No.1670
Kjell Widlert
(Sweden)
Original Fairy problems
JF-2021-II:
01.07.2021 - 31.12.2021
+/- Russian translation
| pieces | 'Nightrider(N)', 'Half-neutral piece' | фигуры |
| Half-neutral piece: | It can exist in black, white or neutral state. A piece in the neutral state may be moved by Black or White, after which it changes into black or white state respectively. A piece in the black state may be moved only by Black, after which it changes into its neutral state, and similarly for White. By the notation: “h” = half-neutral piece, states are marked with “w”(white), “b”(black) and “n”(neutral). Castling is possible with orthodox (or Circe- reborn) Rooks and half-neutral King (in white phase by white castling and in black phase by black castling). After such castling move, the Kings becomes half-neutral, and could be checked or even mated. This is a special rule for the half-neutrals. | [ENG] It can exist in black, white or neutral state. A piece in the neutral state may be moved by Black or White, after which it changes into black or white state respectively. A piece in the black state may be moved only by Black, after which it changes into its neutral state, and similarly for White. By the notation: “h” = half-neutral piece, states are marked with “w”(white), “b”(black) and “n”(neutral). Castling is possible with orthodox (or Circe- reborn) Rooks and half-neutral King (in white phase by white castling and in black phase by black castling). After such castling move, the Kings becomes half-neutral, and could be checked or even mated. This is a special rule for the half-neutrals. |
| Nightrider(N): | (1,2) Rider. Operates along straight lines with squares lying a Knight's move away from each other. | Всадник. Линейная фигура (1,2). Играет по прямым линиям с полями, находящимися на расстоянии хода коня друг от друга. |
No. 1670 Kjell Widlert
Sweden
original - 04.12.2021
white nh8f8 Pb6a6b2c3g6 Ba3 Sa1f4 Ka8
neutral Halfneutral Qh1 Re3 Se4
black Halfneutral Ra5
black Ba2 Kc4 Pe2c7 Sg8
#2 11+6+3
Nightrider h8, f8
Half-Neutral h1, a5, e3, e4
Nightrider h8, f8
Half-Neutral h1, a5, e3, e4
Solution: (click to show/hide)
1.b6*c7 ! threat:
2.Nf8-b6 #
1...nhSe4*c3=bhS + {(S~)}
2.nhQh1-c6=whQ #
1...nhSe4-c5=bhS +
2.nhQh1-d5=whQ #
1...nhQh1*a1=bhQ
2.nhSe4-d2=whS #
1...nhQh1*h8=bhQ
2.nhSe4-d6=whS #
1...nhQh1*e4=bhQ +
2.nhRe3*e4=whR #
1...nhRe3*c3=bhR
2.nhQh1*e4=whQ #
1...hRa5*a6=nhR +
2.nhRa6-a4=whR #
1...hRa5-b5=nhR
2.nhRb5-b4=whR #
(C+ by Popeye 4.87)
The theme from SuperProblem 232-TT doubled: nhSe4 is moved twice by Black to defend, and twice by White to mate; the same goes for nhQh1.
The variations are connected so that nhQh1 mates when nhSe4 moves, and conversely.
The variations from nhSe4 show specific crosschecks with black correction;
the variations from nhQh1 show unpin with dual avoidance.
There is also a kind of four-corner play.
I would have preferred to do without the nightriders, but the dual avoidance needs the nhQh1 to give the flight b5 in one variation, and I found no “orthodox” way.
very nice! Actually the hnRa5 is also moved twice by black and by white (though consecutively). Excellent tripiling of the 232-TT.
Doubled theme and double pleasure to see this clever and genuinely fairy mechanism two years after the tourney. The battery used for a kind of cross-check turns into the pair of unpinning moves! There is a lot of theme-related byplay too, but the main effect comes from the geometry of the 4 main variations. Yes, it would be better without nightriders, and there should be some other versions of the same mechanism, but what could beat these corner-to-corner geometry?
Another pleasure was to recall how good this 232-TT was! By the way, have you ever seen an award with all 16 entries composed by grandmasters?
Thank you for pointing out that interesting statistic, Marjan!
Actually the 16 are by only 6 different GMs, 7 of them by one! 😉
http://superproblem.ru/htm/tourneys/quick-tt/results/2019/tt-232_award.html
I also remember with pleasure the triple judge experience of the 232 TT: the high quality of the entries exceeded all my expectations!