Helpmates in two with grasshoppers and nightriders 5


Older files introducing this combination of stipulation and fairy pieces:

Ruud Beugelsdijk
6th HM Probleemblad 1984

1.Kf3 Qf5+ 2.Nf4+ Sd4#

1.Nf4+ Sd4 2.Gd3 Gc4#

1.Gd3 Gc4 2.Kf3 Qf5#

Cycle of pairs of both black and white moves. Although this theme may seem trivial, it is not really so. It includes essential antireversal elements, here, for example, 2.Kf3 cannot follow 1...Sd4, 2.Nf4 cannot follow 1.Gd3 and 2.Gd3 cannot follow 1.Kf3 Qf5+. Well done with good economy!

Thanks to Frank Bemelman for pointing wrong position of white knight.









h#2 (6+9)
1+2 grasshopper, 0+1 nightrider
3.1.1.1

Jaroslav Stun
6935 Sachove umeni 12 - 1985

1...Gf7+ 2.Gd5 Rxd5#

1...Rc5 2.Gd7 Gd8#

1.Gxf3 Gg1 2.Kf5 Gf7#

1.Gd7 Gf7+ 2.Kd6 Rd5#

Rather messy composition featuring two set solutions and two real solutions with unexpected moves of black king. I couldn't find any theme. Also, some grasshoppers are unused in some solutions. Seeing this fairy helpmate I can well understand some kind of aversion to fairy problems in former Czechoslovakia. Fortunately, in last years are fairy composers producing much better works.









h#2** (8+8)
5+4 grasshopper
2.1.1.1

Wilhelm Krämer
Aachener Anzeiger 1930

1.d1G g8G 2.e1G a8G#

Four grasshopper promotions, white covers g1 and mates, black opens a2-h2 and he cannot promote to anything else except grasshoppers.









h#2 (5+4)
1+1 grasshopper

Václav Kotesovec
2nd HM Sachove Umeni 1983

1.e1G fxg8G 2.cxd1G h8G#

Again four grasshopper promotions, white covers a2 and mates, black removes hurdles for possible jump of Gb2, he cannot promote to anything else except grasshoppers.

Václav writes about his discovery of previous helpmate some time after publishing his own work and sets the question of originality. Of course, it is discutable, problems have almost the same scheme, but they have at least different motivations for moves of black pawns.









h#2 (5+9)
2+4 grasshopper

Laurent Joudon
2nd Comm Rex Multiplex 1982

a) 1.e1B h8R 2.Bc3 Rd8#

b) 1.e1S h8N 2.Sd3 Nb5#

c) 1.e1G h8Q+ 2.Ge5 Qxe5#

Six promotions - so called Super-AUW. Not very interesting, though.









h#2 (6+2)
grasshopper g4, nightrider a1
b) a6 -» g8
c) g4 -» e4

Jean Pierre Boyer
2nd HM TT B.C.M. 1980

1.Gee4 Gd3 2.Gh7 Sdf5#

1.Gbe4 Sc6 2.Gh7 Sf5#

1.Gce4 Sc4 2.Gh7 Gf5#

Triple block of h7 by different black grasshoppers versus triple antibattery mate by different white pieces on f5. Aristocratic position.









h#2 (6+9)
2+4 grasshopper
3.1.1.1

S. Ylikarjula
1st HM TT B.C.M. 1980

1.Bc2 Gd3 2.Bb3 Ga3#

1.Bd3 Ge4 2.dxc4 Ga8#

1.Be4 Gf5 2.dxc4 Ga5#

1.Bf5 Gg6 2.b6 Ga6#

1.Bg6 Gh7 2.d6 Ga7#

1.b4 Gd1 2.b3 Ga4#

Mates by white grasshopper from whole line a3-a8.









h#2 (4+7)
1+0 grasshopper
6.1.1.1

Josif Kricheli
1st Prize TT B.C.M. 1980

1.Ra3 Gf7! 2.Rxf7 Gb4#

1.Rg6 Ge8! 2.Rxe8 Gh8#

Unexpected sacrificial tempo moves by white grasshoppers following blocks by black rooks. Nice resiprocal change of functions of black rooks pair and white grasshoppers pair.









h#2 (4+7)
3+2 grasshopper
2.1.1.1

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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