The BDS Website

John Rice & BDS

Comm., feenschach, 1996

#2
LEOs b2, h6
PAOs a4, h4; b8, c1, g2, g7
VAOs e3, f1

1.VAb6?  (2.Se3#) 1...LEa3!
1.VAc5?  (2.Se3#) 1...PAxg4!
1.VAd4?  (2.Se3#) 1...g5!
1.VAd2?  (2.Se3#) 1...PAg3!
1.VAf2?  (2.Se3#) 1...PAg3!

1.VAg1!  (2.Se3#)

1...LEa3  2.Sxb4#
1...PAxg4 2.Sc7#
1...g5    2.Sxf6#
1...PAg3  2.VAg2#

All the tries fail because they interfere on a Chinese line allowing Black to guard one of the potential mating squares.

Way back, when I first started composing, I composed a problem for a WCCT. The theme required was the one in this problem though I seem to remember that one could use any type of pieces that hopped over hurdles to capture. Naturally I used Chinese Pieces! My problem was submitted as part of the British entry, but didn't figure in the award and I heard nothing further about my problem. Years later, when going through my notebooks, I came across it and wondered what to do with it. The controller of that WCCT was bernd ellinghoven, so I asked him if he could possibly remember my problem. He did, and told me that it was unsound. A quick check with Popeye (which hadn't been available to me when I composed the problem) confirmed this, so I set about trying to correct it. This proved to be beyond my talents so I referred it to John Rice, who likes a challenge. He came up with the setting above, which I wouldn't have considered: the > 1 black LEO and the > 2 black PAOs would have offended against my ideas of fairy economy. But different composers have different ideas about economy in fairy problems and one must always respect the views of one's co-workers.