a) 1.Kb5 Rf7: 2.Ka6 a4 3.Ra5 Rf6#
b) 1.Qb3+ ab3 2.Kb5 Kb7 3.Rb4 Rf5#
c) 1.Rf5 Rf7: 2.Kc6 Kc8 3.Rc4 Rf6#
Three ideal mates, two of which are echoed.[MV]
482. Dragan Stojnic Yugoslavia
h#3
211111
3+3
1.Kg4 Bg7 2.Bg3 Bh6 3.Bh4 Se3#
1.Re5 Se3 2.Re4 Bg7 3.Be5 Bh6#
Two model mates. White moves are cyclically shifted.[MV]
1.f1S Sb4 2.Sg3 Rd1 3.Se2 Sc2#
1.f1R Sc5 2.Rd1 Sb3 3.Rd3: Re1#
Two minor promotions lead to two ideal mates.[MV]
485. Albert Grigoryan Armenia
h#3
211111
2+7
1.Kf1 Qd1:+ 2.e1R Qg4: 3.g1R Qf3#
1.g1B Qa2: 2.Sb2 Qb2: 3.Bf2 Qc1#
Simple black strategy are self-blocks by minor promotions, and even simpler white strategy to elimnate as much as necessary black units.[MV]
486. Stefano Spinelli Italy
h#3
411111
3+8
1.Kc5 Rd2: 2.Kb6 Rd8 3.Ka7 Be3#
1.Ke5 Rh1 2.Kf6 Rh8 3.Kg7 Bb2#
1.Ke3 Bd2:+ 2.Kf2 Be1+ 3.Kg1 Bg3#
1.Kc3 Bd2:+ 2.Kb2 Bc1 3.Ka1 Ba3#
Theme figurative of the black king. Four mates always given by white bishop.[A]
487. Artur Garcer Russia
h#3
b) WKc1-->c8
5+8
a) 1.a6 Bf1 2.ab5 Bc4 3.ba4 Bd6:#
b) 1.Ka4: Bd6: 2.Kb5: Bc7 3.Ka6 Bf1#
Authors comment: I) a6-b5-a4 <--> a4-b5-a6; II) f1-d6 <--> d6-f1.
Same pathes for BP in (a) and BK in (b) but oposite directions. Simple but witty.[MV]
488. Anatoliy Stepochkin Russia
h#3
b) BKf4-->h6
6+10
a) 1.Sc6: Kd5+ 2.Se5 Bd8 3.Sg4 Bg5#
b) 1.Sc7: Ke7+ 2.Se6 Rc8 3.Sg7 Rh8#
Zilahi Theme.[A]
Paradoxical "Zilahi" eliminations instead of standard unpins of both white pinned pieces. The best h#3 in this issue.[ZG]
489. Ladislav Salai Slovakia
h#3
b) BQh6-->h3
9+7
a) 1.Sd4 cd4 2.Rc5: bc5 3.Qe3 de3# (AaBbCc)
b) 1.Qe3 de3 2.Sd4 cd4 3.Rc5: bc5# (CcAaBb)
Cyclic moves after black sacrifices. Would be more interesting if different black pieces sacrifice themselves on same squares.[MV]
490. Genadiy Chumakov Russia
h#3 W-->
021111
8+15
*1... Red3 2.Bd4: Rd4: 3.Kb6 Rd6:#
*1... Rdd3 2.Be3: Re3: 3.Kc5 Rc3#
Interesting concept: one white rook comes replaces the captured other rook and vice-versa.[MV]
491. Luigi Vitale Italy
h#4* W-->
4+4
1... b3 2.Kd4 Kf3 3.d1S Kf4 4.Sc3 Bf2:#
1... Bh2 2.Kd4 Kf3 3.f1B Kf4 4.Bc4 Bg1#
Two model mates (first one even ideal), black minor promotions, alternate self-block and guard of c3 and c4 and switchback in second solution - rich content in light position.[MV]
492. Gabor Cseh Hungary
h#4 W-->
WK in check!
b) WSh2
6+12
a) 1... fe8B 2.Qc8 g3 3.Kd8 Rc2: 4.Ke8: Rc8:#
b) 1... fe8R 2.Se5 g5 3.Kd7 Sg4 4.Ke8: Sf6#
Captures of promoted white force - speciality of young author (remeber his article on this subject in Mat Plus 13-14?). This particular combination is probably a novelty, otherwise there's no excuse for WK standing in check in initial position.[MV]
493. Luigi Vitale Italy
h#4
b) BPh4-->f4
4+2
a) 1.Kc6 Rh4: 2.Kd5 Rh2 3.Ke4 Rg2 4.Kf3 Sd2#
b) 1.Kc6 Bg5 2.Kd5 Bh4+ 3.Ke4 Re5+ 4.Kf3 Sh2#
The same path of BK leads to two different ideal mates. Interesting determination of white moves.[MV]
494. Luigi Vitale Italy
h#4
b) WSf5-->f6
3+4
a) 1.e6 Sh6 2.Qc5 Kd8 3.Bc6 e4 4.Kd6 Sf7#
b) 1.Be4 Kc7 2.Qc8+ Kb6 3.Qf5 Kc5 4.e6 Sd7#
Ideal mate only in first position. Interesting path of WK in second solution (with impure mate).[MV]
495. Luigi Vitale Italy
h#4
b) BPe3-->e4
3+4
a) 1.Kh2 Kf3 2.e2 Kg4 3.e1S Sh4 4.Sg2 Sf3#
b) 1.e3 Kf3 2.e2 Kg3 3.e1R Sf4 4.Rf1 Se2#
Interestingly, if two pawns on c-file were not present, both mating position would be possible in (b) position: 1.e3 Kd3! 2.e2 Sh4 3.e1S Ke2 4.Sg2 Sf3#.[MV]
496. Luigi Vitale Italy
h#5
211....
5+5
1.g5 h4 2.Kg4 hg5 3.h4 Ke4 4.Kh5 Kf5 5.d5 g4#
1.Kg3: Kd5 2.Kh4 Ke6 3.Kg5 h4+ 4.Kh6: Kf6 5.g5 hg5#
There are not many King&Pawns helpmate fivemovers with two lines. Interesting tempo-move 5.d5! in first solution.[MV]
497. Anatoliy Stepochkin Russia
h#5
12+7
1.a6 Sb5: 2.ab5 Rc4 3.bc4 Rd3 4.cd3 Sg6: 5.Kg6: f8S#
Phenix.[A].
Typical orthodox moremover idea and scheme of avoiding a stalemate by consecutive sacrifices of white pieces.[ZG]
498. Albert Grigoryan Armenia
h#7
(C-)
3+5
1.f1B Kg7 2.Bd3 Kf6 3.Bc2: Ke5 4.Bg6 Kf4 5.c2 Kg3: 6.c1B Kh3 7.Bg5 g4 #
NOTE: Not computer tested by the editor!Thomas Maeder reports: "I have just stumbled over no 498 and noticed it was marked C-. I tested it using Popeye: it is correct."