BPCF 2019 - XIV Београдски фестивал проблемског шаха 2019.

Belgrade Internet Tournaments 2019

Group B – h#2 , Helpmate in two moves

Judge:
Vitaly Medintsev

Director:
Marko Ložajić

First I would like to thank Marjan Kovačević for his invitation to judge group B of the Belgrade Internet Tourney 2019.

I received 43 anonymized entries from the tourney director Marko Ložajić to whom I am also thankful. In my estimation, the overall quality of the entries is rather low. A large number of works (19) turned out to be non-thematic for several reasons, although I was sure the theme conditions were described and exemplified quite clearly. Among the thematic problems, there were none showing four or more thematic solutions as well as cyclic forms, even though the last thing is possible, see for example P1334855.

Before viewing particular problems, I wish to make a clarification regarding the tourney theme. The order of Black's moves must be motivated solely by the avoidance of specific harmful effect that occurs in the first White's move (W1). This means that the specific harmful effect is caused by a white unit in each solution

Below I give two main criteria for verifying whether an entry is thematic or not:

B01 and B21 show helpful (positive) rather than harmful (negative) effects; these problems are also considered non-thematic.
B07 – different types of harmful effect (line-closure for black unit/prevention of black castling) in two solutions.
B11 – a very clever problem (which, normally, could win a prize) presenting thematic feature in twin form that is not allowed by theme conditions.
B20 – the same reason as in previous work; additionally, I haven’t recognized any harmful effect by White in any of the three twins.
B22 – different types of harmful effect in two pairs of solutions (occupation of a square needed for black unit/line-closure for black unit).

All these problems are considered non-thematic

Within the remaining works, I have selected those that are of satisfactory quality in terms of originality, complexity and unity.

Some remarks on several competing problems that were not included in the award.

B04 – pretty good for Black but White’s play is not well-matched in solution.
B16 – anticipated: yacpdb/399051
B33 – imbalanced B2. Also there is an unnecessary pin on WS which causes an impurity of aim in B1.
B34 – rather sophisticated idea based on the lack of White’s tempo, but, unfortunately, WSg4 is superfluous in the solution starting with 1.Re4, which should be considered as a serious defect.

I propose the following ranking:

Thematic condition

Avoidance of wrong move order

In the initial position of an orthodox helpmate in two, the 1st and the 2nd Black’s moves are legal in each solution. The wrong order of Black’s moves (try) fails due to specific harmful effect which occurs in the 1st White’s move. The 1st and the 2nd Black’s moves must be played by different units in each solution. At least two solutions showing the harmful effect of the same kind in tries are required. Set play, duplexes, twins, zeropositions are not allowed.

Example 1

Vitaly MEDINTSEV

Comm. TT-210 SuperProblem 2018

white Ka7 Pb4 Bd5 Rh4 Sb5d6 black Qf2 Sc1e4 Re3h7 Ka4 Bg7c8

h#2

2.1.1.1

(6+8)

1.Se4-c3 {(Se2?)} Bd5-e4 2.Sc1-e2 Be4-c2 # 1.Se4-f6 {(Sd3?)} Sd6-e4 2.Sc1-d3 Se4-c3 #

Specific harmful effect - capture of needed Black unit.

Example 2

Vitaly MEDINTSEV

Original

white Pa3 Kh1 Bb4 Sg2e4 black Pd4e5d7 Kd5 Rb3f6 Ba8

h#2

2.1.1.1

(5+7)

1.Rb3-f3 {(Ke6?)} Sg2-e3 + 2.Kd5-e6 Se4-g5 # 1.Rf6-f3 {(Kc4?)} Sg2-f4 + 2.Kd5-c4 Se4-d6 #

Specific harmful effect - line-closure for Black unit.

Winner

Dragan Stojnić

Participants

Fadil Abdurahmanović - BIH (25,37*)
Anton Bidleň - SVK (2)
Gennady Chumakov - RUS (3,15)
Ofer Comay - ISR (4)
János Csák - HUN (5,16)
Krzysztof Drążkowski - POL (6,17)
Valery Gurov - RUS (24*)
Antal Harl - HUN (7)
Jorge Kapros – ARG (8)
Marko Klasinc - SLO (37*,43)
Manikumar S – IND (26)
Ricardo de Mattos Vieira - BRA (23*,36)
Miodrag Mladenović - SRB (27)
Karol Mlynka - RUS (9,18)
Dieter Müller (†) - GER (10,19)
Emanuel Navon - ISR (28,38)
Vladislav Nefyodov - RUS (11,20)
Aleksandr Pankratyev - RUS (29,39)
Mario Parrinello - ITA (1)
Pietro Pitton - ITA (30, 40)
Bhushan Ramasastry – IND (31,41)
Aleksandr Semenenko - UKR (32)
Ilija Serafimović – SRB (33)
Boris Shorokhov - RUS (24*)
Francesco Simoni - ITA (12, 21)
Dragan Stojnić - SRB (34,42)
Gábor Tar – HUN (13,22)
Ivo Tominić – CRO (35)
Menachem Witztum - ISR (14,23*)

30 names

from 15 countries

BPCF2019B - Award

Prize

Dragan STOJNIĆ, SRB

white Pb5b3g2 Ka6 Ba1f3 Se1f6 black Pc5d5e5a2e3g4g3 Ra3c3 Ba4 Kd4

h#2

2 sol.

(8+11)

FEN: 8/8/K4N2/1Pppp3/b2k2p1/rPr1pBp1/p5P1/B3N3

(C+ by Popeye)

1st Hon. Mention

Ricardo de MATTOS VIEIRA, BRA

white Pd5e4c4f2 Sd3 Re5 Kh2 Bf1 black Se2 Pc3 Rb5 Bc7g2 Kd4

h#2

2 sol.

(8+6)

FEN: 8/2b5/8/1r1PR3/2PkP3/2pN4/4nPbK/5B2

(C+ by Popeye)

2nd Hon. Mention

Menachem WITZTUM & Ricardo de MATTOS VIEIRA, ISR/BRA

white Sd5 Ph3d3 Ka1 Ra3 Bb7h2 black Qa7 Pg7d7a5f2 Rh4 Bf8 Kf3

h#2

2 sol.

(7+9)

FEN: 5b2/qB1p2p1/8/p2N4/7r/R2P1k1P/5p1B/K7

(C+ by Popeye)

3rd Hon. Mention

Emanuel NAVON, ISR

white Qb8 Pd6d5c3g3 Kc7 Bf7 Rd2 black Bb1 Ke4 Qg5 Pd7g7c4a2 Sa7f3 Re8h4

h#2

2 sol.

(8+11)

FEN: 1Q2r3/n1Kp1Bp1/3P4/3P2q1/2p1k2r/2P2nP1/p2R4/1b6

(C+ by Popeye)

4th Hon. Mention

Valery GUROV & Boris SHOROKHOV, RUS

white Pc5 Rb2d1 Bc3d3 Kb1 black Qa3 Pe6h3 Ke8 Ra8h8 Sb5f5

h#2

2 sol.

(6+8)

FEN: r3k2r/8/4p3/1nP2n2/8/q1BB3p/1R6/1K1R4

(C+ by Popeye)

1st Comm.

MANIKUMAR Solaiappan, IND

white Pe2 Sd7d1 Bf1c1 Ka1 black Qb5 Pf6 Ke4 Bh8 Rb3g3

h#2

2 sol.

(6+6)

FEN: 7b/3N4/5p2/1q6/4k3/1r4r1/4P3/K1BN1B2

(C+ by Popeye)

2nd Comm.

Bhushan RAMASASTRY, IND

white Pd6e5f4 Sb8 Ka6 black Qa4 Pa5d5 Ke6 Rc7f8 Se3

h#2

3 sol.

(5+7)

FEN: 1N3r2/2r5/K2Pk3/p2pP3/q4P2/4n3/8/8

(C+ by Popeye)

3rd Comm.

Fadil ABDURAHMANOVIĆ & Marko KLASINC, BIH/SLO

white Rf5 Bh7d6 Kh2 black Pc3h4h3 Sd4 Ra3g3 Kd3 Bf1

h#2

3 sol.

(4+8)

FEN: 8/7B/3B4/5R2/3n3p/r1pk2rp/7K/5b2

(C+ by Popeye)

4th Comm.

Jorge KAPROS, ARG

white Qb2 Re3 Ka3 Be4 black Ph7f6d5a4d2 Ke8 Ra8h8 Sd7b3 Bf7c1

h#2

2 sol.

(4+12)

FEN: r3k2r/3n1b1p/5p2/3p4/p3B3/Kn2R3/1Q1p4/2b5

(C+ by Popeye)

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