#2-94
#3-94
#n-94
h#-94
s#-94
#2-95
#3-95
#n-95
h#-95
s#-95
Mat Plus #2-96
#3-96
#n-96
h#-96
s#-96
#2-97
#3-97
#n-97
h#-97
s#-97
#2-98/99
#3-98/99
#n-98/99
h#-98/99
s#-98/99

Mat Plus Informal Tourney: Twomovers 1996 (corrected)
Judge: Colin Sydenham

Judging in Mat Plus is a deceptively luxurious experience. It is not necessary to wait for the solutions and solvers' comments. Solutions are provided together with penetrating comments from Marjan Kovacevic. All are sound, and all are meritorious. There is nothing to do but place them in order. That's where the difficulty start. I am grateful to Marjan for inviting me to undertake this pleasant task.

23 problems competed in this informal tourney. The fact that over half of them figure in my award shows that the standard was consistently high. The first prize picked itself, but after that was not so easy. Lower down the ranking is, as always, much more subjective. I feel I must explain why I have passed over No.213 (without misgiving). A genuine 4-fold Lacny with Y-flights would indeed be an achievement to celebrate. But a key which captures the only free black piece (a rook) in order to produce a waiter is not acceptable. Most composers would regard this position not as a publishable problem, but as a tantalising failure. To honour it would, in my view, be an affront to the standards of generations of composers past and present who would have preferred to confine it to their notebooks (and perhaps did).

In the interests of saving time I have not sought independent appraisal for anticipation, so the conditional period may produce casualties. Subject to that I congratulate all the composers named below.

M. Kovacevic &
D. Ljubomirovic

1st Prize Mat Plus 1996







#2*vv 5+3
1... d5,Kb5 Kd5
  2.Bd7,Qa4,Bf3#
1.Sb3? d5, 2.Sd4# 1... h3!
1.Bh3? Kd5 2.Bg2# 1...d6!
1.Sb7! (2.Qc4#) d5,Kb5,Kd5
  2.Qa4,Bd7,Sb4#
 
M. Subotic
2nd Prize Mat Plus 1996







#2v b) BSg5-->e4 10+9
a) 1.Rd3?A (2.c5#B)
  1... Se4 2.Sc7#C, 1... Se6:!
1.Sc7!C (2.c5#B)
  1... Se4 2.Rd3#A
1... Se6: 2.Re6:#

b) 1.Sc7?C (2.Rd3#(A)
  1... S~ 2.c5#B, 1... Sc5!
1.Rd3!A (2.Sc7#C)
  1... S~ 2.c5#B
  1... Sc4 2.Qc7#
1st Prize: No.154 - M. Kovacevic & D. Ljubomirovic. Four phases introduce reciprocal change after 1... d5/Kb5, and 3 mates for 1... d5 and 1... Kd5. All this without mechanical or symmetrical use of flights. Wonderful riches from only 8 pieces. I understand the composers' regrets, but I am not troubled by the 8th piece, on h4, which fully pays for itself.

2nd Prize: No. 191 - M. Subotic. Pseudo-Djurasevic is not a label to inspire much lively anticipation in me, even when doubled. But the proof of the pudding is in the eating. Of the 3 W moves Rd3(A)/Sc7(B)/c5(C) A and B alternately figure as tries and mates in part (a) and as tries and threats in part (b), while C is unchanged threat in part (a) and transferred mate in part (b). All this is achieved with lightness and wit by manipulating W half-pin line in the play and the twinning. The final mate by 2.Qc7 is a welcome touch.

1st Hon. Mention: No.210 - B. P. Barnes. Single phase 2-ers are rarity these days, and good ones are always refreshing. The unmasking of a moving battery piece, a favourite theme of this composer, is here shown with thematic key (vacating the c5-f2 diagonal) and a wealth of by-play from the battery. The cross-check element is self-indulgence (WPa4 does not alter the play): indeed you could call the WK a weasel, but even weasels have their place. The minor dual on e7 is of no consequence, and I do not prefer MK's slightly heavier version. Ka4 Qa7 Rc2 d4 Bc5 d3 Sf5 Pb3 (8) - Kc6 Qf2 Re3 Bf1 h2 Sa8 b8 Pf3 (8), #2, 1.Rd8! ~ 2.Sd4#, 1... R~e,Re2,Re4+,Re5,Rd3: 2.Bf2:,Bb5,Be4:,Rd6,Se7#, 1... Qh4+,Sb6+,Sd7 2.Bd4,Qb6:,Qd7:#.

2nd Hon. Mention: No.159 - Z. Gavrilovski. Reciprocal change from set to actual after 1... Ke5/Rc5. The tries 1.Sb4/Sc7, refuted in turn by the thematic defences, would be more impressive if they introduced additional changed mates. Even with the free change after 1... Kc5 it is noticeable that this problem has less play than 2nd Prize. Kh8 Qg8 Re3 g4 Ba8 f2 Sd5 h6 Pa4 b3 (10) - Kd4 Rc6 h4 Bc1 Pb6 c3 d6 e4 h5 (9), #2*vv, 1... Ke5,Rc5,Kc5 2.Ree4:,Qg7,Rc3:# (A,B); 1.Sb4? Ke5!, 1.Sc7? Rc 5!; 1.Sf4! ~ 2.Qd5#, 1... Ke5,Rc5,Kc5 2.Qg7,Re4:,Qc4# (B,A).

3rd Hon. Mention: No.160 - F. Pachl. The WB threatens on both sides of the BK, but twice interferes with the WQ. The charming key by the WK then allows the WB to threaten on an innocous square. Impeccable execution, typical of the composer. Kb1 Qc7 Ra5 f8 Ba2 Sf4 h7 Pc3 d2 g2 g4 (11) - Ke4 Ra7 g8 Bb7 c5 Sf7 h8 Pa4 b6 g7 (10), #2vv, 1.Bc4? (2.Bd3#) Sd6 2.Qe7#, 1... Se5,Ba6 2.Sg5,Bd5#, 1... Bd6!; 1.Be6? (2.Bf5#) Bd6 2.Qc4#, 1... Sh6,Bc8,g6 2.Sg5,Bd5,Sf6#, 1... Sd6!; 1.Ka1! (2.Bb1#) Sd6,Bd 6 2.Qe7,Qc4#, 1... Se5,Ba6 2.Sg5,Bd5#.

4th Hon. Mention: No.158 - J. M. Rice. White interference tricycle. It is difficult to infuse unity into this theme, and the overall impression is predictably a little ragged. Virtues are skill with which the tries are confined to unique squares, and the sacrificial key. Kh1 Qf7 Rb3 d5 Bh2 Sb1 h5 Pd2 (8) - Ke4 Bf5 Sa7 c4 Pb4 b5 b6 e7 g5 g6 (10), #2vvv, 1.Be5? (2.Sg3#) Se5: 2.Re3#, 1... gh5:! (2.Qf5:#?); 1.Rdd3? (2.Qd5#) Se3! (2.Rbe3:#?), 1.Rg3? (2.d3#) e6! (2.Sf6#?); 1.Rh3! (2.d3#), 1. .. Se5,e6,Be6,Bh3:,Sd2: 2.Re3,Sf6,Qf3,Sg3,Sd2:#.

1st Commend: No.209 - M. Subotic. A lightweight 3x2 Zagoruyko with interchange of functions between 6 W pieces. Subtle and attractive. Kg3 Ra5 d8 Bb6 c8 Sd4 f3 Pc2 d2 (9) - Ke4 Re7 Bd7 Sb8 f7 (5), #2*v, 1... Bb5,Se5 2.Bf5,Sg5#; 1.Sf5? ~ 2.d3#, 1... Re5!, 1... Bb5,Se5 2.Rd4,Sd6#; 1.Se6! ~ 2.d3#, 1... Bb5,Se5 2.Sc5,Re5#.

2nd Commend: No.212 - A. Slesarenko & V. Shanshin. Barnes, Salazar, Le Grand, Lender: if labels won prizes (as they sometimes do), this would have been a lot higher. Clever, but lacking in essential interest. Ka7 Qg5 Ra3 b8 Be2 Sa5 f4 Pb2 b5 c5 (10) - Kb4 Rd1 Ba8 Sb7 d8 Pd2 f7 (7), #2vv, 1.Kb6? ~ 2.Sd3(A),Sb5(B)#, 1... Sa5:!, 1... Sc5: 2.Qc5:#; 1.c6?(C) ~ 2.Sd3(A)#, 1... f5!, 1... Sc5 2.Sd5(B)#, 1... Sa5 2.Qe7(D)#; 1.Qe7!(D) ~ 2.Sd5(B)#, 1... Sc5: 2.Sd3(A)#, 1... Sa5: 2.c6(C)#, (1.. . Sc6+ 2.Sc6:#).

3rd Commend: No.157 - V. Melnichenko. 3 interference tries by WB, incorporating, unusually for this sort of thing, 3 changes from set to actual. Kg1 Qg3 Rc5 e6 Bd6 e4 Se7 Pb4 (8) - Kd4 Qe8 Ra7 f6 Bf1 Sa3 d1 Pf5 f7 (9), #2*vvv, 1... Se3,Sc4,Bd3,fe4: 2.Qe5,Rd5,Qd3:,Be5#; 1.Bc6? Qb8!, 1.Bd5? Sc4!, 1.Bf5:? Re6:!; 1.Bd3! ~ 2.Be5#, 1... Se3,Bd3:,Sc4 2.Qe3:,Qe5,Rc4:#, 1... Re6:,Qb8 2.Sf5:,Sc6#.

4th Commend: No.194 - M. Velimirovic. 3-fold secondary Fleck with cyclic defence motives. Very much a composer's theme. Kg8 Qc7 Rb5 h3 Bc2 h6 Sd5 h4 Pb3 (9) - Kd4 Qc1 Re1 Bc3 f1 Sd3 f8 Pa7 b2 b4 b6 e7 f2 f6 g6 (15), #2, 1Se3! ~/Ke4 2.Qc4,Qf4#, 1... Sc5,Se5,Sf4 2.Sf3,Rd5,Qf4#.

5th Commend: No.192 - P. Einat. Correction by the BR in two phases produces a Ruchlis, but the mechanism seems over-familiar. Kf1 Qf5 Rc7 h5 Bg8 h8 Sa8 g5 Pb5 e2 e3 (11) - Kd6 Re6 g7 Bb1 h2 Pb3 b6 e4 f7 (9), #2*, 1... Re~(Rf6),Re7,Re5,Rgg6 2.Rd7,Rc6,Qd7,Sf7:#; 1.Qf7:! (2.Qe6#), 1... Re~(Re7),Re5,Rf6+,Rgg6,Rf7:+ 2.Qd5,Rc6,Qf6:,Qd7,Sf7:#.

6th Commend: No.211 - J. M. Rice. WQ tries change 2 mates and transfer one in an elegant setting (no WPs). Kh1 Qa7 Rg6 Bf7 g3 Sd5 g5 (7) - Kf5 Qd8 Bc1 e2 Sb1 f8 Pc3 d6 f3 g4 (10), #2v, 1.Qe7? ~ 2.Qe4#, 1... Bd3!, 1... Qe8,Sd2,Bg5: 2.Qf6,Se3,Rg5:#, 1... Qe7:,Se6,Sg6: 2.Se7:,Qe6:,Be6#; 1.Qe3! ~ 2.Qd4#, 1... Qe8,Sd2,Qg5: 2.Rf6,Qf4,Rg5:#, 1... Be3:,Bd3,Qe7,Sg6: 2.Se3:,Qd3:,Se7:,Be6#.

C. P. Sydenham, England
International judge of FIDE


 
A. Slesarenko &
V. Shanshin

1st Prize Odessa-88 TT 1988







#2vv 13+8
1.Qg8? (2.Rd6#) Se6: 2.Qe6#
  1...Re4:!
1.Qh1? (2.Sc3:#) Re4: 2.Qe4:#
  1... Se6:!
1.Sd7! (2.Re5:#)
  1... Re4:,Se6:,Ke6:,Ke4:
    2.Rd6,Sc3:,Qg8,Qh1#
  Note: The problem No.161, initially rewarded with 1st Prize, is totally anticipated by problem given on the diagram. The judge's comment was:
1st Prize: No.161 - V. Chepizniy. Two Q-battery-building tries fail to captures by black. The key then gives the two capture squares as flights, and by pinning allows the try-threats (formerly double checks) to function as single checks after the refutations, while the flights turn the tries into mates. The Dombrovskis paradox is enhanced by both refutations operating as defences after the key (for the same reason, i.e. unguard of d5), and producing additional mates. The unity and clarity of means are outstanding. It is true that the key-piece is somewhat signalled by the WRa5, but to me that does not lessen the impact. A completely satisfying work by a master.


Home