#2-94
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Mat Plus #2-96
#3-96
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#2-97
#3-97
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#2-98/99
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Mat Plus Informal Tourney: Threemovers 1997
Judge: Darko Šaljić

First of all, I am grateful for the honour to be a judge in one of a top-class tourneys of my favourite magazine. A careful study and analysis of 22 threemovers published during 1997 gave me a great pleasure. The quality of 10 ranked problems is very high. The only doubts I had was the order of three top prizes, since for a long time none of possible orders appeared less justified than the one decided by "photo-finish":
 
Miodrag Mladenović
1.Pr Mat Plus 1997
2B4b5K10s2k2p2Q2Sp3p2pS5p2q






#3* 5+9
1st Prize: No.267 ny Miodrag Mladenovic (Yugoslavia).
An ingenious mechanism of reciprocal variations achieved with minimal possible resources, by alternate control of one out of two (distant!) squares, f5 and d3. White Queen assumes the guard of one of two squares depending on whether black makes a remote selfblock on f3 (when Bishop mates) or that square has to be guarded by the mating move (when Knight mates). Nice key and threat, natural change after 2... c6 and perfect construction make the memorable composition. 1... Qf3: 2.Qc5+ Ke4: 3.Bf5#, 1... Qf1 2.Qd6+ Ke4: 3.Sg5:# (2... Kc4 3.Ba6#), 1... Bd4 2.Qd4:+ Kc6 3.Qc5#; 1.Ba6! ~ 2.Qc4:+ Sc4: 3.Bb7#, 1... Qf3: 2.Qd6+ Ke4: 3.Bd3#, 1... Qf1 2.Qc5+ Ke4: 3.Sg5:#, 1... Bd4 2.Qd4:+ Kc6 3.Qd6#.
Milan Velimirović
2.Pr Mat Plus 1997
1BRK2s2p3p4pR3p4kB5S15PS5r1s






#3* 8+8
2nd Prize: No.318 my Milan Velimirovic (Yugoslavia).
Another exceptionally beautiful reciprocal change mechanism. Depending on the row the Black King escapes after the check by white Rossel battery, one Rook defence is utilized as remote block, while in another variation Rook is captured. It should be underlined that play and final positions have beautiful chameleon-echo character. Fantastic key besides the switch of guard from d4 to d5, grants the flight square and excellent quiet threat. Brilliant! 1... Rc4 2.Re6+ Kd5 3.Re5#, 1... Rc5 2.Rdc6:+ Kd5 3.Rc5:#; 1.Sf4! ~ 2.Sh5! ~ 3.Rd7#, 1... Rc4 2.Rdc6:+ Kd4 3.Rc4:#, 1... Rc5 2.Re6+ Kd4 3.Re4#, (1... Se7 2.Ke7: Kf4: 3.Rg6#), (1... c5,Ra1 2.Re6+,Rdc6:+).
Milan R. Vukcevich
3.Pr Mat Plus 1997
1B2B10b2KSP2P1SPP1P1RR2P1k7p4P2P2b2q






#3 15+5
3rd Prize: No.269 by Milan R. Vukcevich (USA).
This exceptionally inspired threemover is the most original achievement of tourney. In two variations black self-pins in the spirit of Schiffman defence. White, paradoxically, immediately unpins the black piece and, utilizing the annihilation of Black Pawn d4, creates new battery. Then play branches into three sub-variations, two of which are Kings flights, while the remaining one is the defence by the just unpinned piece resulting with shut-off mate. Somebody "spoiled" by helpmates may point out a slight disharmony since one out of six mates is delivered by the Knight b5 instead of the Siers battery. As far as I am concerned, this very detail displays the genial creativity of the author: the Knight from the battery has to be once captured on the 4th rank, so another Knight must resume the duty of his fallen camarade! 1.Bc7! ~ 2.Rh4+ Kg5 3.Bd8#; 1... Qd4: 2.Sc4+! Ke4 3.Sd2#, 2... Qe5 3.Sb2#, 2... Kg4 3.Se3#; 1... Bd4: 2.Se4+! Ke4: 3.Sc3#, 2... Be5 3.Sd2#, 2... Kg4 3.Sf6#; 1... Bf5: 2.Sf5:+ Ke4,Kg4 3.Sg3,Se3#, 1... Kg4 2.Se4 ~ 3.Sf6#.
Robin C. O. Matthews & John M. Rice
4.Pr Mat Plus 1997
1bQ5pP6kr1S2b1r9R1P3p1SR12Ks3B






#3 9+8
4th Prize: No.268 by Robin C. O. Matthews & John M. Rice (England).
Very rich concept of changed variations and reciprocal white 2nd and 3rd moves in try and actual play. This is realised in splendid and compact mechanism where the location of White Knights dictates a careful and accurate white play. Strictly visual paradox in closing of halfbattery line in both first moves does not take anything from its contribution to the overall impression. The only drawback, a ruthless defeat of the try, is partly compensated by the analogous capture of another Knight in the solution (1... Bd6:). 1.Sdb5? ~ 2.Sc7+ Bc7: 3.b8S#, 1... Rab5: 2.Ra4+ Ra5 3.Rd6#, 1... Rbb5: 2.Rd6+ Rb6,Bd6: 3.Ra4,Rc6#, 1... Re6/Rf6 2.Rc6+ Rc6: 3.Qc6:#, 1... Sc3:!; (1.Sd5? Bd6:!),1.Scb5! ~ 2.Sc7+ Bc7: 3.b8S#, 1... Rab5: 2.Ra3:+ Ra5,Sa3: 3.Rc6,Ra4#, 1... Rbb5: 2.Rc6+ Rb6 3.Ra3:#, 1... Bd6: 2.Rd6: ~,Kb5:,Rd6:,Rb5: 3.Sc7,Rd4,b8Q,Ra4#.
Sreæko Radović
1.HM Mat Plus 1997
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#3v... 10+6
1st Hon. Mention: No.371 by Srecko Radovic (Yugoslavia).
First pair of premature white attempts with short threats Black Rooks easily defeats by direct guards. Second, slightly smarter pair of attempts by WK introduces the threats by the moves from the first pair, but they are defeated by the same black defences, but this time stalemate is the motivation. Finally, White must try to utilize the focal position of BR by means of zugzwang, but even then he must carefully avoid the last obstackle (1.f3? Rh4!) and close the fourth rank in advance. Very nice! 1.Ra5? ~ 2.Scd5:#, 1... Rh8!; 1.Rd8? ~ 2.Sbd5#, 1... Ra1!; 1.Ka7? ~ 2.Ra5, 1... Ra1! 2.Ra1:? stalemate!; 1.Kb8? ~ 2.Rd8, 1... Rh8! 2.Rh8:? stalemate!; 1.f3? (~), 1... Rh4! 2.Rd8 Rd4:!; 1.f4! (~) 1... Rg1..b1 2.Ra5! ~,Kb6: 3.Scd5:,Ra6#, 1... Rh2..h7 2.Rd8! ~,Kc7: 3.Sbd5:,Rc8#, 1... Ra1 2.Ra1:, 1... Rh8 2.Rh8:.
Mircea Manolescu
2.HM Mat Plus 1997
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#3 10+13
2nd Hon. Mention: Mircea Manolescu (Romania).
A clear, harmonious and original system, nice and accurate play which ends by the pair of transferred mates and a very good sacrificial key make a strong impression. 1.Be7! ~ 2.Bd6:+ Sd6: 3.Qc5#, 1... Sfe7: 2.Se1 ~ 3.Sd3:#, 2... Be2,Sb4 3.Re6,Qd6:#, 1... Sce7: 2.Se3 ~ 3.Sc4#, 2... d5,Se3: 3.Re6,Qd6:#, (1... d5 2.ef5 d4 3.Qc5#).
John M. Rice
3.HM Mat Plus 1997
1Q3S5p2bp5p5PSks5bP7P4R5KBB






#3 10+7
3rd Hon. Mention: No. 323 by John M. Rice (England).
Harmonious threemover, the originality of which is provided by two sub-variations after 2... Se4. As one of commentators mentioned, it is a pity that 3.Qd7# does not utilize the pin of the BS. Otherwise, the problem would have deserved a much better ranking. 1.Qe8! ~ 2.Qd7:+ Se6 3.Qe6:#, 1... Bf3: 2.Rf2+ Be4 3.fg5#, 2... Se4 3.Qd7:#; 1... Bd5: 2.Rc5+ Be4 3.Sed7:#, 2... Se4 3.Qh5#, 1... Se6 2.Qh5+ Sg5 3.Qg4#; 1... fe5 2.Qd7:+ Kf6 3.fg5#.
John M. Rice
1.Com Mat Plus 1997
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#3 13+8
1st Com.: No.319 by John M. Rice (England).
An eventful and strategically rich problem. The choice of white second move is skilfuly determined and, as in preceeding problem, two sub-variations are nicely introduced, this time with a changed mate. The impression spoiled by slightly overcrowded position cannot be adequately improved by non-thematic by-variations. 1.Ra6! ~ 2.Qe7+ Re7: 3.Rc6#, 2... Sd6 3.Ra5#; 1... Qd5: 2.Qe3+ Qd4 3.e6#, 2... Sd4 3.Qa3#; 1... Qe5: 2.Qg1+ Qd4/Qe3 3.d6#, 2... Sd4 3.Ra5#; 1... Rf7: 2.Rc6+ Kd5: 3.Sb4#; 1... Sd6/Sa7 2.Ra5+ Sb5 3.Rb5:#; 1... c3 2.Qe7+ Kc4 3.Qb4#.
Zoran Gavrilovski
In memory of Robert C. McWilliam
4S2Q2p4b5S3p4s2Pk1r1Rr2P1B1b1K1R1P2p5Bs






#3vv 11+10
2nd Com.: No. 321 by Zoran Gavrilovski (Macedonia).
Not too ambitious, but by all other means interesting combination of WB corrections in two tries and the solution and corrective Schiffman-like defences by the BR. 1.Be~? Rd4!; 1.Bc5!? Rf4!; 1.Bd2! ~ 2.e3+ Se2 3.Be2:#; 1... Rd4 2.Qg8+ Bg8: 3.cd4#, 2... Se6/Sf7 3.Q:S#; 1... Rf4 2.Sd6+ cd6 3.Qc8#; (1... Reg4: 2.e4+ Se2 3.Be2:#).
Mirko Marković
3.Com Mat Plus 1997
1R10P5PB1Qp3PkSb2p2p12KpPsB4Sb






#3vv 11+8
3rd Com.: No.320 by Mirko Markovic (Yugoslavia).
In the "sea" of variations which spread across three phases, those with Queen and Bishop sacrifices in the solution should be emphasized. Author deserves credits for constructional skill, not only for keeping away possible duals, but also for the good key which grants a flight square to the Black King. 1.Bd3? (~) 1... S~,Se4 2.Qf7+ Be6 3.Qf3,Bc4#, 1... B~ 2.e8S ~ 3.Sc7#, 1... Bd3: 2.cd3 ~ 3.Qf7#, 1... Bd7 2.cd7 ~ 3.Qf7#, 1... g5 2.Qf5: ~ 3.Qf7#, 1... a3!; 1.Sd3? ~ 2.Sf4+(Sb4+) Ke4,Kc6: 3.Qe5,Bb5#, 1... Ke4 2.Sc3+ Ke3,dc3 3.Bf4,Qe5#, 1... Kc4 2.Sb4+ d3 3.Sa3#, 1... Kc6: 2.Sb4+ Kd7 3.Bb5#, 1... Bd3: 2.Qe5+ Kc4,Kc6: 3.cd3,e8Q#, 1... Bd7 2.Qe5+ Kc4,Kc6: 3.Sb2:,Rb6#, 1... g5 2.Qf5:+ Kc6:,Kc4 3.Rb6,Sb2:#, 1... Sc4 2.Bf3+ Be4 3.Sb4#, 1... Sf3!; 1.Sg4! ~ 2.Qe5+ Kc6: 3.Bb5#, 1... Sf3 2.Qf7+ Be6,Ke4,Kc6: 3.Qf3:,Bd3,Bb5#, 1... d3 2.Sc3+ Kc4,Kc6: 3.Se3,Se5#, 1... Sc4 2.Qe6+ Be6:,Kc6:,Ke6: 3.Bf3,e8Q,Bc4:#, 1... Kc6: 2.Bb5+ Kd5 3.Qe5#, 1... Be6 2.Bc4+ Sc4:,Kc4:,Ke4,Kc6: 3.Qf3,Qe6,Qf4,Se5#.

Beograd,
26.05.2006
Darko Šaljić


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