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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
white Qa1 Rc2 Kb2 Bf2
black Pd4h5 Kh6 Rc1 Sg6h1 Bg5d1
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.
{}
a) {}
1.Sd8*b7[+wSb1] Sb1-a3 2.Sf5*h6[+wRa1] Sa3-b1 #{}
b) bSd8-->e7{Nd8-e7}
1.Sf5*d6[+wSg1] Sg1-e2 2.Se7*c8[+wBf1] Se2-g1 #
{very nice !checkmate is given each time by return of the Knight on its square of rebirth}
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
white Pa4c3d4g7 Ke4 Bb2
black Pe6b4d2d6f7 Kb3 Rg5e8 Sa5 Bh6h5
{}
a) {Circe}
1.Kb3*a4[+wPa2] g7-g8=B 2.Rg5*g8[+wBf1]
{moves the Bishop on the right diagonal and, incidentally, removes the control from the 5th rank.} Bf1-b5 #{}
1.Kb3-c4 g7-g8=S 2.Re8*g8[+wSb1]
{moves the Knight to the right square and leaves the pd2 unprotected.} Sb1*d2[+bPd7] #{
if } 2.Rg5*g8[+wSb1] {then } Sb1*d2[+bPd7] {doesn't mate}
b) {AntiCirce}
1.Kb3-c2 g7-g8=Q 2.Bh5-g6 + Qg8*g6[wQg6->d1] #{
Note that} 2...Qg8*e8[wQg6->d1] {allows} 3.Kc2*d1[bKd1->e8] }
1.Kb3-a2 g7-g8=R 2.b4-b3 {
the only weakness of this problem is that this move only blocks square b3} Rg8*g5[wRg5->a1] #{
an AUW anyway}
The second one for the main dish.
7 - h#2 2 solutions
Gerard SMITSPays-Bas - SAXE, 20071st Place
white Pf3e4g4h7g7g6f6 Kd7 Bg2
black Bg5b3 Kf4 Qe5 Pd6b2e2 Se3c7 Rg3c4
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
white Bf3 Rg1 WEg7
white Royal Pf2
black Sf1
black Royal Pg2
s#2 Immun(4+2)♙f2, ♟g2: Royal Pawns🨞g7: non royal King
The royal pawn g2 is not taken by ♗f3 because it can not be reborn on g7
{}
1.Rg1-h1 {}
1...Sf1-g3 2.WEg7-g8 + {(With the g7 square freeed, the g2 royal pawn is now in check)}
g2*h1=rS # {
this is the only way to ward off check, the Royal Knight cannot be taken because of its rebirth empossible on g8}
1...Sf1-e3 2.WEg7-f8 + {(same remark as above on the release of square g7)}
g2-g1=rB #
{only way to ward off check, the Royal Bishop cannot be taken because of its rebirth empossible on g8
limit to Immun rule
Perhaps by restricting the Immun rule to Black, we can reach an indisputable solution.
Or make an Immun Calvet and Cheylan, as in AntiCirce. !}}
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
white Bc7 Kb1 Qa3 Pd4d2f7 Sd6 Rf2h8 WRd1c2
black Bf8 Ke7 Qh1 Pe6a7g4 Sc6 Re1 BRf5
{}
1.Qa3-e3 ! {threatens}
2.Qe3-g5 #{}
1...Qh1*h8 {or}
1...Qh1-h6 {or}
1...Qh1-h5 {or}
1...Qh1-h4
2.WRc2*c6 #{d7 is under control of Rose d1 (b2-a4-b6xd7)}
1...BRf5*e3
2.Sd6-c8 #{because c8 is no longer controlled by Rose f5}
1...BRf5-g3 +
2.Qe3*g3 #{by the Rose c2 which no longer has an obstacle in f5}
1...BRf5*d6 +
2.Qe3-a3 #{pinning Rose d6 and thus preventing its comeback in f5 which would block Rose c2}
1...e6-e5
2.Qe3*e5 #{An almost normal mat !
d7 is controlled by the Rose d1 and Black Knight is pinned by the Rose c2.}
1...Bf8-h6 {or}
1...Bf8-g7
2.Rh8-e8 #
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)
{}
1.Rc8-d8 e7*d8=B {clears the way to f8}
2.Ba3-f8 {clears the way to a8} f7*e8=R 3.Qa1-a8 b7*a8=Q 4.Kd7-c8 g7*f8=S {=
AUW}
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
{}
a) {}
1.f7-f5 PAe7-e8[+wPe7] + 2.Ke5*e4[+bPe5] e7*d8=PA #{}
b) +bBd7 {}
1.g5-g4 VAc7-b8[+wPc7] + 2.Ke5-f4[+bPe5] c7*d8=VA #
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
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
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.
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 ?
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