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 [ ].

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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.

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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.

World Team Tourney, WCCT-9, results

The relevant site for this event is here : http://www.wfcc.ch/competitions/composing/9_wcct/

There are pdf files available for download with all the contributions.

The results are here.

(My entry, (is the A68 composition in page 25), took 1,5 grades and simply allowed Greece to appear in the 37th position).

Congratulations to the winners!

A simple nine-mover

At this time of the year, those composers wanting to participate to the Tourneys of the World Congress of Chess Composition, are over their chessboards trying for their best. I am one of them and I am sorry if the posts in this blog are not frequent.
New tourneys are continuously announced, some of them open for composers from all over the world (not only for the participants of the congress).
Sometimes we go astray, not following the strict guidelines of the judges, and we make other compositions, just for fun.
Today's nine-mover could be sent to one of the Batumi tourneys if it was difficult and two-mover! But it is not, so I present it to you as an exercise. If you write a comment with the solution, please include the specific one of the tourneys I was implying.

Problem-724 Emmanuel Manolas, Greece original

1B1q4/3r4/rpp2pS1/2RB3s/p7/8/2K5/k7 (5 + 9) #9, Mate in nine moves

The solution will be posted here in a few days 1.Rc3! [2.Ra3#] 1…a3 2.Kb3 [3.Rc1#] Kb1 3.Be4+ Rd3 4.Bxd3+ Qxd3 5.Rxd3 [6.Rd1#] Kc1 6.Bf4+ Sxf4 7.Sxf4 [8.Se2+ Kb1 9.Rd1#] The relevant tourney is 25th TT SPIŠSKÁ BOROVIČKA.

World Championship in Composition for Individuals, 2010-2012

The World Federation for Chess Composition (WFCC) has published the results 2010- 2012 for the World Championship in Composing for Individuals (WCCI).

Specifically, per Section

Section	1st place	2nd place	3rd place
A – Twomovers	Marjan Kovačević	Vasil Dyachuk	Valery Shanshin
B – Threemovers	Aleksandr Feoktistov	Mikhail Marandyuk	Aleksandr Kuzovkov
C – Moremovers	Mikhail Marandyuk	Aleksandr Kuzovkov	Aleksandr Feoktistov
D – Endgame studies	Sergiy Didukh	Richard Becker	Oleg Pervakov
E – Helpmates	Michal Dragoun	Aleksandr Semenenko	Viktor Chepizhny
F – Selfmates	Andrey Selivanov	Torsten Linss	Diyan Kostadinov
G – Fairies	Petko A. Petkov	Vlaicu Crișan	Peter Gvozdják
H – Retros	Dmitrij Baibikov	Nikolai Beluhov	Nicolas Dupont

Congratulations to the winners and to all the participants.

From the Greek perspective, we saw per Section / Position
Kostas Prentos, E/55, G/22, H/13
Themis Argirakopoulos, G/46

Solving contest in Ikaros-2013, Greece

One of the events, during the very successful 36th International chess tourney IkariaChess-2013 in Greece, was a Solving Contest. The problems were selected by Mr Dimitris Skyrianoglou and Judge was Ms Marianna Pagali.

The winners are :
1st, Nikolaos Kampanis with absolute score 20/20 and time 1 hour 30 minutes.
2nd, Pavel Kisevel with 19,5/20 in 24 minutes.
3rd, Anastassios Papargyriou with 19/20 in 26 minutes.

Following in rank were : (4th) Athanassios Spiliadis, (5th) Achilleas Kouros, (6th) Alexei Vetyogov, (7th) Chariton Papacharitonos,(8th) Nikitas Georgiadis, (9th) Alexandros Pissias, (10th) Aggeliki Issari, (11th) Georgios Vassilakopoulos, (12th) Evgeny Karganashvili.

And now the problems. Try to solve them. The solution text is visible only when selected.

Problem-718 Vitaly Kovalenko Karpati Igaz, 1968

1k6/1P6/4K3/8/1Q6/8/8/8 (3 + 1) #2, a) diagram, b) wRb4

[a) Key : 1.Qb5! Ka7 / Kc7 2.b8=Q# b) 1.Rb6! Ka7 / Kc7 2.b8=Q# Mate from a square initially occupied by the bK. Theme Umnov. Only (b) was given for solving.]

Problem-719 Boris Pustovoi after K.A.L. Kubbel Molodoo sibiriak, before 1987

5Q2/6pk/8/6KP/8/8/8/8 (3 + 2) #2

[Key : 1.Kf5! 1...Kh6 2.Qh8# 1...g~ 2.hxg6 (e.p.)# Flight-giving key, exposes the wK to check.]

Problem-720 Philip H. Williams Birmingham Post, 1890

8/8/4K3/1kB5/1P4Q1/5B2/8/8 (5 + 1) #2

[Set play : {1...Ka6 2.Qc4#}. Key : 1.Qh3! 1...Ka6 2.Qf1# 1...Kc4 2.Be2# 1...Ka4 2.Bc6# Flight-giving key. Model mates.]

Problem-721 Frederick Gamage 3rd Prize, Western Daily Mercury, 1907

b1k5/2B2R2/8/K1S5/Bp1pp3/5q2/8/2Q5 (6 + 6) #2

[Tries : {1.Bd7+? Kxc7!}, {1.Qg5? [2.Qd8# / Qg8#] Qf6!} Key : 1.Sb7! [2.Sd6#] 1...Bxb7 2.Bd7# 1...Qg3 2.Bxg3# 1...Qf4 2.Bxf4# 1...Qf5+ / Qh5+ 2.Be5# 1...Qf6 2.Bd6# 1...Kxb7 2.Bf4# Sacrificial key. Black corrections. Cross-checks. Exposition of wK to check. Anti-triple for the defenses Qf4-f5-f6.]

Problem-722 Samuel Gold Lasker's Chess Magazine, 1904

8/k7/1pK5/8/8/8/6R1/8 (2 + 2) #3

[Key : 1.Rc2! 1...b5 2.Kc7 [3.Ra2#] 1...Kb8 2.Kxb6 Ka8 3.Rc8# 1...Ka8 2.Kc7 [3.Ra2#] Model mates.]

Problem-723 William A. Shinkman Checkmate, 1901

6ss/2p3K1/8/7k/2B4p/5R2/3B4/8 (4 + 5) #3

[Key : 1.Rc3! [2.Be2#] 1...h3 2.Rxh3+ Kg4 3.Be6# 1...Sh6 / Sf6 2.Be2+ Sg4 3.Rc5# 1...Kg4 2.Be6+ Kh5 3.Rc5#]