Composers cooperating, (No.1)

Today's post is the first of a new series. We will present problems created by cooperating composers. Initially all composers will be Greek, later on only one composer will be Greek.

We believe that when two composers try to cooperate, the final result comes more quickly, because both composers work more intensely. The cooperation is a factor of motivation.

In problem-387 the composers are George Georgopoulos and Efthimios Papakonstantinou.

	(Problem 387) George Georgopoulos & Efthimios Papakonstantinou, First Prize, Die Schwalbe, 1990, Mate in 4 moves. #4 (9 + 12)
[q1s5/pb5s/1SP1Sp2/r5b1/r5p1/p1QB2Pk/5P2/5RK1]

If you try to move first the Rook to make room for the Bishop, ( 5 tries : [1.R~? Ba6!] ), the problem will not be solved. With your key-move you must sacrifice the white Queen! Anyway, the sacrifice threatens Mate in 3, and Black can not be indifferent.

Key : 1.Qxf6! ( > 2.Sxg5 Rxg5 3.Qh6+ Rh5 4.Qxh5# )

1...Bxf6 2.Re1 ( > 3.Bf1# )
___2...Ba6 3.Sc4 ( Novotny sacrifice on c4, > 4.Sf4# / Bf1# )
___2...Bxc6 3.Re4 ( Novotny sacrifice on e4, > 4.Sf4# / Bf1# )
1...Sxf6 2.Rb1 ( > 3.Bf1# )
___2...Ba6 3.Rb5 ( Novotny sacrifice on b5, > 4.Sxg5# / Bf1# )
___2...Bxc6 3.Sd5 ( Novotny sacrifice on d5, > 4.Sxg5# / Bf1# )

For the moves 2...Ba6/Bxc6 the White continues with Knight/Rook in one variation, and with Rook/Knight in the other.

(The problem is included in the edition "Selected Chess Compositions by Greek Composers", prepared for the 47_th World Congress of Chess Composition, Halkidiki, Greece, September 4-11, 2004. Editor : Harry Fougiaxis).