(18.02.2013) Today is 80th Birthday of the bulgarian IGM Venelin Alaikov! In 2012 was announced a memorial tourney to commemorate this anniversary. The tourney was in two sections - Selfmates and Fairies. Total of 41 compositions took a part in both sections and the level is high. Here you can see the Award of Section B (Fairies).

Venelin Alaikov 80 MT 2013 (Section B - Fairies)

AWARD

   Theme: H#2-3 or HS#2-3 with fairy piece Andernach Grasshopper (AG). White, black, neutral AG are allowed, but other fairy pieces or conditions are not accepted.

   Andernach Grasshopper (AG): Like a normal Grasshopper (moves along Queen-lines over another unit of either colour to the square immediately beyond that unit) but it changes colour of the piece it jumps over (except the Kings and the neutral pieces).

   26 problems by 13 authors: James Quah, Juraj Lorinc, Mario Parrinello, Valerio Agostini, Stephan Dietrich, Karol Mlynka, Alain Bienabe, Kenneth Solja, Kjell Widlert, Themis Argirakopoulos, Gani Ganapathi, Bjorn Enemark, Manfred Rittirsch.

   The ranking is as follow:

1^st Prize: 1.Bb3 AGa4(wBb3)+ 2.Rc4 AGd4(wRc4) 3.AGh6(wPh6) Rc7#, 1.Rf2 AGg2(wRf2)+ 2.Bf3 Age4(wBf3) 3.AGg8(wBf8) Bxh5# Excellent Andernach specific creation of batteries ending with model mates.

2^nd Prize: a) 1.AGf7(wPe6) Rxe6 2.Qc5 Ree7 3.AGb3(wBc4)+ AGxc5(bBc4)#, b) 1.AGe7(wPe6) Bxe6 2.Qf4 Bf7 3.AGe2(wRe3)+ AGxf4(bRe3)# Wonderful tactical specific AG play.

3^rd Prize: 1.AGd6(bAGe5) AGc7(bAGd6) 2.AGc2(wPd3) AGb8(wAGc7) 3.AGh2(wPg3)+ AGxh2(bAGd4)#, 1.AGd4(bAGe4) AGc4(bAGd4) 2.AGb5(wPc5) AGb4(wAGc4) 3.AGh4(wPg4)+ AGxh4(bPg4)# Very nice diagonal and horizontal AG Bristol moves starting with moving away from the bK and after that coming close again on the mating moves. An excellent harmony!

4^th Prize: a) 1.nAGh2(wPg2) nAGh5(wPh4) 2.nAGe5(wRf5) nAGe2(wBe3)#, b) 1.nAGd8 nAGg5(wPf6) 2.nAGe5(wRf5) nAGb8(wSc7)# Original and interesting Rundlaufs by the neutral AGs which finish with a double Andernach mates - super valuable! Bravissimo maestro!

5^th Prze: 1.AGf4(wAGe3) AGe7(wAGe6) 2.AGb8(wAGc7) AGa7(wSb7) 3.AGb6(bSb7) AGa6(wAGb6)#, 1.AGe7(wAGe6) AGe8(wAGe7) 2.Sc5 AGb7(wAGc7) 3.AGc6(wSc5) AGb5(wAGc6)#  A brilliant six-pieces miniature with echo-ideal mates - a real Andernach changing colors tsunami!

6^th Prize: 1.AGh6(wBh5) Bc6! 2.AGb7(bBc6) Sd6#, 1.AGe2(wSf2) Se3+! 2.AGd3(bSe3) Be4# The author presents original and interesting change of functions of wB and wS "Zilahi a la Andernach"

Special Prize: 1.Qd4 Sd3 2.AGc3(wQd4) Qa7#, 1.Qg3 Sxd7 2.AGg2(wQg3) Qa3#, 1.AGe8(wPd7) dxe8Q 2.b6 [Sb6?] Qa4#, 1.AGc7(wPd7) d8Q 2.Sb6 [b6?] Qd2# Four wonderful Q mates in Problem of the future style. This is the only one four solutions problem in the tourney. An excellent economical position!

1^st HM: 1.AGc4-e6(wPd5) Sxf5+ 2.Kxd5 AGb2-f6(wPe5) 3.AGe6-c4 AGf6-d4(bPe5)#, 1.AGe4-e6(wPe5) Se2+ 2.Kxe5 AGd2-d6(wPd5) 3.AGe6-e4 AGd6-d4(bPd5)# Brilliant harmony in the play, but unfortunately the specific of Andernach condition of Gb2 and Gd2 is not motivated.

2^nd HM: 1.Sd4 AGc5(wSd4) 2.AGf3(wSg4) Sxf3 3.Kf1 Se3#, 1.Sg5 AGh6(wSg5) 2.Kf1 Sh3 3.Se3+ AGxd2(wSe3)#, 1.Sf2+ Kc2 2.AGe2(wSf3)+ AGe1(wAGe2)+ 3.Kh1 AGg3(wSf2)# The author demonstrating very well a difficult change of colors of the pieces in miniature form.

3^rd HM: 1.Sf6 AGf7(wSf6) 2.Qe2+ AGe1(wQe2)#, 1.Qg2 AGc5(wSd5) Qg4+ AGh3(wQq4)# Interesting harmony in mating moves. I suggest the author to try realization in more variations.

4^th HM: 1.AGb6(wRc5) Rg5 2.AGb1(wRb2) Rh2#, 1.AGa2(wRb2) Rb4 2.AGg8(wRf7) Rf3#, 1.AGf8(wRf7) Rg7 2.AGb4(wRc5) Rh5# Very interesting and original cycle in changing colors of the black Rooks. Excellent realization with six pieces only! Unfortunately in the possible tries only one solution is with unique AG specific refutation: 1.AGf8(wRf7) Rf4? 2.AGb4(wRc5) Rc5-c3+ 3.AGb4-d2(bRc3)!! It's very pity - the problem will be great if the harmony was full...

   Commendations (an equal):

Com – Enemark: 1.Bd1 Kh4 2.AGc1(wBd1) Kg4 3.AGc7(wSc6) Bf3#, 1.Sb4 f4 2.AGa5(wSb4) Sc2 3.AGa3(wBa4) Bc6# Nice play in miniature form.

Com – Rittirsch: 1.Qe3 AGh7? 2.~ K~+ AGh5!, 1.Qh5 AGh7? 2.~ K~+ AGe3!,  1.Qe3 AGh5(wSg5)! 2.Bxg5 Kb7[Kd8?]# [3.AGxh5??(wBg5)], 1.Qh5 AGd3(wPe4)! 2.Qxe4 Kd8[Kb7?]# [3.AGe3??(wQe4)] Interesting thematic complex with change of color and capture of blocking hurdles in order to replace them by line pieces prohibiting their use as a hurdle. Unfortunately heavy construction.

Com – Solja: a) 1.AGc2(wAGd2) AGd7(wSd6) 2.AGg2(wAGg3) Sb7 3.AGb2(wAGc2) AGc2-c7(wAGc6)#, b) 1.AGg2(wAGg3) AGc7(wSd6) 2.AGf2(wAGg2) AGb7(wAGc6) 3.AGc2(wAGd2) AGb2(wAGc2)# Another intriguing position, but the play is not of the same rank as the 5th prize winner.

Com – Bienabe: 1.AGf3(bPe2) Kc3 2.e1Q+ Kc4 3.AGd1(wQe1) Qb4# , 1.AGd3(bPe2) c4 2.e1R Kc3 3.AGf1(wRe1) Ra1# Very interesting play, but the mates are so orthodox.

Com – Argirakopoulos: a) 1.nAGe5(wBf5) nAGe2 2.nAGe4 Ke2 3.Kc2 nAGb7(wRc6)#, b) 1.nAGd8(wBe7) Bxd6 2.Rc8 Bc7 3.nAGb8(wRc8) Ba5# Good creation of batteries in miniature form.

Com – Dietrich: a) 1.Sxg3 Rh4 2.Se4 Rf4 3.Sd2+ AGc1(bSd2)#, b) 1.Sxe3 Rf4 2.Sc4 AGe3 2.Sd2+ AGc1(bSd2)# Change of functions between both AGs.

   Krassimir Gandev – Original: Dedicated to All Participants and the Tourney Director of Alaikov-80MT 2013! Solution:

1.Ra2 AGa3(wRa2) 2.Qf3 AGg3(wQf3)#

1.Ra3 AGa4(wRa3) 2.Qe4 AGf4(wQe4)#

1.Ra4 AGa5(wRa4) 2.Qd5 AGe5(wQd5)#

1.Ra5 AGa6(wRa5) 2.Qc6 AGd6(wQc6)#

1.Qb7 AGa7(wRa6) 2.Qb8 AGd7(wSc7)#

Sofia, 05 February 2013                                  IM Krassimir Gandev

We received a version by Manfred Rittirsch who improves his Commendation awarded problem: