Originals from The Problemist - July 2006

1.Qa1? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.Qd1#, 1...Se2!

1.Qc4? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.Qxe2#, 1...Sd3!

1.Qc6? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.e5#, 1...Sd5!

1.Qf6? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.Bg4#, 1...Sg2!

1.Qg7? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.Qg2#, 1...Sg6!

1.Qh8? th. 2.exf4#
1...Sf4~ 2.Qxh5#

Five times black knight refutes tries by white queen, excellent duel. Moreover, there are 6 different mates after random defences of the knight.

1...Rxf3 a 2.Sc7# B
1...Rf7 b 2.Sxc3# A

1.Qd1? th. 2.Sxc3# A (Sc7?), 1...Rxf3! a

1.bxc3? th. 2.Sxc7# B (Sc3??), 1...Rf7! b

1.Se4! th. 2.Sexc3#
1...Rxf3 a 2.Sbxc3# A
1...Rf7 b 2.Sc7# B

There is reciprocal change between set play and solution, made by key with clear motivation - it removes guard from e6 and e4, but also creates battery on 5th rank. Furthermore, two tries make Dombrovskis with solutions and Hannelius with set play.

1.b3! th. 2.Sc6+ Kd5 3.d6~#
1...Rxd6 2.Sd3+ Rxd3 3.Sc6#
1...Bxe6 2.Sg4+ Bxg4 3.Sf7#
1...Rc1 2.Sf7+ Kf5 3.Be4#
1...Se8 2.Qxb5+ Rd5, Kxd6 3.Qxd5#, Qc5#

Two white moves appear as both 2nd and 3rd move within different variations. Moreover, there is Weissauer clearance in ortho-diagonal form in the first couple of variations, i.e. black line pieces captures along line and later returns along the same line, opening thus activity of white line mover hidden behind captured unit.

1.Be6? th. 2.Sd5 A Bxd4#
1...Rf4~ a 2.d5 B g2#
1...Rf6! b 2.Rd5 C Rxe6#
1...Rf5+! x 2.Kxe4 X Sf2#
1...Sxe3 2.d5 Bd4#
1...Sg5!

1.dxe4! th. 2.d5 B Rxe4#
1...Rf4~ a 2.Rd5 C g2#
1...Rf6! b 2.Sd5 A Bxd4#
1...Rf5+! x 2.Ke6 Y Sf4#
1...Rxe4+ 2.Kd5 Rcxd4#

Fantastic reflex mate. No only Shedey cycle with black correction included, that would be something not for everyone. But also the play is lively and very reflex mate typical - 3 black attacks on the same square d5, mates from initial black halfbattery, moves of the white king (including additional change) secondary defence motif of Rf6 in the form of unguarding by arrival... Taking into account the person of judge (Miodrag Mladenovic, Cyclone reflex mates expert) I smell here some prize.

1.Bd2! th. 2.Re7+ Kf2 3.Rf7+ Sxf7 4.Rh8 Rxh8#
1...Ra7 2.Re6+ Kf2 3.Rf6+ gxf6 4.Rh7 Rxh7#
1...Ra6 2.Re5+ Kf2 3.Rf5+ gxf5 4.Rh6 Rxh6#
1...Ra5 2.Re4+ Kf2 3.Rf4+ gxf4 4.Rh5 Rxh5#
1...Ra4 2.Re3+ Kf2 3.Rf3+ gxf3 4.Rh4 Rxh4#

Rook Siers battery plays 5 times, the threat is a bit different from 4 variations. These leave mechanistic impression as basically they are the same, just shifted row by row down.

1.Bxd4 Be8 2.Bg7 Bxh5#

1.Rxd5 Rb1 2.Rb5 Rf1#

1.Sxd4 Ba4 2.Sdb5 Bd1#

1.Sxd5 Rb5 2.Sf6 Rf5#

4 analogous solutions. Black pieces annihilates white pawn and thus opens ling guarding Se4, afterwards black piece closes line of black line mover. In the meantime white line piece not opened to Se4 moves and uses the fact that black line was closed for mating. Real analogy and good use of the whole board.

1.Kd4+ Rb7 2.Kc3 Sf3 3.Rc4 Rb3#

1.Kxf5+ Sc6 2.Rd4 Rf3+ 3.Kg4 Se5#

Black king walks into mating nets. Of course, it fires royal battery on the first move, so that white piece removes the check, then is unpinned by its colleague and finally mates by switchback.

1.Bf4 Bb8 2.Ke3 Be5 3.Be4 Bd4#

1.Rc6 Rc1 2.Kd5 Rc4 3.Re5 Rd4#

Follow-my-leader and then Bristol, that is quite strong introduction of both solutions. White completes interesting manoeuvre in the third more as it turns out he might have played to mating square (d4 in both solutions) directly from the diagram position, although in that case bK could not enter the mating net.

1...Ke6 a 2.Sf6# A
1...Ke4 b 2.Sf4# B

1.kBxe7? th. 2.Sf6# A, 1...Ke6! a

1.kBxe3(Bc1)? th. 2.Sf4# B, 1...Ke4! b

1.kBxh6? zz, 1...Bh6!

1.kBxh4! zz
1...Ke6 a 2.Sf4# B
1...Ke4 b 2.Sf6# A
1...e7~ 2.Sf6#
1...Be3~ 2.Sf4#
1...cxd3(Se2) 2.kDc4#

Unusual reciprocal change. In the set play white bishop guards both f6 and f4 and thus the mates following king moves are by direct batteries. In the solution, however, white bishop disappears completely, thus set mates are removed, but on the other hand fairy conditions starts to work and in fact mating knights are selfguarded against capture by black diagonal units, pawn and bishop. First two tries moreover add Dombrovskis and and Hannelius threat themes to the pattern.

Original version had 9 white pawns on the diagram, but after reproduction at CCM Kevin has come up with a new version without the flaw.

1...Sxg3(Bb8)+ 2.Bxa7(Bc1)#
1...Sxe3(Qb8)+ 2.Qxa7(Bd1)#
1...Sxd2(Sb8)+ 2.Sxd7(Bb1)#

1.Sc1! th. 2.Sd3#
1...Sxg3(Bb8) 2.Bd6#
1...Sxe3(Qb8) 2.Qb6#
1...Sxd2(Sb8) 2.Sa6#
1...Kb4 2.Qc3#

Another less usual form of Circe is skilfully employed to get 3 changed variations. In the set play moves of Sf1 fire a battery on the 1st rank, however all 3 moves are captures allowing mating and at the same time closing 1st rank by rebirth. In the solution the first rank is closed, but bK has a flight at b4.

1.Bd5? th. 2.Kxf3(Ke1)# A
1...g2 a 2.Kg3# B
1...fxe2(pe7) b 2.Kxe3(Ke1)# C
1...LEa1!

1.g8LE! th. 2.Kxg3(Ke1)# B
1...g2 a 2.Kxe3(Ke1)# C
1...fxe2(pe7) b 2.Kf3# A

Final problem in the selection is by no means usual. The popular Shedey cycle is shown here with the unifying element - all 3 thematical mates are given by white king. The motivation is very Anticirce one, as expected with such the given combination of fairy elements and thematical mates.