Another composition in CoVID19 times

Today we present a problem by Ioannis Garoufalidis, awarded Greek solver and composer.

Condition: Because of the corona virus CoVID19 … the pieces must be kept in a distance from each other!
The condition is known as Anti-ContactChess or Anti-koko.

Problem-840 FEN: 8/3P2p1/8/8/8/k7/4p3/7K h#2, (2+3) twin: bKa3 to g5	Ioannis Garoufalidis (GRE) original Black plays and helps White mate in two moves Fairy condition: Anti-koko
Condition Anti-koko: The moves, where one piece goes near another piece, are not legal and are prohibited. The capture of a piece is allowed. a) bKa3 1.e1=S d8=Q 2.Sc2 Qa5# b) bKg5 1.e1=B d8=R 2.Bg3 Rd5# An Allumwandlung (AUW) problem with model mates.

Friendly presents for namedays

We use to give presents for the namedays.
In this post the presents are dedications.

Mr Ioannis Garoufalidis dedicates an original problem (selfmate in eight moves) to Mr Emmanuel Manolas who has his nameday on 26/12.
In return Mr Emmanuel Manolas dedicates an original problem (helpmate in 2.5 moves) to Mr Ioannis Garoufalidis who has his nameday on 7/1.

Wishes for happy holidays to everyone!

Problem-790 (original) Ioannis Garoufalidis, GR dedicated to Emmanuel Manolas

k2K4/p2p4/S3Q3/2P5/8/3PP3/1p6/bR1B4 (8 + 5) s#8

1.Bf3+ d5 2.Ke7 Kb7 3.Kf6 Ka8 4.Ke5 Kb7 5.Kd4 Ka8 6.Bg4 Kb7 7.Qc6+ Kxc6 8.Rxb2 Bxb2#

The white King must go to d4 to get mated. The pawn d7 is needed to guard e4, but the black King must go to c6 to guard this pawn. White sacrifices two strong pieces to achieve his goal.

Problem-791 (original) Emmanuel Manolas, GR dedicated to Ioannis Garoufalidis

1b6/8/3R4/B7/2kP4/1r3BK1/8/1r6 (5 + 4) h#2.5, 2 solutions

(In helpmates with fractional part 0.5 in number of moves, White moves first). 1…Bc7 2.Kb5 Rd5+ 3.Ka6 Ra5# 1…Bc3 2.Ba7 Ra6 3.Kb5 Be2#

The wRd6 is pinned by the bBb8 and the wBf3 is pinned by the bRb3. In the two solutions the wBa5 unpins one of the pinned pieces, which eventually mates the black King.

The Problemist (and some Greek composers)

The chess magazine The Problemist is issued by the British Chess Problem Society (BCPS, www.theproblemist.org/) since many decades and it has earned world wide recognition.
I have recently received the issue [The Problemist, Volume 24, No 1, January 2013] which has 48 pages and a supplement [The Problemist Supplement, Issue 122, January 2013] with 12 pages. The variety of the subjects is huge and it covers every genre of the chess composition.

Here we present Greek composers' problems, which are mentioned or published in this issue.

Problem-694 Ioannis Kalkavouras C11037 The Problemist July 2012

7S/1KB1p2p/1PB2p1r/1p3P2/2k1S1p1/b1P3pq/bPP2P1R/5s2 (12 + 12) #10, moremover in ten

1.b3+? Bxb3! 1.Bd7! [2.Be6#] Kd5 2.f3 gxf3 3.Bc6+ Kc4 4.Rd2 [5.Rd4#] Sxd2 5.Sxd2+ Kc5 6.Bd8 [9.Bxe7#] Kd6 7.Sf7+ Bxf7 8.Bc7+ Kc5 9.Se4+ Kc4 10.b3# Logical problem, (what is impossible in the try-play, becomes possible after the key).

Problem-695 Petros Lambrinakos Commendation, The Problemist 2011

s7/3S4/5p2/3k4/8/4R3/1Q6/7K (4 + 3) #3, τριάρι

1.Qb8! 1…Sb6 2.Qxb6 [3.Qc5#] 1…Sc7 2.Qxc7 [3.Qc5#] 1…Kc4 2.Qb3+ Kd4 3.Qd3# 1…Kd4 2.Qb3 [3.Qd3#] 1…Kc6 2.Rd3 [3.Rd6#] Sb6/Sc7 3.Qxb6#/Qb6# 1…f5 2.Rd3+ Kc4/Ke4/Kc6/Ke6 3.Qb3#/Sc5#/Rd6#/Qe8# Logical problem. Give-and-take key with X-flights for the bK.

Problem-696 Petros Lambrinakos Commendation, The Problemist 2011

3K4/8/2S1p3/3kSP2/2p2p1P/8/8/1Q6 (6 + 4) #3, three-mover

1.Qf1! [2.Qxc4+ Kd6 3.Sf7#/Qd4#] 1…Ke4 2.Ke7 Ke3/Ke5/Kxf5/c3/f3/exf5 3.Qe1#/Qxc4#/Qb1#/Qd3#/Qxf3#/Qf3# 1…Kc5 2.Kc7 [3.Qxc4#] ODT, Flight-giving key.

Problem-697 Petros Lambrinakos PS2671 The Problemist Supplement January 2013

2B5/3K4/5p2/8/7p/7k/3Q2S1/8 (4 + 3) #3, three-mover

1.Qf2? [2.Se3 [3.Qg2#]] Kg4! 1.Se3? [2.Qg2#] Kg3! 1.Bb7! [2.Qf4 [3.Qxh4#]] 1…Kh2 2.Qf2 [3.Sf4#] Kh3 3.Qxh4# 1…Kg4 2.Qh6 Kg3/Kh3/Kf5/h3/f5 3.Qxh4#/Qxh4#/Qh5#/Qg6#/Qxh4# 1…f5 2.Qf2 [3.Qxh4#] Kh2 3.Sf4# ODT, Model mates.

Problem-698 Petros Lambrinakos PS2595 The Problemist Supplement July 2012

8/8/1Q6/1p1pKB2/1P6/5k2/5pr1/5R2 (5 + 5) #3, three-mover

1.Qxf2+?/Qe3+?/Qd4?/Qc5? Rxf2!/Kxe3!/Rh2!/d4!  1.Qa7! [2.Qa3+ Ke2 3.Qd3#] 1…Rh2 2.Qd4 Rg2/Rh~/Ke2/Kg2/Kg3 3.Qd3#/Qxf2#/Qd3#/Qxf2#/Qg4# 1…Ke2 2.Qd4 [3.Qd3‡] Rg3/Kxf1 3.Qxf2#/Qd1# 1…Kg3 2.Qd4 [3.Qf4‡] Rg1/Rh2/Kh2/Kf3 3.Qxf2#/Qg4#/Qh4#/Qd3# Logical problem.

Problem-699 Vyron Zappas 3rd Prize, Problemistas 1970

3r4/1p1r1p2/3s1p2/1qpKPPp1/2R3p1/1S1kbs1R/b2P2Q1/3B1S2 (10 + 14) s#2, self-mate two-mover

1.Sxc5+? Bxc5! 1.Rd4+? Bxd4! 1.Qxg4! [2.Qe4+ Sxe4#] 1…Sxd2 2.Sxc5+ Qxc5# 1…Bf4 2.Rd4+ cxd4# 1…Qxc4+ 2.Qxc4+ Sxc4# Theme Rudenko, (two try-moves are reappearing in the after-key variations).

Problem-700 Emmanuel Manolas The Problemist January 2013

6Rb/4s3/6P1/PS6/1pBp4/8/8/k1K4b (6 + 6) #6, KoBul kings, more-mover in six

1.Sxd4? [2.Sc2#] Bxd4(wK=wSK)! 1.g7! [2.gxh8=(Q/B)(bK=bBK) [3.(Q/B)xd4(bBK=bK)#/Kb1#] 1…Bxg7 2.Rxg7(bK=bBK) [3.Kb1#] Bd5 3.Sxd4 [4.Sc2#] b3 4.Bxb3 [5.Sc2#] 4…Be4 5.Rxe7(bK=bSK) [6.Kb2#] 4…Bxb3(wK=wBK) 5.Rxe7(bK=bSK) [6.bKb2#] Logical problem. Bicolour Bristol.

Problem-701 Ioannis Garoufalidis PS2686F The Problemist Supplement January 2013

8/8/3k4/8/8/K7/1s6/R1S5 (3 + 2) h#3, KoBul kings, Help-mate three-mover

1.Sa4 Kxa4(bK=bSK) 2.SKc4 Kb4+ 3.SKb2 Sd3# 1.Sd3 Sxd3(bK=bSK) 2.SKf7 Se5+ 3.SKh8 Rh1# 1.Ke5 Kxb2(bK=bSK) 2.SKf3 Ra3+ 3.SKg1 Rg3#

Problem-702 Ioannis Garoufalidis PS2608F The Problemist Supplement January 2013

6b1/P5P1/8/3p1K2/8/2sP4/1p2r1p1/k7 (4 + 7) ser-s#11, KoBul kings, Series-self-mate in 11

1.a8=B 2.Bxd5 3.Bxg8(bK=bBK) 4.Bc4 5.g8=R 6.Rxg2(bBK=bK) 7.Rxe2(bK=bRK) 8.Ke5 9.Kd4 10.Kxc3(bRK=bSK) 11.Rxb2(bSK=bK) Kxb2(wK=wRK)# In Series-self-mate only the White plays. In the last move Black plays and mates. Nice mate, difficult for the solvers.

Problem-703 Kostas Prentos First Prize ex aequo, Bulgarian Wine Ty Kobe 2012

6Br/1pp4s/1R1B4/3S4/pp2k3/5p2/8/1r2bKs1 (5 + 11) hs#3, Anti-Take and Make, Help-self-mate three-mover b) -bSg1 (Twin without the black Knight of g1)

a) 1.Be5 cxb6(Rg6) 2.Bxh7(Sf6) Sg8 3.Rg2+ fxg2(Rg6)# b) 1.Se3 Rxg8(Bc4) 2.Rxb4(b3) b5 3.Be2+ fxe2(Bc4)# In (Take and Make) the capturing piece continues playing a move. In Anti-(Take and Make) the captured piece makes a move. In the Help-self-mate the White plays first and cooperates with the Black to bring him to a mate position, but then the Black reacts by giving mate. Reciprocal batteries.

5-phasic KoBul tasks

The condition KoBul kings is a fairy condition, (that is with this condition the problem is not orthodox any more), proposed by the composer Diyan Kostadinov from Bulgaria. (KoBul = Kostadinov Bulgaria). With this condition, the kings change abilities of moving and capturing, acquiring the abilities of the friendly piece most recently captured. The kings return to the abilities of a simple King when a friendly pawn is captured.

The condition has got interesting strategic applications, which become apparent just as the kings acquire super-powers(!), but soon the time for the checkmate comes. In the present post we are interested only for compositions where the king is mated in five of his phases, (in the final pictures of the five checkmates appears as king, as queen, as rook, as bishop, as knight), which we have named as 5-phasic.

Let suppose that bK is going to be mated.
In the initial position he may be in king's phase (bK), or already in another phase (bQK or bRK or bBK or bSK), and we need one move less. We may have Forsberg twins, where for each twin the bK changes phase on its square.
The bK can change phase when a black piece, already present on the board, is captured or a black pawn might have previously been promoted to a black piece (and that means we need one more move). We may have Forsberg twins, where for each twin a black piece changes type (bQ or bR or bB or bS or bP) on its square.
The promoted piece can be captured on the promotion square or after it moves to another square, (and that means we need one more move).

Let us see now some 5-phasic problems by Greek composers.

8/1p2R3/7P/1P1P3p/3k4/3p3P/p2Pp1p1/1b6 (6 + 8)	Problem-611 Emmanuel Manolas 4th Honourable Mention, Thematic Tourney 1, KoBulchess.com, 2012 h#3, KoBul kings (wRKe7 + bKd4) 5 solutions 1.g1=Q h7 2.Qg8 hxg8=Q(bK=bQK) 3.QKa1 Qg7# 1.g1=R h7 2.Rg8 hxg8=Q(bK=bRK) 3.RKh4 Qg4# 1.e1=B RKxe1(bK=bBK) 2.BKa7 RKe8 3.b6 RKa8# 1.e1=S RKxe1(bK=bSK) 2.SKc2+ RKc1+ 3.SKb4 RKc4# 1.Kc5 d6 2.Kb6 d7 3.Kc7 d8=Q# 5-phasic task
2K3b1/1P5s/4P1P1/pP6/3k4/p7/2P1R2q/2r5 (7 + 7)	Problem-612 Emmanuel Manolas 2nd Prize KoBulchess.com July 2012 h#2, KoBul kings (wKc8 + bKd4) 5 solutions 1.Qg2 Rxg2(bK=bQK) 2.QKh8 g7# 1.Bxe6+ Rxe6(bK=bBK) 2.BKa7 b6# 1.Rxc2+ Rxc2(bK=bRK) 2.RKa4 Rc4# 1.Kc5 gxh7(bK=bSK) 2.a4 Re5# 1.Kc5 Re5+ 2.Kb6 b8=Q# 5-phasic task
s6b/r4p1p/2k5/Pp4P1/1PpR3P/1p1P3K/6P1/8 (8 + 9)	Problem-613 Ioannis Garoufalidis original h#2, KoBul kings (wKh3 + bKc6), 5 twins, a) diagram : 1.Sc7 a6 2.Kb6 Rd6# b) with bKQc6 : 1.QKg6 Rd6+ 2.QKh5 g4# c) with bKRc6 : 1.cxd3 Rd5 2.RKc3 Rc5# d) with bKBc6 : 1.Re7 a6 2.Re8 Rd6# e) with bKSc6 : 1.SKe7 Re4+ 2.SKg8 Re8# The phase-changing of bK takes place before the 1st black move. 5-phasic task

Composers' results in WCCC 2010, Crete

In this post we shall see the themes and the composers' prizes in the composition tourneys held in Crete, during WCCC 2010.

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Congress Long Composing Tourney, Judge : Chris Feather (Great Britain).

Theme : Helpmates in 3 to 4 moves are required with at least two phases (solutions or twin) without set play, without zeroposition, no duplex. Fairy pieces are allowed, but fairy conditions are not. In the diagram White has at least a King, a (normal) Queen, and one more piece normal or fairy, and any number of additional normal pieces/pawns.

Prize : Chris Handloser (Switzerland).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine) & Gennady Chumakov (Russia), (3) Ofer Comay (Israel).
Commendations : (1) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia), (2) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Mike Prcic (USA) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia), (3) Evgeny Fomichev (Russia), (4) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (5) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia).

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Congress Quick Composing Tourney - #2, Judge : Christopher Reeves (Great Britain).

Theme : In an orthodox two-mover, either a white try fails to a black promotion, or the black promotion is the only move without set mate in an initial position with incomplete blocus. In a phase of play (or in more phases) this black promotion (to the same square but not necessarily to the same piece) is answered with a white mate.

Prizes : (1) Paz Einat (Israel), (2) Jorma Paavilainen (Finland).

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Congress Quick Composing Tourney – h#2, Judge : Živko Janevski (FYRO Macedonia).

Theme : In a helpmate two mover, a white line piece aims towards the bK and there is between them a piece (black or white). A black thematic piece is placed with the first black move (B1) onto this line, either nearer to the bK, or nearer to the white line piece, resulting to two solutions.

Prizes : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Vito Rallo & Mario Parrinello (Italy).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Gerard Smits (Netherlands), (2) Johan de Boer & Gerard Smits (Netherlands), Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).
Commendations : (1) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Marco Bonavoglia (Italy) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Mike Prcic (USA), (2) Bjørn Enemark (Danemark), (3) Janne Syväniemi & Kenneth Solja & Harri Hurme (Finland).

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13th SABRA Tourney, Judge : Menachem Witztum (Israel).

Theme : Creation and opening of a white line, as follows : Move B1 : A black unit X captures a white piece on the line. Move W1 : A white line piece comes on the line. Move B2 : The black piece X moves.

Prizes : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (3) Paz Einat (Israel), (4) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (5) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine), (6) Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Vasil Dyachuk & Valery Kopyl (Ukraine), (2) Emanuel Navon (Israel), (3) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (4) Gerard Smits (Netherlands), (5) Bojan Vučković (Serbia), (6) Kenneth Solja & Janne Syväniemi (Finland), (7) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (8) Aaron Hirschernson (Israel), (9) Valery Gurov & Boris Shorokhov (Russia).
Commendations : (_) Jean Hayman (Israel), (_) Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Mike Prcic (USA), (_) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (_) Mike Prcic (USA) & Zvonimir Hernitz (Croatia) & Fadil Abdurahmanović (Bosnia - Hercegovina), (_) Živko Janevski (FYRO Macedonia), (_) Kostas Prentos (Greece) & Diane Barnard (USA), (_) Michael Barth (Germany), (_) Valery Kopyl (Ukraine), (_) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).

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8th Romanian TZUICA Tourney, Judges : Vlaicu Crişan & Eric Huber (Romania).

Theme : Help-selfmates (hs#n) or help-selfstalemates (hs=n) with at least two phases, where the last black move is made by the King or a royal unit. All fairy conditions and pieces are allowed.

1st Section : orthodox
Prizes : (1) Dieter Müller & Michael Barth & Franz Pachl (Germany), (2) Petko Petkov (Bulgaria).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Paz Einat & Ofer Comay (Israel), (2) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (3) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (4) Valery Gurov & Boris Shorokhov (Russia).
Commendations : (1) Dieter Müller (Germany), (2) Abdelaziz Onkoud (Morocco), (3) Gerard Smits (Netherlands).

2nd Section : fairy
Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Michal Dragoun (Czech Republic).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) František Sabol (Czech Republic), (3) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia).
Commendation : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

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Good Zug Tourney, Judge : Dan Meinking (USA).

Theme : New fairy condition “CapZug” = Obligation for capture is the only possible continuation without double threat (Capture ZugZwang). Helpmates CapZug (hx=n) are required, from 5 semi-moves and more (n>=2.5).

Prizes : (1-2) Geoff Foster (Australia) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (1-2) René J. Millour (France), (3) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Cornel Pacurar (Canada) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (2) Michael Barth (Germany), (3) Juraj Lörinc (Slovakia), (4) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (5) Geoffrey Caveney.
Commendations : (1) Cornel Pacurar (Canada) & Arno Tüngler (Germany), (2) Eric Huber (Romania), (3) Dieter Müller (Germany), (4) Pierre Tritten (France), (5) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (6) Michael Barth (Germany).

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Champagne Tourney, Judge : Michel Caillaud (France).

Theme : To celebrate the fourth Congress in Greece in a short time, the tourney is devoted to number 4, and there will be two sections (Α) Proof Games, or (B) Any other kind of Retro Problems.

Section A :
Honourable Mentions : (1) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (2) Ivan Denkovski & Gligor Denkovski (FYRO Macedonia), Marco Bonavoglia (Italy).
Commendations : (1) Allan Bell (Ireland) & Jonathan Mestel (Great Britain), (2) Marco Bonavoglia & Marco Guida & Mario Parrinello & Vito Rallo (Italy).

Section B :
Prize : Paul Raican & Vlaicu Crişan (Romania).

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10th Moskovskaya Matreshka Tourney, Judge : Valery Gurov (Russia).

Theme : Helpmates h#2 without fairy elements. Between bK and a white line piece there are two pieces X and Y of any color. The twin is made by exchanging places of the pieces X and Y.

Prizes : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Jean Haymann (Israel), (3) Vasil Dyachuk & Valery Kopyl (Ukraine).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Viktor Zaitsev & Aleksandr Bulavka (Belarus), (2) Aaron Hirschenson & Menachem Witztum (Israel), (3) Aleksandr Semenenko & Valery Semenenko (Ukraine).

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3rd Arves Jenever Tourney, Judge : Marcel Van Herck (Belgium).

Theme : Studies, where the mate is made by a pinned piece/pawn, without double check.

Prizes : Oleg Pervakov (Russia).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (2) John Nunn (Great Britain), (3) Evgeny Kopylov & Oleg Pervakov & Andrey Selivanov (Russia).
Commendations : (1) Sergey Borodavkin (Ukraine), (2) Vitaly Kovalenko (Russia), (3) Andy Ooms & Eddy van Beers (Belgium) & Dolf Wissmann (Netherlands).

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10th Japanese Sake Tourney, Judge : Tadashi Wakashima (Japan).

Theme : New fairy condition “Half-Check”. The check is initially considered half, but if the threat is present in the next move by the same piece, then it is a full check. Helpmate two-movers are required.

Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (3) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (4) René J. Millour (France), (5) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria), (6) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia).
Special Prize : Michel Caillaud (France).
Honourable Mentions : (1) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (2) Mark Erenburg (Israel), (3) Petko A. Petkov (Bulgaria), (4) Aleksandr Bulavka (Belarus), (5) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (6) Mark Erenburg (Israel).
Special Honourable Mention : Michel Caillaud (France).
Commendation : (1) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (2) Borislav Gadjanski (Serbia), (3) Vlaicu Crişan (Romania), (4) Michael McDowell (Great Britain), (5) Gerd Reichling (Germany).

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1st Bulgarian Wine Tourney, Judge : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

Theme : New fairy piece “KoBul King”, where the King moves like the last captured friendly piece, and returns to normality when a friendly pawn is captured. Two-movers orthodox #2 and helpmate h#2 are required, with only exception their KoBul Kings.

Prizes : (1-3) Mario Parrinello (Italy), (1-3) Kostas Prentos (Greece), (1-3) Vlaicu Crişan (Romania) & Kostas Prentos (Greece), (4) Ricardo Vieira (Brasil), (5) Themis Argirakopoulos & Kostas Prentos (Greece).
Special Prize : Emmanuel Manolas (Greece)
Honourable Mentions : (1) Themis Argirakopoulos (Greece), (2) Dieter Müller (Germany).
Commendation : Themis Argirakopoulos & Emmanuel Manolas (Greece)

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Uralsky Problemist Tourney, Judge : Andrey Selivanov (Russia).

Theme : Selfmates in 2 to 6 moves without white pawns.

Prizes : (1) Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria), (2) Evgeny Fomichev (Russia), (3) Vitaly Kovalenko (Russia).

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Ukraine Tourney, Judge : Yakov Rossomakho (Russia).

Theme : Orthodox two-movers #2 with record expression of different classic themes of tactical content.

Prizes : (1) Kiril Stojanov (Bulgaria) & Nikola Veliky & Vasyl Markovtsky (Ukraine), (2) Paz Einat & Ofer Comay (Israel), (3) Chris Handloser (Switzerland).

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Metaxa Tourney, Judge : Pavlos Moutecidis (Greece).

Theme : Selfmates in at least 6 moves are required with two white queens on the initial diagram and up to 9 units in total. No fairy conditions and/or pieces are allowed.

Prizes : (1) Andrey Selivanov (Russia), (2) Andrey Selivanov (Russia).
Honourable Mention : Ioannis Garoufalidis (Greece)
Commendation : Diyan Kostadinov (Bulgaria).

Two more-movers by Garoufalidis

In the more-mover (German : lang-zueger) problems we must foresee how the mate is given (we must imagine the picture of the mate). In order to achieve the mate, we need to discover a series of moves (including possibly repeated series of moves).

In selfmate problems White plays first and forces Black to deliver mate.

Mr Ioannis (=John) Garoufalidis is an active composer with many publications and he is also an excellent solver.
We will see here two award-winning more-mover selfmates by Garoufalidis. (See please another of his compositions here).

	(Problem 251) Ioannis Garoufalidis, 3rd Honourable Mention, Quartz 2002 Selfmate in 29 moves s#29, (4 + 6)
[8/8/8/8/7R/k7/1r5P/K1Q5]

Key : 1.Rd4! Kb3 2.Qc4+ Ka3 3.Qc3+ Rb3 4.Qc1+ Rb2 5.h4 Kb3
6.Qc4+ Ka3 7.Qc3+ Rb3 8.Qc1+ Rb2 9.h5 Kb3 10.Qc4+ Ka3
11.Qc3+ Rb3 12.Qc1+ Rb2 13.h6 Kb3 14.Qc4+ Ka3 15.Qc3+ Rb3
16.Qc1+ Rb2 17.h7 Kb3 18.Qc4+ Ka3 19.Qc3+ Rb3 20.Qc1+ Rb2
21.h8=R Kb3 22.Rb8+ Ka3 23.Qe3+ Rb3 24.Qe7+ Rb4 25.Ra8+ Kb3
26.Qe3+ Kc2 27.Ra2+ Rb2 28.Qd3+ Kc1 29.Qb1+ Rxb1#

A comment by the composer : An Excelsior with subpromotion to Rook (Miniature), Switchback, Circuit de Dame, Circuit de Tour, Circuit lineaire, Sacrifice.

	(Problem 252) Ioannis Garoufalidis, Commendation, The Problemist, 2005 Selfmate in 37 moves s#37, (11 + 3)
[8/2p2S1B/2P5/2P4k/6bP/8/3PP1Q1/1KR1B3]

Key : 1.Qd5+! Bf5+ 2.Rc2 Kg4 3.Qg2+ Kf4 4.Qg3+ Ke4 5.Qd3+ Kf4
6.Qe3+ Kg4 7.Qg3+ Kh5 8.Qf3+ Bg4 9.Qd5+ Bf5 10.Kc1 Kg4
11.Qg2+ Kf4 12.Qg3+ Ke4 13.Qd3+ Kf4 14.Qe3+ Kg4 15.Qg3+ Kh5
16.Qf3+ Bg4 17.Qd5+ Bf5 18.Kd1 Kg4 19.Qg2+ Kf4 20.Qg3+ Ke4
21.Qd3+ Kf4 22.Qe3+ Kg4 23.Qg3+ Kh5 24.Qf3+ Bg4 25.Qd5+ Bf5
26.Rc1 Kg4 27.Qg2+ Kf4 28.Qg3+ Ke4 29.Qd3+ Kf4 30.Qe3+ Kg4
31.Qg3+ Kh5 32.Qf3+ Bg4 33.Qd5+ Bf5 34.e3 Kg4 35.Qg2+ Kh5
36.Qf3+ Bg4 37.Bc2 Bxf3#

See the White King slowly preparing (every eight moves) his end.


(This post in Greek language).

Compositions by friends of this blog (1)

Problems composed by friends of this blog (1)

This blog is available for the presentation of the works (preferably) of the Greek composers, but we do not exclude compositions sent to us from foreign friends.
Today we present problems by Themis Argyrakopoulos, Ioannis Garoufalidis and Joaquim Crusats.

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Mr Themis Argyrakopoulos is one of the good Greek solvers (having ELO 1775, as the World Comittee WCCC has announced in 2008). From the problems that we will study here, we will see that he is a very capable composer.

His first publication was in the Finnish [Suomen Tehtavaniekat] with two helpmates, which are very interesting.
We note here that in the helpmates the Black plays first and helps White to reach his goal (in the helpmates the win, in the helpstalemates the draw).

	(Problem 220) Themis Argyrakopoulos, Suomen Tehtavaniekat, No 4-5/2003 Helpmate in 5 moves. (Two solutions) h#5 2.1.1... (5+7)
[6Sq/8/3k3B/8/8/P5p1/pp4P1/rb5K]

Key : 1.Ke5! Kg1 2.Be4+ Bc1 3.b1=B Bb2+ 4.Kf4 Sh6 5.Qe5 Bc1#
Key : 1.Qg7! Sf6 2.Ke7 Bf4 3.Kf8 Bxg3 4.Bg6+ Kh2 5.Bf7 Bd6#

	(Problem 221) Themis Argyrakopoulos, Suomen Tehtavaniekat, No 4-5/2003 Helpmate in 6 moves. h#6 (2+6)
[8/8/2k5/2b5/2P3s1/5b2/2p3s1/7K]

Key : 1.Ba7! c5 2.Kb7 c6+ 3.Ka8 c7 4.c1=B c8=B 5.Bf4 Bxg4 6.Bb8 Bxf3#

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Mr Ioannis Garoufalidis is also one from the good Greek solvers (having ELO 1922, as the World Comittee WCCC has announced in 2008). His compositions are impressive, and he is interested in selfmate more-movers.
Here we will see a selfmate six-mover. In a future post we will see selfmates with more moves.
We note here that in selfmates the White plays first and forces Black to give mate.

	(Problem 222) Ioannis (John) Garoufalidis, The Problemist (?) Selfmate in 6 moves. s#6 (12+4)
[4BB2/P5Sp/4PQsk/5Kp1/4P3/6R1/6PP/5S2]

Black is very tightly pressed, comes often in a zugzwang (zz) situation and it seems unable to give instantly mate to White. If the black pawn g5 is promoted, maybe the Black will have increased possibilities.

There are many tries {1.Bf8~? / Be8~? / a8=~? / e7? / e5? / Rg3~? / h3? / Sf1~? (zz) g4!}, {1.Sh5+? Kxh5!}, {1.Qxg6+? hxg6+!}.

The solution follows :
Key : 1.Rf3! (zz) g4 2.Rf4 (zz) g3 3.a8=Q (zz) gxh2 4.Qb8 (zz)
if 4...h1=Q 5.Rh4+ Qxh4 6.Qg5+ Qxg5#
if 4...h1=S 5.Sh5+ Kxh5 6.Sg3+ Sxg3#
if 4...h1=R 5.Rh4+ Rxh4 6.Qf4+ Rxf4#
if 4...h1=B 5.Rf3 (zz) Bxg2 6.Rh3+ Bxh3#

The problem is an allumwandlung (AUW), that is it has four promotions of the bP. In four variations of equal length, the promoted piece is forced to give mate. The whole impression is exceptional.

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Mr Joaquim Crusats lives and creates in Catalonia, Spain. For his compositions, mainly multimover orthodox problems, he prefers cooperating with other composers.
He is a friend of this blog and, thanking him, we present next a moremover (ten-mover) problem of his.

	(Problem 223) Joaquim Crusats, Problem Online, 15.10.2007, problem n. C0017 Mate in 10 moves. #10 (9+9)
[8/1p6/kPp5/p1P3p1/p3S1p1/K1p2pP1/p1p2p2/3B4]

Tries {1.Sxg5? / Sf6? Kb5!}, {1.Be2+? fxe2!}.

Key : 1.Bxf3! [2.Be2#] gxf3 2.Sxc3 g4 3.Sxa4 Kb5 4.Kb3 Ka6 5.c3 (zz) Kb5
6.c4+ Ka6 7.Sc3 a4+ 8.Kb4 a3 9.Sb5 cxb5 10.cxb5#


(This post in Greek language).