Composition Tourney 2009

''e4 e5'' 2009 H#2 INFORMAL TOURNEY AWARD

80 problems were competing. 18 of them are awarded, of which 3 prizes, 6 honourable mentions and 9 commendations.

Two HOTFs are on the 1st two places by sheer chance. I must confess that I have a clear preference for thematic richness and these 2 Janevkis perfectly fits the bill.

The level was satisfactory on the whole. More than half of the works were interesting Merediths. The idea of splitting the award in two sections occurred to me, but I eventually decided to keep only one competitive section.

I have studied absolutely all problems. I naturally had to eliminate numerous ideas for several reasons: simplicity of the matrix, lack of driving ideas, heaviness of the position and meaninglessness of the idea, sometimes useless white pieces, symmetrical ideas that do not bring anything, anticipations (see some at the end of the award), prior publication elsewhere (99 published in Kudesnik). I revised some problems and presented versions which the authors accepted (4 versions).

I apologise to the authors if I omitted ideas that would have deserved to excite my interest. As some say, judging chess problem tourneys can be subjective, although I did try to be objective. I thank Dan for his trust. Thanks to everyone.

90 – see A, 94 – see B, 110 – see C and 149 – see D.

1st Prize : Zivko JANEVSKI (136) 1.Q×c6 Q×c6 2.Ka3 Qc3 #, 1.B×d6 Q×d6 2.Kc3 Qa3 #, 1.Kc3 Bc5 2.Qb3 B×d4 #, 1.Bc3 Rc5 2.Kb4 Rb5 #. An excellent HOTF with ODT. Rc6&Bd6 exchange functions (pin/capture) as well as Qc4&Bb4 (capture/pin). Reciprocal interference on c5 and mates by double check. Fourfold use of the wQ.Nice work!

2nd Prize : Zivko JANEVSKI (156) 1.K×g6 S×e4 2.Rf6 S×f6 #, 1.K×f6 S×f4 2.Bg6 S×g6 #, 1.e×f2 S×e4 2.f6 S×f2 #, 1.B×d3 S×f4 2.g6 S×d3 #. Black pieces are captured on their original squares and on the squares evacuated by the wSs creating batteries and mating by switchback. The ODT is perfect. In the 2nd pair, bPs occupy and self-block the squares released by wSs; this time the mates are pin-mates. Zilahi theme. A harmonious complex that makes a pleasant study.

3rd Prize : Menachem WITZTUM (154) 1.Bh2 cxd6 2.Be4 g3+?? & Sxd3+ ??, 1.Rb1 axb7 2.Se4 g3+?? & Sxd3+ ??,1.Rd4 ç×d6 2.Bé4 g3#, 1.Sa2 a×b7 2.Sé4 S×d3#. A very homogeneous complex. Unpinning the white pieces is not sufficient: unguarding d3 and g3 is also necessary. Hence the indirect unpins.

1st Honourable Mention: Zivko JANEVSKI (139) 1.Sb2 (Sc4?) Se7+(Sb4?) 2.Kb6 Rb4 #, 1.Se8 (Sc7?) Sc3+ (Sb6?) 2.Kb4 Ba5 #. A very compact complex. The functions are well conceived: exchange of functions between Rd4/Bd8 (pin/mate) and between Sc4/Sc7 (bivalve = line opening + unpin/pin).

2nd Honourable Mention: Ricardo de Mattos VIEIRA (131) 1.Bg1 Bd3 2.Rd4 Rc5 #, 1.Re4 Rc1 2.Bd4 Bc4 #. Very interesting black-white strategy. The black Rook and Bishop achieve a black Cheney Loyd. As usual, embedded in an inverted Grimshaw! As for the white Rook and Bishop, they make reciprocal self unpins.

3rd Honourable Mention: Menachem WITZTUM (155) 1.Be3 K×é2 2.Be6(Se6?) Be7 #, 1.Re3+ K×d2 2.Se6 (Be6?) Sg4 #. The black Grimshaw at e3 allows the wKd3 opening the wBb1's line. Pleasant dual avoidance at e6 with self-blocks.

4th Honourable Mention: Francesco SIMONI (127) 1.Qd8+ R×d8 2.Rb6 Sd3#, 1.Qa4+ B×a4 2.Rb4 Sd7#. A very elegant idea and a perfect unity. Without white pawns, Meredith, model mates.

5th Honourable Mention: Luis Miguel MARTIN (129) 1.Ke4 B×e5 2.Rf3 Bb8 #, 1.Kf4 R×e5 2.Qf3 Re8 #. Exchange of functions between wRe8/wBb8 and bQa8/bRf8 in a very economical position. Reciprocal batteries, switchbacks and self-blocks.

6th Honourable Mention: Christer JONSSON (118) 1.Qc6 Bb7 2.S×b7 Sa8 #, 1.Qb5 Rc5 2.d×c5 Sd5 #. Very nice problem. Double function of bQ (self-blocks on c6 and b5) and active sacrifices of the white units. Model mates, Meredith.

1st Commendation : Vitaly MEDINTSEV (122) 1.Se3 Rhf5 2.e×f5 e×f5 #, 1.B×c4 Qd6+ 2.e×d6 c×d6 #. A substantial but very harmonious complex.Exchange of functions of the white pieces: Qc7/Rh5 and Rf4/Ba7. Surprise, model mates!

2nd Commendation: Vadim VINOKUROV (95) a)1.Bf4 e×f4 2.Q×f5+ R×f5 #, b)1.Se6 f×e6 2.Q×e3 B×e3 #. Exchange of functions between wRh5/wBg1 (pin/mate+capture), bBe5/bSd4 (sacrifice/pin) and wPe3/f5 (captured pawn/capturing pawn). Model mates.

3rd Commendation: Zivko Janevski (138) 1.Rge6 f×e6+ 2.K×d4 Bg1 #, 1.Se5 d×e5+ 2.K×f5 Sd6 #. A nice ODT structure. Exchange of functions between wRa4/wBh7 (guard/pin) and wBh2/wSf7 (mate/guard), bRg6/bSc4 (sacrifice/pin) and wPd4/f5 (line opening+capture/capture).

4th Commendation: Zivko JANEVSKI (135) 1.B×e5 B×g6 2.Bd4 Be4 #, 1.Bd4 Re×g6 2.R×e5 R×g5 #, 1.R×e6 R×g6 2.R×e5 Rd6 #. An astounding economy. White annihilates three times bPg6. The capturing unit is then the mating unit. Meredith.

5th Commendation: Zivko JANEVSKI (157) 1.Kc8 Kb6 2.Bf8 Rc7 #,1.Kc7 Bf6 2.Sd8 Be5 #, 1.Kd8 Rg6 2.Sc7 Rd6 #. A harmonious complex due to the interesting play of the black King and of black unpinned piece that open lines and make self-blocks. All three mates are pin mates.

6th Commendation: Christer JONSSON (152) 1.Kd3 Sa3 2.Sg5 Re3 #, 1.Kf1 Se1 2.Sf4 Sh2 #. The black King twice unpins the black Knight. This Knight unpins the white mating units. Nice effects, model mates, Meredith.

7th Commendation: Christer JONSSON (124) 1.K×c2 Qh7 2.Qb3+ Rc4#, 1.K×e4 R×c6 2.Sed3 Re6#. Creation of white batteries with a piece captured in the other phase. Zilahi, model mates.

8th Commendation: Vadim VINOKUROV & Vitaly MEDINTSEV (87) 1.Re3 Kg6 2.Ke4 Sf2 #, 1.Be3 Sg1+ 2.Kd4 Se2 #. A very pleasant matrix in a very economical position. Grimshaw on e3 with self-blocks.

9th Commendation: Christer JONSSON (151) a)1.Ba4 Re5 2.Bc2 Bb2 #, b)1.Qh5 Bc3 2.Qe2 Rc5 #. Exchange of functions between wRf5/wBd4 (guard/mate), wRh8/wBh7 (pin/mate) and bQg6/bBd7 (selfblock/pin). Meredith.