The BDS Website

Of course I was eager to judge the orthodox fourmovers of a dear friend’s 50th Jubilee Tourney. Unfortunately the output of this section was disappointing in number and quality. However, I didn’t want to spoil the party, and so I decided to choose three Commendations out of eleven entries.

Leonid Lyubashevsky,
Leonid Makaronets &
Sergey Tkachenko

1st Comm., BDS-50 JT, 2004-2009

Mate in 4

1.Rd3!    (2.Rxe5+ Kxe5 3.Rxe3+ Kf6 4.Bxd4#)

1...Raxc8 2.Rxd4+  exd4 3.Bc4   &   4.Bd3#
1...Ra3   2.d7          (3.Sd6#)
                   Rxc8 3.dxc8S &   4.Sd6#
1...Rgxc8 2.Rg4+   Sxg4 3.Kxg3  &   4.Sg5#

The key saves an important officer which is en prise in the diagram position. The WR-moves to e5/e3 and g4/d4 are pleasing. I like the reversal of triggered and suppressed defences: 1...Raxc8 2.Rxd4+ exd4 3.Bc4 Ra3?? and 1...Ra3 2.d7 Rxc8 3.dxc8S Raxc8?? The WS-phenix is another nice element. All three continuations on move 2 are square vacations, though none of them observes the purity of purpose.

Yoel Aloni & Leonid Makaronets

2nd Comm., BDS-50 JT, 2004-2009

Mate in 4

1.Se8! (2.Sf4+ Rfxf4 3.Rxd4+ Rxd4 4.Sxf6#
               Rhxf4 3.Sxf6+ Rxf6 4.Rxd4#)

1...Rf5 2.Sc7+ Sxc7  3.Kxd7       (4.Qc6,Qb3#)
                             dxc3 4.Sf4#
1...Re4 2.Qc5+ dxc5  3.Rxd7+ Kc4  4.Rc2#
                             Ke6  4.Sg7#
                             Kc6  4.Rd6#

The flight-giving set capture 1...dxc3 is unprovided. Three times we witness a sacrifice on move 2, but with disparate tactics: Plachutta, decoy and line opening. I like the Plachutta in the threat and the mating switchback in one sub-variation. The anti-critical defences with interference (3...Qh3??) or selfblock (3...Ke4??) are agreeable features, too.

The entry stated that the Aloni who jointly composed this problem was Hillel, but a chat with Yoel (well, he said he was Yoel!) at Jurmala last year confirmed that the correct twin was Yoel. – BDS

Bojan Basio

3rd Comm., BDS-50 JT, 2004-2009

Mate in 4

1.Rf4! ()

1...h4	 2.Rxh4	bxa4 3.Bg4  Bxf5   4.Bxf5#
                            B else 4.B(x)f3#
1...bxa4 2.Rxa4 h4   3.Bb4         (4.Bc3#)
                            Sxd2+  4.Bxd2#
                            Sa3+   4.Bxa3#

This is still something: a switchback to perform the Indian theme in the East and "half" an Indian in the West (Rb4 moving from the critical square instead of through it). The WBs of differently coloured squares avoid too much symmetry: B-B duel in the East and B-S duel in the West.