#2-94
#3-94
#n-94
h#-94
s#-94
#2-95
#3-95
#n-95
h#-95
s#-95
Mat Plus #2-96
#3-96
#n-96
h#-96
s#-96
#2-97
#3-97
#n-97
h#-97
s#-97
#2-98/99
#3-98/99
#n-98/99
h#-98/99
s#-98/99

Mat Plus Informal Tourney: Twomovers 1998/99
Judge: Milan Velimirović

The overall quality of 33 twomovers which took part in this tourney was below the expectations, but maybe the expectations had been too high? Prizewinners stand head and shoulders above the rest of the field. I selected 12 problems and ranked them as follows:
Mihailo Stojnić
1.Pr Mat Plus 1998/99
s6B2P4Kb1P3RR1QpSPk1p3prSp1b5p8q1B






#2vv 11+11
1st Prize: No. 413 by Mihailo Stojnić (Yugoslavia).
Only second conventional presentation of "Ideal Vladimirov" theme, which extends native form (1.A? a!, 1.B?, b!, 1.X a,b 2.A,B#) to changed mates in after non-defeating defences in both tries (i.e, 1.A? a,b 2.?,X#; 1.B? a,b 2.Y,?#; 1.X a,b 2.A,B#). The first example was composed by the same author. Although the basic mechanism where the key-move-line is closed once by black and once by white had been known since the theme "birth-year" (see examples 12-21 in my article "20 Years of Vladimirov Theme", Mat Plus 15/1997), it had to wait more than 20 years for the outstanding talent of this young author to be brought to the perfection! 1.Se2? ~ 2.Se7#, 1... Qh4!, 1... c4 2.Sd4:#; 1.Sg2? ~ 2.Se7#, 1... c4!, 1... Qh4 2.Sh4:#; 1.Qf1! ~ 2.Se7#, 1... Qh4 2.Se2#, 1... c4 2.Sg2# (1... Qf2,Bf1: 2.Rh5:,c8QB#).

Dragan Stojnić
2.Pr Mat Plus 1998/99
SR3S1sPB2Rrp2p1kPprb1KpP1Pp7P9Q6PB






#2vv 14+10
2nd Prize: No.521 by Dragan Stojnić (Yugoslavia).
Again "Ideal Vladimirov", but here in very unconventional form: the greatest difficulty of the theme how to avoid the key move to be a mate in tries here is resolved by means of Its now or never particularity of the en passant capture. The trick itself is not new, it was in fact "discovered" by myself (see example 24 in article mentioned above) also for an Ideal form, but thats where the similarity ends and the differencse begin the biggest one is that mates are delivered along two different lines. The most delicate constructional touch is closing of the b7-d5 line by key move. 1.Qa3? (~), 1... Ke7:!, 1... Re7: 2.Qg3#; 1.Qd2? (~), 1... Re7:!, 1... Ke7: 2.d6# (1... c4 2.Qb4#); 1.dc6(ep)! (~) 1... Ke7:,Re7: 2.Qa3,Qd2# (1... Rf8: 2.Rd7#); (1.h3? Re7: 2.Qh2#, 1... Ke7:!; 1.Qa6? Re7: 2.Qb6:#, 1... Ke7:!; 1.Rc8? Re7: 2.Rc6#, 1... Ke7:!).

Valery Shanshin
3.Pr Mat Plus 1998/99
6B11R3s5kp5SP5p10K4Q1R2b






#2*v 7+5
3rd Prize: No. 514 by Valery Shanshin (Kirgizia).
A three phase changed mates after black self-block and BK flight to different squares, which is not quite Chepizny form where the same mate is a response to different BK moves. A reversal of white first and mating moves Qc3 and Se2 is often wrongly labelled as Salazar theme, which in fact does contain such reversal, but also requires a change of two direct/indirect mates which further implies the white switchbacks. However, the inaccuraties in terminology take nothing from the value of this excellent Meredith. The "dud" on e1 seems to be inevitable. 1... Kd4:,Be4: 2.Qc3:,Sf3#; 1.Qc3:?(A) ~ 2.Se6#, 1... Kf4,Be4: 2.Qg3,Se2(B)#, 1... fe4!; 1.Se2!(B) ~ 2.Re6#, 1... Ke4:,Be4: 2.Qe3,Qc3:(A)#, 1... fe4,Sf8 2.Qg5,Qf4#.

V. Melnichenko &
V. Rudenko

1.HM Mat Plus 1998/99
s3S2b5p2K1p1p5PkB1p7R1pP1S1P5Q6r1r1q






#2vv 9+11
5st Lon. Mention> No.519 by Victor Melnichenko & Valentin Rudenko (Ukraine).
Reciprocal change of defensive motives (Nietvelt vs. guard) with changed mates. Such self-pin/self-block alternation have been seen many times during th last half a century, but virtually always with one black thematic piece involved and with recoprocal mates. Two black pieces and four different mates make this problem more original. (*1... Qf1 2.Rd4#); 1.Bd6? ~ 2.Sb4/Sf4#, 1... Qd4,e5 2.Sb4,Sf4#, 1... Qf1!; 1.Qg5:? ~ 2.Qd8#, 1... Be5:,Qc5: 2.Sf6,Sf4#, 1... f6!; 1.Qa5! ~ 2.Qd8#, 1... Be5:,Qc5: 2.Sb4,Rd4#  1... Sc7+,Bf6 2.Sc7:,Sf6:#.

Darko Šaljić
2.HM Mat Plus 1998/99
B1sK1Q1b3S8k10r4P2s3p1p4S8R






#2* 7+7
2nd Hon. Mention: No.403 by Darko Šaljić (Yugoslavia).
Clear and attractive presentation of resiprocal change. 1... Sf5 2.Bd5#, 1... dc2 2.Qg8#; 1.e5! ~ 2.Sd4#, 1... Sf5 2.Qg8#, 1... dc2 2.Bd5#, ( 1... Bf6+,Be5: 2.Qf6:,Sc5#).

Marjan Kovačević
3.HM Mat Plus 1998/99
7s1R4R4p1kb1p1r1SP2Kp1B3S13Q3B






#2 9+7
3rd Hon. Mention: No.405 by Marjan Kovačević (Yugoslavia).
Twomover in classic style showing two pairs od dual avoidance with all mates executed by one S-battery. 1.Sg2! ~ 2.Qh4#, 1... Rc7 2.Sf3# (2.Sf7?), 1... Rc2 2.Sf7# (2.Sf3?), 1... Bf7 2.Sg4# (2.Sd7?), 1... Be8+ 2.Sd7# (2.Sg4?), ( 1... Kg5,Bf5:,Sf7 2.Qh4,Qf5:,Rg6:#)

Darko Šaljić
4.HM Mat Plus 1998/99
1Q9p1p3R7r5rB2PpP4P3BRp3k7SSK






#2v... 11+7
4th Hon. Mention: No.518 by Darko Šaljić (Yugoslavia).
This ambitious pattern play consists of two halves, one corresponding to pseudo le Grand theme and another to reciprocal change of mates, always with different departure squares for thematic mates. Pity that one try is defeated by two defences. 1.Qc8? ~,d5(x) 2.Qc4(A),Qg4(B)#, 1... Rb4/Rb3!; 1.Qg8? ~,f5(y) 2.Qg4(B),Qc4(A)#, 1... Rh4!; 1.Qe8? ~,d5(x),f5(y) 2.Qe4:,Qb5:(C),Qh5:(D)#, 1... Rb3!; 1.Qe5! ~ 2.Qe4:#, 1... ~,d5(x),f5(y) 2.Qe4:,Qh5:(D),Qb5:(C)#; 1... e3,Rbe5:,Rhe5: 2.Qe3:,Rb2,Rh2#.

Michael Lipton &
John Rice
k6K1pB6PP2s18p1s2R10b6B






#2v... 6+6
1st. Com.: No.400 by Michael Lipton & John Rice (England).
Simple but attractive choice of white first move. Tries are defeated double line closings, and cooks are skilfully prevented by pins drom black halfbattery. Light Meredith setting could have been even lighter (and to my opinion) better with WQc7 and BPc6 instead of WB and two WPs. 1.Rf4? ~ 2.cb7#, 1... Sce4!; 1.Rf5? ~ 2.Ra5/cb7#, 1... Scd5!; 1.Re3? ~ 2.cb7#, 1... Sfe4!; 1.Rd3? ~ 2.Rd8/cb7#, 1... Sfd5!; 1.Rg3! ~ 2.cb7#, 1... Scd5/Sce4 2.Ra3:#, 1... Sfd5/Sfe4 2.Rg8#, 1... bc6 2.Bc6:#.

Valery Shanshin
2.Com Mat Plus 1998/99
4b1r1pR2b3S5p1k5BRp9rB1p7Q6s1K






#2vv 7+10
2nd. Com.: No. 517 by Valery Shanshin (Kirgizia).
Interesting pin-mates after mutual interferences of BR and BB in pleasant position, even with superflouos BRg8, but with unpleasant dual after 1... Rc6 2.Bd2/Rb5#. 1.Sb4? ~ 2.Qa7:#, 1... Rc5!; 1.Sc7? ~ 2.Qa7:#, 1... Bc5!; 1.Sb8! ~,Rc5,Bc5,a6 2.Qa7:,Bd2,Bd8,Qb6#.

Vladan Vučković
3.Com Mat Plus 1998/99
3Rb7SP1KBb1SR3r3sQ3P1kPs5p3p3Ppr1B7q






#2*vv 12+11
3rd Com.: No. 416 by Vladan Vučković (Yugoslavia).
Classic contents showing two Chicco-theme-like corrections is enriched by WQ corrections and a three phase changed mate after 1... 1... Sf~. Excellent key introduces a cross-check variation with another changed mate. 1... Qe4: 2.Qe4:#; 1.Q~? ~ 2.Sef5#, 1... Sf~!; 1.Qf6!? Sf~ 2.Qf2:#, 1... Sfg2!; 1.Qg5!!? Sf~ 2.Qe3#, 1... Sfg2!; 1.Qg4! ~ 2.Sef5#, 1... Sf~ 2.Sdf5#, 1... Sd5! 2.Be5:#, 1... Se~ 2.Sdf5#, 1... Sd7! 2.Sc6#, 1... Qe4:+ 2.Sef5#.

Srećko Radović
4.Com Mat Plus 1998/99
5R16pbR11S1k5P2r8Q2KBB






#2vv 8+4
4th Com.: No.401 by Srećko Radović (Yugoslavia).
A beautiful Meredith based on well-known Bottachi problem. The actual play is not as rich as in the older problem, but there are wo changed mates in try 1.Qf6? and additonal black defence 1... Bf8:! (which is also refutation to another try) - more than enough for a 4-pieces lighter setting. 1.Qf6? ~ 2.Qe6#, 1... Rh5 2.Qf3#, 1... Bf4 2.Qf4:#, 1... g5!; 1.Qa4? ~ 2.Qd7#, 1... Bf8:!; 1.Qd4! ~ 2.Qd7#, 1... g5 2.Sg3# (2.Sf6?), 1... Bf8: 2.Sd2# (2.Sg5?), 1... Rg3 2.Sf2#, 1... Rf3 2.Sf6#, 1... Rh5 2.Sg5#, 1... Bg5 2.Rg5:#, 1... Bf4 2.Rf4:#.

Dragan Stojnić
5.Com Mat Plus 1998/99
6b1P1PKQpp2P7spkp4Rp3S2RBrbsS5P3q






#2 11+12
5th Com.: No.415 by Dragan Stojnić (Yugoslavia).
Classic task with 8 different variations after WB sacrifice. By all means commendable! 1.Bd4! ~ 2.Qc5:#, 1... Kd4: 2.Rd3:#, 1... Qd4: 2.a8Q/B#, 1... Rd4: 2.Se3:#, 1... Bd4: 2.e4#, 1... Sfd4: 2.Qe5:#, 1... Sbd4: 2.Qd6#, 1... Sd6 2.Qd6:#, 1... cd4 2.Rb5:#, 1... ed4 2.Qe4#.

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