Here is the Award of Chameleon-50JT 2012. The judge of the tourney is IGM Petko Petkov. His article published in Feenschach in 1962 is with a significant role for the definition and development of this fairy piece - the Chameleon!

Basic information:

Total of 32 problems by 14 authors:

Alberto Armeni, Dieter Mueller, Diyan Kostadinov, Gani Ganapathi, Jaroslav Stun, Julia Vysotska, Juraj Lorinc, Kalyan Seetharaman, Karol Mlynka, Kenneth Solja, Pierre Tritten, Ralf Kraetschmer, S.K.Balasubramanian, Valerio Agostini

From 8 countries:

Italy, India, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Latvia, France, Germany, Finland

Chameleon - 50 JT 2012

AWARD

Judge: IGM PETKO PETKOV

Section A - Standard Chameleons

       In the competition participated 23 problems from 13 composers from 7 countries. The overall level of the competition is not satisfied. Most of problems demonstrate fairly simple ideas that are not in harmony with the rich possibilities of the Chameleon piece.

         From these compositions I've eliminated from the ranking № 25, where the mechanism and thematic play are rather similar to № 10. On that reason I can not perceive № 25 as an independent problem. Problem № 15 also seems to me an aesthetically unacceptable modification of № 100 from the website of J.Vysotska. In № 15 the use of the black Chameleons is rather artificial (CBe8 is superfluous in the initial position). Also, the thematical identity between the solutions is only partial - the position b) with closing of the black Queen is better.

           Prize - N10 Julia Vysotska

   a) 1...Se2 2.e8cQ cQf6=cS+ 3.Ke5+ Kb8 4.cQd7=cS+ cS:d7=cB#

(try: 1...Se6? 2.e8cQ cQf6=cS+ 3.Ke5+ Kb8 4.cQd7=cS+ cS:d7=cB - no mate, 5.Kf5!) 

   b) 1...Sg4 2.e8Q cBb2=cR 3.Kd4+ Ka6 4.Qb5+ cR:b5=cQ #

(try: 1...Sc4? 2.e8Q cBb2=cR 3.Kd4+ Ka6 4.Qb5+ cR:b5=cQ - no mate, 5.Kd3!)

   A problem of a high class! The first part of content is the reciprocal creation of black batteries CS/CB & CR/CQ after critical moves of black Chameleons. This interesting play is combined with very good action of the black S, which opens preliminary the thematic line and realizes tries with Bivalve-effects. An excellent addition to this strategy is a play of the both King's batteries K/B and white promotions in Q and CQ!

   1st Honourable Mention - N3 Pierre Tritten

1.d:c1=cS cBg4=cR 2.cSe2=cB cRd4=cQ#, 1.c:d1=cS Kd5 2.cSe3=cB cRc4=cQ#

1.Kc4 cRb1=cQ 2.Kc5 cB:c2=cR#, 1.Ke3 cBf3=cR+ 2.Ke2 cRcf1=cQ#

   A very ambitious idea: problem from Chris Feather's HOTF - type in miniature! But the solutions in the second duet (after 1.Kc4 and 1.Ke3) are not equivalent in thematic attitude. Better is the solution after 1.Kc4 with model-mate.

   2nd Honourable Mention - N5 Valerio Agostini

1.cBa7=cR 2.cR:a5=cQ 3.cQb5=cS! 4.cSd4=cB cRa8=cQ#

1.cSe3=cB 2.cB:d2=cR 3.cRf2=cQ! 4.cQf5=cS cRg2=cQ#

Double Rundlauf, combined with Annihilations of the white Pawns. A very nice contents, but not optimal form – it is possible also to create a model-mates here.

   Commendation: N8 Tritten

1.Rh6 cSe8=cB 2.Re6 cBh5=cR#,  1.Se8 cQa8=cS 2.Sf6 cSc7=cB#

   An aristocratic miniature with so called "Delayed Umnov", realized from Rh5&CSg7 and Sc7&CQd8.

   Commendation: N9 Alberto Armeni

1.Be4 cQf6=cS 2.Bc2 cBh1=cR 3.Qg4+ cS:g4=cB#

1.Bf3 cBc6=cR 2.Be2 cRg6=cQ 3.Qf2+ cQ:f2=cS#

   An HS# with two solutions of so called "ANI-type" with model mates.  

Section B - Other type of Chameleons

         Here were presented only 9 problems but the overall level of the competition is good! Unfortunately, only few composers wanted to try the non-standard possibilities of the strange Free Chameleons, Chinese Chameleons, Marine Chameleons. At present, all these Chameleons can be tested with WinChloe!

           In my view so called "Chameleon Pawn" (CP) is an artificial modification of the Chameleon - form.  These Pawns can be promoted only into Chameleons and this fact significantly limits the opportunities to build a rich content. In many problems the promotions of the CPs are obvious, because there are no other logical possibilities.

   1st Prize - N32 Diyan Kostadinov  

1…d1cVA 2.cPAb8=cLE cVAe2=cPA 3.cLEb2=cCA+ cPA:b2=cLE#

1…d1cCA 2.Rd5 cCAf2=cVA 3.cPAh4=cLE+ cVA:h4=cPA#  

   The only problem in this tournament, composed with Chinese Chameleons! Here we see two surprising Chameleon-promotions on "d1" combined with nice maneuvers and sacrifices of the cPAh8.

   2nd Prize - N20 Juraj Lorinc

   1.Re5! (2.cRe4=cB+ Kd4 3.cBf3=cS+ Kd3 4.cSd2=cQ+ B:d2#)

1…cBf1=cS 2.cR:f1=cB+ Kd4 3.cBe2=cS+ Kd3 4.cSc3=cQ+ B:c3#

1…Bhe1 2.cRf5=cB+ Kd4 3.cBe6=cS+ Kd3 4.cSd8=cQ+ B:d8#

   The maximal activity of white Free CR - Chameleon which changes in sequence R-B-S-Q in threat and two variations. But in my opinion the black play here is rather orthodox.  

   Special Prize - N29 S.K. Balasubramanian

1.cPf1=cQ cPc8=cB 2.cQg2=cS cBh3=cR#

1.cPf1=cS cPc8=cR 2.cSh2=cB cRc6=cQ #

   The best problem with cP in this competition, through it's a fact that mixed AUW is not a wonder in this miniature. Nevertheless, the finals with model-mates are elegant.

   Honourable Mention - N30 Diyan Kostadinov

1…Qe1 2.cMSe8=cNE cBh4=cR 3.cNEg6=cTR+ Qg3#

1…Rf1 2.e7 f4 3.cMSe6=cNE+ Qh3#

   The author's comments: "Unblocks on black 1st moves, selfblocks and open of lines on black 2nd moves, specific Marine effects. Probably the first published Chameleon - Marine problem". I agree with this information, but still I think that the content is not sufficiently complex.

   Commendation - N19 Pierre Tritten

1…cQc:f2=cR 2.cRc4=cB cRf8=cB 3.cQe3=cR cBc5=cS#

1…cQb:f2=cR 2.cBd2=cS cRf6=cB 3.Re2 cBb2=cS#

   Nice opening of line for the black CQg1.