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Kabe Moen

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Half-battery

4/23/2020

1 Comment

 
The half-battery is the version of the half-pin for White.  Whereas in the half-pin, two black pieces are on a line aimed at the bK. When black piece moves off the line it leaves the other black piece pinned. In the half-battery two white pieces are blocking a white line piece.  Tries and key by each of the white pieces allow the battery to function. 

Bakcsi, Gyogry
FIDE Tourney 1962

#2
8 + 7


Here's a perfect Bakcsi gem starter with a double flight gift in try and key.

1.Sxd5? (>2.Rd1)
  1...Kd3 2.Sf2
  1...Kxd5 2.Sc3
  1...Bd6!

1.Sxc5! (>2.Qb4)
  1...Kc3 2.Sxd5
  1...Kxc5 2.Sd3
​  1...Bxc5 2.Qe5

Rice, John
Schakend Nederland 1961

#2
7 + 4


David Shire refers to the 1960s as the decade of the half-battery and this author was one of the pioneers.  Here is his famous changed wK X flight.  The wK has all 4 diagonal flights which can be handled by the respective R+B or R+S batteries.  So which one will do the job?

1.Sc3 (-)
   1...Kf3 2.Bd5
   1...Kxf5 2.Bd3
   1...Kh5 2.Be2
   1...Kh3 2.Bf1
   1...d5!

1.Bd5 (-)
   1...Kf3 2.Sc3
   1...Kxf5 2.Sxd6
   1...Kh5 2.Sxf6
   1...Kh3 2.Sf2

In addition to the nice four changes, the problem has a nice reversal of key and variation mate after 1...Kf3.

Moen, Kabe
Probleemblad 2019

#2
10 + 6


Here is one my own half-batteries, which might be called a third battery.  Notice the bK has an unprovided flight with 1...Kxd5, but in capturing this piece he will clear the d-file leading to a battery mate.  I am quite fond of this idea.  This one came together nicely and I still remember the moment when I figured out that the bPc5 with its two defenses was the key to the whole composition.

1.Sb3? (>2.Qxc5)
  1...Kxd5 2.Be3
  1...Rc3 2.Bf4
  1...c4 2.Bb4
  1...Sd7!

1.Bb4! (>2.Qxc5)
  1...Kxd5 2.Sxf3
  1...Rc3 2.Sf5
  1...Sd7 2.Sb5
  1...cxb4 2.Qc6

​

Reeves, Christopher
The Tablet 2019

#2
9 + 9


This half-battery uses a complex combination of Goethart and anti-Goethart strategy.  That is the threat by the half-battery can unpin the bRd3 because of the bP on e3.  However, when the bP moves this is no longer available.

1.Sfg5? (>2.Sd2)
  1...e2 2.Sd6
  1...Rc4 2.Sc3

  1...c5!

1.Seg5! (>2.Sd2)
  1...e2 2.Se5
  1...Rc4 2.Sd4
  1...Kc4/Rxg2 2.Qc5 
  1...Rd4 2.Rxd4
  1...c5 2.Qe4



Moen, Kabe
SuperProblem 2020

#2
9 + 7


Here I use the half-battery to obtain a record.  This problem shows four changed double checkmates which seems to be new!  I was pleased with the threat and the refutation.  The downfall is the number of black duals which were inevitable for this position.

1.Rg7? (>2.Sxb8)
   1...Kb7 2.Rb3
   1...Kd5 2.Rd3
   1...Sd6 2.Rc3
   1...Sc7 2.Rf6
   1...B any 2.Qa8
   1...Se3!
1.Rf7 (>2.Sxb8)
   1...Kb7 2.Rb2
   1...Kd5 2.Rd2
   1...Sd6 2.Rc2
   1...Sc7 2.Rg6
   1...B any 2.Qa8

The one downfall is that the B+R+R battery is extremely well-worked and I was lucky to obtain something new here.


Chepizhnyj, Viktor
Variantim, 2006

#2
8 + 7


Here is an indirect half-battery: the battery line is not pointed at the bK but rather an adjacent square.  The problem also shows the so-called bK Schiffman strategy in which the threat will unpin a bK and hence uses a different mate that exploits the pin.

1.Sdc1? (>2.Sf4)
   1...Kc4 2.Sc3
   1...Bxe2 2.Qe4
   1...Be6!

1.Sec1! (>2.Sf4)
   1...Kc4 2.Sxb4
   1...Bxe2 2.Qe4
​   1...Be6 2.Bg2

Rice, John
The Problemist, 1971

#2
7 + 8


A beautiful combination of half-battery and Novotny. I like the changed mates and changed threats.  

1.Rd3? (>2.Rxa6/Sxc2)
  1...Sxb4 2.Qxa2
  1...Sxc6 2.Sbxc6
  1...Bxd3 2.Sxc2
  1...Rxd3 2.Rxa6
  1...cxb4!
1.Sd3! (>2.Rxc5/Rxc2)
  1....Sxb4 2.Rxa2
  1....Sxc6 2.Saxc6
  1...Bxd3 2.Rxc2
​  1...Rxd3 2.Rxc5

Melnichenko, Viktor
Mansfield MT, 1987

#2
11 + 7


We end with a true masterpiece which took first prize in the competitive Mansfield memorial tourney.  The problem, like one above, combines the Schiffman strategy with half-battery.  However, this one achieves two changed Schiffman mates.  The idea is that 1...Sxb6 and 1...Rxb6 are self-pins that defeat the threat because it will unpin these pieces, however White can exploit these pins. There is an additional change after 1...Sd3. Even the interference battery mate 2.b7 is beautiful.

1.Bxf5? (>2.c5)
   1...Sxb6 2.Sf6
   1...Rxb6 2.Se6
   1...Sd3 2.Rxd3
   1...Sd6 2.b7
   1...Rd6!
1.Se3! (>2.c5)
   1...Sxb6 2.Be6
   1...Rxb6 2.Bxc8
   1...Sd3 2.Sc2
   1...Sd6 2.b7
   1...Bg8 2.Sxf5

One of my all time favorites and a fitting memorial problem for the great two move expert.
1 Comment
Mersin vestel servisi link
11/13/2020 12:30:28 am

I am very pleased to read your blog. Thank you for giving whole informations and details. You are number one.

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    Chess Problems

    On the side I like to dabble in chess problem composition.  I am mostly interested in two and three move direct mates.  I hope to convey the beauty and logic of chess problems with this blog. In the entries are some of my favorite problems and my own problems.  Before looking at the problems I suggest reading this introduction to the chess problem world by the British Chess Problem Society.  Also, here is a list of terminology  and themes.   Here is a link to my problems on yacpdb.

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    2. "Double checking white in a two mover" StrateGems July 2016

    3. "Double check without capture" The Problemist Supplement, January 2018

    4. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part I" The Problemist Supplement, March 2018

    5. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part II" The Problemist Supplement, May 2018

    6. "The disappearing Nowotny: Part III" The Problemist Supplement, July 2018

    7. "Castling with half-battery and Fleck themes" StrateGems, July 2018

    8. "The Baku Nowotny" StrateGems, January 2019

    9. "The Romanian Nowotny with Fleck" The Problemist, March 2019

    10. "Mirror Image" The Problemist Supplement, May 2019

    11. "White King in Check" Problemas, July 2019

    12. "A Simple Mechanism", StrateGems, July 2019

    13. "Miniatures with castling and (partial) Fleck" Problemist Supplement, September 2019

    14. "Taking the Straitjacket off the Fleck" The Problemist Supplement, November 2019

    15. "Unforced threats" The Problemist Supplement, May 2020

    16. "Ojanen in Miniature" The Problemist Supplement, May 2020

    17. "Developments in the Finnish Nowotny" The Problemist, July 2020

    18.  "Categorising  the Fleck theme" The Problemist, January 2021

    19.  "Masking the Bristol"  The Problemist Supplement, March 2021

    20. "My love of the Novotny" StrateGems July 2021

    21. "Masked Novotny" The Problemist Supplement, November 2021


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