Theme for this tourney (see the announcement) was indeed very challenging, thus justifying the header of the announcement. There were some objections to as demanding theme as this one was. For instance, Theodor Tauber wrote to me: "A very good idea, but if you want to popularize the tournament, I think you must propose more simple themes". Theo was right, but only partly. The purpose of the popularization should not be only to attract as many novices as possible. We must also think sometimes about the experienced composers and masters, who usually are not motivated enough by simple themes and occasionally need a more demanding instigation. The artistry of winning problem is the best argument in favor of this attitude. The aim of this challenge was to attract the masters - and the masters were attracted! I received 12 entries by four World famous authors: Michel Caillaud from France (1 twomover), Aaron Hirchenson from Israel (7!), Marjan Kovacevic from Yugoslavia (2) and Yosi Retter from Israel (2). The overall quality was extremely high and ALL problems deserved the place in the award! The judgment was not difficult since I could easily divide the entries into 3 qualitative groups: a prize-winning level problems recognized by either great originality or content extended beyond the thematic requirement, not to mention the exemplar composing technique; a honorable mention level problems without formal defects like same refutation for two tries (set-play form was a convenient way to avoid this); and a commendation level entries which have some kind of imperfection, but still are noteworthy achievements. I knew the names of authors beforehand, but this never influenced my judgment. The fact is that two problems by my countryman and a very good friend are between the prizewinners, but this is simply because both are - brilliant! Theme required the cyclic mating permutations based on white errors (instead of so far almost exclusively used black weakenings), where in each phase one of thematic mates is prevented by some kind of white weakness (e.g. self-interference/obstruction, unguarded square etc.), while remaining two are separated by black defences. As mentioned in the announcement, the greatest difficulty the composer is here faced to is how to cope with black defence which is not a thematic variation in respective phase and tends to produce a dual mate. It was suggested that the most suitable way is to prevent the move in question to be a defence against the threat. I would add that in the set play phase, if present, this third black move can simply be ignored.
1st Prize: No.12 by Marjan Kovacevic (YU). Fascinating problem in all respects: extreme originality, spectacular key, eye-catching construction with white pieces arranged along the edges of the board and no pieces in the black king's field. In initial position Sf2 is never mate since BK escapes to f4. White has to guard this square. 1.Rf3 does it, and at the same time, moving anticritically, threats 2.d3#. It seems that no weakness is done to white position, but now comes the climax of the idea: after 1... Be3 or 1... Se3 anticritical move turns out to be at the same time the critical one, since d3 is guarded no more! The key 1.Rf5 weakens the square f5 giving the flight to BK, introducing thematically less interesting, but due to the flight-giving first move more attractive phase (and rightly selected to be the solution since only here the only underused white piece, Se8, gets its role in guarding the square e6).
2nd Prize: No.4 by Aaron Hirchenson (IL). Try 1.Sge5? and key 1.Se3! both add the guard for 2.Rc4:#, but respectively interfere WQ mating lines from h8 and f2. At the same time, these moves cut the lines d6-f4 or d2-f4 this making the black defences Bd6 and Bd2 ineffective when unwanted. Light setting with no white pawns and additional change after 1... Sg2 - a masterly constructed twomover!
3rd Prize: No.7 by Aaron Hirschenson. Thematic moves of BRc4 in the set play separate two Somov mates. After the flight-giving removals of WRe6 these mates are possible when BSg7 opens the guard by WBh8 to f6. However, duals in neatly defeated try and in actual play are avoided by white self-obstruction, while the destinations of white key piece alternatively make one of BR moves ineffective so that mate 2.Qf7 appears after different black moves in respective phases. Interesting and attractive conception!
4th Prize: No.11 by Marjan Kovacevic. The same method as in the winner, now with diagonal anticritical/critical line. In spite of a perfect setting the problem did not match the artistry of its counterpart. Anyway, this is by all means an excellent twomover. A small imperfection in possibility of alternate try move 1.Bb7? is not worth disturbing the exemplar economy by adding e.g. BBc8 or BPc6.
5th Prize: No.8 by Yosi Retter (IL). This is the best entry without the set play, which is by no means easier form as someone might suppose. The difficulty arises from the obligation to avoid the "dual-threatening" black defence twice (in the set play it can simply be ignored), and to embed different refutations for two tries. Here it is done very well, with witty pinning of Sd1 after 1... Qf1.
Special Prize: No.10 by Michel Caillaud (FR). Another extremely original and unexpectedly unusual presentation of theme with all thematic defences being the black king's flights. The only example with new mate after "third" defence (1.Ba4! Kf3: 2.Bd1#). The realization with flight-taking first moves and three solutions is not quite conventional, but the fascinating conception deserves this special prize. Note that key moves by Sg4 could have easily been converted to tries, e.g. by addition of BPa5 (with same refutation 1... a4! for 1.Se3?/Sf2:?), still in Meredith form.
1st Hon. Mention: No.1 by Aaron Hirschenson. Excellently constructed half-pin based matrix, but inferior to the second prize.
2nd Hon. Mention: No.3 by Aaron Hirschenson. Again a half-pin based matrix. Double threat is a small flaw.
3rd Hon. Mention: No.2 by Aaron Hirschenson. Also thematically correct example, but double threat which remains effective after (non-defending) king's flight spoils the impression.
1st Commendation: No.9 by Yosi Retter. Harmonious and economical, but both tries are defeated by the same BK move.
2nd Commendation: No.5 by Aaron Hirschenson. Again half-pin matrix, unfortunately with cruel refutations.
Special Commendation: No.6 by Aaron Hirschenson. Good, but not quite thematic since white knight mates from different departure squares.
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