Solver's impressions - 2004 - 2

Threemovers round - and quite nice suprise for me. 60 minutes might seem enough time to solve 3 threemovers, but in the past it was usually too difficult for me. However, recently I have studied a lot of orthodox threemovers as I try to transform their ideas into fairy form. I recommend especially R.C.O.Matthews' book "Mostly threemovers" that is very instructive and packed full with excellent problems.

Although I have found all keys and most variations, I missed a few and thus I lost a few points. After all, 13 points out of 15 possible, one of my best life results. Together I was on the 10th place among 29 solvers with 28 points after 2nd round.
Dan Meinking
1st Prize Chess Life 1987

1.Sc2! th. 2.Qd4+ Rxd4/Bxd4 3.Se3#/Sb4#
1...Ra4 2.Rd4+ Rxd4/Bxd4 3.Se3#/Qf3#
1...Sc6 2.Se3+ Rxe3/Bxe3 3.Qc4#/Qxc6#
1...Bg1,Bf2 2.Sd4 th. 3.Qc4#,Qa5#, 2...Sc6 3.Qxc6#
(1...Sb3,Se2 2.Q(x)b3+ Rc4 3.Qxc4#
1...Sa2,Sd3 2.Qb3+ or Q(x)d3+)

I was trying to construct some threat by 1.Bf8 (2.Rxc5+ dxc5 3.Qxc5#), but there was nothing after many moves, so the second key I tried was 1.Sc2 - and many variations appeared, so it was the right one. It took me quite some time to sort it out, however I was unable to find 1...Bg1 2.Sd4 variations.









#3 (7+9)
Ilja Mikan
5rd HM Parallele 50 1950

1.Rd5!
th. 2.Rcd3 th. 3.Re5#, 2...Bh2 3.Qh1#
and 2.Rc4+ Kxd5 3.e4#, 2...Ke3 3.Re5# or Rd3#
1...Kxd5 2.e4+ Kxe4 3.Qd3#
1...Sxc3 2.Re5+ Kd4 3.e3#
1...d1Q/R 2.Qxd1! th. 3.Qd4#, Qd3#, Re5#

Bohemians are always quite a lottery, but I think it is possible to solve them by "brute force" - try everything and look for model mates. Here I searched for some variation after 1...Kf5, but I was unable to find one. So it was the right time to look for give-and-take key, and 1.Rd5! came in handy. I discovered only on threat 2.Rc4+ and as it had model mate I was feeling confident, that I'm on a right track. Mates after 1...Kxd5 and 1...Sxc3 are nice, however I failed to see 1...d1Q as a defence as I didn't notice that it unblocks d2 for 2.Rc4+ Ke3 3.Re5+ Kd2! Some points lost, but not many.









#3 (6+9)
Emil Palkoska
Trollhättans Schacksällskap 1929-30
(correction)

1.Ka2?
th. 2.b3 th. 3.Bc4#
and 2.Kb3 th. 3.Bc4#
1...Sf7! 2.Sc8 Kxc6+!

1.Kb1! th. 2.b3 th. 3.Bc4#
1...Sf7 2.Sc8 th. 3.Sxe7#
1...Bc3 2.bxc3 th. 3.Sf4#, c4#

Usually the logical threemovers and moremovers are the simplest for solving. This one isn't logical, however, it contains immobilization of Re7. It was easy to find a threat 2.b3 and I managed to find the difference between 1.Ka2? and 1.Kb1! quite quickly. Some other solvers failed to see that. Pity there isn't some other similar variation.









#3 (7+15)

Comments to Juraj Lörinc.
Back to main page of Chess Composition Microweb.