My works 290 - 294

1.Ra3 Kh8 2.Ke4 Kh7 3.Kd3 Se1(Ic1)#

1.Sg4 Be1 2.Sf6+ Sxd4 3.Ke3 Sf5(Ih8)#

1.Sf5 Bf4 2.Sd6 Se1 3.Ke3 Sg2(Ih8)#

3 model mates with imitator. It was interesting case. I sent this problem to Sachove Umeni editor, Pavel Kamenik and he returned it to me as he checked it with VKSach (a program coded by Vaclav Kotesovec) and found a lot of cooks. I was really surprised as I tested it with Popeye and found no cooks! So I thought I had come across some well hidden bug in Popeye. After consultation with Norbert Geissler, however, it turned out there is no bug. All "cooks" of VKSach were easily "refuted" by black defence to check - 4.e1I!! - imitator promotion. Yes, by default, if there is an imitator on board, imitator promotion is allowed. It is not coded in VKSach, while Popeye knows that and moreover, Popeye has an option to turn imitator promotions off. This way I was able to find all VKSach "cooks" and to demonstrate the way VKSach works with imitator.

Personal rating: C.

1...Ke8 a 2.VAfe7# A
1...Kd6 b 2.VAde7# B
1...Kf6 c 2.PAe7# C

1.LIg5! zz
1...Ke8 a 2.VAde7# B
1...Kd6 b 2.PAe7# C
1...Kf6 c 2.VAfe7# A

This thematical tourney asked for mates on the square where the black king stood before. I was for some time searching and idea that would allow me to do that in fairy twomover and at last I got it! Anti-battery mates with No captures condition. Afterwards I tried to motivate Lacny cycle and I managed to do that based only on the 6 critical squares, c7, d5, d8, f8, f5, g7. Although the result is symmetrical and the key robs Black of pao moves, I like the idea.

Personal rating: C.

1.e2 Qc1 2.Bd1 Qxc6#

1.Sf4 Qh3 2.Rg2 Qxd7#

In both solutions we see exactly the same Madrasi strategy. All Black moves are bi-colour bivalves opening white line and closing black line. All lines in question are moreover queen lines.

This composition appeared as a result of my Pat a Mat editorship. Henryk sent some h#2 in Madrasi for publication, but I wasn't satisfied, so I suggested improvement, Henryk responded positively and improved the position further, and finally I finished it into present form. The he sent it for the publication.

Personal rating: C.

a) 1.Kg6 ... 4.Kxe5 5.Ke6(gBe5) ... 7.Kg6 8.Kg5 ... 11.Kxf3 12.Ke3(gBf3) gBd4#

b) 1.Kg5 ... 4.Kxf3 5.Kg3(gBf3) ... 7.Kg5 8.Kg6 ... 11.Kxe5 12.Ke6(gBe5) gBd5#

I composed this seriesmover originally for 2nd TT Quartz (for Ghost chess problems), but it got nothing. It is not very complicated - in both positions Black has to capture both wB, to allow them blocking of flights in mates. The march of bK has two parts - switchback and finale.

Personal rating: C.

1.Rxh3 LIxa5 2.Kxf4 BLb7#

1.Rxb6 LIxh2 2.Kxd5 RLh4#

Echo diagonal-orthogonal. Extended Zilahi. Direct & indirect battery mates. Judge Petko Petkov liked the problem very much. When I saw that Juraj Brabec had published one of his perfect complicated twomovers there, I knew there is no chance for me to take the highest prize. So the special prize satisfied me. :-)

Frankly, there are some weasels in the position. I knew that in the time when I composed the problem and I added themon purpose. I am weasels' fan.

Personal rating: A.