I am pleased with many positive reactions to my article "20 Years of Theme Vladimirov" (Mat Plus 15). I am also grateful to Mr. Thomas Maeder and, not surprisingly, Mr. Udo Degener for sending me the examples from their collection, and which are all (except those which already found their place in the first article) quoted here, even those which are to my opinion actually not real "Vladimirovs". For practical reasons I will continue numbering, so all references lower than 25 are to examples from the preceding article.
First nine problems satisfy the condition of the same departure square for thematic moves in all phases. I left No.25 intentionally out because I don't find it successful at all. Anyway, here it is and readers can judge themselves. It is pity I didn't know of No.26, and excellent example that would have been a good introduction to the Ideal-form No.21. No.27 was omitted simply because of much improved version No.16.
25. A. Dombrovskis Schachmaty 1977
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1.e5? ~ 2.Qh7#, 1... gh3! 1.g6? ~ 2.Rh5#, 1... e5! 1.Bf6? (~), 1... ef6!, 1... gh3,e5 2.e5,g6# (1.Qc7! (~) 1... gh3,e7~ 2.Qf4,Qh7#)
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26. V. Sitnikov Sahs (Riga) 1979
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1.Ke3? (~), 1... Kc2:! 1.c4? (~), 1... e3!, 1... Kc2: 2.Qd2# 1.Bd4! (~), 1... Kc2:,e3 2.Ke3,c4#
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27. R. Aliovsadzade & M. Vagidov & I. Liokumovich Sahs (Riga) 1977
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1.Se5? ~ 2.Sd7#, 1... g5! 1.Sg5? ~ 2.S5e4#, 1... e5! 1.Bd6:! ~ 2.Be7# 1... e5,g5 2.Sg5,Se5#
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Next three examples use zugzwang mechanism using two black pawns (like Nos.1215), which are slightly more spread in No.28, and in No.30 brought up to what is a technically perfect form.
28. H. Prins Suomen Shakki 1986
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1.Sb5? (~), 1... f5! 1.Sf5? (~), 1... b5! 1.Qd7! (~), 1... b5,f5 2.Sf5,Sb5#
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29. M. Zalewski Szachy 1979
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1.Bd5? ~ 2.Qe4#,1... f5! 1.Bf5? ~ 2.Qe4#, 1... d5! 1.Qe6! (~), 1... f5,d5 2.Bd5,Bf5#
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30. W. Bruch Idee & form 1991
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1.Bc5? ~ 2.Rd4#, 1... e5! 1.Be5? ~ 2.Rd4#, 1... c5! 1.Qd6! (~), 1... c5,e5 2.Be5,Bc5#
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No.31 has ugly flight-taking first moves in all phases, while Nos.32 and 33 present a cruel method of mutual captures such opportunistic way neglects the paradox which is in the essence of theme Vladimirov.
31. I. Kisis Schach 1981
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1.Sd6? ~ 2.Ra8#, 1... Re3! 1.Sh6? ~ 2.Ra8#, 1... d6! 1.Rf6! ~ 2.Qa8# 1... Re3,d6 2.Sd6,Sh6#
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32. R. Aliovsadzade & M. Vagidov & I. Liokumovich Buletin Problemistic 1982
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1.Sb5? ~ 2.Sc7#, 1... Bb5:! 1.Se6? ~ 2.Sc7#, 1... Re6:! 1.Ke2! ~ 2.Se7# 1... Bb5+,Re6+ 2.Sb5:,Se6:#
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33. M. Banaszek Idee & form 1994
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1.Sa5? (~), 1... Sa5:!, 1... Sd6 2.Ra6# 1.Sd6? (~), 1... Sd6:!, 1... Sa5 2.Ra6# 1.Rc7! (~) 1... Sa5,Sd6 2.Sa5:,Sd6:# (1... S~ 2.dual)
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Not less opportunistic is battery creation key by arrival of the front piece, which moreover results with different mating moves and only with the help shortened notation gives the desired letter combination to satisfy thematic requirement. The most demanding and intriguing question which composer must answer in theme Vladimirov is: how to prevent key move to be a mate in tries? In all examples that follow, as will be seen, the key move is the capture of black pawn which is guarded by another black pawn. Thus, the danger of mate by firing piece is never present. Some paradox, isn't it? The same as in two popular themes, Banny and Hannelius, which are often considered paradoxical: what didn't work will never work!
To make it clear, I don't criticize the compositions quoted here the majority of which are undoubtedly very good chess problems. I am only insisting on thematic purity. In Nos.3447 thematic piece is WR with diagonal battery creation key, in Nos.4853 it is WB with lateral battery. In Nos.54 and 55 number of thematic tries is increased to three.
34. R. Fedorovitsch 2.pr achove umenie 1977
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1.Rc3? ~ 2.Qd3/Rc(g)e3:#, 1... Re2! 1.Rc5? ~ 2.Qf5/Re5#, 1... Rf2! 1.Rc6:! ~ 2.Rc4# 1... Re2,Rf2 2.Rc3,Rc5#
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35. V. Melnichenko & V. F. Rudenko Sahs (Riga) 1977
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1.Rf3? ~ 2.Qf4#, 1... Rf7! 1.Rd3? ~ 2.Qd6#, 1... Re7! 1.Rc3:! ~ 2.Re3# 1... Re7,Rf7 2.Rd3,Rf3#
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36. R. Fedorovitsch & E. Gavrilov diagrammes 1978
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1.Rf4? ~ 2.Qc3#, 1... Rh2! 1... Be1 2.ed5# 1.Rf5? ~ 2.Qc3#, 1... Be1! 1... Rh2 2.Rd5:# 1.Rf6:! ~ 2.Qc3# 1... Rh2,Be1 2.Rf4,Rf5#
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37. N. Sharkow Buletin Problemistic 1978
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1.Rc2:? ~ 2.Rc5#, 1... Rb6! 1.Re2? ~ 2.R/Qe5#, 1... Rb8:! 1.Rg2:! ~ 2.Rg1# 1... Rb6,Rb8: 2.Rc2:,Re2#
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38. R. Fedorovich Szachy 1978
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1.Rc5? ~ 2.R/Qe5#, 1... Rg7! 1.Rc3? ~ 2.Re3#, 1... Rg5! 1.Rc2:! ~ 2.Rc1# 1... Rg3,Rg5 2.Sg3:,Rc3#
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39. R. Fedorovitsch & E. Gavrilov Revista Romana de Sah 1979
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1.Rb5? ~ 2.Re5#, 1... Rf6! 1.Rbb7? ~ 2.Rb(h)e7#, 1... Rf7! 1.Rb3:! ~ 2.Rb2# 1... Rf6,Rf7 2.Rb5,Rb7#
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40. A. I. Jaroslavcev Sahs (Riga) 1979
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1.Rd6? ~ 2.R/Qf6#, 1... Rg6! 1.Rd4? ~ 2.Rf4#, 1... Rg5! 1.Rdd3:! ~ 2.Rd5# 1... Rg6,Rg5 2.Rd6,Rd4#
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41. C. Wiedenhoff 12.pr Les Echecs Francais 1982
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(1.Rc4? ~ 2.Qe7#, 1... d4!) 1.Re4? ~ 2.Qe7#, 1... Rc1! 1... Rc2 2.Re5:# 1.Rf4? ~ 2.Qd6/Qe7#, 1... Rc2! 1... Rc1 2.Rf6# 1.Rg4:! ~ 2.Qe7# 1... Rc1,Rc2,(d4) 2.Re4,Rf4,(Qc4)#
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42. Z. Labai Schach 1983
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1.Ree3? ~ 2.Rg3#, 1... Rb3! 1.Re5? ~ 2.Rg5#, 1... Rb5! 1.Re6:! ~ 2.Qf5# 1... Rb5,Rb3 2.Re5,Re3#
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43. T. Maeder 3.pr Schweizer Schachmagazin 1985
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1.Rc3? ~ 2.Re3/Qb1#, 1... Rf4:! 1.Rc5? ~ 2.Re5/Qb1#, 1... hg4! 1.Rc6:? ~ 2.R~/Qb1#, 1... Rb8! 1... hg4,Rf4: 2.Rc5,Rc3# 1.Qb1! ~ 2.R~# 1... hg4,Rf4: 2.Rc3,Rc5#
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44. R. Dragoescu Revista Romana de Sah 1987
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1.Re4? ~ 2.Qf7:#, 1... Rg2! 1... Bh5 2.ed6# 1.Rd4? ~ 2.Qf7:#, 1... Bh5! 1.Rg4? ~ 2.Qf7:#, 1... Rh2:! 1.Rc4:! ~ 2.Qf7:# 1... Rg2/Rh2:,Bh5 2.Re4,Rd4#
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45. A. Zidek Europa-Rochade 1987
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1.Rc3? (~), 1... g6!, 1... b2 2.Re3# 1.Rc5? (~), 1... b2!, 1... g6 2.Re5# 1.Rc6:! (~) 1... b2,g6 2.Rc5,Rc3#
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46. M. Danidalima Europe Echecs 1987
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(1.Sd6? ~ 2.Se4#, 1... Re5! 1... Rb5,Rb6 2.Qb5:.Qc4#) 1.Re6? ~ 2.Q/Rc6#, 1... Rb6! 1.Re4? ~ 2.Rc4#, 1... Rb5! 1.Ree3:! ~ 2.Re5# 1... Rb5,Rb6 2.Re4,Re6#
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47. T. Maeder cm Boyer MT 1988
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1.Re4? (~), 1... Bb1:!, 1... gf4 2.Qd1# 1.Re5? ~ 2.Qd1#, 1... gf4! 1.Re6:! ~ 2.R~/Qd1# 1... Bb1:,gf4 2.Re4,Ree5# 1.Qd1! ~ 2.R~# 1... Bb1:,gf4 2.Re5,Re4#
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48. R. Aliovsadzade & M. Vagidov Shakhmaty v SSSR 1977
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1.Be4? ~ 2.Rd3#, 1... Qf4:! 1.Bd5? ~ 2.Sb1#, 1... Qf5! 1.Bc6:! ~ 2.Be8# 1... Qf4:,Qf5 2.Be4,Bd5#
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49. F. Davidenko 6.cm Sahs (Riga) 1978
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1.Bd5? ~ 2.Qg4#, 1... Bc8! 1... Rg8 2.e5# 1.Bc4? ~ 2.Qg4#, 1... Rg8! 1... Bc8 2.Be2# 1.Bb3:! ~ 2.Qg4# 1... Bc8,Rg8 2.Bd5,Bc4#
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50. M. A. Travasoni Scacco! 1984
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1.Bc5? ~ 2.Ra4:#, 1... Qa7! 1... Ra6 2.b5# 1.Bd4? ~ 2.Ra4:#, 1... Ra6! 1... Qa7 2.Bb2:# 1.Be3:! ~ 2.Ra4:# 1... Qa7,Ra6 2.Bc5,Bd4#
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51. A. I. Jaroslavcev 64 1986
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1.Bd7? ~ 2.Bb5#, 1... Bb4! 1.Bf5? ~ 2.Bd3#, 1... Bd2! 1.Bg4:! ~ 2.Be6# 1... Bb4,Bd2 2.Bd7,Bf5#
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52. V. Kopayev Chess Life 1989
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1.Be3? ~ 2.Qb1/Rf4#, 1... Qa3! 1.Bf4? ~ 2.Qb1/Bh2:#, 1... Qb8! 1.Bg5:! ~ 2.Qb1# 1... Qa3,Qb8 2.Be3,Bf4#
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53. W. Bruch Probleemblad 1991
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1.Rf6? ~ 2.Q/Rd6#, 1... Qc6! 1... Qc5 2.Qc5:# 1.Rf4? ~ 2.Rd4#, 1... Qc5! 1... Qc6 2.Qc6:# 1.Rf3:! ~ 2.Rf1# 1... Qc5,Qc6 2.Rf4,Rf6#
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54. A. Zygalov & S. Chagamurov 1.pr Konkurs Gazety Baku 1978
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1.Rcc3? ~ 2.Ra3#, 1... Qf3! 1.Rc4? ~ 2.b5#, 1... Qe2! 1.Rc5? ~ 2.Ra5#, 1... Qh5! 1.Rc6:! ~ 2.Re6# 1... Qf3,Qe2,Qh5 2.Rc3,Rc4,Rc5#
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55. V. Kopayev Suomen Shakki 1988
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1.Be6? ~ 2.Rh7/Bc8#, 1... Qg4! 1.Bd5? ~ 2.Rh7/Ra6#, 1... Qh5! 1.Bc4? ~ 2.Rh7/Ba6#, 1... Qe2! 1.Bb3:! ~ 2.Rh7# 1... Qg4,Qh5,Qe2 2.Bc4,Bd5,Bc4#
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