Definitions: (click to show/hide)
Alphabetic Chess: The squares are considered in the order a1, a2…a8, b1…b8, c1 and so on to h8. At each turn, only the unit standing on the square which comes earliest in this order may move. However check and mate are normal.
Circe: Captured units (not Ks) reappear on their game-array squares, of the same colour in the case of pieces, on the file of capture in the case of pawns, and on the promotion square of the file of capture in the case of fairy pieces. If the rebirth square is occupied the capture is normal.
Sentinels: When a piece (Ks included but not pawns) moves, a pawn of the same colour appears on the vacated square unless that square is on the first or eighth ranks or there are 8 pawns of that colour on the board already.
Royal piece: Piece that executes a function of the King on the board.
Neutral piece: Belongs to whichever side chooses to use it. It can therefore be moved or captured by White or Black, and in Circe it is reborn according to capture. A King may not be moved onto a square controlled by a neutral piece, because of self-check.
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No.1039 Oliver Sick
Germany
original – 05.04.2016
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Solutions: (click to show/hide)
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white Qg6 Ka6
black Kc3 Bc5
h#7 (2+2)
Alphabetic Chess
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1.Kc3-d4 Ka6-b7 2.Bc5-d6 Kb7-a7 3.Kd4-c5 Ka7-a8 4.Kc5-b6 Qg6-c2 {(white king is "stalemate")
} 5.Kb6-b5 Ka8-b7 6.Kb5-a5 Kb7-c6 7.Ka5-a6 Qc2-a4 # {
(C+ by Popeye 4.73)}
The alphabet chess condition forces the white king to enter the corner to be "stalemated" (which sounds to be nonsense in a helpmate...) (Author)
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No.1040 Oliver Sick
Germany
original – 05.04.2016
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Solutions: (click to show/hide)
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white Qc6 Pb2a3 Ka2 Bd4
black Pa4 Ka5 Bc2
hs#5 (5+3)
Circe
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1. b2-b4+? a4*b3 ep.[+wPb2] 2. Ka2-a1!
1.b2-b3 Bc2-d1 2.Bd4-a1 Bd1*b3[+wPb2] +3.Ka2-b1 Bb3-d1 4.Kb1-a2 Bd1-c2 {
} 5.b2-b4+ ! {(now it works because of the wBa1)} a4*b3 ep.[+wPb2] # {
(C+ by Popeye 4.73)}
An easy help-selfmate with a kind of try play (1.b4+?...). After the preparation phase (the 4th move) everything is as it was at the beginning but the wB is in the corner a1! (Author)
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No.1041 Oliver Sick
Germany
original – 05.04.2016
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Solutions: (click to show/hide)
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neutral Royal Rd7
ser-=4 3 solutions (0+0+1)
Sentinels
Neutral Royal Rd7
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1.nrRd7-b7[+wPd7] 2.d7-d8=B 3.Bd8-b6 4.Bb6-c7[+wPb6] {=}
1.nrRd7-c7[+wPd7] 2.nrRc7-a7[+wPc7] 3.nrRa7-a8[+wPa7] 4.c7-c8=S {=}
1.nrRd7-e7[+wPd7] 2.nrRe7-g7[+wPe7] 3.nrRg7-g8[+wPg7] 4.e7-e8=S {=
(C+ by Popeye 4.73)}
A very small piece (neutral royal rook...) with three (surprising?) white underpromotions. (Author)
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No.1039,1040,1041
While 1039 is paradoxical (WK getting stalemated before mating Black!) 1040 is a beauty with a fore-play.
All three are enjoyable, dear Oliver!
Both 1039 and 1040 are in logical style, yet there’s a subtle difference:
In 1039 the difference between “try”
4…Kb4/Kc4? 5.Qc2?? Kb5 etc.
and solution is genuine fairy – the white King has to be immobilized before the wQ can move.
In 1040 the difference (selfblock at a1) is purely orthodox and of no relation to Circe.
Like the tempo move 1…Bd1 in 1040. Logic of 1039 is nice… self-stalemate by WK to enable WQ move. Nice idea !