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Original Problems, Julia’s Fairies – 2015 (I): January – June →Previous ; →Next ; →List 2015(I) Please send your original fairy problems to: julia@juliasfairies.com |
No.779
No.779 by Sébastien Luce – Super-active white King in Annan Chess! (JV)
Definition:
Annan Chess: If two pieces of the same colour are standing close to each other in N-S-direction, the front piece moves only like the rear piece as long as the contact is existing. The front piece is that piece that is closer to the own promotion line. White/Black Pawns on the 1st/8th rank cannot move, but can give their kind of moving to a front piece. Officers moving with the power of a Pawn to the promotion line do not promote; if they make a double-step with the power of a Pawn, they cannot be captured en-passant; but officers with the power of a Pawn can capture a Pawn en-passant.
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No.779 Sébastien Luce |
Solutions: (click to show/hide) |
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White kf7 pc2
black kf5 sb5 bh7 pb6c3
neutral sf6
h#3.5 4 solutions (2+5+1) |
Four solutions with lively play over the whole board is impressive. The downside is that the nS is passive in two mates.
Why does the b5 unit have to be a knight? A black pawn there could make the same vacating maneuver to b4 in the last variation. Since the black king becomes a pawn on b5, any unit on b4 achieves the self-block. I wonder if knighthood is a cookstopper. I have not computer tested a pawn.
Not that the self-block is necessary. The neutral knight guards b4. Any move vacating b5 is what black must employ.
Dear Mike,
with a black pawn in b4 you need also a white pawn in a3 to avoid the cooks :
1…Kd8 2.Kd4 Kç7 3.Kç4 K×b6 4.Kb4 Kç5‡
1…Kd8 2.Kd4 Kç7 3.Kç4 K×b6 4.Kb4 Ka5‡
so it is better with the Knight ! 🙂
SL
Thanks. Yes, I see my flaw now. I had not thought earlier that Kc5# and Ka5# were possible, but they are possible after Kxb6 since the Annan effect applies only when N-S are of “same” color. Such a difference one word makes. Of course, nice problem. Knight is there to give black king flights off of b4, stopping cooks you’ve shown if bPb5 in diagram.