6!}, {1.Qc2? [2.Qxb3# / Qe4#] b3xc2!}, {1.Rd3? [2.e4#] Rg3xd3+!}, {1.Rxg6? [2.Rd6#] Bh3-e6!}, {1.Kxb3? [2.Qc4#] a1=S+!}, {1.Ref3? [2.e4# / Se3#] Rxf3+!}, {1.Rxg3? [2.e4# / Se3#] Rxg3+!}, {1.Sd3? [2.Sb4# / Sf4# / Re5#] Rxe3!}, {1.Qd1? [2.Qxb3#] a1=S!} Key : 1.Kd3! [2.Qc4#] 1...Rxe3+ 2.Sxe3#  1...Bf5+ 2. Rxf5#. Theme Elmgren.

---

Update on 11-04-2016

The composer Alberto Armeni has created a tak for theme Elmgren, with 11 black pieces!

Task with 11 black pieces

Problem-814 Armeni Alberto “Problemas”, April 2016, problem n. 174, page 350 Source: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B5lHTACLJK1fZnZjUjZzWjZ1RUk/view

2b5/p2p3R/1p1Qp3/5p2/5Pp1/3p2Kp/r2S3R/b2S2kB (8 + 12) #2

Tries: {1.Bb7? / Ba8? Bc8(x)b7!}, {1.Qxb6+? a7xb6!}, {1.Bc6? d7xc6!}, {1.Qc5+? b6xc5!}, {1.Bd5? e6xd5!}, {1.Be4? f5xe4!}, {1.Sf3+? / Bf3? g4xf3!}, {1.Re2? d3xe2!}, {1.Rg2+? h3xg2!}, {1.Rf2? Ra2xd2!}, {1.Qd4+? / Qe5? Ba1xd4! / Ba1xe5!}. Key: 1.Bg2! [2.Rh1#] hxg2 2.Rxg2# Theme Elmgren. Task with 11 black pieces defending tries.