Half-neutral piece: Piece which can exist in black, white or neutral state and changes its state by the rules:
A piece in the neutral state may be moved by Black or White, and after move it changes into black or white state respectively.
A piece in the white state may be moved only by White, and after move it changes into its neutral state.
A piece in the black state may be moved only by Black, and after move it changes into its neutral state.
Only a half-neutral pawn can promote into half-neutral figure.
Additional features of half-neutral pieces:
Castling with half-neutral King is possible with hK in white phase on e1 (White castling) and hK in black phase on e8 (Black castling). After castling the hK changes into its neutral state.
A play is possible also with only one half-neutral King on the board (in white, black or neutral phase).
By the notation: “h”=half-neutral piece, states are marked with “w”(white), “b”(black) and “n”(neutral).
No.1343Julia Vysotska Latvia original – 13.11.2018
Analogue maneuvers of two half-neutrals of opposite color, each making 4 moves on the same orthogonal/diagonal:
1. "a hesitating color-changing move" to the edge of the
board,
2. anti-critical move (again with hesitating character),
3-4. check+ switchback mate, with changed roles of selfblock & guard. Two selfblocks by bSa5 changing its guards. (Author)
The idea is similar to No 897 by myself and Thomas Maeder, but the setting is completely different – among other things, all thematic moves occur on a single line here. The fact that the non-thematic moves are located at different places in the two solutions here is not really a disadvantage, you can even say it makes for nice variety.
Half of this night was regretting about having so short memory… (“девичья память”=girl’s memory – exactly about me!). I’m sorry, Kjell! The Special prize I gave you in the 1st Riga Balsam, and later on your joint No.897, but I’ve forgotten about this switchback shown. As an excuse I can tell only that the same way I don’t remember the content of most of my own problems 3 years ago…
Would it be correct to add “after Kjell Widlert & Thomas Maeder (JF#897)” ?
A bit disappointed about myself, still so glad to get all your “Likes”!
You shouldn’t regret anything and you shouldn’t add any “After…”!
Not remembering a problem by someone else (or by yourself) a few years later is not a shame, it happens to all of us now and then. And “After” should, I think, only be added if the idea and the matrix are very close to the earlier problem, and here at least the matrix is completely different. And your matrix has some advantages over ours, especially the fact that all the thematic action takes place on a single line in each solution.
(Being the judge, I don’t want to say more about the merots of this problem in relation to opurs right now, there will be more about that in the award in due course!)
seetharaman
November 17, 2018 21:33
Looking at both, I too agree with Widlert that the setting of both are different, though showing the same pattern of N-W-B. I think the pattern is a a theme to be explored in different settings.
No.1343 
The idea is similar to No 897 by myself and Thomas Maeder, but the setting is completely different – among other things, all thematic moves occur on a single line here. The fact that the non-thematic moves are located at different places in the two solutions here is not really a disadvantage, you can even say it makes for nice variety.
Half of this night was regretting about having so short memory… (“девичья память”=girl’s memory – exactly about me!). I’m sorry, Kjell! The Special prize I gave you in the 1st Riga Balsam, and later on your joint No.897, but I’ve forgotten about this switchback shown. As an excuse I can tell only that the same way I don’t remember the content of most of my own problems 3 years ago…
Would it be correct to add “after Kjell Widlert & Thomas Maeder (JF#897)” ?
A bit disappointed about myself, still so glad to get all your “Likes”!
You shouldn’t regret anything and you shouldn’t add any “After…”!
Not remembering a problem by someone else (or by yourself) a few years later is not a shame, it happens to all of us now and then. And “After” should, I think, only be added if the idea and the matrix are very close to the earlier problem, and here at least the matrix is completely different. And your matrix has some advantages over ours, especially the fact that all the thematic action takes place on a single line in each solution.
(Being the judge, I don’t want to say more about the merots of this problem in relation to opurs right now, there will be more about that in the award in due course!)
Looking at both, I too agree with Widlert that the setting of both are different, though showing the same pattern of N-W-B. I think the pattern is a a theme to be explored in different settings.