Final Award in Quick Composing TT-236 | Окончательные итоги блицконкурса TT-236

Domino Effect | Эффект домино

Theme | Тема

70 entries were received from 26 authors representing 17 countries | На конкурс поступило 70 композиций от 26 авторов из 17 стран


EN <-> RU

From the tourney director Aleksey Oganesjan I have received 70 helpmates without author’s names (one problem was presented in two versions). The overall level of participating works is low, in my opinion. There were quite a lot of simple and example-like problems, as well as those with idle/superfluous white officer(s) at least in one phase. Such entries didn't passed my first selection.

At least one move in the following problems is non-thematic: No 1 (Kh7-Ka4), No 2 (Kb6-Kc3), No 3 (Kh8-Kc3), No 4 (Kh1-Kc6), No 5 (Kh1-Ke5), No 6 (Kc1-Kg3), No 7 (Kh1-Ke5), No 24 (Kg2-Kc2), No 25 (Ke1-Kd3), No 26 (Kg7-Ke5), No 28A (Ka8-Kf5), No 28B (Ka8-Kf5), No 40 (Kb8-Kd8), No 44 (Ka1-Kh1), No 45 (Kh8-Kg2), No 54 (Kh2-Kg4), No 56 (Kh3-Kd4), No 58 (Ke1-Kf3). Authors of the works listed above who want to get clarification can feel free to contact me directly via email or through the tourney director.

In addition to the above mentioned, there were several problems in which the tourney theme was performed artificially – when some unit can be removed or moved in the initial position without affecting the solution but with the loss of some important thematic condition:
- No 51 (Ka4-Kd3) – [-BRh5 +BSf2];
- No 52 (Ke8-Kd5) – [-BRe1];
- No 67 (Kc6-Kd4) – [WB can be placed on g2/h1].
I did not consider these works as candidates for distinctions.

Entries with the presence of promoted pieces in the initial position – No 65 (Kd3-Ke5) and No 70 (Kh3-Ke4) – as well as with movement of a thematic unit/mating unit/black king in twin(s): No 8 (Ka1-Kd5), No 9 (Ka8-Kc4), No 10 (Kh1-Kc1), No 11(Ke2-Kf4), No 17 (Ke7-Ke4), No 18 (Kc2-Kd6), No 20 (Kd6-Kf3), No 27 (Kh1-Kb5), No 30 (Ke1-Kd4), No 39 (Kf1-Kd5), No 44 (Ka1-Kh1), No 62 (Kh3-Ka6), No 64 (Ke2-Kc3) were not included in the award since these techniques are making the challenge easy to reach and are anti-artistic in most cases.

Some additional comments:
No 12 (Ka7-Kf5) – close to the given example; compare to pdb/P0540318;
No 15 (Kc8-Ke7) – strongly anticipated: pdb/P1006876;
No 22 (Kd6-Kh3) – close to pdb/P1330366;
No 34 (Ke5-Kc4) – no better than pdb/P0537812 + black pawn a6 is superfluous;
No 35 (Kc6-Kd4) – no better than pdb/P1006876;
No 46 (Ke5-Kg3) – trivial symmetry in the play + predecessor: pdb/P0526331;
No 59 (Kb3-Ke1) – capture of thematic pawn detracts so much. Compare to pdb/P1370172;
No 66 (Kc5-Kd3) – the move e5-e6 has a triple motivation;
No 69 (Kb1-Kf3) – strongly anticipated: pdb/P0535360.

I belief some problems that were not awarded due to the judge’s high demands – such as No 18 (Kc2-Kd6), No 20 (Kd6-Kf3), No 26 (Kg7-Ke5), No 39 (Kf1-Kd5), No 55 (Kg7-Ke4), No 62 (Kh3-Ka6), No 67 (Kc6-Kd4) – can get high distinctions in some other competitions.

When evaluating remaining works, I paid attention to the mobility of white pieces in the initial position (the higher the better) – in addition to the generally accepted criteria (originality, complexity, unity).

Award is the following | Отличия распределились следующим образом

1st Honorable mention - No 57
Fadil Abdurahmanovic & Marko Klasinc
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
7Q/4pPRp/1pp1K1b1/3n1R1p/8/1n2Bp2/pk6/1N6
h#22.1..(7+11)
2nd Honorable mention - No 13
M. Witztum & R. Vieira
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/4N1p1/3rppP1/1p2k1n1/1K4P1/1PrP1p2/2qN3P/6Bb
h#22.1..(9+11)
3rd Honorable mention - No 68
M. Witztum & R. Vieira
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
K7/8/8/2p2Pq1/5b2/1n1bNkN1/3p1P1R/3r1R2
h#2b) Bf4->d6(8+9)

1st Honorable mention - No 57, Fadil Abdurahmanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) & Marko Klasinc (Slovenia) 7Q/4pPRp/1pp1K1b1/3n1R1p/8/1n2Bp2/pk6/1N6

1.Sb4 Ra5 2.Bxb1 Rg2#
1.Sxe3 Rb5 2.Bc2 Rg1#
Triple sequential gate-opening effect performed by the same thematic pieces in two solutions. A combination of hideaway and self-blocks as arrival effects in the Black's play. Arrival effects in the play of white rooks, however, are not balanced in solutions.
EN <-> RU

2nd Honorable mention - No 13, Menachem Witztum (Israel) & Ricardo de Mattos Vieira (Brazil) 8/4N1p1/3rppP1/1p2k1n1/1K4P1/1PrP1p2/2qN3P/6Bb

1.Rxb3+ Sxb3 2.Qxh2 Bxh2#
1.Rc4+ dxc4 2.Qxg6 Sxg6#
An interesting mechanism with consecutive sacrifices of black pieces, but with not quite equal arrival effects of the introductory move. In White's play we see gate-opening for black queen, which in turn captures white pawns that block the mate squares. I like reciprocally changed roles of two pairs of white units.
EN <-> RU

3rd Honorable mention - No 68, Menachem Witztum (Israel) & Ricardo de Mattos Vieira (Brazil) K7/8/8/2p2Pq1/5b2/1n1bNkN1/3p1P1R/3r1R2

a) diagram: 1.Bxf5 (Qxf5?) Sexf5 2.Kxg4 f3#
b) Bf4->d6: 1.Qxf5 (Bxf5?) Sgxf5 2.Ke2 f4#
Equally motivated choice of a unblocking sacrifice on f5 with the subsequent play on this square of different white knights giving g4/e2 flight to black king and simultaneously guarding g3/e3 square. After the departure of the black king from f3 square, a tactically inhomogeneous checkmate by white pawn double-step follows.
EN <-> RU
4th Honorable mention - No 53
Fadil Abdurahmanovic & Marko Klasinc
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
r2QK1n1/n3pB2/5k2/5Pp1/1r3R2/4q2b/8/8
h#22.1..(5+9)
Special Hon. mention - No 50
Andrey Frolkin & Mark Basisty
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/2p5/1Ppb4/2p3p1/p1P1P1P1/p1k1P2b/Q1P1PP1r/2R1K2R
h#2b) Rh1->e6(12+10)
Commendation - No 23
Petr Zabirokhin
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/3B2p1/2b1q3/1p4K1/2r1P3/2p5/5B2/5k1N
h#2b) Rc4->h2(5+7)

4th Honorable mention - No 53, Fadil Abdurahmanovic (Bosnia & Herzegovina) & Marko Klasinc (Slovenia) r2QK1n1/n3pB2/5k2/5Pp1/1r3R2/4q2b/8/8

1.Ke5 f6 2.Bc8 Qc7#
1.Sc8 Qd4+ 2.e5 fxe6 e.p.#
The only problem showing en passant capture as thematic feature. In contrast to the higher compositions, here we see a "topological" harmony in the reciprocal play of different black units on the squares e5 and c8 in two phases.
EN <-> RU

Special Honorable mention - No 50, Andrey Frolkin & Mark Basisty (Ukraine) 8/2p5/1Ppb4/2p3p1/p1P1P1P1/p1k1P2b/Q1P1PP1r/2R1K2R

a) diagram: 1.Rxf2 Kxf2 2.Kd2 c3#
Why 1.Bxg4 0-0?? 2.Kd2 c3# is impossible?
White captured all 6 absent Black pieces: axb, bxc, d2xe3, g2xf3xe4, hxg. Black captured all 4 absent White pieces: axb, d7xc6, e7xd6xc5.
So wPh7 must promote on h1 – that’s why wRh1 moved and 0-0 is illegal! (Authors.)

b) Rh1->e6: 1.Bf4 exf4 2.Kd4 c3#

The content of this helpmate has a single line of thematic try play that fails due to the illegality of white castling which proves by retroanalysis. This feature, however, requires four units on the board which are useless for the actual play. Non-alternative the same mating move (in contrast to No 68) leads to different finals (Moiseenko theme).
EN <-> RU

Commendation - No 23, Petr Zabirokhin (Russia) 8/3B2p1/2b1q3/1p4K1/2r1P3/2p5/5B2/5k1N

a) diagram: 1.Bd5 exd5 2.Qe2 Bh3#
b) Rc4->h2: 1.Qf5+ exf5 2.Bg2 Bxb5#
Commendation - No 33
Menachem Witztum
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/8/3rN3/1B1k1pN1/3p4/1PpPP1Kn/4q3/8
h#22.1..(7+7)
Commendation - No 49
Andrey Frolkin & Mark Basisty
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
3Kn1br/q3P1kp/5pPp/8/8/b7/8/6R1
h#22.1..(4+9)
Commendation - No 60
Michal Dragoun & Ladislav Salai jr.
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
3r2r1/1pKB3q/4PBp1/4P2p/N2kP2R/3pp3/8/8
h#22.1..(8+9)

Commendation - No 33, Menachem Witztum (Israel) 8/8/3rN3/1B1k1pN1/3p4/1PpPP1Kn/4q3/8

1.dxe3 d4 2.Qc4 bxc4#
1.f4+ exf4 2.Qe4 dxe4#

Commendation - No 49, Andrey Frolkin & Mark Basisty (Ukraine) 3Kn1br/q3P1kp/5pPp/8/8/b7/8/6R1

1.Sc7! (Sd6?) e8B! (e8Q?) 2.Kf8 g7#
1.Sd6!
(Sc7?) e8Q! (e8B?) 2.Qf7 gxf7#

Commendation - No 60, Michal Dragoun & Ladislav Salai jr. (Czech Republic) 3r2r1/1pKB3q/4PBp1/4P2p/N2kP2R/3pp3/8/8

1.Qh8 Bc6 (Bb5?) 2.Rd5 exd5#
1.Qh6 Bd5
(Bc6?) 2.Rd6 exd6#
Commendation - No 61
Michal Dragoun & Ladislav Salai jr.
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/2bnr3/K3Q2r/1nP1q3/3PkP2/1NpR4/2p5/3b4
h#22.1..(7+10)
Commendation - No 63
Solaiappan Manikumar
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
r5NK/p2b2R1/3PP3/5kpn/5P2/5n2/8/b7
h#22.1..(6+8)
Special Commendation - No 48
Mark Basisty & Andrey Frolkin
TT-236, SuperProblem, 09-04-2020
8/1q2pB2/3pPp2/r1npkbp1/5pn1/2PRpPP1/2K5/b7
h#2b) Pg5->c6
c) Bf7->d1
(7+14)

Commendation - No 61, Michal Dragoun & Ladislav Salai jr. (Czech Republic) 8/2bnr3/K3Q2r/1nP1q3/3PkP2/1NpR4/2p5/3b4

1.Sd6 Qh3 2.Qxd4 Rxd4#
1.Sb6 Qf7 2.Qxc5 Sxc5#

Commendation - No 63, Solaiappan Manikumar (India) r5NK/p2b2R1/3PP3/5kpn/5P2/5n2/8/b7

1.Se5 (Sd4?) Rf7+ 2.Kg6 f5#
1.Bc8
(Be8?) Se7+ 2.Kf6 Rg6#

Special Commendation - No 48, Mark Basisty & Andrey Frolkin (Country) 8/1q2pB2/3pPp2/r1npkbp1/5pn1/2PRpPP1/2K5/b7

a) diagram: 1.Qd7 exd7 2.Bxd7 Rxd5#
b) Pg5->c6: 1.Se4 Rxe3 2.fxe3 f4#
c) Bf7->d1: 1.fxg3 f4+ 2.Ke4 Rd4#
Special distinction for technical achievement. From the several three-phase problems submitted for the tourney, this is the only one without serious flaws, but the play of both sides in phases is far from harmony...
EN <-> RU


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