december 16 2008
Click in the right part of the chessboard to move forward, left to move backward... or directly on the move in the solution
for this last lesson of the year, space is given to the fairy chess as it should be.
In addition to the core group, the audience was completed by 3 talented creators, including 2 Grand Masters in composition (what an assembly !).
An electronic complement of the Master is following this report, thanks to him.
The theme of the evening is the Circe rule which celebrates its 40th anniversary.
We begin with something light and very pleasant
1 - h#2 Circe 3 solutions
: Black play and helps White to mate them.
: the captured piece reappears on its original square if this one is free, otherwise it disappears.
3 solutions : there are 3 different ways to meet the statement
Markus MANHART & Franz PACHLDiagrammes, 1994
Master's words
Helpmates for Daniel : an h#2 with 6 (!) solutions, in the format of three pairs. An h#5 easy, an h#4 rather difficult.
A #2 great style for Christmas, a strategic #3. A very linear (and therefore easy) #10, and finally a strange s#4 with "apparent play": this means that if White could do nothing, on each black move there would be selfmate in three. But it will be necessary to upset everything.
Another last-minute helpmate, of which Guy is co-author. A special feature : the "special problems" engine of Fritz 9 only half solves it ! One solution out of two. Will you be able to do better ?
The fairy session was largely reserved for Circé's 40th anniversary. Why on earth was this name chosen, instead of the correct term "phoenix" (or "reborn chess", as proposed by J.-P. Boyer)? Who sees himself, like the companions of Ulysses, transformed into a pig? Where is the daughter of the sun? Mystery. The name comes, it seems, from Pierre Monréal. Perhaps a simple confusion? However, problem composers have the reputation of being more informed than the "simple" players... Unless it is a "poetic shortcut"?
The master greffier will tell you about a few other oddities. I am only joining you the h=4.
Merry Christmas and see you on January 6th, God willing.
AV
A superb McLeod to follow
2 - #2 Circe
Norman MACLEODFeenschach, 19892nd Prize
} 1.Rg8-g6 ! threat: 2.Bd5-b3 #{
} 1...Qg1*e3[+wPe2] 2.Rg2-g1 #{
} 1...a2-a1=S 2.Qa7*a1[+bSb8] #{
} 1...Rh6*g6[+wRh1] 2.Bd5-f3 #
Great art with a few false leads that seem to conclude
a #8 from the great HP Rehm
3 - #8 Circe
Hans Peter REHM1er T.T. Rex Multiplex, 19831st Prize
A very nice pattern for the following problem
4 - h#2 Circe 5 solutions
Gabor CSEHDiagrammes, 19964th HM
When you have one of the solutions, others will naturally follow.
A very nice exploitation of the Circe rule in the following problem
5 - h#2 Circe
Ivo TOMINIC1er Mémo. M. Grudzinska,19991st Prize
2 problems from the same thematic tourney
the first one to begin
6 - h#2 2 solutions
: the capturing piece reborn on its original square if it is free, otherwise the move is illegal.Sven TROMMLERPays-Bas - SAXE, 20073rd Place
The second one for the main dish.
7 - h#2 2 solutions
Gerard SMITSPays-Bas - SAXE, 20071st Place
and now, to turn you (turnbull?) the neuron, a little TurnBull
8 - s#2 immun chess (a kind of Extreme Circe) royal pawns and non-royal king (!)
: White plays and forces Black to mate them.
(or Extreme Circe): a piece cannot be captured if its renaissance square is occupied.
: pawn with royal attibutes
Ronald TURNBULLThe Problemist, 2000
A little walk with roses.
9 - #2 with Roses : Extended Knight in a circular way (don't be afraid, there will be an explanation after the énoncé).
James QUAHThe Problemist Supplement, 2008
The black move Rxd1+ or any other less spectacular move of the Re1 is illegal cause of ROc2-e1-g2-h4-g6xe7
A rule that does not receive too much consensus : Variable piece
A didactic example of C.Poisson from 1993 to start with
10 - #1 with Variable pieces
Variable Piece : piece of unknown nature ("prove it by doing it" R.Turnbull)
Christian POISSONPhénix, 1993
a) Vb1 mat. Indeed, this move can only be played by a R or a Q.
b) Vd4 stalemate. This move is only playable by an B or a Q.
This is the ultimate problem with Variable pieces.
11 - ser-=7 Variable Pieces
series stalemate 7 moves : White plays 7 moves in a row after which Black is stalemated.
W.: Vc5, e1 et h1
B.: Va4, a7, b5, f4, g2 et g3
and now, to relax a little bit, a great task of Unto Heinonen
12 - h=4
Unto HEINONENStrateGems, 2007Comm.
To help you, a little, there are 4 white pawns
A small incursion into sentinels and Chinese pieces
13 - h#2 sentinels with Pao and Vao
: each move of a piece defecates a pawn on the starting square of the move
: Bishop can only capture if he has a hurdle at his disposal
: Rook can only capture if he has a hurdle at his disposal
Stephen EMMERSONThe Problemist, 2006?omm.
In the restaurant part of the lesson, our friend Guy presented some of his compositions which, of course, are not yet in the public domain and which must therefore be removed from the report.
Finally, there are 2 problems presented by the Master
14 - hs#3 mirror Circe
: white plays and black helps him, and then, with their last move, white forces black to checkmate him.
: the captured piece reborn as if she have change color.
Erich BARTELThe Problemist Supplément, 20073rd Place
Un digestif très léger
15 - h#2,5 2 solutions with Royal Grasshopper
: Piece with the characteristics of the Q and needing a hurdle to move. It lands just behind the hurdle if the square is free or occupied by an opponent's piece.
: piece with the Grasshopper march and royal attributes
Karol MLYNKAThe Problemist, 20073rd Place
That's all for this session.
Good reading to all
There are certainly some typing problems, the greffier being a bit shaky in the hand.
See you soon.
Yours sincerely
Various hairs (or winter hairs)
after some technical problems with my mailbox, here are the Master's remarks (quite justified, of course; thank you to him)
New statement of the 1
1 - h#2 Circe 3 solutions
helpmate : Black plays and helps Whites to checkmate them.
Circe : the captured piece reborn on its original square if this one is free, otherwise it disappears
3 solutions: 3 different ways to respect the statement
W.: Kb2, Qa1, Rc2, Bf2
B.: Kh6, Rc1, Bd1 and g5, Ng6 and h1, pd4 and h5
In the 13, there is no f78 square on this chessboard, otherwise it would be known!
13 - h#2 sentinels with Pao and Vao
sentinels : each move of a piece defecates a pawn on the starting square of the move
Vao : Bishop who can only take if he has a hurdle at his disposal.
Pao: Rook that can only take if it has a hurdle.
W.: Kf2, pe4, Pe7, Vc7
B.: Ke5, Bd8, pd7, f7 and g5
(a) the text
b) pd7 = Bd7
As for the non-royal King, this is the most economical way (which I have only taken from the article, as the formula seemed to me to be appropriate) of presenting the thing.
No university in sight, therefore, the lack of precision on the pRf2 of 8 being redhibitory.
Good end-of-year festivities to all and see you next year.
Yours sincerely
The Greffier
blind hairs
I have not kept most of the fairy positions, but I guarantee the accuracy of the 3, 4, 5, 8 and 12 and I think that ...
1: wasn't there a PNd4?
8: it is necessary to specify that the royal pawn f2 can be put in check (although on its renaissance square)
13: the 2nd Black pawn is in f7.
I appreciate very much the Rnr (non-royal king) of the master-greffier. Which seems to me particularly clear in his explanations. Will he open a fairy university ?
Have a good time.
AV
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