(29.04.2013) The 9th European Chess Solving Championship (ECSC) was held in Vilnius, Lithuania, from Friday 26th April to Sunday 28th April, 2013. Here are the results of solving and composing tourneys, problems and solutions from the competition.

Problems and solutions:

Results:

Aleksandr Azhusin from Russia is the winner of the Open Solving Tournament and the Quick Show as well as Eddy Van Beers from Belgium won the Solving Show.

Composing in the 9th ECSC
(Preliminary results)
I. JT Nikolaj Zujev 60 (h#2)

Theme: h#2 with at least two solutions and two set plays, or more, but the phases must be identical (2+2, 3+3, 4+4 and so on).

   1st Prize: Janne Syvaniemi, Finland. 1*...Bc5 2.Rxe5+ Rxe5#, 1*...Bd8 2.Kxd4 Bb6#, 1.Rxd4 Bf6 2.Rd6 exd6#, 1.Rf4 Bc5 2.Rf6 exf6#
Spectacular. In set play, black clears the mating line. In the solution, white opens the mating line by capture.
   2nd Prize: Genady Koziura, Ukraina. 1*…Kh8 2.Sc5 bxa3#, 1*…Qc6 2.a5
bxc3#, 1.Ba4 Qb7+ 2.Ka5 b4#. 1.Bd5 Qb6+ 2.Kc4 b3#
There are two simple mates in the set play. But in the actual play there are a nice bend with active blocking and range of black king. The Albino nicely assembled all phases of play. Helpmate Of The Future (HOTF). Meredith.
   3rd Prize: Menachem Witztum, Emanuel Navon, Israel. 1*...exd6+ 2.Re5 dxc7#, 1*...exd5 2.Bxe5 dxe6#, 1.Rxe5 b6 2.cxb6 Rxd6#, 1.Bxe5 e8Q 2.Rxd7+ Qxd7#
Also very charming well pointed play with line cleaning and pinning actions.

II. JT Nikolaj Zujev 60 (h#3)

Theme: h # 3: with the mate from the square where moved the black key unit.

   1st Prize: Mikola Kolesnik, Aleksandr Semenenko, Ukraine. 1.Bxd5 a3 2.Bxf3 Bxf3 3.Bd4 Bd5#, 1.Rxc3 a4 2.Rxf3 Rxf3 3.Rd4 Rc3#
There is the blend of white Novotny and black Grimshow, two popular themes of direct mate genres that are not wide spread in helpmate genre. Excellent matched solutions.
   2nd Prize: Mikola Kolesnik, Aleksandr, Valery Semenenko, Ukraine. 1.Sxc2 Sf3 2.exf3 Ba4 3.Ke4 Bxc2#, 1.Sxb5 Bf4 2.exf4 Rb2 3.Ke5 Rb5# Both sides sacrifice the pieces. Change of functions of two pairs of white pieces.
   3rd Prize: Vasil Krizhanivsky, Ukraine. 1.Rg5 Bf2 2.Rxc5 Rxc5 3.Sd3 Sg5#, 1.Qf2 Rg5 2.Qxc5 Bxc5 3.Sf3 Sf2# 
The play is with rich tactics. The white piece takes place of captured white pawn. There is interchange of squares of key moves and mating moves. Model mates.

The official website is: http://www.sachmatija.puslapiai.lt/ecsc2013/