Problem 320: Steven Dowd

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Problem 320: Steven Dowd - Selfmate

stevendowd (20.01.2014) Selfmate in 7 moves with nice tries and bQ minimal form by Steven Dowd. The author notes also for another possible realization but he prefered this version.

320

1. Sc5? 1…Qb8!

1. Sd4? 1…Qxa8!

1. Sa5! (zz)
1…Qxa8 2.Bf5+ Ke8 3.Qd7+ Kf8 4.Qg7+ Ke8 5.Qf7+ Kd8 6.Sb7+ Qxb7 7.Qe7+ Qxe7#
1…Qb8 2.Kg5 Qxa8(c8) 3.Bg4+ Ke8 4.Rg8+ Kf7 5.Qg6+ Ke7 6.Sc6+ Qxc6 7.Qf6+ Qxf6#

I was unable to find a queen minimal in the PDB with a s#7 that had two variations, this one has echoed mates (the echoes aren't exact due to the differing blocks, but those are still nice echoed mates). You can move everything to the right, and lose the h5 pawn, which makes one of the mates an ideal mate, but you lose the echo effect since you don't need the additional block. I preferred this version. (Author)

Comments

+1 #1 Kjell Widlert 2014-01-20 18:55

I think you made the right choice!

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+3 #2 Steven Dowd 2014-01-20 20:12

Thank you Kjell this was a hard choice and I doubted myself many times. We'll see if the other readers and the judge agree!

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+2 #3 Diyan Kostadinov 2014-01-20 21:49

The selfmate is wonderful, but honestly speaking my opinion is opposite - the better version is without wP, because:
- the pawn is technical and unnecessary in one of the solutions;
- it do not add something so important in thematic view;
- even without the wP both final positions are matched and chameleon echo (where are included wK,wB,bQ,bK);
- without wP the position will be economical and the problem will be pawnless (which is visual catching eye effect in such settings).

In conclusion - different composers may have different opinions in such case, it is a matter of taste, but my personal view is that the version without a technical wP is preferable.

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+2 #4 Nikola Predrag 2014-01-20 23:35

Very nice. Echoed selfblocks by wB determine the echo-mates ACTIVELY. wRg6 is only a blocker in 1st variation but plays in 2nd one, guarding 8th rank. The formation of wK,wB with 6.Sb7+/Sc6+ and 7.Qe7+/Qf6+ is also echoed but there's no need for 3rd wR to guard 9th rank. So why would only wK have to avoid the edge of the board and bK not? The whole content could be achieved without that wP which I would not add for such an entirely artificial visual effect. A potentially "more natural" position is spoiled.

But there is one true effect, 7.Qg6-f6+ opens the line f6-h6 for bQ, just as 7.Qf7-e7+ opens e7-g7.
Perfect echo play and motivations in last 3 moves might be a better reason for adding wP.

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+3 #5 Miodrag Mladenovic 2014-01-21 07:16

I agree with Diyan. Problem is better without wPh5 (moving position right). I think there is one more reason to do this. That will reduce number of pieces to 8 and that's a miniature (I've been thought that in selfmates maximum number of pieces for miniature is 8 and not 7).

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