Dedication for Manolas-60

The good composer Ioannis Garoufalidis has composed a "selfmate in 3 moves" problem, and has dedicated it to the Composition Contest Manolas-60 which is ending on 12 July 2010. We are thanking him warmly.

Let our readers try to solve this problem without peeking at the solution which is written at the bottom of this post.

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	(Problem 406) Garoufalidis, Ioannis, Dedicated to "JT Manolas-60", Selfmate in 3 moves. s#3 (12 + 2)
[7K/7R/1P3Sk1/2P1Q1P1/5PP1/8/PP6/qS6]

White plays and forces Black to mate in 3 moves. The solution has got three variations.

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We give again the declaration of the Composition Contest Manolas-60, as it has appeared in various magazines and web sites.

International Chess Composition Contest : "Jubilee Tourney Manolas - 60", Closing date 2010-07-12.
The Greek committee for Chess Composition announces the "Jubilee Tourney Manolas – 60".
Theme free. Accepted are original three-mover chess problems in the following four sections:
A. direct mate #3, with at least three variations. Judge Emmanuel Manolas.
B. helpmate h#3, with exactly three solutions, no zero-positions, no twins. Judge Harry Fougiaxis.
C. selfmate s#3, with at least three variations. Judge Ioannis Garoufalidis.
D. fairy #3, with accepted elements : {one fairy condition} or {one fairy condition and one fairy piece type} or {one or two fairy piece types}. Judge Kostas Prentos.
Computer-checked problems may be submitted by each composer to more than one section. For each problem, the following information is expected : Name & e-mail & country of the composer, diagram & FEN notation & stipulation & solution of the problem.
Send e-mails, with subject "JT-Manolas-60", to manolas.emmanuel@gmail.com .
Closing day : 12-July-2010.
The participants will receive a copy of the award by e-mail.
The award will be published in blogs "http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com", "http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com".


"Jubilee Tourney Manolas - 60"
#3 (мінімум, три варіанти гри у рішенні) - суддя: Emmanuel Manolas
Н#3 (обов’язково має бути три рішення без близнюків) - суддя: Harry Fougiaxis
S#3 (мінімум, три варіанти гри у рішенні) - суддя: Ioannis Garoufalidis
Казкові #3 - з одною казковою умовою; або з одною казковою умовою і казковими фігурами одного типу; або з казковими фігурами одного чи двох типів - cуддя: Kostas Prentos
Термін: 12. 07. 2010
manolas.emmanuel@gmail.com
Кожен автор може надіслати свої роботи, перевірені на комп’ютері, до будь-
якого розділу конкурсу. Обов’язково слід вказати своє ім’я і прізвище, e-mail і
країну, позицію задачі на діаграмі і у нотації з повним розв’язком.
Всі учасники отримають копію присудження по електронній пошті.
Присудження буде опублікованим на сайтах:
"http://chess-problems-gr.blogspot.com",
"http://kallitexniko-skaki.blogspot.com".

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Solution of Problem-406, (Ioannis Garoufalidis) :
Key : 1.Sd7! zugzwang.
1...Qxb1 2.Qf5+ Qxf5 3.Sf8+ Qxf8#
1...Qxb2 2.Qf6+ Qxf6+ 3.Rg7+ Qxg7#
1...Qxa2 2.Qe8+ Qf7 3.Sb8 Qxe8#

We expect that the more creative readers will send their compositions to the Manolas-60 Contest.

Solving Contest ESSThCh 2009

At the large hall KAP-PA 2000, Peraia Thessaloniki Greece, the Union of Chess Clubs of Thessaloniki and Chalkidiki (ESSThCh) has organized preliminary Youth championships Κ 08 – 16, and also some athletes were honored. Among others, Kostas Prentos received a special prize because he is Champion of Greece for eight continuous years in Chess Problem Solving.

In Wednesday, December 30 2009, the First Solving Contest of ESSThCh for 2009, with Judge Kostas Prentos, took also place.

Comments by the Judge : "The solvers had to solve six problems in two hours. I tried to select relatively easy problems, but not succesfully because the No.2 problem presented great difficulty to all solvers. Ten solvers tried their hand, some with relevant experience, the most for their first time, and the general impression was that they liked the experience of the contest.

Winner was Kleanthis Vafiadis with absolute grade 30/30 in 83' minutes. Kleanthis is a strong player and has a long exposure to chess problems. He had earned distinctions in other contests, as a young solver in 1989 at a contest of Municipality of Athens, and later in 2000 at a Thessaloniki solving contest. I believe that he can achieve a good placing in the all-Greece solving contests.

Second was George Dalaklis, with 26 points in 118'. George also is a strong player, but as a first-time solver he ranked admirably.

Third was Elias Kakousatze, with 20 points in 109'.

The winners were awarded, the first with a cup, the next two with medals."

The ranking of the solvers is the following :

(1) Vafiadis Kleanthis, points 30 (minutes 83')
(2) Dalaklis George, p.26 (118')
(3) Kakousatze Elias, p.20 (109')
(4) Mimikos Stelios, p.12 (120')
(5) Konstantinidis Lazaros, p.11 (87')
(6) Lykoudis Kostas, p.10 (109')
(7-8) Peskelidis Stavros, p.03 (120')
(7-8) Ermeidis Panagiotis, p.03 (120')
(9) Alevizopoulos Panagiotis, p.02 (120')
(10) Zevgolis Nikos, p.01 (120')

We present the problems of the contest. Try to solve them without peeking at the solutions below :

	(Problem 400) Sam Loyd, Detroit Free Press TT, 1878 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (8 + 4)
[8/2S5/8/k2SQ3/P1R5/Pp6/s2p4/1K1B4]

	(Problem 401) Wilhelm Schroder, Fourth prize, Schach-Echo, 1933, Mate in 3 moves. #3 (7 + 4)
[8/8/8/3p4/2BPSkp1/2PQS1p1/6K1/8]

	(Problem 402) Godfrey Heathcote, Fourth Prize, Norwich Mercury, 1904-05 Mate in 3 moves. #3 (6 + 4)
[Q7/8/8/3p1K2/8/3S3p/P4BSp/7k]

	(Problem 403) Bruno Sommer, Second Prize, Die Schwalbe, 1963 Mate in 5 moves. #5 (5 + 2)
[4r3/8/8/8/1B6/4P3/6R1/1K1k2S1]

	(Problem 404) Tigran Gorgiev, Fourth Honoured Mention, "64", 1930 White plays and wins. + (3 + 3)
[1k3b2/4B2K/5r2/8/8/R7/8/8]

	(Problem 405) Leonid Kubbel, First Prize, Siberia TT, 1928-29 White plays and wins. + (5 + 4)
[6s1/3p4/8/1P2k1s1/4P3/B5K1/3P4/8]

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And now the solutions for the impatient...

Problem 400, Sam Loyd, Mate in 2 moves.
Key : 1.Qa1! (Waiter. The explanation for the key is found in the fourth variation...)
1...b2 2.Rc5#
1...Sc1 2.Qc3#
1...Sc3+ 2.Qxc3#
1...Sb4 2.axb4# (...where the wQ guards the pawn a4).


Problem 401, Wilhelm Schroder, Mate in 3 moves.
Key : 1.Ba6! (Waiter).
1...dxe4 2.Qb5 Kxe3 3.Qg5#


Problem 402, Godfrey Heathcote, Mate in 3 moves.
Key : 1.Qh8! ( > 2.Sg2~ d4 3.Qa8# )
1...hxg2 2.Bg1 ( > 3.Qxh2# ) Kxg1 3.Qa1#
1...Kxg2 2.Qxh3+ Kxh3 / Kh1 3.Sf4# / Qf1#(Qf3#)
1...d4 2.Se3 dxe3 3.Qa8#


Problem 403, Bruno Sommer, Mate in 5 moves.
Tries : [1.Re2? Rxe3!], [1.Rc2? Rc8!], [1.Rg4? Re4!]
Key : 1.Rf2! ( > 2.Rf1# )
1...Rf8 2.Re2 ( > 3.Re1# ) Rf1 3.Rd2+ Ke1 4. Rc2+ Kd1 5.Rc1#


Problem 404, Tigran Gorgiev, White plays and wins.
Key : 1.Rb3+! Rb6 2.Rxb6+ Kc7 ( 2...Ka7? 3.Re6 +- ) 3.Bd8+ Kxd8 4.Rb8+ Ke7 5.Kg6 +-


Problem 405, Leonid Kubbel, White plays and wins.
Key : 1.d4! ( 1.b6? Sxe4+ 2.Kh4 Sd6 3.d4+ Kd5 4.Bxd6 Kxd6 5.d5 Sf6 -+ ) Ke6 2.d5+ Ke5 3.b6 Sxe4+ 4.Kh4 Sd6 5.Bxd6+ Kxd6 6.Kg5 Se7 7.b7 Kc7 8.d6+ +-

Wishes for all

Happy new year! Health and joy for all!

Solving contest, Zenon Glyfada Athens Greece

The contest in Monday 28/12/2009 had less solvers than expected, because the games of the chess tourney in the same room lasted longer than usual.
The ranking of the participants is as follows :

(1) Mendrinos Nikolaos, points 25 (minutes 25')
(2) Vlahos Elissaios, p.25 (62')
(3) Manolas Emmanuel, p.25 (86')
(4) Sklavounos Panagis, p.22 (61')
(5) Fougiaxis Harry, p.15 (77')
(6) Nikitakis J., p.09 (90')
(7) Fotopoulos G., p.07 (84')
(8) Roinos E., p.07 (90')
(9-11) Papadopoulos P., p.05 (90')
(9-11) Fotopoulos S., p.05 (90')
(9-11) Georgakis E., p.05 (90')
(12) Berk Atakak, p.00 (84')

The first five (who take part also in the Greek champioship) were considered just visitors, so the medals were given to places sixth and up.

The Judge Ioannis Garoufalidis presented (before the contest) a tutorial for new solvers, explaining the method of solution of two problems. We present these problems and a sort explanation of their solutions.

We present next the five problems of the solving contest. We will publish their solutions shortly. In the meantime, send in comments the solutions and the time you needed to solve them.

	(Problem 393) Frank Healy, Canadian Illustrated News, 1876 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (7 + 3)
[1b6/8/4KB2/8/6S1/Q3RPk1/6p1/6S1 ]

If the black King makes a move, we have a ready mate [1...Κf4 2.Se2#].
In problems we do not usually have a checking first move. Here Black has defenses to moves, like [1.Bh4+? Kxh4!], [1.f4+? Kxg4!], [1.Se2+? Kh3!], [1.Qd6+? Bxd6!].
In some tries we observe that the black Bishop is defending, like [1.Kf5? / Qc5? Bf4!], [1.Qa5? / Qc3? Bd6!]. Thus, we must limit these moves by the black Bishop.

Key : 1.Qe7! (If black Bishop plays Bc7 / Bd6, then the Queen captures the piece and mates).
1...Be5 2.Bxe5# (The white Bishop can act capturing a piece ...)
1...Bf4 2.Bh4# ( ... or exploiting the self-block of the Black).

	(Problem 394) Unknown, Land and Water, 1876 Mate in 3 moves. #3 (8 + 2)
[7/7K/8/2S5/2p2P2/2P2BPk/6R1/2B5]

Black has not a move and we must allow him to have one.
Using the Knight we do not achieve anything : [1.Sb3? cxb3!], [1.Sd3? cxd3!].
With the Pawn or the Rook the results are futile : [1.g4? Kh4!], [1.Rg1? Kh2!], [1.Ra2? / Rb2? / Rc2? / Rd2? / Re2? / Rf2? Kxg3!].
So, we must find the exact square of arrival for the white Bishop. There are some tries : [1.Bd1? / Be2? / Bh5? Kxg2!], [1.Ba8? / Bb7? / Bc6? / Be4? Kg4!]. Thus there is one square for the ...

... Key : 1.Bd5! (zz) (After two consecutive zugzwang, Black will have X-flights).
if 1...Kg4 2.Se4 (zz)
and if 2...Kf5 / Kh5 / Kh3 / Kf3 then 3.g4# / Sf6# / Sf2# / Sf6#


And now, the problems of the contest :

	(Problem 395) Maurus Ehrenstein, Oesterreichische Lesehalle, 1881 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (2 + 2)
[8/Q4p2/8/5K1k/8/8/8/8]

This problem is surely for young solvers!

	(Problem 396) Comins Mansfield, Good Companions, 1914 Mate in 2 moves. #2 (8 + 8)
[1b6/r2p1Q1K/2B3p1/1p1SB2b/4kP2/2P4R/4r3/8]

If the Queen does leave from the seventh row, there is a Pawn-Rook battery for Black. White has got already a Knight-Bishop battery, but is it enough?

	(Problem 397) Frank W. Martindale, ?, 1890 Mate in 3 moves. #3 (7 + 4)
[5K2/8/7p/4P1p1/1R4pk/1R6/B4P2/2B5]

With two ambushes, two nice chameleon mates are achieved.

	(Problem 398) Wilhelm Karl Heinrich Massmann 1st Prize, Die Schwalbe, 1941, Mate in 3 moves. #3 (7 + 2)
[3b4/8/4S1K1/2B1P3/2P1k1S1/8/4B3/8]

If 1.Bd4? then 1...Bh4!. If 1.Be3? then 1...Be7!. It seems that thw white Bishop on c5 must move, as a key move, but the question remains : where to?

	(Problem 399) C. Bent, BESN, 2008 White plays and wins. + (4 + 3)
[8/B7/P2b4/8/B7/p1k4K/8/8]

Instructive study, with the black King free in the middle of the chessboard, and a very smart fourth move!

Solving Contest Zenon Glyfada Athens Greece

Solving Contest "Zenon" Glyfada Athens Greece
_Solving_contests, __#n

The local chess club of Glyfada (Athens, Greece) has organised a Solving Chess Problems Contest for 28/12/2009. (Club site : www.zinonchess.gr). We will publish the problems and their solutions

And news from the Internet :
Event : International Chess Composition Day 2010
Type : Tourney
Start time : Saturday, 26 12 2009, 10:00 a.m. (time in Italy)
Finish time : Monday, 04 01 2009, 12:00 p.m.
Place : All around the world
Announcement : [On the 26th of December at 10:00 hours CET (Central European Time) we shall publish six problems for solving at Chess Composition & Puzzles website, at Facebook. Please solve the problems as soon as you can and send your solutions to e-mail address: pzrdig2-at-gmail.com (please switch the letters '-at-' with letter '@' ). Don't send your solution as comments to this website! Closing date: January 4th 2010 at 12:00 h CET (Central European Time). Welcome and thank you for participating!
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=221335061285&ref=nf]