INTRODUCTION
First of all the title means: promoted in the play, not before the
play. It's rather a motif than a theme. A motif which cannot be shown
in a pure helpmate-twomover, because there is no reasoning of an exact
white promotion. The article is divided into three parts, because
the point is the motivation for the promotion and the sacrifice of
the promoted piece.
PART ONE: BLACK MATE OR STALEMATE AVOIDANCE
The earliest example I found is from 1928. by Gyula Neukomm (No.1).
It shows the sacrifice of a promoted queen and the mate is given by
a second promoted queen. The problem is not as easy to solve as some
of those which follow, but experienced solver knows that 1.e3 is impossible
because of no black move order.
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1. Gy. Neukomm Tijdschrift 1928
1.g5 b7 2.g4 b8Q 3.g3 Qg3: 4.e3 Qg6 5.fg6 f7 6.g5 f8Q 7.g4 Qf5 8.g3 Qc2: 9.Rb1+ Qb1:#
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In 1993. the Danish Chess Problem Club announced a theme tourney for
one-phase helpmates showing at least two white promotions. We can
find problems from the award in Branko Koludrovic's article "Four
promotions in helpmate" in Mat Plus No.6-7, but these
cannot be in this article because of the lack of our motif. Here are
some other problems from the award, starting with my own first problem
with the motif (No.2). At that time I didn't know of the Neukomm's
problem and found this kind of composing and solving very interesting.
Especially in this first part of the article most of the problems
had yo be composed and solved by their authors. No.3 is
another double white queen promotion problem, where the first queen
is captured in the play. After the closing date of the DSK's tourney
I found No.4 which shows an additional WS promotion. At the
end of 1995 I came to the position of No.5 and I couldn't beleive
that one of my dreams came true! Three WQ promotions with sacrifice
of the first two and in addition a black knight promotion. It seemed
to me that was the only possible position featuring three WQ promotions
plus one black promotion, but I was wrong. A year later I found Nos.6
& 7 with additional BR and BB promotions. There must be at least
one position in which there are two black besides the three WQ promotions,
but that is only waiting for somebody to find it!
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2. G. Cseh 9.hm DSK 57.TT 1994
1.b6 a7 2.b5 a8Q 3.b4 Qa3 4.b2+ Qb2:+ 5.cb2+ Kd2 6.c1R Ke3 7.Rc7 dc7 8.Bc2 c8Q 9.b1B Qh8#
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3. M. Henrych 5.cm DSK 57.TT 1994
1.e6 h8Q 2.e5 Qg7 3.e4 Qg2 4.fg2 h5 5.g1B h6 6.Bh2 h7 7.Be5 h8Q 9.Bb2: Qb2:#
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4. G. Cseh sp.cm Diagrammes 1994
1.a5 h8S 2.ab4 Sg6 3.fg6 f7 4.g5 f8Q 5.g4 Qb4: 6.b2+ Qb2:+ 7.cb2+ Kd2 8.c1R c7 9.Rc3 c8Q 10.Rc4: Qc4:#
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5. G. Cseh The Problemist 1996
*1... Ba4 2.c6 Bc2: 3.Kc2: Qc4#
1.c6 Qd5 2.cd5 Bb5 3.ab5 f8Q 4.b4 Qf5 5.b3 Qe4 6.de4 b8Q 7.ed3 Qb4 8.d2+ Qd2:+ 9.ed2+ Kf2 10.e1S e6 11.Be2 e7 12.Kd1 e8Q 13.Rc1 Qe2:#
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6. G. Cseh original
1.c4 d8Q 2.c3 Qd6 3.Sg3+ Qg3: 4.hg3 c8Q 5.h4 Qg4 6.g2+ Qg2: 7.fg2+ Kg2: 8.f1R g7 9.Rf8 gf8Q 10.Ke2 Qf3#
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7. G. Cseh original
1.d6 g8Q 2.de5 Qg4 3.Sf3+ Qf3: 4.ef3 b8Q 5.e4 Qf4 6.f2+ Qf2: 7.ef2+ Kf2: 8.Bd2 a7 9.Kc1 a8Q 10.b1B Qa3#
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Let's take a step further! The absolute record number of sacrifices
is three, shown in No.8. Yes, it is the famous four WS promotion
problem, which can also be a direct mate in 10 with e5 BP on e4. No.9
shows only two WS promotions (both subsequently captured), but what
an interesting play! A promoted WQ mates in this one.
8. D. H. Hersom Fairy Chess Review 1936
1.e4 h8S 2.e3 Sg6 3.fg6 f7 4.g5 f8S 5.g4 Se6 6.de6 d7 7.e5 d8S 8.e4 Sc6 9.bc6 b7 10.c5 b8S#
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9. I. Telkes 1.pr Magyar Sakkvilág 1943
1.Sf6: ef6 2.Rd2 e5 3.Rd6 ed6 4.e5 d7 5.e4 d8S 6.e3 Se6 7.fe6 f7 8.e5 f8S 9.e4 Sg6 10.hg6 h7 11.g5 h8Q 12.g4 Qb2 13.e2+ Qe2: 14.e3 Qf3: 15.Qg2 Qg2:#
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10. T. Legendi & Á. Molnár 2.hm Magyar Sakkélet 1961
1.f4 h8S 2.f3 Sg6 3.fg6 g8B 4.g5 Be6 5.de6 d7 6.Kc7 b8R 8.e5 d8Q#
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No.10 is one of the best helpmates ever composed, honoured only
by a 2nd Hon. Mention... It shows white AUW in one phase, "accidentally"
in this order: SBRQ! I must use the quotation marks with the word
"accidentally", because once one of my chess problem friends
told me: "Nothing happens accidentally on the chess board!"
This problem is an unrepeatable achievement, all with the help of
Molnar's great idea: the mating black battery for a careless
white promotion.
To sacrifice a WR or WB is much harder than to sacrifice a WS or WQ!
No.11 shows only one promoted WR sacrifice, but what a play!
Black also promotes two times. In the mating position there is a BR
on b1 but that's not the one which is there in the diagram position.
In this one the WR makes two moves and after that disappears from
the board, so this WR moves like a WQ, since the queen is the piece
which must move two times before it is captured, as we have seen in
earlier problems. Cartainly, it is not necessary to move two times
with a promoted WR or WB. Two promoted WRs are captured in No.12.
We can change nothing in the 21 piece arrangement of this work. Using
similar matrix it was possible to capture a WR and a WB in one phase
(No.13), with the BK's tempo-switchback manoeuvre in the end.
In fact the capture of the WB is also part of the tempo manoeuvre.
11. M. Caillaud 2.pr DSK 57.TT 1994
1.d5 b8R 2.d4 Rb2: 3.Be3+ Rb1:+ 4.ab1B fe3 5.Ba2 Kf2 6.Bf7 gf7 7.e1R f8Q 8.Rb1 Qa3#
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12. G. Cseh original
1... g8R 2.b5 Rg6 3.hg6 a7 4.g5 a8R 5.g4 Ra4: 6.g3 Ra3:+ 7.Ra3: Bc8 8.Sa4 Be6#
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13. G. Cseh Probleemblad 1996
1... g8R 2.a6 Rg6 3.hg6 h7 4.g5 h8B 5.g4 Bd4: 6.Sc4+ Bb2 7.Sb6 ab6 8.Rb2: b7 9.Ka2 b8Q 10.Kb3 Qg8#
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I am still working on the maybe impossible three WR promotion helpmate,
but the three WB promotions also seemed impossible for many years.
In 1996. I found No.14, and half a year later No.15: a
great fortune after a lot of work. In the latter only one promoted
WB is captured, but there are no promoted pieces in the diagram position.
These last four problems all use a black battery which gives mate
to white if white promotes to queen!
14. G. Cseh Thema Danicum 1996
1.b4 h8B 2.b3 Bf6 3.ef6 e7 4.f5 e8B 5.fg4 Bc6 6.bc6 g7 7.c5 g8B 8.c4 Bd5:#
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15. G. Cseh Thema Danicum 1997
1.b4 e8B 2.b3 Bb5 3.ab5 f8B 4.b4 Bc5 5.f2+ Bf2: 6.Kf3 f7 7.Re8 fe8B 8.Ke2 Bh5#
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16. G. Cseh The Problemist 1997
1.h6 d8Q 2.h5 Qd5 3.Sh4:+ Qg2+ 4.Sg2: e8B 5.h4 Bc6 6.Sf4+ Bg2 7.Sd5 b6 8.Sc7 b7 8.Sa8: ba8Q 9.Bg2:+ Qg2:#
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In No.16 there is a strange promotion order: QBQ. It is the
only helpmate up to date, I guess, in which two promoted white pieces
are captured on the same square in one phase. The mate is also on
g2, the BS and BB also move onto that square, so everything happens
on g2! Without WPd7 it is a helpmate in 7. This WP is in the way of
the WB on e8. We saw this anticipatory line-opening also in the previous
problem.
Problem No.17 must be in this part of the article, although
there is a free BB! The aim of this BB is to block e1, but since Ke2:
would give mate to white, a WQ promotes on c8 and prevents it reaching
just in time to be captured on e1. After that the WB's mate is possible.
No.18 shows something similar, but with WS promotion and mate
by another promoted WS. The main difference between the two problems
is the black battery. In No.17 it is a king-battery, in No.18 it is
a knight-battery, where the BK captures WS on d6, so BK once opens
the battery, once moves into the battery.
In this first part of the article most of the problems are rather
technical exercises than real helpmates. In real helpmates black has
opportunities on every move. Here we have seen only forced black moves,
since black's other moves are checkmates to white. But I don't want
to spend more time on analyzing in how many percent these helpmates
are true helpmates. And I hope you also don't want it!
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17. Gy. Bakcsi & J. Korponai 3.pr Magyar Sakkélet 1962
1.Bd8 c8Q 2.Ba5 Qc3: 3.Ke2:+ Qe1+ 4.Be1: Bh5#
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18. U. Heinonen 2.cm DSK 57.TT 1994
1.Rc8 bc8S 2.Se8+ Sd6 3.Kd6: fe8S#
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PART TWO: WHITE TEMPO MOVES OR MANOEUVRES BY THE PROMOTED PIECES
Now, here come a real helpmates! In No.19 white makes two pure
tempo moves and then the promoted WS is captured! This composition
is worth of deeper analysis. Why is BPc3 on the board? The mate is
imaginable with a WB promotion on h8, which WB captures the BB on
the second move. It's only possible on d4 or f6, but the WB on d4
or f6 closes BR's way to f7. The BB's move to e5 is forbidden because
of mating WK. No.20 shows it with WB promotion. A WS here would
give check on the second move, or would make d6 or f6 unblocked, so
white must use a bishop just because white has to move. In both problems
white is stalemated in the basic position, but it can be forgiven!
19. Gy. Páros 1–2.pr Magyar Sakkvilág 1945
1.Bg7 h8S 2.Rf4 Sf7 3.Rf7: Kb7:#
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20. Gy. Neukomm & F. Kovács Magyar Sakkvilág 1949
1.Sg7 e8B 2.Ra2 Bd7+ 3.Sd7: Ba2:#
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21. A. Kárpáti 1.pr Die Schwalbe 104.TT 1953
1.e1S h8S 2.Bh7 Sg6 3.Kg6: Se7:#
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No.21 is another great classic. It seems that white does not
have to do anything: 1.Bh7:? 2.Kg6 Se7:#. But what to
move first? White makes a tempo manoeuvre, not two tempo moves, because
the second white move is not a tempo. Additionally black makes a tempo
promotion on his first move!
Nowadays, forty years later, composers know that one variation is
not enough, so it had to be doubled. No.22 shows 2+2 white tempos,
as does the No.23. In No.24 white's second moves are not
tempo moves. The problem ends with ideal mates, with same mating positions
after different play, just like in No.23 (Black moves: AB-BA). The
only problem with these problems is the repeated mating move in each
case.
22. C. Jonsson Springaren 1995
1... a8S 2.Sc6 Sc7 3.Sc7: Rg8#
1... a8B 2.Sc7 Bb7:+ 3.Sb7: Rg8#
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23. Á. Molnár The Problemist 1997
1... e8S 2.Bd7 Sd6 3.Sd6: Sc7#
1... e8B 2.Sd6 Bd7+ 3.Bd7: Sc7#
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24. Á. Molnár & G. Cseh original
1... b8S 2.Sc8 Sd7 3.Qd7: Bb8#
1... b8R 2.Qd7 Rc8+ 3.Sc8: Bb8#
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No.25 is one of the most interesting problems featuring our
motif. The BK walks onto f6, then 4.g8S gives mate. But white
can't find three moves until the fourth, so must use an extreme maneuver:
promotes a knight which moves to f6 to unpin WP on g6. This second
WP gives the mate on g8, while the first is captured. Hard to beleive
it's sound, but there is no mate with two WQ's. For example: BQ on
d7, BK on e7, WQ's on f8 & g8 is not a mate, since f5 is a BR. That
must be a rook anyway, to prevent the WK tempo triangle. A fresh,
modern composition. |
25. Gy. Bakcsi & L. Zoltán 1.pr DSK 57.TT 1994
1.Kc5 g8S 2.Kd6 Sf6 3.Ke7 g7 4.Kf6: g8S#
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PART THREE: BLACK PIECES IN THE WAY...
1. BLACK PIECE IN THE WAY OF BLACK KING
Again we have to go back to the first half of this century to find
No.26. The BK is on h1, the South-East bottom of that black
box. White must make BK's way to g2, but it's not good with WB, because
BPd7 will always be in the way of the WQ's mate from a8. So, the promoted
WQ breaks the black box, while a BQ promotes and moves to e4 and then
WB captures her. Look at the d4 WP: it is on the board because of
the avoidance of the BP's way to d4 (allowing WQ's mate from a8) and
it also determines the BQ's way to e4! Clever and spectacular! |
26. D. Elekes & G. Schweig 1.pr Tijdschrift v.d. NSB 1942
1.a1Q f8Q 2.Qd4: Qf3: 3.Qe4 Qg2:+ 4.Kg2: Be4:#
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No.27 is a symmetrical one and features the Zilahi-theme. The
next two feature one WR and one WB promotion and sacrifice. In No.28
the mating piece is a promoting WQ, while in No.29 the mates
are given by a WB and a WR. Therefore the second must be a helpmate
in three and a half, since a promoting mating move cannot be shown
with R or B.
27. T. Garai 1–2.pr Sinfonie Scahcchistiche 1987/89
1.Qa5 c8S 2.Kb5 Sb6: 3.Kb6: b8Q#
1.Rd5 b8S 2.Kc5 Sc6: 3.Kc6: c8Q#
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28. C. J. Feather Hatchings 1995
a) 1... fg8R 2.Kf7 Re8: 3.Ke8: g8Q#
b) 1... fe8B 2.Ra6 Bd7:+ 3.Kd7: c8Q#
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29. G. Cseh Mat Plus 1996
a) 1... e8B 2.Ka3 Ba4: 3.Sce8 fe8R 4.Ka4: Ra8#
b) 1... e8R 2.Kd3 Re4: 3.Sde8 fe8B 4.Ke4: Bg6#
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No.30 is a top helpmate. It also belongs to the smaller group
of problems, in which a promoted piece does not mate. Black must block
h3 and we can see a set play with the capture of the WB on h7 by the
BR, with the WQ's mate. But black has no tempo move, so he captures
the WB on h7, while white does the same with the promoted WQ, as in
the set play, and now the WB mates. It is another Zilahi, as well
as a helpmate in 4 with free WQ and WB on the board! Don't forget
that it is all with the setplay, which is much harder than twinning
or twin-solutions.
30. F. Abdurahmanović Schach-Echo 1975
*1... bc8Q 2.Rh7: Qc6: 3.Rh3 Qg2:+ 4.Kg2: Qb7#
1.cb1B bc8Q 2.Bf5: Qc6: 3.Bh3 Qg2:+ 4.Kg2: Be4#
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31. D. Elekes & T. Kardos 1.pr Arbejder Skak 1948
1.Sf7: h8Q 2.Rb1 Qh7 3.Rb3 Qd3 4.cd3 cb3#
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32. G. Cseh original
1... gf8S 2.dc2 Se6 3.de6 Rd8#
1... gf8B 2.cd2 Bd6 3.cd6 Rc8#
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2. BLACK PIECE IN THE WAY OF THE MATE
A WP mates in No.31 on b3. To make it possible white have to
stop BP's control over b3. A WQ does the lion's share of the work
again, sacrifices herself on d3.
Another symmetrical problem, No.32, shows a capture of a WS
and a WB. The motivation is line-opening.
33. G. Cseh original
1.Bg8 hg8S 2.Ke6 Sf6: 3.Sf6: e8Q#
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34. G. Cseh original
1... ef8R 2.Kd6 Rh8: 3.Ke7 Rf8 4.Kf8: Sg6:#
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35. G. Cseh 4–5.hm Martin 1992/93
1... gf8S 2.Sf5 Se6: 3.Ke6: Ba2#
1... g8R 2.d2 Rg6: 3.Bg6:+ Bg6:#
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Nos.33 & 34 are just ideas which must be doubled in the future!
No.35 combines motivations. It belongs to both groups in this
third part of the article.
I beleive, it is clear that there is still so much to do, and hope
you are goning to compose many precious problems for this motif if
you feel the need. I myself spent a lot of time on searching for problems
featuring the motif and it was worth of working. Now if I see a problem
with this motif, it's like the smell of Dune on the coast of the river.
The number of opportunities is endless. There are so many problems
yet unknown. We are goning to find these positios on the board!
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