Saturday, January 19, 2013

Nine direct two-movers

The orthodox directmate compositions of a few moves are very helpful to chess players, learning to find the mate in a given position.
Today we publish nine two-movers by the known composer Nikos Pergialis. And when we say composer, let us not forget that he is the Last Rebetis (=Composer of Rebetiko songs)!
In two of the compositions there is a co-author, the good chess-player Manos Pantavos.

You will see the problems and you will try to find the mating nets, but most of the times the compositions contain, besides the unique way to find the mate, an inner beauty. In the solutions we write about the Themes that are hidden in these problems.


Problem-661
Nikos Pergialis and Manos Pantavos
original
8/8/b1r1p3/Q7/2k2S2/2p2S2/2K5/8 (4 + 5)
#2
Set Play (if it was Black's turn to play) :
1...Bb5 [a] 2.Qxc3# [A]
1...Rc5 [b] 2.Qa4# [B]

Tries (with try-moves those moves that gave mate in the set play)
{1.Qxc3+? [A] Kb5!},
{1.Qa4+? [B] Kc5!}
Try (with a threat now, a move that gave mate in the set play)
{1.Sd4? [2.Qxc3# [A] ] Kxd4!}
Tries (various, making the discovering of the key more difficult)
{1.Se5+? Kd4!}, {1.Sg2? [2.Se3#] Bb5!}, {1.Qb4+? Kxb4!}
Try (thematic, with Black defenses like the ones of the set play, but different mates)
{1.Qb6? [2.Se5#]
1...Bb5 [a] 2.Qd4# [C]
1...Rc5 [b] 2.Qb3# [D]
but 1...Rxb6!}

Key: 1.Sd3! [2.Sde5#] (where, in the same Black defenses, the mates are changed again)
1...Bb5 [a] 2.Qa2# [E]
1...Rc5 [b] 2.Qxc5# [F]

The problem is a Zagoruyko 3x2 (in 3 phases, for the same 2 defenses, we have changed mates).


Problem-662
Nikos Pergialis and Manos Pantavos
original
2R5/2K2B2/8/2k5/3S3r/PP2Bs2/1q1r1SR1/8 (9 + 5)
#2
Set play :
1...Se1 / Sg1 / Sh2 / Sxd4 / Sg5 2.R(x)g5#
1...Rc2 / Re2 / Rd3 2.S(x)d3#
1...Rh1 / Rh2 / Rh3 / Re4 / Rh5 / Rh6 / Rh7 / Rh8 2.S(x)e4#
1...Qa1 / Qc1 / Qa2 / Qc2 2.b4#

Key : 1.Rb8! [2.Rb5#]
1...Sxd4 2.Rg5#
1...Rdxd4 2.Sd3#
1...Rhxd4 2.Se4#
1...Qxd4 2.b4#
1...Qxb3 2.Sxb3#

The composer Nikos Pergialis writes a verse (translated here) :
"Little Nikos, Little Manos
we are dealing four times with pins,
and as it seems,
we have transferred mates".

We see theme Zilahi (the wSd4 in one variation is captured, while in another variation it gives mate), multiple Black defenses on the same square d4 with multiple captures of the white Knight, tranferred mates, cross-captures (bQb2 and wSd4), direct self-block and pin-mate.


Problem-663
Nikos Pergialis
original
8/3spS2/2s2p2/3R4/2b1k3/1SK3Q1/8/3R4 (6 + 6)
#2
Key: 1.Rh5! [2.Sd2#]
1...Sce5 2.Rd4#
1...Sde5 2.Sc5#
1...e5 2.Sd6#
1...f5 2.Sg5#
1...Bxb3 2.Re1# (Rare mirror-mate, with all bK flights empty).

There are multiple defenses with blocking of e5.
We see the theme Anti-Somov A1 (The control of a square x of the black King field by a white piece is removed by the threat (which is not made by this piece). This is possible because a third white piece controls x (this control exists before the threat). Black defends by removing this third control.). Here d5 is controlled by wRh5, thus we can remove the controlling by the third piece wRd1 when threating Sb3-d2.
We also see the theme Somov B (The control of a square x of the black King field by a white piece is removed by the mating move (which is not made by this piece). This is possible because the previous black move has blocked x.). Here f5 is controlled by wRh5, but when it blocked by the black Pawn, then the wSf7 can close the line of wRh5.
When the two themes, Somov and anti-Somov, coexist we say there is the Theme Isaev.


Problem-664
Nikos Pergialis
original
1b2B1R1/3S4/8/2S2k2/5r2/3P1bP1/3K1R2/8 (8 + 4)
#2
Tries : {1.Rxf3? [2.g4#] Rxf3!}, {1.Rg5+? Kxg5!}

Key : 1.Bf7! [2.Be6#]
1...Bd5 2.g4#
1...Re4 2.dxe4#

We see the half-pinned bRf4 and bBf3, and the pin-mates.
Comment by the Last Rebetis, Nikos Pergialis :
"Two little pawns for their first time
achieve mate the little rascals
(I mean, in this theme,
Emmanuel my good friend)".


Problem-665
Nikos Pergialis
original
8/S5b1/2P1p3/2r1k3/5RKB/8/b7/2SR4 (7 + 5)
#2
Key: 1.Be7! [2.Bd6#]
1…Bf8 2.Bf6#
1…Bd5 2.Sd3#
1…Rd5 2.Re1#
1…Rxc6 2.Sxc6#

In the self-block with Bd5 or Rd5, the mates are different and this is called anti-Dual.
There is also theme Somov B (when the Black Bishop blocks e5, the white Knight can close the line of the white Rook d1).


Problem-666
Νίκος Περγιάλης
original
8/3K2s1/Rp6/S1k3S1/1pPp4/6s1/8/2B5 (6 + 6)
#2
In the set play we see full block, that is if was Black's turn to play every move would lead to mate directly :
1...S3~ 2.S(x)e4#
1...S7~ 2.S(x)e6#
1...b3 2.Ba3#
1...d3 2.Be3#
1...b5 / bxa5 2.Rc6#

There two tries holding the full block : {1.Bb2? d3!}, {1.Bd2? b3!}

Key : 1.Bf4! [2.Βd6#] (White abandons the full block and begins with a threat)
1...Se4 2.Sxe4#
1...S3f5 2.Se4#
1...S7f5 2.Se6#
1...Se8 2.Se6#
1...d3 2.Be3#
1...bxa5 2.Rc6#

Comment by the composer : "This unsignificant theme-idea is, in my opinion, one of the more difficult orthodox problems, because we must have a block in the set play and a threat in the solution. The pieces are positioned ideally, because White should not have a waiting move. If the wK moves to c7 (to keep controlling c6), it is exposed to check (bSe8+), and if the rest white pieces move, the block breaks and flights are created.
The problem can become a waiter, with moving all pieces one file to the right, with key 1.Ra6!"


Problem-667
Nikos Pergialis
original
8/5p2/5P1p/4pP1k/4S1b1/6K1/7P/5Q2 (6 + 5)
#2
In the set play, with full block, all the Black moves are answered with direct mate :
1...Bd1 2.Qxd1# / Qh3#
1...Be2 2.Qxe2# / Qh3#
1...Bf3 2.Qxf3# / Qh3#
1...Bh3 2.Qxh3#
1...Bxf5 2.Qxf5#

There are tries keeping the full block : {1.Qg2? Bxf5!}, {1.h4? Bh3!},
and a try with threat : {1.Qc4? [2.Qxf7#] Bxf5!}.

Key : 1.h3! [2.hxg4#]
1...Bd1 2.Qxd1#
1...Be2 2.Qxe2#
1...Bf3 2.Qxf3#
1...Bxh3 2.Qxh3#
1...Bxf5 2.Qxf5#

The initial full block is transformed to a threat (Block-Threat problem). In the duel between bB and wQ the winner is the wQ  grabbing the opponent bB (theme Grab, if it happens more than two times), no matter how bB corrects his destination square (Black correction).


Problem-668
Nikos Pergialis
original
7b/3R3r/1K4B1/1S6/k6B/8/P7/sR1S4 (8 + 4)
#2
In the set play there are some prepared mates :
1...Bc3 2.Sdxc3#
1...Sc2 2.Bxc2#
1...Bd4+ 2.Rxd4#
1...Rxh4 / Bg7 / Rh5 / Rh6 2.Ra7#
1...Rg7 2.Sdc3# / Rd4#

Tries : {1.Sdc3+? [A] Bxc3! [b] }, {1.Rd4+? [B] Bxd4+! [b] }, {1.Rb4+? Kxb4!}, {1.Ra7+? Rxa7!}, {1.Be7? [2.Rb4# / Ra7#] Rxe7!}.

Key : 1.Be1! [2.Rb4#]
1...Bc3 [a] 2.Sdxc3# [A]
1...Sc2 2.Bxc2#
1...Bd4+ [b] 2.Rxd4# [B]
1...Rh4 2.Ra7#
1...Sb3 2.axb3#
1...Bb2 2.Sxb2#

Theme Vladimirov : Two tries (A and B) are parried by the Black defenses (a and b). After the key, the defenses (a and b) allow the mates (A and B).
The black move 1...Sb3 corrects 1...Sc2 (black correction), without success.


Problem-669
Nikos Pergialis
original
B7/B7/8/6R1/2r1S2K/4p2S/1R6/4r2k (7 + 4)
#2

Tries  : {1.Rh2+? Kxh2!}, {1.Rg1+? Rxg1!}, {1.Kg3? [2.Sef2# / Rh2#] Rg1+!}.

Key : 1.Bb8! [2.Rh2#]
1...Re2 2.Rg1#
1...Rc2 2.Sef2#
1...Rxe4+ 2.Bxe4#
1...Rc7 2.Sg3#
1…e2 2.Shf2#

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