Christmas Trees

There are problems having symmetric placing of the pieces. We have presented many of them (see the problems 7, 155, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 245, 246, 247, 250, 309).

The special case of symmetry around a vertical axis (same direction with the columns) and pattern reminding a fir-tree, has been used by composers to send wishes during Christmas time. These problems are known as Christmas trees (Xmas trees). Maybe the most popular problem, from those published here, is Problem-155, which is a tree from the side of the Black. (See also here).

Today we present an original two-mover by Nikos Pergialis, known composer of rebetiko songs and also chess problems!. It shows a small Christmas tree and a star (the white Queen) sheding light from above. As he himself has described it "Simple and elegant like a rebetiko song".

	(Problem 392) Nikos Pergialis, original, 2009 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (4 + 4)
[3Q4/8/8/3p4/2p1p3/2PkP3/8/3K4]

Tries : [1.Qb6? Kxc3!], [1.Qf6? / Qh8? Kxe3!]

Key : 1.Qd6! (zugzwang).
1...Kxc3 / Kxe3 2.Qa3# / Qg3# (two echo model mates).
1...d4 2.Qxd4#


Wishes to all, to live happily these holidays ... and all the other days!

Composers cooperating, (No.2)

Today we choose to remember Nikos Siotis, (this was his name-day). He was very good composer, specialized in helpmates, and cared for the new problemists. We have published a problem by Nikos Siotis in this blog (see here, in cooperation with Demetrius Kapralos).

In today's post we will see two of Siotis problems, one in cooperation with the Grand Maitre Byron Zappas and another in cooperation with Vassilios D. Lyris.

Not one of them is with us anymore, and we remember them with admiration for their work.

	(Problem 390) Nikos Siotis and Byron Zappas, First Prize, The Problemist, 1994 Helpmate in 3 moves. Two solutions. h#3 2.1.1... (10 + 12)
[6bq/b1Bp3p/rp1P4/1s1Pp3/1R1Ppk1P/1P6/1K1Pr3/7B]

Line clearances with annihilations, followed by self-blockings and black interferences. Diagonal / Orthogonal transformation.

	(Problem 391) Basil Lyris and Nikos Siotis, First Honourable Mention, Sredba na Solidarnosta, 1986-9, Helpmate in 2 moves. Three solutions. h#2 3.1.1.1 (5 + 16)
[2Q5/3bps1/1p4p1/p2pk1s1/3Sp2b/1p3r1r/1P5p/2q1B2K]

The black Queen unpins and then is pinned, so that white Queen can take action.


I will be waiting (for a few days) for you to send solutions.

(The problems are included in the edition "Selected Chess Compositions by Greek Composers", prepared for the 47_th World Congress of Chess Composition, Halkidiki, Greece, September 4-11, 2004. Editor : Harry Fougiaxis).

Multiple-twin problem

The problem we present has a peculiarity. It is a multiple problem, but not exactly a twin, because the produced problems have different number of moves in their solutions.
The American Joseph Wainwright (1851 – 1921) is the composer, known for his tasks with two-mover problems.

Each problem is producing the next one just after the key-move is played, while the number of moves for the solution is increased by 1. To be exact...
...the initial position is Mate in 2 moves,
after the key is Mate in 3 moves,
after the key is Mate in 4 moves,
after the key is Mate in 5 moves.

	(Problem 388) J. C. J. Wainwright, American Chess Bulletin, 1910, Mate in 2 moves. (a) #2 (10 + 9), (b) after the key of (a) #3, (c) after the key of (b) #4, (d) after the key of (c) #5
[8/2p1p1p1/p1PkP1P1/B1p2K2/2P5/pPP4p/P6p/7B]

In the initial position Black is stalemated. The solutions are simple (with possible exception the five-mover) :

(a) 1.b4! (zugzwang) cxb4 2.Bxb4#

(b) 1.b5! (zz) axb5 2.cxb5 (zz) c4 3.Bb4#

(c) 1.b6! (zz) cxb6 2.Bxb6 a5 3.c7 a4 4.c8=S#

(d) 1.Kg5! cxb6 2.Bxb6 a5 3.c7
3...a4 4.c8=Q/B Ke5 5.Bc7#
3...Kxe6 4.c8=Q+ Kd6/Ke5 5.Bc7#
3...Ke5 4.c8=Q a4/Kd6 5.Bc7#

---

27-11-2009 : The friend reader Alotan has posted a comment :
Nice problem. The mate in 5 had many variations and I had to set it on the chessboard. The reason for comment, however, is that it reminded me a nice helpmate problem by Caillaud, with similar twinning mechanism :

	(Problem 389) Michel Caillaud, First prize, Pitlochry TT 2003 (a) h#2 (5+2), (b) Position of (a) before the mating move and h#2, (c) Position of (b) before the mating move and h#2.
[8/4p3/3S4/8/SRBk3K/8/8/8]

It is not exceptional or difficult, but it belongs to those problems that remain carved in the memory of the solver.

Dear readers, send the solution.

Composers cooperating, (No.1)

Today's post is the first of a new series. We will present problems created by cooperating composers. Initially all composers will be Greek, later on only one composer will be Greek.

We believe that when two composers try to cooperate, the final result comes more quickly, because both composers work more intensely. The cooperation is a factor of motivation.

In problem-387 the composers are George Georgopoulos and Efthimios Papakonstantinou.

	(Problem 387) George Georgopoulos & Efthimios Papakonstantinou, First Prize, Die Schwalbe, 1990, Mate in 4 moves. #4 (9 + 12)
[q1s5/pb5s/1SP1Sp2/r5b1/r5p1/p1QB2Pk/5P2/5RK1]

If you try to move first the Rook to make room for the Bishop, ( 5 tries : [1.R~? Ba6!] ), the problem will not be solved. With your key-move you must sacrifice the white Queen! Anyway, the sacrifice threatens Mate in 3, and Black can not be indifferent.

Key : 1.Qxf6! ( > 2.Sxg5 Rxg5 3.Qh6+ Rh5 4.Qxh5# )

1...Bxf6 2.Re1 ( > 3.Bf1# )
___2...Ba6 3.Sc4 ( Novotny sacrifice on c4, > 4.Sf4# / Bf1# )
___2...Bxc6 3.Re4 ( Novotny sacrifice on e4, > 4.Sf4# / Bf1# )
1...Sxf6 2.Rb1 ( > 3.Bf1# )
___2...Ba6 3.Rb5 ( Novotny sacrifice on b5, > 4.Sxg5# / Bf1# )
___2...Bxc6 3.Sd5 ( Novotny sacrifice on d5, > 4.Sxg5# / Bf1# )

For the moves 2...Ba6/Bxc6 the White continues with Knight/Rook in one variation, and with Rook/Knight in the other.

(The problem is included in the edition "Selected Chess Compositions by Greek Composers", prepared for the 47_th World Congress of Chess Composition, Halkidiki, Greece, September 4-11, 2004. Editor : Harry Fougiaxis).

How does a machine think?

http://turbulence.org/project/thinking-machine-4/

To be honest, I do not want to know.
I like the way I think (steepest descend method – and all the rest).

But there is a chess playing machine which lets you see, in an artistically interesting manner, the moves as they are calculated.

Click here to go to the thinking machine, (newer version 6).

Start to play a game, in order to see the graphics, and continue playing, hoping that you will win (which is not sure...).

(Image copyright © Thinking Machine 4, Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris)