To celebrate his birthday and his fairy invention Superguards, K.Seetharaman, (India) announces a Theme Tourney for problems featuring Superguards, the new Fairy Condition.

Definition of Superguards: Any piece (including Kings and pawns), which is observered by another piece of the same color cannot be captured. Pinned pieces also observe.

The tourney will have two sections.

Section A is for Directmates in Two or Three moves.

Section B is for Helpplay problems of upto three moves, of the following types: Helpmates, Helpselfmates, Help-stalemates and Help-selfstalemates.

Twins allowed in Section A. Twins and multisolutions (but no Zero positions) allowed in Section B. No other fairy conditions or fairy pieces are allowed.

Judge: K.Seetharaman 

Computer-tested problems may be sent to the Tourney Director Mr.C.G.S.Narayanan (India) by email. This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

At present uperguards problems can be checked in Winchloe. (version 3.20).

Book prizes will be awarded.

All participants will receive the award by email.

Closing date of the Tourney March 18, 2013.

In the diagram neither king is in check and they cannot be captured by the other King, because WK is observed by Rg7 and BK by Qe4.

White mates

1.Rb7# !! shutting off the observation of the BK by the Qe4 and threatening 2.K:a8!

Black cannot defend by 1…Q:b7 because the Rb7 is now observed by WK!

Also 1.Sed5 # !! shutting off the queen’s guard of the BK, and the queen is now unable to play 2.Q:d5 to provide guard to his king, because Sd5 is observed by the other knight.

But 1.Sfd5 + ! is not mate because now black has the new defence 1…Rf8! Similarly 1.Kb7+ is not mate (though WK continues to be immune from capture being observed by WRg7) because black now has the defense 1…Qa4 !

Black mates

1.Qb7 #!! shutting off the guard to the WK from the Rg7 and threatening to capture WK with his King or queen! Please note that the move 1.Qb7 is a double check from the bQ and bK !

1.Kb7 #!! is also mate, the king itself doing the shutting off and mating!

Key: 1. Ke6! (2.Kf7#)

1….R~ ! 2. Kd7# (2.Kf7? Kd7! 3 c:d7?), 1….B~ ! 2. Ke7# (2.Kf7? Ke7! 3.B:e7?)

1…B~ and 1…R~ defend by providing an observed square for the black king.

Mates on observed squares and mates by White King, I think are typical of this Fairy condition.

Solutions:

1.Qg3! (Q else?) h4 (h3?) 2. Rg4! (R else?) Qg5#

1. Qg2! h3 (h4?) 2. Rg3! Qg4# (1…h4? 2…Qg5? 3.Kg4 !)

Bristols

Black play motivated by hideaway of bQ/bR and block 3.Ng3 a potential observation by Sh1 of the black King as a defence to the mate.

Solution:

(As it is white to play) Black’s last move should have been

1. Kb7 x Ra8. Prior to that white had played Kc8 + (from d7 or d8).

Black’s Last move could not be 1. Kb7-a8 (without uncapture) or Kb8-a8 or 1.Kb7 x Qa8 ? as white would then have no legal previous move!

W mates: 1. Ka4 K:b6 2.K:b4 Kc6! 3.Ka5 Kb5#

B mates:   1.Kc6 K:b4 2.K:b6 K:c4! 3.Ka5 Kb5#

Mates on same squares ! Tempo moves

Neither King is in check as they are observed by the pawn!

I. 1.Re4 Sg4 2.Ra4!! Bb4# (2.Rb4?? Bxb4?? – impossible)

II. 1.Re3 Bc5 2.Rh3!! Sf3# (2.Rf3+?? Sxf3?? – impossible)

Play of white half-battery, combined with specific critical moves of the black Rook and double line-opening! А light example with education character. (Petkov)     Very nice Hideaway moves by the black rook!

   Two solutions

1.Kc1 Kd3 2.d1=B Kc2#

1.Ke1 Kf3 2.d1=S Kf2#

King mates – Unguarding Selfblocks with dual avoidance.