My Participation in WCCC2013 Tourneys

This year is the 3rd time when I participate in WCCC tourneys. I’ve submitted just 3 problems – one for each of the following tournaments:

And I’m happy to see all of them in the Awards!

4th Bulgarian Wine Tourney – Batumi 2013
Theme: direct #, H#, S#, HS# problems in 2 to 3 moves with the combination of fairy conditions “Take & Make” and “Anti Take & Make”. Neutral pieces are allowed, but other type fairy pieces or fairy conditions are not allowed.

Julia Vysotska
4th Bulgarian Wine Tourney – Batumi 2013
5th Prize

h#2 2 solutions 4+11
Take&Make; Anti Take&Make

Solutions:

I. 1.Re1-e3 Kf4xe3-e1[+bRg3] 2.Rg3-g6 f5xg6-g8=S[+bRh6] #
II. 1.Sd2-f3 Kf4xf3-d2[+bSg5] 2.Sg5-e6 f5xe6-f8=B[+bSg7] #

Author’s comments:

Umnov on the first move – wK moves on the square vacated by the bR/bS.

TASK: One and the same black piece makes 4 relocations on the board in each solution! (Re1 – e3 – g3 – g6 – h6; Sd2 – f3 – g5 – e6 – g7)

Sacrifice of the black piece R/S to the white pawn where a pawn moves as captured piece to get to the 8th rank (Take&Make), to promote into S/B and to mate, but the captured piece makes its move (Anti Take&Make) to block a square h6/g7 for possible defense: 3.Re8xSg8? – impossible as there’re no possible squares for two S-moves; 3.Re8xBf8? – impossible as there’re no possible lines for B-moves.

Sacrifice of the black pieces R/S to the white King are used to make them get till the squares where they can be sacrificed to the white pawn.

Indirect battery play – P/R and P/B.

Judge’s comment: Umnov, two black active sacrifices of the same pieces, white minor promotions, specific mates with blocks, open of white lines.

11th TZUICA TOURNEY – Batumi 2013

Theme: Help-selfmates (hs#n) or help-selfstalemates (hs=n) with at least two switchbacks in each phase and at least two phases.

Julia Vysotska
11th TZUICA TOURNEY – Batumi 2013
1st Hon.men.

hs#4 b) Bh8->c1 7+11
Andernach
Nightriders: f2, f1

Solutions and Author’s comments:

In the initial setting Black can’t play 1…Rxh2=wbR or 1…Bxh2=wB because of Andernach effect.
Therefore, white Sh2 should leave the square h2.
There’re two moves of white S (Sg4/Sf3) – one is the key, other is the try!

a) 1.Sg4 Rh2 2.Nxc7=b Nf1 3.Bf6 Rh1 4.Bd8 + Nc7 #

Try: 1.Sf3 ? but after 5.Sg1 ! no mate!

Dual avoidance motive with Andernach-effect:
3.Be5? but after 4.Bc7+ follows 4…Nxc7=wN+! and 5.Nf1 !!

b) 1.Sf3 Bh2 2.Nxb4=b Nf2 3.Bb2 Bg3 4.Bc3 + Nb4 #

Try: 1.Sg4 ? but after 5.Sf2 ! no mate!

Dual avoidance motive with Andernach-effect:
3.Ba3? but after 4.Bb4+ follows 4…Nxb4=wN+! and 5.Nf2 !!

Thematic switchbacks in the problem:

In solution a):
Black Rh1 moves to h2 and back to h1 ;
White Nf1 makes annihilation move to c7 (changing color to black) and back to f1, plus one more time moves as a black piece to c7 ;
One additional switchback in the try, where Nf1 captures c7 as a black piece and returns back to f1 as a white piece.

In solution b):
Black Bg3 moves to h2 and back to g3 ;
White Nf2 makes annihilation move to b4 (changing color to black) and back to f2, plus one more time moves as a black piece to b4 ;
One additional switchback in the try, where Nf2 captures b4 as a black piece and returns back to f2 as a white piece.

Other important themes:
TASK: 8 different moves of the wB: 4 in real play and 4 in tries;
Umnov in the first move;
Annihilation of the black pawns Pc7/Pb4 by the white N with Andernach motives has 3 thematic effects:
– vacants the square for its own mating move in the solution;
– opens line for the white Bishop in the solution;
– vacants the square for Bishop’s move in the try.

————–

Judge’s comment: A very ambitious conception with three switchbacks in each phase, showing a neat dual avoidance at W1 (A: 1.Sf3? … 5.Sg1! and B: 1.Sg4? … 5.Sf2!) and Andernach refuted tries (A: 3.Be5? … 4.Bc7+ Nxc7=wN#?? 5.Nf1!! and B: 3.Ba3? … 4.Bb4+ Nxb4=wN#?? 5.Nf2!!). The FML effects on B1 and the specific mixed-coloured switchback of the Nightrider enhance the unity of the problem. We would have certainly preferred the idea presented in an improved setting saving the expensive bRd4 and in twinless form. However, we respect the author’s choice to preserve the above mentioned tries. Considering also the attempts A: 1…Rxh2=wR and B: 1…Bxh2=wB justifying the keys, we can conclude that the fairy condition is actually used more in the virtual play than in the real play.

1° Azemmour – Batumi 2013
Theme: In helpmate 2,5 or 3 , two white pieces A and B improve their position of guard. “The black king must be stationary.” “The white pieces improve their position of guard in 2 moves”.

Julia Vysotska
1° Azemmour – Batumi 2013
8th Commendation

h#2,5 b) Bb1->e6 5+2

Solutions:

a) 1…Sc7-d5 2.Rg7-c7 Sd5-e3 3.Rc7-c3 Sg5-f3 #

b) 1…Sg5-e4 2.Rg7-g5 Se4-c5 3.Rg5-e5 Sc7-b5 #

Author’s comments:

The theme “The white pieces improve their position of guard in 2 moves” is realized in 2 moves of Sc7/Sg5.
Thematic complex:
– reciprocal play of two Knights where one S thematically improves its position and simultaneously closes line of the bR for the mating S; but another one makes mating move;
– bR realizes selfblock in two moves;
– Umnov theme in the first moves of S/R;
– paradoxical moment in S/R moves – the Knight, which realizes Umnov with bR on the first move, closes line for the same bR on the second move.
Model mates. Miniature.

Judge’s comment: Avant d’effectuer des auto-blocages , la Tg7 doit occuper provisoirement les cases évacuées par les CC . Miniature à mats idéaux.