2nd Cup "Vyron Zappas" solving tourney, 2017

Problems:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6YVhycFVTSTBJcEU/view?usp=sharing

Problems with solutions:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6YlNRazNoTHQzS0E/view?usp=sharing

Solvers and Grades :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6SHRiell6VEVOekk/view?usp=sharing

Aegaleo Athens, Icaria island, Syros island

16th Greek Championship in Solving, 2017-03-26

The 16th Greek Championship in Solving Chess Problems took place on Sunday 26-iii-2017, in the Aigaleo chess club, in Athens.

Problems 1st round.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6MEhuT3RWQWNhMzA/view?usp=sharing

Problems 2nd round.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6MXZsMkI0bjFlMVk/view?usp=sharing

Solutions 1st round.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6TG5VUmZ0elg2NjQ/view?usp=sharing

Solutions 2nd round.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6a0h3NEhvbWFvVVU/view?usp=sharing

Final results.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6T19DS20zTGRyalk/view?usp=sharing

4th Greek Cup, problems, solutions, results

The 4th Greek Cup in solving chess problems took place today 08/01/2017.

Mr Nikos Mendrinos had the general responsibility for the event and the selection of problems.

The Problems
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6d05uYVZpQktieUE/view?usp=sharing

The solutions with comments
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6U1NvLVJYZ3JuZjg/view?usp=sharing

The results (23/01/2017):
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6ZFIxa3J4VTFVRzA/view?usp=sharing

Press release
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6akRISDVBTFVZN1E/view?usp=sharing

Photo from Aegaleo, Athens

Small Studies, by Panagiotis Konidaris

There is a good work about studies, by Panagiotis Konidaris, published in Greek. Mr Konidaris is a writer and chess-player from the island Meganissi, near Lefkada, Greece.
The studies are compositions (that is they are not necessarily endings of actual OTB games, but they are created by a composer), aiming to show some hidden features of game endings.
Here the composer and solver Konidaris has selected some memorable studies for presentation, explaining the solutions in a pleasant way. I will not translate the text, but I believe that you can see the studies and their solutions.

First part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/11/1-6.html

Second part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/11/2-6.html

Third part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/11/3-6.html

Fourth part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/11/4-6.html

Fifth part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/12/5-6.html

Sixth part, here : http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.gr/2016/12/6-6.html

15th Greek Solving Contest

The contest was held in parallel in Athens and Patras.

The problems were selected by Ioannis Garoufalidis.

Problems :
First Round. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6akY1TWtJQk00Um8/view?usp=sharing
Second Round. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6RF9rRU9TdGdFRGM/view?usp=sharing

Solutions :
First Round. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6amVnWDFkTGVfZ00/view?usp=sharing
Second Round. https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6QXhncENLM2NiMGc/view?usp=sharing

Results: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6dWVMVHpHZDNPX1k/view?usp=sharing

Solvers who participated :

01. Sidiropoulos N
02. Papastavropoulos A
03. Mendrinos N
04. Konidaris P
05. Masouros P
06. Anemodouras L
07. Skyrianoglou D
08. Fougiaxis H
09. Spiliadis A
10. Manolas E
11. Pountzas C
12. Petridis E
13. Kollias I
14. Moutzouris I
15. Vlachos E
16. Kalyva K
17. Vaggopoulos A
18. Christodoulou S
19. Aggelis P
20. Christodoulou G

13-ESSNA solving contest

13th Open Solving contest "Championship of Attiki".
It is organised by the Union of Chess Clubs Of Attiki Prefecture (around Athens, Greece).
Place : Chess Club of Aegaleo.
Time : Sunday, June 12, 17:00 - 20:00.
Judge (and program selector) : Ioannis Garoufalidis

The problems :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6d1F3d1U3UXY3T2c/view?usp=sharing

The solutions :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6ZzN4YmFnQVhMaDA/view?usp=sharing

Ranking of solvers :

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6UGhtSGFLa0duMnM/view?usp=sharing

Photos from the event

(by Dim. Skyrianoglou)

OPEN, 12 ECSC 2016, Athens

Open Tourney during 12 ECSC (European Chess Solving Championship) 2016, in Glyfada Athens.

The problems :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6TnFMOEVlWjVVeEk/view?usp=sharing

The solutions :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6b0dzVDUwcUFpR3c/view?usp=sharing

The results (updated 17-04-2016) :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6Ri10eVUwRUhTM3M/view?usp=sharing

2nd Greek Cup on Solving, 2015, the problems

You will find the problems here :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6TTZPckMzNGpBeDA/view?usp=sharing

You will find a solutions sheet (with Greek commentary) here :
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B2-Lv0IlDIs6Mk1YaHA0ZEh4ODg/view?usp=sharing

13th Greek Championship in Solving, 2014

The 13th Greek Championship in Solving Chess Problems this year went to Patras, Greece, first time away from Athens.
It was organized by The Patras Chess Group (SOP) and was hosted by the Chamber of Achaia in a very nice conference room, and there were 24 participants. Available time for solving : 3 hours.

Surname Name	nr. 1	nr. 2	nr. 3	nr. 4	nr.  5	nr. 6	nr. 7	nr. 8	nr. 9	nr.  10	nr.  11	nr. 12	total	mins	rank	up to 18	w
Mendrinos Nikos	5	5	5	5	4	5	5	1			0		35	180	1
Papastavropoulos Andreas	5	5	5	5	4		5	0					29	180	2
Konidaris Panagiotis	5	5	0	3			5	0	4		3		25	180	3
Spyropoulos Giorgos	5	5	5	0	0	5	0	0					20	180	4
Spiliadis Athanasios	5	5	4		1		2	0					17	180	5
Fougiaxis Harry	5	5							5		1		16	180	6
Triantos Konstantinos	5	5	5		0			0			0		15	167	7	v
Betsos Titos	5	5					5						15	180	8, 9
Pountzas Chrysanthos	5	5				0	5	0					15	180	8, 9
Alexandrou Anastasios	5	5	4					0					14	180	10
Masouros Panagiotis	5	0	5				0	0			4		14	180	11
Malataras Gerasimos	5	5		3			0	0					13	180	12	v
Athanasopoulos Kyriakos	5	5						0					10	170	13	v
Vaggopoulos Anastasios	5	0		3		0	0	0					8	180	14
Stamatopoulos Apostolos	5	0					0	0			2		7	161	15	v
Zaronikas Dimitris	5	0	0	2			0						7	168	16	v
Manolas Emmanuel	0	0	4				0	0			3		7	180	17
Kalyva Kyriaki	5	0	0		0		0	0			0		5	171	18, 20	v	v
Mavromati Aggeliki	5	0						0					5	171	18, 20		v
Kakoulidis Vasilis	5												5	171	18, 20	v
Betsos Nicolas-Evaggelos	5	0	0	0			0						5	173	21	v
Stefanatos Gerasimos	5	0	0				0	0	0		0		5	180	22	v
Stamatopoulos Giorgos	0	0											0	180	23	v

Here you may see the problems, selected by the judge Ioannis Garoufalidis, who said the problems were easy because he decided to lower the level a bit so that more solvers can solve them, and their solutions.

With 5 points per problem, solving 12 problems you get 60 points maximum.

The problems ...

... and their solutions.

German Championship in Solving, 2014

For your information, and for a chance of training for chess solvers, we present here the compositions given to participants in the German Solving Champioship 2014, in Illertissen.

First round, Twomovers --- Solutions for first round

Second round, Threemovers --- Solutions for second round

Third round, Studies --- Solutions for third round

Fourth round, Selfmates --- Solutions for fourth round

Fifth round, Moremovers --- Solutions for fifth round

Sixth round, Helpmates --- Solutions for sixth round

Results

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

Three studies by Kyriakos Fragoulis

Kyriakos Fragoulis (1935 - 1997), from Leykada island in Greece, became well known in composing circles with his studies. There were other Greeks also creating chess problems of various types, but Kyriakos Fragoulis was composing exclusively studies.

Study is a position with stipulation "White plays and wins" or "White plays and draws" without specifying in how many moves we must achieve it. The study is like an endgame, but it is a composition, it is not coming from a game.

The players of over the board chess are solving studies as an exercice.

These studies were sent to me by Panagiotis Konidaris from Meganissi (an island near Leykada), who had actually met Kyriakos Fragoulis. Panagiotis says that he found them in some old and turned yellow pieces of paper (thanks Panagiotis!), and they are unpublished, as far as I know.
Their solutions are visible only if you select the text between the square brackets [...].

Problem-744 Kyriakos Fragoulis, Greece original

8/6Pb/P1K5/7k/8/8/5P1r/8 (4 + 3) = White plays and draws

Solution : [1.g8=Q! (1.a7? Be4+! 2.K~ Rg2 -+) Bxg8 2.a7! Bh7 3.Kd5! Rh4 (3...Bg8+ 4.Kc6 Bh7 5.Kd5) 4.f4! Rxf4 5.a8=Q! Be4+ 6.Ke5 Bxa8 7.Kxf4=]

Problem-745 Kyriakos Fragoulis, Greece original

8/8/1r3p2/7K/6P1/6Pk/1S6/4R3 (5 + 3) + White plays and wins

Solution : [1.Sc4! Rb5+ (1…Rb4 2.Se3! Kxg3 3.Sd5! Rxg4 4.Rg1+, +-), (1…Rb7 2. Sd6 Rh7+ 3.Kg6 Rd7 4. Se4! Kxg4 5.Sxf6+, +-) 2.Kg6 Rg5+ (2…Kxg3 3.Se3 Rg5+ 4.Kxf6 Rg8 5.Rg1+ Kf3 6.g5 +-) 3.Kxf6 Rxg4 4.Se3! Rxg3 (4…R~ 5.g4 +-) (4…Rg8 5.Rh1+ Kxg3 6.Rg1+ K~ 7.Rxg8 +-) 5.Rh1# The chess program Fritz prefers other continuation, without surprises and with many moves 1.Sd3 Rb5+ 2.Kh6 Kxg4 3.Re3 Rf5 4.Sf4 Re5 5.Rd3 f5 6.Sd5 Re6+ 7.Kg7 +- ]

Problem-746 Kyriakos Fragoulis, Greece original

8/S7/7p/1p5k/6p1/6KP/8/8  (3 + 4) + White plays and wins

Solution : [1.h4! b4 2.Sc6! (2.Sb5? b3 3.Sd4 b2 4.Se2 Kg6 5.Sc3 h5 =) b3 3.Se5! b2 4.Sd3 b1=Q 5.Sf4#]

12th Greek Championship in Solving Chess Problems

It is the 12th Championship in Solving Chess Problems in Greece.

Winners : (1) Nikos Mendrinos, (2) Panagiotis Konidaris, (3) Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis

Try to solve these 12 problems. The solutions will be shown if you select the text between the brackets [ ].

---

12th  Greek Championship, 15 IX 2013

Round 1  -  Problems, Time 2 hours

(725) 1  #2, Mate in 2 moves,  R7/1Q2pbKp/3Bk1P1/3R4/2pps2r/s5S1/6B1/3r2b1 (8 + 11) Anatoly Slesarenko & Valery Shansin 1. Prize, The Problemist, 2000 [Key : 1.Rg5! (5) [2.Qxe7#] 1...Sxd6 2.Bd5#, 1...Kxd6 2.Ra6#, 1...exd6 2.Qxf7# Changed mates, Themes Rudenko, Option, Chernet, etc]

(726) 2 #3, Mate in 3 moves, 8/2p1Sp2/2p5/1p1Bp2K/Qb2pkP1/5pS1/r1P2PsP/8  (9 + 11) Michael Keller & Thornsten Zirkwitz 1-2. Prize, Sachsische Zeitung, 2001 [Tries : {1.Bxf7? [2.Sg6#] Sh4!}, {1.Bxc6? [2.Sd5#] Se3!} Key : 1.h3! [2.Kh6 ~ 3.Sh5# (1)] 1...Rxc2 2.Qxc2 (1) 2...cxd5/ f5 3.Sxd5# / 3.Sg6# 1...Sh4 2.Bxc6 (1) Bxe7 3.Qxe4# 1...Se3 2.Bxf7 (1) Bxe7 3.Qxe4# 1...e3 2.Qxb4+ (1) e4 3.Qxe4#  Logical, Themes Banny, Pseudo Le Grand].

(727) 3 #7, Mate in 7 moves, qr6/pp2Pb1B/rP6/p1R1SS1k/R4P2/2pPP2p/5p2/5K2 (11 + 11) Olivier Schmitt  Diagrammes, 2011 [Tries : {1.Bg6? Bxg6!}, {1.Sd7? Rxb6!} Key : 1.Rc6! (1) 1...bxc6 2.Sd7 Kg4 3.Sf6+ Kf3 4.Ra2 Bxa2 5.Sd7 Kg4 6.Se5+ (3) Kh5 7.Bg6# 1...Rxb6 2.Sg7+ Kh4 3.Rxb6 [4.Sf5+ Kh5 5.Rh6#] axb6 4.Kxf2 [5.Sf3+ Kg4 6.Bf5#] Be6 5.Sf3+ Kg4 6.f5+ (1) Bc4 7.Rxc4# Switchback of wSe5, sacrifice of wR. Two foreplans for the deflection of bBf7].

(728) 4 +, White plays and wins, 1b6/5b2/3p1B1k/8/6Kp/1P1S2S1/8/8 (5 + 5) Sergeo Nikolaevich Tkachenko   2nd Commendation, Israel-Chess-Composition-Society-50 JT, 1998 [1.Sf5+ Kg6 2.Bd8! (1) Bxb3 3.Se7+ Kf7 4.Sc6! Ke8 5.Ba5! (1) (5.Bb6? Kd7! 6.Sxb8+ Kc8 7.Sc6 Ld1+ 8.Kxh4 Kb7 9.Sd4 Kxb6! 10.Sb2 Kc5 11.Se6+ Kd5 12.Sf4+ Ke4)  5...Bc7! 6.Bxc7 Kd7 7.Sd4! (1) Bd1+ 8.Kxh4(1) (8.Kg5? Kxc7 9.Sb2 h3 10.Sxd1 h2 11.Sf2 Kb6 12.Kg4 Kc5 13.Se6+ Kc4) 8...Kxc7 9.Sb2! (1) +-  Domination to ensure win (according Troitzky)].

(729) 5 h#3, 211111, Helpmate in 3 moves, 2 solutions  2R5/3S4/1pr4s/3p1kq1/2rs4/4p3/1K6/1b6 (3 + 10) Christer Jonsson 1.Prize, Schach, 1988 [1.Kg6 Rc7 2.Sh6-f5 Sf8+ 3.Kh6 Rh7#  (2.5) 1.Ke4 Rd8 2.Sd4-f5 Sf6+ 3.Kd4 Rxd5# (2.5) Exchange of positions between bK and each bS, Model mates.]

(730) 6 s#5, Selfmate in 5 moves, 2b4R/1p1p1S2/1P1Q1RSb/P1p4k/1B6/2P2KP1/ 3P1P2/5B2 (14 + 6) Bohuslav Mikyska Sachove Listy, 1901 [Key : 1.Sh4! zugzwang (1) 1...c4 2.Bd3 cxd3 3.a6 bxa6 4.Ba5 Bb7+5.Qd5+ (2) Bxd5# 1...cxb4 2.Bh3 ~ 3.Sg2 ~ 4.Qc5+ d5 5.Bg4+ (2) Bxg4#]

2#: Write the key.

3# and 7#: Write the key, possible threats and all the variations until the last-but-one white move

Study: Write all the moves until a visible win.

H#: Write the full solution

S#: Write the key, possible threats and all the variations until the last-but-one white move.

---

12th  Greek Championship, 15 IX 2013

Round 2  -  Problems, Time 2 hours

(731) 1  #2, Mate in 2 moves,  sr6/3QS1bb/qB1S4/1R5r/p1P2R2/PPk1p2s/2B1P3/2K5 (12 + 10) Carel J. R. Sammelius 1-2 Prize, JT Nederlandse-Bond-van-Probleemvrienden-35, 1966 [Tries : {1.Se7-f5? Re8!}, {1.Sd6-f5? Sh3xf4!}, {1.Qf5? Sxb6!}, {1.Rf4-f5? Qb7!}, {1.Bf5? Qxb5!} Key: 1.Rb5-f5! (5) [2.Sd5# / Se4#] Sacrifice Novotni, where only one from six moves is right!]

(732) 2  #3, Mate in 3 moves,  3S1b2/Q4B2/5pp1/1kpSpR2/8/p7/2b5/K7 (6 + 8) Cenek Kainer Casopis Sach 1921 [Key: 1.Sc6! [2.Sd5-b4 [3.Qa5/Qa6] cxb4 3.Sd4# (1) 1...Bxf5/Be4 2.Qa4+ (1) Kxa4 3.Sd5-c3# 1...gxf5 2.Sa5 (1) ~ 3.Be8# 1...Kxc6 2.Qb6+ (1) Kd7 3.Qc7# 1...Kc4 2.Qa6+(1) Kb3 3.Qb5# Sacrificial key, Model mates, Theme Cyclic Zilahi (the mating piece is captured in another variation)]

(733) 3  #4, Mate in 4 moves,  2s5/3s1Q2/2R4B/qP1ppB2/S1pk2P1/Ppb1p3/4P3/5K2 (10 + 10) Igor A. Agapov (after Anatoly Styopochkin) Special Prize, 1st FIDE World Cup 2010 [Key: 1.Qe6! (1) [2.Bxe3+ Kxe3 3.Qh6+ Kd4 4.e3# (1) 1...Sf6 2.Qxe5+ Kxe5 3.Re6+ (1) Kd4 4.Bxe3# 1...Qd8 2.Rxc4+ Kxc4 3.Qc6+ (0.5) Kd4 4.Qxc3#, 3...Sc5 4.Qxc5#, 2...dxc4 3.Qc6 (0.5) Sc5 4.Qxc5#, 3...Sd6 4.Qxd6# 1...Bd2 2.Qxd5+ Kxd5 3.Be6+ (1) Kd4/Κe4 4.Rxc4#  Changed mates, Switchback of bK, Themes Zilahi, Kniest, Bristol, Chumakov, ODT].

(734) 4  =, White plays and draws, 6r1/2R3pk/q1s1p3/4S2K/b3P3/4P3/2Q5/8 (6 + 7) Amazia Avni Chess in Israel, 1999 [1.Qh2 (1) (1.Sf7? Qa5+ 2.e5+ g6+ (2...Βxc2? 3.Sg5+ Kh8 4.Sf7+ Kh7 5.Sg5+) 3.Kg4 (3.Kg5 Βxc2) 3...Qxc7 4.Sg5+ Kg7 5.Sxe6+ Kf7]  1...Rh8! (1...Re8? 2.Kg5+ Kg8 3.Rxg7+)  2.Sf7 (2.Kg5+? Kg8 3.Qf4 Sxe5)  2...Kg8+! 3.Sxh8 Qa5+ (3...Bd1+ 4.Kh4! Kxh8? 5.Kg3+)  4.Kg6! (1) (4.Kg4? Se5+)  4...Se5+ 5.Qxe5! Be8+! (5...Qxe5 6.Rc8+)  6.Rf7! Qxe5  = (3) Stalemate by self-pin.]

(735) 5  h#6, Helpmate in 6 moves,  8/1s2k3/qp6/rB6/8/8/8/5K2 (2 + 5) Frantiek Korostenski Prize, Sachove Umeni 2001 [1.Kd6 Bd3 2.Qc4 Ke2 3.Qc7 Ba6 4.Kc6 Kd3 5.Rd5+ Kc4 6.Rd6 Bb5# (5) Circuit of wB and Pelle move (while it is pinned), Bicolour Bristol].

(736) 6  s#3, Selfmate in 3 moves, 4b3/2S1p3/2p1p3/P1k1P2p/K4P1P/PR1R4/3S4/Q7 (11 + 5) Leonid Kubbel Jas 1935 , 1st Prize [Set play : 1…Bd7 2.Sxe6+ Bxe6 3.Rb5+ cxb5# Key: 1.Rd8! zugzwang (1) 1...Bd7 2.Qd4+ Kxd4 3.Kb4 (2) c5# 1...Bxg6  2.Qc1+ Bc2 3.Sb5 (1) cxb5# 1...Bf7 2.Sxe6+ Bxe6 3.Rb5+ (1) cxb5# Critical move of wR, Model mates].

       

2#: Write the key.

3# and 4#: Write the key, possible threats and all the variations until the last-but-one white move

Study: Write all the moves until a visible draw.

H#: Write the full solution

S#: Write the key, possible threats and all the variations until the last-but-one white move.