My Participation in WCCC2015 Tournaments

My Participation in WCCC2015 Tournaments

It’s my 5th participation in WCCC’s tournaments, and my first participation in the Congress!

I have composed for two fairy tournaments: 13th Romanian Tzuica Tourney (one problem) and 15th Japanese Sake Tourney (three problems). The both themes were quite nice.

I had two ideas for Tzuica, but finally have finished the first one only. Somehow I didn’t expect much from this problem, mostly because I knew that this tournament is always very strong and I was afraid that three pins are not enough to finish among prizes. If I knew what a pleasant surprise was waiting for me!

About the Japanese Sake, I should tell that the theme of it was just a gift for me! Since the previous Sake in 2014, offered Back-to-Back (BTB) condition, I started to compose with BTB, trying fairy pieces, HS# form.. and finally in the spring of 2015 have composed the first BTB problem with neutral pieces, although in combination with Take&Make. The behavior of neutral pieces with this condition attracted me a lot. And here is the tournament – neutral pieces with BTB/FTF! Honestly, my only thought was that I shouldn’t miss the chance!

All my four problems have been rewarded. I came home with 2 prizes(!) and even 3 bottles! More than happy!

My rewarded problems:

No.1 Julia Vysotska
Latvia
Prize, 15th Japanese Sake

Solutions:

White Kd7 Pb5 Black Ke5 Ra6 Rh4 Bg8 Sd5 Pb7 Neutral Bc2 Bb1 Pg3

h#2 b) Face-to-Face (2+6+3)
Back-to-Back

a) 1.Ra6-a1 nBb1-a2 2.Rh4-b4 nBa2*a1 # { Thematic try: 1. Rb4? nBa2? and 2.Ra1 is impossible!} b) 1.Rh4-h8 nBc2-h7 2.Ra6-b6 nBh7*h8 # { Thematic try: 1. Rb6? nBh7? and 2.Rh8 is impossible! (C+ by Popeye 4.69)}

Thematical complex:

Paradoxal mate by one(!) neutral piece in two phases: with Back-to-Back and Face-to-Face conditions.

Thematic complex:
– Thematical mating move where nB being in BTB/FTF pair with bR captures bR to move to the diagonal’s corner where it can’t escape.
– Change of functions for two pairs of pieces nBb1/nBc2 and bRa6/bRh4;
– Pin of the bSd5 using bR in BTB/FTF pair with the wPb5;
– Anti-critical moves of the bRs.

Meredith. Model mates.

No.2 Julia Vysotska
Latvia
Commendation, 15th Japanese Sake

Solutions:

White Kg6 Black Kf8 Neutral Ra8 Ba6 Sa7

h#2* (1+1+3)
Back-to-Back

1...nBa6-c8 2.nSa7-c7 nBc8-d6 # 1.nBa6-b8 nSa7-c6 2.nBb8-a7 nBa7-c5 # { (C+ by Popeye 4.69)}

The problem shows two different options of BTB-specific neutral battery play where two neutral pieces (nR+nB) create a battery, but the 3rd neutral piece (nS) helps to prevent the backward moves of the forward battery pieces after their play:
1) In a set-play, neutral battery created with nRa8/nBc8 plays with a help of nSc7, which makes BTB-pair nBc8+nSc7 to change a role of battery’s forward piece nBc8. So, the nBc8 plays as S to d6 and can’t return back to the battery line as B.
2) In a real play, BTB-specific battery created by pair nRa8+nBa7 plays with a normal move of nB, but on arrival it makes a BTB-pair with nS: nSc6+nBc5. So, on the black move nBc5 has a role of S and can’t return back to the battery line.

Another effects: Paradoxical presence of set-play in a problem with neutral pieces! All three neutral pieces make white and black moves in two phases. The neutral “pyramid of BTB-relations” nRa8+nSa7+nBa6 shows different top and bottom pieces while transforms into the neutral batteries: in a set-play nB plays as white and keeps its nature, but nS plays as black with a role of R; in a real play nB plays as black with a role of S, but nS plays as white and keeps its nature. Tanagra.

No.3 Julia Vysotska
Latvia
Commendation, 15th Japanese Sake

Solutions:

White Ka3 Black Ka5 Neutral Rh4 Bd4 Sd6

h#2 2 solutions (1+1+3)
Back-to-Back

1.nRh4-h6 nSd6-b7 + 2.nRh6-b6 nBd4*b6 # 1.nSd6-b5 + nBd4-b6 2.nRh4-h5 nRh5*b5 # { (C+ by Popeye 4.69)}

Tanagra Aristocrat. Three neutral pieces in two phases show BTB-specific mates by a pinned in BTB-pair piece. Cyclic change of functions S->B, B->R.

No.4 Julia Vysotska
Latvia
3^rd Prize, Fairy Section Tzuica 2015

Solutions:

White NF4 Ke2 Qb1 Rd4 Bf3 Pa7 Black NE7 Kc7 Qg1 LIA8 Bf7 Pe5 Pf5 Pe3

hs#2.5 2 solutions (6+8)
Nightrider f4, e7; Lion a8

1...Ne7-g6 2.Rd4-d2 LIa8-a2 + 3.Qb1-c2 + Bf7-c4 # { (4. Qxc4,Qd3? ; Rd3? ; Nd3?) } 1...Bf7-h5 2.Qb1-d3 LIa8-a6 + 3.Rd4-c4 + Ne7-c6 # { (4. Rxc6,Rd4? ; Qd4? ; Bxc6?) (C+ by Popeye 4.67)}

1. Pin mates with 3 pieces pinned during a play in two phases.
2. Reciprocal play of three pairs of pieces: 1) pieces in the white pinned pair R/Q change their function in giving check to the bK; 2) in the white pair N/B one piece is pinned in each solution; 3) in the black pair B/N one piece pins the white N/B and another one gives mate to the wK.
3. All white pieces guard the squares of bK in the both phases.
4. ODT.