Japanese Sake Tourney

Portoroz 2002

Theme: Haunted Chess

Judges: Tadashi Wakashima & Kohey Yamada

We received the amazing number of 53 problems. The general standard is very high, and also high is the rate of unsound ones.

The definition of Haunted Chess caused much discussion on the case of en passant captures. The diagram below may suffice to make it clear.

After en passant capture, the ghost of the captured pawn stays on the fourth rank. You can pass through the square where the ghost pawn stands, but you cannot occupy it. When the capturing pawn moves on to the second rank, the ghost pawn reappears.

Thus in the diagram, 1.b4 cxb3 e.p. 2.Rh4+ b2(+Pb4). 2…Bb4 is forbidden.

I thank Allan Bell for elaborating this point.

1. Prize

Michel Caillaud

1.Qd3+? Rxd3+ but 2.Sxd3!

1.g8=Q! Rxe4 2.Qxg5 Rd4(+Qe4) 3.Kf4! Rxe4+ 4.Kf5 Rd4(+Qe4) 5.Qe2+ Rd3 6.Qf4(+Pg5)+ gxf4 7.Qe4+ Rd4 8.Kxf4 Rxe4+ 9.Kf3 Rd4(+Qe4)10.Sd3 Rxe4 11.Sxf4 Rd4(+Qe4) 12.Bh4 Rxe4 13.Kg3 Rd4(+Qe4) 14.Qd3+ Rxd3#

The extraordinary pinning of Sb4 is finally realized after the oscillation of wQ and bR.

Who else can compose such a masterpiece like this in such a short time?

S#14 12+6

Haunted Chess

2. Prize 1. H.M. 2.H.M. 1.Com.

R. Aschwanden M. Marandyuk Z. Szczep E. Huber

SPG in 13.5 16+15 #3 9+10 H#5 3+6 HS#3 2sol 3+3

Haunted Chess Haunted Chess Haunted Chess Haunted Chess

2. Com. 3. Com. 4. Com. 5. Com.

J. Quah V. Crişan M. Caillaud M. Parrinello&A. Cuppini

#3 Haunted Chess 6+9 h=2 b)Be3=R 4+5 SPG in 8.0 16+15 h#2 2 sol 8+4

wSf8 with Ghost bS Haunted Chess Haunted Chess Haunted Chess

2. Prize: Reto Aschwanden

1.c4 d5 2.cxd5 e5! 3.dxe5 e.p. Bb4 4.e7(+Pe5) Bc3 5.bxc3 d4 6.cxd4(+Bc3) f5 7.dxe5(+Pd4) f4 8.e6(+Pe5) f3 9.gxf3 e4 10.fxe4(+Pf3) Bb4 11.e5(+Pe4) e3 12.fxe3 Bxe7 13.e4(+Pe3) Bf8(+Pe7) 14.dxe3

Retro Aschtonishing!

1. H.M.: Mikhail Marandyuk

1.Qc3! (2.Qxd2+ Sd4 3.Qxd4#)

1. … Qxb8 2.Qc6+! Kxc6 3.Sd8#

1. … Rxb4 2.Qc5+! Kxc5 3.Sd7#

1. … Sxb3 2.Qc4+! Kxc4 3.Sd6#

1. … Sxe3 2.Qd4+! Kxd4 3.Bc3#

1. … Rxf7 2.Qe5+! Kxe5 3.Bd6#

(1. … axb3 2.Qxd2+ Kc4 3.Sd6#)

A task: 5 Q sacrifices. The construction is impeccable.

2. H.M.: Zbigniew Szczep

1.h1=Q+! Bxh1! 2.Kc2 Ke2 3.Kxb3 Ba8(+Qh1)! 4.Qxa8! Kd2 5.Qa3(+Ba8) Bd5#

The best helpmate one-liner in this tourney. The try defeated by the reappearance of the ghost 1.Kd1(d2)? Kg2 2.Ke1 Kf3 3.Kf1 Bxb1 4.Kg1 Be4(+Bb1) 5.Kh1 Kf2#??? 6.Bxe4! is also fine.

1. Com.: Eric Huber

1.Qg6+ Kxg6 2.f4 Rg3 3.f5+ Sxf5#

1.Kh3 Sd5 2.Qg5+ Kxg5 3.f4+ Sxf4#

A nice chameleon echo.

2. Com.: James Quah

1.Rh1? Bf6!

1.Rd1! (2.Sc6+ dxc6 3.Bd4#) Bxf8 2.Rh1 Be7(+Sf8) 3.Sxd7#

Author: Roman theme. 1…Bxf8 is the decoy move.

3. Com.: Vlaicu Crişan

a)1.Qxb5 Bxc5 2.Kxc5 Bxe6=

b)1.Qxf7 Rxe6 2.Kxe6 Rxc5=

Many participants tried this R/B ODT, but this one is the best in its simplicity.

4. Com.: Michel Caillaud

1.e3! Sf6 2.Ba6(Qf3?) Sd5 3.Bxb7 Sb6 4.Bxa8(+Pb7) Sxa8 5.e4 Sb6(+Ba8) 6.Bxb7 Sd5 7.Ba6 Sf6 8.Bf1 Sg8

Author: Little pedagogical example---how to kill a ghost? 2 switchbacks + 1 tempo.

5. Com.: Mario Parrinello & Alessandro Cuppini

1.Qxg4 Ra6 2.Kf5 Bc2#

1.Sxd5 Bd1 2.Kf4 Ra4#

Double-pin mates and exchange of functions between bQ/S.

Portoroz Results