Problem-Echo 2000/2-2


These tourneys are judged in a very special way. 4 judges are chosen among authors of 12 competing problems, these judges mark all compositions on scale 0-10, then the mark most different from average mark is thrown out and final value for composition is the sum of remaining 3 marks. The honours are in thee intervals on 30-0 scale: 30-25,5 prizes, 25-21 HMs, 20,5-16,5 Comms. Some judges' comments are also published.

For 2nd issue of 2000 following judges were chosen: Klaus Funk, Henryk Grudzinski, Peter Heyl and Juraj Lörinc. Below are provided my own comments and marks by all judges in the above given order together with total marks. Marks thrown out are in parenthesis.


Generally I consider the level of problems to be average with one or at most two excellent problems. I was disappointed seeing so many problems not even employing any of wide range of effects offered by fairy pieces, e.g. the only entry with intentional antibattery mates was by me. Battery mates are often used, for that purpose the grasshoppers offer possibility of reducing cooks number as they are rather weak pieces. Motivation of immobilizing hurdle over which grasshopper mates is common as is the use of nightrider for unusual lines and paths.
Klaus Funk
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/01

1.Gc8-f5 Sc3-d5+ 2.Ke3-e4 Ne6-g5#

1.Gc8-c5 Ne6-g5 2.Gc5-f2 Sc3-d5#

-; -; -; -; -

Trivial interversion of white moves, fairy pieces are not necessary for such strategy and mating pictures.

The author has informed me that he had taken back this problems what could have been read under the table in the award. Sorry - I don't read much of German - I suppose it was written in German there (I do not have the materials by hand).









h#2 (5+2)
2.1.1.1

Klaus Funk
Erwin Masanek

Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/02

1...Nb8-h5 2.Gf3-f6 Nh5-d3#

1.Gf3-f6 Gc2-g6 2.Gf6-f4 Nb8-d7#

6; (2); 6,5; 3; 15,5

One mate with indirect antibattery and pleasant set play, but lack of more interesting strategy.









h#2* (4+4)

Henryk Grudzinski
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/03

a) 1.c7-c5 Nf6-b8 2.Bg7-a1 Gh8-a8#

b) 1.f5xe4 Nf6-h5 2.Bg7-b2 Gh8-h4#

4; (6); 3; 2; 9

In a) are Nb8 and Gh2 are unused in mating picture, but the blocking of bG is at least something.









h#2 (7+7)
b) a2 -» e1

Henryk Grudzinski
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/04

a) 1.Nb2-f4 Gg3-e5 2.b3-b2 Kc3xc4#

b) 1.Nb2-d1 Gg3-e1 2.Gb8-b2 Ge1xc1#

c) 1.Ga2-a4 Gg8-a8 2.a3-a2 Ga8-a3#

5; 5; 5; (6); 15

No deep strategy, but there are 3 (it should be said that reaching 3 phases is much more than 2 phases!) mates by grasshopper over various immobilized units. Nightrider is a bit underused, but let it be... A bit chaotic twinning.









h#2 (3+12)
b) c3 -» h1
c) g3 -» g8

Peter Heyl
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/05

1.Bb1xg6 h7-h8=N 2.Bg6-c2 Nh8-e2#

1.Ra2-c2 g6-g7 2.Ne8-b2 g7-g8=G#

4; 3; (7,5); 5; 12

I am not a friend of promotions of type "l'art pour l'art", here the Grimshaw at c2 is nice surprise, the rest is not unified.









h#2 (3+8)
2.1.1.1

Juraj Lörinc
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/06
2nd Comm

a) 1.Be8-g6 Gc5-c8 2.Sc7-d5 Ng2-e6#

b) 1.Bh4-g5 Gc5-f2 2.Re3-e4 Ng2-f4#

(9); 7; 5,5; 7; 19,5

More personal comment (as I am the author): It took some time to arrange unpinnig moves to have also blocking as arrival effect and unguarding as departure effect. 2nd black move unguards too (unfortunately in two different ways, a slight drawback) and provides hurdle for white grasshopper. Other white grasshopper sets himself as a rear antibattery piece over piece making 2nd black move - it precises orders of both black and white moves. Twinning is delicate. The only one nightrider can be in mating pictures replaced by knight, but to reach these mates by the same unpinned piece on squares of different colour it is necessary to have nightrider.









h#2 (6+9)
b) f3 -» h3

Erwin Masanek
Klaus Funk

Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/07
3rd Comm

1.Rd5-a5 Rf5xf6 2.Ra5-a4 Rf6-f3#

1.Gf6-f4 Rf5xd5 2.Gf4-a4 Rd5-d3#

7; 4; 7; (3); 18

Nightrider halfpin and known battery creation is nice, but grasshopper use isn't justified, e.g. scheme with bQf6 is easily possible too.

In an e-mail to me Klaus Funk has pointed that use of bQ instead of bG would cause the check to wK. Yes, I've seen that when writing the comment, that's why I have used the term "scheme" instead of "position". It would require a few more units on the board - but it would save one type of fairy piece, making the use of grasshopper dubious.









h#2 (4+5)
2.1.1.1

Dieter Müller
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/08
1st Comm

a) 1.Ne6-c2 Nh6-g4 2.Nc2-a6 Ng4-h2#

b) 1.Ge6-c4 Gh6-f4 2.Gc4-a6 Gf4-b8#

9,5; (1); 6,5; 4; 20

Pins are static and the moves are the only ways of thematic pieces to their destinations.









h#2 (7+10)
a) add bne6
b) add wgh6

Dieter Müller
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/09
1st-2nd HM ex aequo

1.Gb1-e4 Nc4-g2 2.Nd2-b1 Nb3-f1#

1.Gb7-e4 Nc4-g6 2.Nc5-b7 Nb3-d7#

7,5; 8; 9,5; (6); 25

Loses in comparison with 00/2-2/10, main square scheme with nightriders and grasshoppers is the same, but I don't like the symmetry of first moves, it is better resolved in next problem by means of using two bishops, Umnov moves are a bit artificial, also the grasshoppers use no special grasshopperal power.









h#2 (5+13)
2.1.1.1

Dieter Müller
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/10
4th HM

a) 1.Bd6-e5 Ge1-e6 2.Nd3-b2 Nf2-b4#

b) 1.Bg6-e4 Ge1-e5 2.Ng4-h2 Nf2-h6#

5; (0); 7; 9; 21

For me the best problem.Very good nightrider square scheme with bGs' column action is powered by echoed use of two bB, bG and wG for intercepting bNs and preventing bK from entering c7, c8 and e8. And the 1st black moves are other direct unguards. Problem full of analogic motivation.









h#2 (3+16)
b) c7 -» c8

Sven Trommler
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/11
1st-2nd HM ex aequo

1.Ng8-d2 Ne3-g7 2.Ga1-e5 Ng7-e6#

1.Ng8-f6 Nb6-d2 2.Gd8-d3 Nd2-b3#

8; 9; (6); 8; 25

Beautiful echo diagonal-orthogonal with crystal-clear diagram position and good use of fairy pieces possibilities. As it is necessary to allow bGs' blocking jumps, white nightriders must reach mating squares by the only ways. Use of bN isn't justified as it could have been bS starting at e4.









h#2 (6+6)
2.1.1.1

Sven Trommler
3rd HM
Problem-Echo 2000/2-2/12

a) 1.Gd3-a6 Gd6xf4+ 2.Rd4-d6 Gf4-f1#

b) 1.Gf4-f1 Gd6xd3+ 2.Be5-d6 Gd3-a6#

8,5; (10); 8; 7; 23,5

Double-pin battery model mates, it sounds well, also the pins are executed by nightrider and grasshopper and rear piece of battery is another nightrider. But in fact the line play involves no special grasshopperal effects. I like the differentiation of black play by means of avoiding checks to white king.









h#2 (6+13)
b) h4 -» e6

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
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