Selections 1

1.PAd4? th. 2.LEg2-d5# A
1...d5 a 2.LEg5xd5# B
1...Bf3!

1.VAd4? th. 2.LEg5-d5# B
1...d5 a 2.LEa2xd5# C
1...Sf5!

1.Sd4! th. 2.LEa2-d5# C
1...d5 a 2.LEg2xd5# A
1...b3 2.LEa3#

By pure chance we start with a cyclic problem that participated in the competition judged by me. Therefore I can use directly my own comment almost verbatim:

Ukrainian cycle (a.k.a. cyclic le Grand) is not particularly difficult theme among Cyclone themes. Although it contains three Dombrovskis paradoxes, there are many existing examples. To receive award, the problem thus have to show something particularly new. And here we get it. The mechanism of Dombrovskis paradoxes is unified (captureless threat by leo is defended by arrival on the threat square, but this in turn allows mate by capture by other leo - the same mechanism was proposed by the author for TT Marianka 2012), moreover there is additional motivation for ruling out the third mate (note potential flights c4, e4 and e3).

1.PAb4! zz
1...g3 2.NAg5+ Ke5 3.LEh5#
1...b5 2.NAc5+ Ke5 3.LExb5#
1...NAe1 2.NAg3+ Ke5 3.LEh2#
1...a1~ 2.NAc3+ Ke5 3.LExa1#
1...bxa6 2.NAf6+ Ke5 3.LEg7#
1...Sc7 2.NAd6+ Ke5 3.LExc7#

Fairy direct problems are becoming more and more rare in the current press and awards. They are being replaced by help play, but I am on the side of their fans. Therefore I am very happy to see Michal Dragoun as helpmate expert above many recent direct fairies. Here he is besides Laco Salai, who is undoubtedly one of the most versatile current composers, being able to produce the best quality in every genre, with exception of retros, but including orthodox studies.

Here the key prepares specific Chinese mechanism with horizontal battery and vertical line deactivation. It is similar to Siers battery, but the role of the White's second move is quite unusual: the moves prepare hurdles for the mates by leos, all directed to e5.

Regarding the form, the zugzwang in such position is also a bit unexpected, but I especially liked 4 different mirror mates.

1.EAc3 EAb4+ 2.Kd3 Kd5 3.EAb2 EAe4 4.EAbd2 EAd4#

1.EAb2 EAc1 2.EAd2 EAb8 3.EAe4 EAc5 4.EAad3 EAd5#

1.EAe5 Kc6 2.EAb5 Kd7 3.Kd5 EAd6 4.EAbd4 EAc6#

Daniel is well known for his echo problems and this one does not disappoint the expectations. The echo is exact, but far from monotonous due to two aspects. Firstly the mating picture with bKd3 is vertically mirrored with respect to other two (if kings were translated to the same square). Secondly the play of eagles is very asymmetrical. Note that the mate is not a model one due to black eagle under bK, blocking the guarded square, yet indispensable for guarding of two other squares.

1.Sc4 Ra1 2.Rb1 Rxb1(Rc1) 3.Sb2 Ra1+ 4.Kc1 Kxe2(Kd1)#

1.Sf5 Rb3 2.S1e3 Rxe3(Rh3) 3.Rf1 Rh1 4.Ke1 Rxf1(Rd1)#

This helpmate reminded me of orthodox helpmates with bK in cage where White has to bite through to be able to checkmate him. However with Equipollents Anticirce it is slightly different. Simple captures are ruled out due to need of rebirth, therefore the place for white checkmate must be made in a more sophisticated manner. The mates are different, but I think there is quite a potential in the fairy condition.

a) 1.Rf5 exf5 2.d1B fxg6 3.e1R g7 4.Ke2 g8Q 5.f1S Qxg2#

b) 1.Qd5 exd5 2.e1B dxc6 3.f1R c7 4.Kf2 cxb8Q 5.g1S Qh2#

You may remember that the series of CCM TTs has started with the 1st TT CCM dedicated to helpmates with twins by moving black king. I have used this method of twinning a few times before the 1st TT and helpmates of this kind have interested me ever since.

The present orthodox helpmate shows an extraordinary achievement. There is not only AUW, there are two AUWs, in each solution one. Although the mates are not model and the promotion mechanism on the black side is well known, the way of collating two solutions into one whole is great one.

(I have written about this helpmate also in my Slovak blog.)

1.EAa8 2.c1R 3.Rb1 4.EAb2 g8M#

1.Kb1 2.EAa1 3.c1EA 4.EAcb2 g8EA#

Pawns c2 and g7 promote in each solution. Pc2 cannot promote immediately due to the potential antibattery check, thus EAb2 must leave first. The rest is about blocking squares around bK, with antibattery mate over immobilized Pa2 (theme of the 7th TT CCM, although seriesmovers were not admitted).