Problemist of Ukraine
Selfmates 2017 Award
37 originals (and 1 correction) took a part in the Problemist of Ukraine Selfmates 2017. The level of the awarded problems is good.
Some words about problems which were not included in the award:
S319 and S321 Paradzinskiy: two sweet miniatures with some nice effects, but the strategy and the thematic complex are poor.
S322 Kopyl & Koziura: the authors found a way to include two nice tries which is good improvement, but the problem is still very close to the original predecessor by L.Stepan.
S326 Kopyl & Koziura: good mechanism of creation of black indirect batteries which mates as a direct after white Royal battery play but unpleasant repetitions of white moves and not pure black defence in one of the variations.
There was also many single variation longmovers but with poor strategy.
The ranking is as follow:
1st Prize:
S320 Fomichev S#4
1.Rd7! ~ 2.Q:e6+! K:e6 3.R:e7+ Kd5 4.R7e5+ de5#, 1…ef6 2.R:d6+! K:d6 3.Qc7+ Kd5 4.Qe5+ fe5#, 1…ef3 2.Bc6+! Q:c6 3.Sc3+ Q:c3 4.R3e5+ Q:e5#.
Nice problem with mates by three different black pieces on the same square after three different white pieces sacrifices on that same square. Also three white pieces sacrifices on the third row at white 2nd moves. Good presentation of the 10 WCCT theme.
2nd Prize:
S306 Kopyl & Koziura S#8
1.Rc2? Kf5!; 1…Kd4 2.Qa1+ Ke4 3.Rc4+ Kf5 4.Qf1+ Rf2 5.Rf4+ R:f4 6.Be4+ K:e4 7.Qb1+ Kd4 8.Bf6+ R:f6#.
1.Rc3! Kd4 2.Rd3+ Ke4 3.Bc7 Kf5 4.Rf3+ Ke4 5.Rg4+ R:g4 6.Sf2+ Kd4 7.Qh8+ Rg7 8.Bb6+ R:b6#, 1…Kf5 2.Rf3+ Ke4 3.Rf2 Kd4 4.Qa1+ Ke4 5.Qe1+ Kd4 6.Rd2+ R:d2 7.Qf2+ R:f2 8.Bf6+ R:f6#.
Two model mates by unpinned bRs with change of functions between both black Rooks, wQ corner-to-corner play and nice line closings on the white 3rd moves. Good try with change of white continuation.
1st Honorable mention:
S329 Koziura S#3
1.Bf3! — 2.Sd5+ Kd6 3.Q:c5+(А) B:c5 4.Rd8+(В) Kc6 5.Rb6+ B:b6#, 1…Bh2 2.B:h2 f5 3.Bf4 Kd6 4.Sc4+ Kc7 5.Rb7+ S:b7#, 1…B:e3 2.a8S+ Kd6 3.Rd8+(В) Sd7 4.Qc5+(А) B:c5 5.Rb6+ B:b6#. 1.Bе4? Bh2!.
Two variations with mates by black masked batteries and unpins of the bS. The threat and first variation are connected with Zilahi theme. The threat and the second variation present reciprocal AB-BA moves. Good key. Model mates in the variations (not in the threat). The repetitions of 5.Rb6+ Bxb6# detracts.
2nd Honorable mention:
S327 Kopyl S#3
1.Bb2? — 2.R:e3+ K:e3+ 3.Qd4+ R:d4#, 1…R:d7 2.R5f4+ R:f4 3.R:e3+ K:e3#, 1…gf5 2.B:f5+ B:f5 3.Qe6+ B:e6#. 1.Sd8! — 2.Re5+ K:e5+ 3.Qd4+ R:d4#, 1…R:d7 2.R3f4+ R:f4 3.Re5+ K:e5#, 1…gf5 2.Qd3+ Ke5+ 3.Qd4+ R:d4#.
Two changes of white continuations, black Royal battery play and good key.
Special Honorable mention:
S334 Zalokockiy & Soroka S#10
1.Ba5+ B:a5 2.Kd8 B~ 3.a5+ B:a5 4.a4 B~ 5.a5+ B:a5 6.a4 B~ 7.a5+ B:a5 8.Bc8 B~ 9.Qa5+ B:a5 10.Rb5+ K:b5#.
Five different white pieces sacrifices on the same square. Visually nice but mechanical play and checking key.
1st Commendation:
S299 Efrosinin S#3
1.Sg3! ~ 2.Sh5+ gh5 3.Qf5+ Q:f5#, 1…Q:b3 2.Q:e3+ Q:e3 3. B:е5+ Q:e5#, 1…Qc1(a2) 2.Q:d2+ Q:d2 3.S:d5+ Q:d5#.
Three different mates by the bQ, three sacrifices by the wQ, black/white Queens duel.
2nd Commendation:
S304 Yanko & Chernous & Zalokockiy S#7
1.Ka1 a4 2.Bb1 a3 3.Rd4 Ke5 4.Rd3 Kf5 5.Rd2 Ke5 6.Re4 Kf5 7.Rb2 ab2#
Maneuvers by the white Rooks with multiple unpins and transformations of the white battery.
3rd Commendation:
S323 Kopyl & Koziura S#5
1.R3~? f5!, 1…Rg3 2.Qd4+ Be4 3.Q:f6+ Bf5 4.Q:g5+ R:g5 5.Sd3+ B:d3#, 1.Re2! zz!, 1…f5 2.Kc4 Rg3 3.Kd3 Rg4 4.Sc4 Rg3 5.Qd4 Be4#, 1…Rg3 2.Qd4+ Be4 3.Q:f6+ Bf5 4.Q:g5+ R:g5 5.Sd3+ B:d3#.
Creation of two black B-R batteries on two different rows and mates after unpins of the bB. White correction in the try and key by the white Rook. Unfortunately the white play is not homogenic.
4th Commendation:
S335 Bryuhanov S#12
1.Kc2 Ka2 2.Qb1+ Ka3 3.Rf3 Ka4 4.Qb6 Ka3 5.Kb1 Ka4 6.Rf4+ Ka3 7.Qe3 Kb3 8.Bf5 Ka3 9.Ka1 Kb3 10.Bb1 Ka3 11.Qc1+ Kb3 12.Qb2+ cb2#.
Miniature with exchange of places between both kings and play of all pieces. It’s not new but good realization.
5th Commendation:
S318 Lastivka S#13
1.Bg3+ Kd2 2.Qd3+ Kc1 3.Bd6 ed6 4.Qd5 dc5 5.b5 c4 6.Qd4 c3 7.Qf2 Kd1 8.e7 Kc1 9.e8B Kd1 10.Bf7 Kc1 11.Ba2 Kd1 12.Sc4 Kc1 13.Sb2 cb2#.
The author published an impressive series of 4 originals each of them with different white Phoenix so together they creates an AUW! Here is the longest one which is Minimal and with sacrificial key.
6th Commendation:
S331 Gatti S#7
1.Qa8! zz! 1…R :h3 2.Rg2+ Kh1 3.Rh2+ Kg1 4.Qa7+ Re3 5. Se4 Kf1 6.Rhf2+ Kg1 7.Re1+ R:e1#, 1…Rh2 2.Qg2+ R :g2 3.Sf3+ Kh1 4.Re1+ Rg1 5.Sh4 Rf1 6.Rg2 Rg1 7.Rf1 R:f1#.
Two model mates by the bR, Meredith and black minimal.
Special Commendation:
S325 Zalokockiy S#9
1.Sh7+ R:h7 2.Qg8+ R:g8 3.Rc8+ Kg7 4.R:g8+ Kf6 5.Rg6+ Ke5 6. Re6+ Kd4 7.Re4+ Kc3 8.Rc4+ Kb2 9.Rc2+ dc2#.
Beautiful white Rook 7 moves Roundlauf and long bK trip, but the play is forced.
IM Diyan Kostadinov – International Judge of the FIDE