#2-94
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Mat Plus #2-96
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#2-97
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#2-98/99
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Mat Plus Informal Tourney: Selfmates 1997
Judge: Miodrag Mladenović

There were 12 problems published during this time period. I decided to put in the award six problems. All problems are of a high quality and I had a hard time ranking them. I gave some advantage to the problems containing some strong idea. I ranked them in the following order:


Zoran Gavrilovski
1.Pr Mat Plus 1997
7Rq4b4Q1S5p3p3p3pb2pRB1kp2r1p1Bp2s1K2s






s#3v 7+15
1st Prize: No.359 by Zoran Gavrilovski (Macedonia).
Big WB star in combination with BK battery. Excellent settings without white pawns. It is interesting how WB is going zigzag in several variations. Nice task achievement. 1.Rh~? cd3!; 1.Rg8! ~ Bg1+ cd3 3.Bh2:+ Kh2:#, 1... Be6: 2.Bg5:+ cd3 3.Bf4+ Kf4:#, 1... Sf2 2.Bc5:+ cd3 3.Bf2:+ Qf2:#, 1... hg2 2.Bc1:+ cd3 3.Qg2:+ Kg2:#, 1... cd3 2.Bf4+ gf4 3.Rg4:+ Kg4:#.

Milan Velimirović
2.Pr Mat Plus 1997
7B7BP7rP21pp1R1Q2Prk5K






s#4 8+5
2nd Prize: No.394 by Milan Velimirovic (Yugoslavia).
WR has to close line of WB(h8-a1). At the same time it has to hide behind BR. Very humorous problem where there are four thematic variations. Nice waiting key move by WQ. Perfect construction. 1.Qf2! (~) 1... Ra3 2.Rc4+ Rd3 3.Rd4 Kc1 4.Qc2+, 1... Ra4 2.Rc5+ Re4 3.Re5 Kc1 4.Qc2+, 1... Rb5: 2.Rc6+ Rf5 3.Rf6 Kc1 4.Qc2+, 1... Ra6: 2.Rc7+ Rg6 3.Rg7 Kc1 4.Qc2+.

Aleksandr Azhusin
3.Pr Mat Plus 1997
1K1R1S12k2pS1R1PsP3P3BPP1P1Q






s#5 13+3
3rd Prize: No.302 by Aleksandr Azhusin (Russia).
Two Chameleon-echo mates. Very nice and interesting play by white. I like the fact that first white moves rook into the corner and then soon later bishop goes to the opposite corner on the board. Excellent problem. 1.Ra8! (~) 1... fe5 2.Qe5: Kc5: 3.Rc8+ Kb6 4.Qf6+ Sf6: 5.Sd7+ Sd7:#, 1... f5 2.Bh1! fg4 3.Kc8 g3 4.Rb8 g2 5.Se7+ Se7:#.

Waldemar Tura
4.Pr Mat Plus 1997
3S1QSs11P2p1p1P1kp2p1P1ppp3KPP2Rrr6b






s#5 10+12
4th Prize: No.303 by Waldemar Tura (Poland).
Another great problem. I like authors comment "gallop of white horses". Its great description for white play. Nice full length threat. Excellent problem. 1.d7! ~ 2.Sc6+ Ke6 3.d8S+ Kd7 4.Qe7+ Kc8 5.Qb7+ Rb7:#, 1... ed3 2.Qg7+ Ke4 3.Sf6+ Ke5 4.Sg4:+ Ke4 5.Sf2+ Rf2:#, 1... fe3 2.Qe7+ Kf4 3.Se6+ Ke5 4.Sd4+ Kf4 5.Se2+ Re2:#, (1... Sf7 2.Sf7:+ Ke6 3.d8S+ Kd7 4.Qe7+ Kc8 5.Qb7+).

Aleksandr Azhusin
1.HM Mat Plus 1997
R3B1bb2P2PPpP6Pk15P6P2Q3K7B






s#6 12+4
1st Hon. Mention: No.304 by Aleksandr Azhusin (Russia).
Another Chameleon-echo problem. This time mates are by black bishops. Nice and interesting play. 1.c8B! (~) 1... Bf7: 2.Qf5+ Bd5+ 3.Kh2 Bg7: 4.Rc5+! Kb6 5.Rb5++ Kc7 6.Qe5+ Be5:#, 1... Bg7: 2.Qd2+ Bc3 3.Qg5+ Be5 4.Kh1! Bf7: 5.Qd8+! Bc7 6.Qd5+ Bd5:#.

Valery Kirillov,
Vladimir Zheltonozhko &
Andrey Selivanov

2.HM Mat Plus 1997
R4S1qB1R1p3rPB1p1s3k1PP2P7S8QPP1Pp3K2br






s#3 15+9
2nd Hon. Mention: No.301 by Valery Kirillov, Vladimir Zheltonozhko & Andrey Selivanov (Russia).
Dual avoidance in two main lines on second and third white move and rich by-play. Somehow this problem looks to me like an ortodox threemover extension. 1.f3! ~ 2.Bb5+ Kd5 3.Bc4+ Bc4:#, 1... Qe5: 2.Sd7+ Kd6 3.Sc4+ Bc4:#, 1... Se5: 2.Se6:+ Kd6 3.Sb5+ Bb5:#, 1... Qh4 2.d4+ Qd4: 3.Qb5+ Bb5:#, 1... Ra7: 2.Be4+! Rc7: 3.Ra5+ Bb5#, 1... Ra4: 2.Ba4:+ Kd5 3.Bb3+ Bc4#.

Belgrade, June 25th 2006
Miodrag Mladenović


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