Here are selected compositions from the WCCC Kobe 2012 Tourneys (Quick Composing, Long Thematic, Vodka, Sake, Tzuika, Wine, Sabra and Champagne Tourneys)

Quick Composing Tourney

Section A – Mate in 2 moves

   Theme: A white or black piece „X“ stands between a white line piece (Q,R,B) and the black King. „X“ can be of any piece except pawns. Multiple combinations of this are allowed. The key must give up the initial pin or white battery by moving off the pin or battery line. Set and/or try play as well as changed mates are welcome but not obligatory. The theme is free up to the composer‘s imagination.

   Entries: 7   Judge: Touw Hian Bwee (Indonesia)

1) 1.Bg4? (2.Re5#), 1...Bd4 2.R:d4#, 1...K:e4 2.Qf3#, 1...B:e4!

   1.Qc3! (2.Qe5#), 1...Bd4 2.Re5#, 1...R:e4+ 2.Sf4#,

1...R:c3 2.Re5#, 1..Rd4 2.Sf4#

Section B – H#2

   Theme: The pin of a white piece, which is explored in one of the following ways:

   -The white piece is actually pinned during the solution and the thematic pin is essential for the correctness of the solution;

   -White/Black refuses to make the (self/direct/indirect) pinning move because in this case the pin is a negative effect and therefore it is the key effect of a dual avoidance.

   Entries: 10   Judge: Ricardo Vieira

   2) a) 1.Sd8+ Qb7 2.Rc4 Q:d5#, b) 1.Sd6+ Sb5 2.Rd4 S:c3#

Long Thematic Tourney – Orthodox #3~

(Tadashi Wakashima – 60JT)

   Theme: #3~ featuring satalemate.

   Entries: 36   Judge: Tadashi Wakashima

   3) 1.e:f4+? Se3 2.Kd2? stalemate; 1.Rd8? 1...Se7!

       1.Rd7!

1...f:e3 2.Rd3! S~/e:d3 3.R:e3/Qa8# (2.Rf7? stalemate)

1...S:e3 2.Sg3! f:g3 3.Rf7# (2.Rf7? stalemate)

1...S~ 2.e:f4+ e3 3.Qa8#, 1...Sd4 2.e:d4+ e3 3.Qa8#

1...Sd6 2.c:d6 f:e3 3.Rf7#, 1...Se7 2.R:e7 f:e3 3.Rf7#

Long Thematic Tourney – H#2.5

   Theme: H#2.5 - In two solutions (or twins) white‘s first and second moves are exchanged (A-B in one solution & B-A in the second). The mate is different. No fairy pieces or conditions allowed.

   Entries: 19   Judge: Marjan Kovacevich

   4) 1...Se2 2.Bg1 Se3 3.B:e4 d4#, 1...Se3 2.Bd1 Se2 3.Rf5 S:g4#

Russian Vodka Tourney

   Theme: Direct mate in 2-5, Helpmate in 2-5, and Selfmate in 2-5 with Avanta-theme: Rectilinear game of two or more row of standing pawns on both free fields.

   Entries: 5   Judge: Andrey Selivanov

   5) 1.Bg4? (2.Re6+ f:e6#) 1...e5(e6) 2.Rf2+ A Ke7 3.Bg5+ f6#, 1...Rc7!

1.Qb1!? (2.Re6+ f:e6+ 3.Qg6+ Q:g6#) 1...e6 2.Sg4+ Ke7 3.Bg5+ f6#, 1...e5!

1.Qd3! (2.Re6+ f:e6+ 3.Qg6+ Q:g6#)

1...e5 2.Bg5+ B Ke6 3.Bg4+ f5#, 1...e6 2.Sg4+ C Ke7 3.Bg5+ f6#

(1...Rc7 2.Re6+ B:e6/f:e6+ 3.Qg6+ f:g6/Q:g6#).

Avanta (black), selfblocks on g5/g4, Pickaninny, change of white continuations, tries.

   6) 1.Be7 e3! 2.Bf6 Se7 3.d6 d4#; 1...S:e7??

1.Kd5 f4! 2.Sf3! d3 3.Sd4 e4#; 1.S:f3??

Avanta (white), black-white and white-black Umnov.

Japanese Sake Tourney

   Theme: H#1, Double-Step Chess. Any fairy pieces and/or conditions are allowed. Zero position is not allowed.

   Entries: 14   Judge: Tadashi Wakashima

   7) 1.Sd4/Sf5 b8Q/Q:d6# (1...b8S/Sc6+? 2.Sd4/S:c6!)

   1.Se4/Sg5 2.b8S/Sc6# (1...b8Q/Q:d6+? Se4/S:d6!)

Black Se6 and Sf6 constitute a halfpin along the line e2-e6-g6.When one of the knights moves, the other knight is pinned. But the random moves of these knights give check to wK from Bd7 or Rf7, so black must close the checking line (Bd7-g4-h5; Rf7-f5-h5) in the second step. Dual avoidance is harmoniously incorporated. A magnificent problem. (Judge)

   8) a) 1.Bd2/Bb4 Kc2/Kc3# b) 1.Rg3/R:h3+ Ka2/Kb3#

   9) Try: 1.rPd1rS/rSb2(c3)? 2.rPh6/rPh7#?? This is intended as mate from pre-promoted Royal Queen: 2...rPh8rQ/rQ:b2(c3). Then Black also employs this pre-paralysis: 2.h2/h1R!

   Play: 1.rPd1rR/rRa1! rPh6/rPh7# Pre-paralysis from Royal Bishop: 2...rPh8rB/rB:a1.

rRd4 in the second step does not work because it gives mat to white Royal Pawn.

Specific fairy play, miniature, Pawns only position, specific mixed AUW with pre-promoted pieces(!), thematic tries and dual avoidance.

Romanian Tzuika Tourney

   Theme: Help-selfmates (hs#n) or help-selfstalemates (hs=n) where at least three units cyclically exchange their functions during the solution in at least three phases. These functions can be passive or active.

   Entries: 18   Judges: Eric Huber & Vlaicu Crisan

Orthodox section:

Entries: 5

10) a) 1...Q:b7 2.Rb1 Q:b1 3.d8Q Qb8 4.Qd2+ K:d2=

     b) 1...B:d7 2.Ra4 B:a4 3.c8Q Be8 4.Qg4+ K:g4=

     c) 1...B:c7 2.R:a5 B:a5 3.b8Q B:c3 4.Qg3+ K:g3=

Fairy section:

Entries: 13

11) 1.Sd7 DGe:c1 2.Q:f4+ DG:f4#, 1.Sa4 Q:e5 2.R:f4+ Q:f4#, 1.Sc8 R:b4 2.DG:f4+ R:f4#

12) a) 1.hnLEb1=wLE+ Ka8! 2.LEb6+ hnNAg6=bNA#

     b) 1.hnVA:e3=wVA Kb7! 2.VAb6+ hnLEe4=bLE#

     c) 1.hnNA:d2=wNA Ka7! 2.NAb6+ hnVAf8=bVA#

    Double realization of the tourney theme: cycles of two groups pieces; creation of direct and indirect white anti-batteries; half-neutral/black chinese third battery play, three different bK moves, three different wPieces play on b6, specific fairy play.

Bulgarian Wine Tourney 

   Theme: H#/=2-3, HS#/=2-3 problems with „Anti Take & Make” fairy condition. Other fairy pieces and conditions are not allowed.

   “Anti Take & Make” definition: every capture ("take") must be complemented by a further step ("make" - not a capture) by the captured piece (Kings excluded), which must move from its square of vanish (according to the wishes of the capturing side in case of options). The capture is forbidden if the captured unit have not possible move. Promotions at the end of the "make" element are normal.

   Entries: 41   Judge: Diyan Kostadinov

13) a) 1.Qf5+! R:f5(Qa5)! 2.e:f5(Rf1) Re1 3.f6+ S:d4(Pd5)# [1....R:f5(Qc5)?]

     b) 1.Qe5+! Bxe5(Qc5)! 2.d:e5(Bb2) Bc1 3.e6+ S:e4(Pe5)# [1....B:e5(Qa5)?]

14) a) 1.Bf5 Kg5 2.g:h8S(Rh4) B:b4(b5) 3.Bd7+ Qe5#

      b) 1.Rf5 Kg4 2.S:e1(Bh4) Rh:d8(Re8) 3.Rc5+ Qe6# 

15) 1.B:d7(Sb6) S:c4(Sd2) 2.B:c8(Bg4) Rd4#, 1.R:d7(Sf8) S:g6(Rg4) 2.R:d8(Rd3) Bf5#

16) a) 1.Be5 c:b6(Rg6) 2.B:h7(Sf6) Sg8! 3.Rg2+ f:g2(Rg6)# [3…R:h7??]

     b) 1.Se3 R:g8(Bc4) 2.R:b4(Pb3) b5! 3.Be2+ f:e2(Bc4)# [3…B:b4??]

Sabra Tourney

   Theme: In an orthodox H#2 white piece "A" is pinned in the diagram position. Black can unpin "A" in his first move but it actually unpins "A" only in the second move.

   Entries: 22   Judge: Menachem Witztum

17) 1.Be5?? 2.Bc6 Se6#, 1.Qg5?? 2.Sc4 Sd3#

     1.Be3 d4 2.Bc6 Se6#, 1.Qg3 h4 2.Sc4 Sd3#

Champagne Tourney

   Theme: The long travel. The Tourney is divided in 2 sections: A – Proof Games; B – Any other kind of Retro problems. Fairy conditions allowed in both sections.

   Entries: Section A – 10, Section B – 5       Judge: Michel Caillaud

Section A:

18) 1.c4 e6 2.Qa4 Qf6 3.Qc6 Qf3 4.e:f3 b6 5.Bd3 Ba6 6.Bg6 Bb5 7.d3 Ba4 8.Bd2 Bd1 9.Bb4 Be2 10.Sd2 Bf1 11.Rc1 B:g2 12.Rc3 Bf1 13.Ra3 Be2 14.Sf1 Bd1 15.Se2 Ba4 16.Rg1 Bb5 17.Rg4 Ba6 18.Seg3 Bc8 19.Ra6 b5 20.Rb6 Sa6 21.Rb8 h6 22.R:c8+